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[Accy cyclist]

Something’s draining that battery then. Few days is nothing - should easily last that without being run.

It does 'last that' long...when it's not freezing. There isn't anything draining the battery. It's been checked by a mechanic I use and a mechanic at Halfords and the battery, ignition system and the alternator are working adequately. The battery that was in when I bought the car 2 years ago was fine till the first below zero night. I'm happy that the jump starter works! That's why I have it, to jump start my car when it won't start after it's been very cold. I could buy a super duper top of the range battery and that might go flat! Then where would I be? Having a jump starter gives me peace of mind and that's something I haven't had before with this car regarding whether it'll start or not.

 

[Accy cyclist]

I'd have just put a battery isolator switch on it for the sake of 5 or 6 quid.

And who's going to fit it and how much are we talking (auto electrician at £60 an hour maybe)? Certainly not me, so why bother?! Even that could fail in zero temperatures for all I know. Yes, I know you're going to tell me it won't, but that won't give me peace of mind like a jump starter does.

 

[Accy cyclist]

So let me get this right. You carry a spare battery in your car, that's connected to your 'main battery', but it can't be drained by anything but the ignition. In theory the spare battery will have an almost full charge and it will fire up the ignition system when the main battery fails. What happens if the zero temperature affects the back up battery stopping it from firing up the car, regardless of how much charge it's supposed to have? Surely it's better to keep a battery (in a jump starter) and keep it way above freezing and it won't let you down? 🤔 When I had my bad starter in the very cold diesel VW Golf I took the battery out and put it on charge in my house overnight when zero temps were forecast, keeping it away from those zero temperatures. I can't do that now, so a jump starter ( so much easier for me) replaces that often in winter ritual.

 

[Accy cyclist]

BMW minis do have a tendency to leak still. Pal of mine had a nightmare with one that leaked from the sun roof.

I'm ok, mine doesn't have a sun roof! Seriously though, I think after rain getting in due to the roof's size, the next 'inlet' of rain comes from your shoes. My driver's floor mat is often wet, which I suppose adds to the damp in the car. That dehumidifier thingy I bought from Halfords still seems dry, though we haven't reached those condensation in cars nights due to the wet and cold just yet. Time will tell!

 

[fossyant]

You need a new battery. Simple. If it won't start when cold, but works at other times its the battery. They don't like cold. Thats when Ive changed my battery. They get sluggish to start.

Of course, you are just going to ignore the advice and we'll be here all winter with you having to use the jump start. Hey ho.

100 page thread ?

 

[Drago]

I wouldn't trust Halfords car dept to tell me the time, never mind try and diagnose something highly specialist and technical like a blown bulb or split wiper blade.

 

[I like Skol]

Is a new car not the solution?

 

[cheys03]

There are lots of ‘this has been checked and is fine’. This isn’t rocket science. One of those checks was wrong. The symptoms don’t match a problem with charging the battery through the alternator, that bit seems fine. Either there is something draining the battery or the battery cannot hold a charge.

If the checks cannot be relied upon and it’s costly to troubleshoot again then you’re left with doing the easiest thing first.
I agree with Fossyant. Change the battery.

or if you’re happy with the jump pack then carry on, but recognise that it’s a short term solution.

 

[CXRAndy]

I use ctek battery maintainer on my vehicles I don't use regularly. Oldest battery is 15 years old, still going strong

 

[Cavalol]

Had an early 1.6 with 198,500 miles on it. Quite probably one of the most fun cars I've owned/driven, they're such a laugh. Except when the sills/rear end start rotting which they seem to do from the factory. You should absolutely try living with an MX5 for a while, if you haven't already purchased one.

 

[Accy cyclist]

Are you still using that knackered battery we told you to change ages ago ?

Ok, time to accept defeat! Last week after not having run my car for two days, including one night of just above freezing temperatures, I tried to fire it up with the battery starter but it was dead. The local car accessories shop bloke came up and tested my battery. He showed me that it said 'no charge'. He then fitted a new battery for 70 quid including a fiver for delivery and fitting. He also suggested I should drive more than my usual much less than 3000 miles a year, especially in the winter months to stop the battery from failing. I thought about that suggestion and thought yes, that's ok saying that, but If I was to drive another 1000 miles a year to supposedly keep a £70 battery 'topped up' how much will that cost in fuel compared to just buying a new battery every year? 🤔

 

[cheys03]

Excellent! good stuff
Keeping the battery topped up is about numbers of miles done per engine start (when the charge is used). If you only drive 100m each time it’ll go flat in any season. Just try to avoid frequent short trips and intersperse them with longer drives to keep the battery charged. If you only use the car for very short trips then make 1 in 3 a longer drive and it’ll get the charge it needs.

 

[Accy cyclist]

Excellent! good stuff
Keeping the battery topped up is about numbers of miles done per engine start (when the charge is used). If you only drive 100m each time it’ll go flat in any season. Just try to avoid frequent short trips and intersperse them with longer drives to keep the battery charged. If you only use the car for very short trips then make 1 in 3 a longer drive and it’ll get the charge it needs.

To me a long journey means 10 miles there and back to Blackburn or even longer 14 miles there and back to Clitheroe. I do try and use the longer motorway trip to Blackburn and the dual carriageway trip to Clitheroe to put my foot down to 'boost the battery'.

 

[Accy cyclist]

On about batteries and my jump starter thingy in particular, last night a friend sent me a text asking if he could borrow my jump starter. This is the 'friend' who asked me to lend him £1000 a year ago,resulting in him getting quite aggressive when I said no. In his text he said he was coming round for it. I immediately replied 'sorry I'm out, I'll come round to yours asap with it (then take it back after jump starting)'. My thoughts were I 'lend it to him and I'll never see it again'! When I got there it turned out he wanted the jump starter to charge his camper van battery overnight, before going away for a short holiday. I fobbed him off saying it doesn't charge batteries, only jump starts them. Maybe it does charge batteries, but no way was I leaving it with this borrow and don't pay/hand back merchant!! If I'd left it with him he'd most likely take it with him and knacker it up.

 

[vickster]

Tell him to get his own jump leads