Recommend a decent portable car battery starter

[glasgowcyclist]

Ok,let's do remote chance scenario. It's locked up when the engine's running,so someone would have to physically break in. It's in full view of curtain twitchers in their flats. It's in the sight of very good cameras,fitted outside the MOT place nearby. If someone's so desperate to break into a 14 year old bright yellow(so easy to spot by the plod,not forgetting the big F..k EU sticker in the rear screen👍)car,then so be it!

It's your money.

 

[dodgy]

It's your money.

And it's also an offence. But you know, Trumpists do what Trumpists do 🤷‍♂️

 

[johnnyb47]

What's exactly is the problem with your car @Accy cyclist.
Is your car failing to start on a regular basis due to the battery being discharged. If it is, take it to garage to check out whether the battery or alternator is knackered and then get sorted accordingly.
Or are you just worried that your car will let you down in your time of need. If this is the case and your happy the battery and alternator are in good order, buy a lithium jump pack or get some road side assistance package such as the RAC.
There's no point in worrying about your iron chariot letting you down somewhere. Sometimes we just have to put our faith in our cars and deal with the unexpected breakdowns when they happen, otherwise we would never go anywhere through lack of trust..
My car is an old banger held together with bale twine and cow muck and wouldn't bat an eye lid to going fat a field (restrictions permitted of course)
Life's way to short buddy to worry about a cars future reliability. If it starts and you're satisfied it's charging and the battery is not duff don't worry.
If you've got concerns let a garage take a look at it.
Short journeys will eventually run a battery down. The power it takes to crank engine will take a few good miles of driving to replenish it again. I would say at least 5 miles of driving is needed to replace the energy taken from starting. Letting a car ticking over to charge a battery isn't that effective to be honest as the engine is only ticking over and subsequently spinning the alternator slowly. When i start my old car the voltage displayed in the dash will show its pushing around 14.5v into the battery. After around 5 miles it settles to around 13 to 13.5v
I hope this helps Accy.

 

[Bonefish Blues]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/293836912920

 

[Smokin Joe]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/293836912920

My motorcycle has got a kick start in addition to the electric. I'll have to try using it soon, I haven't kick started a bike since the early eighties.

 

[Accy cyclist]

I've just turned the ignition key after the car's been still for 48 hours. Happy to report it fired up without a whimper. Mind you it's a balmy 7 Celsius out there. If it'd been slightly above,or even worse below freezing it might not have fired up. This is why i want a portable battery starter rather than a new battery. I need that peace of mind a starter would give. Like i said earlier,even a brand new top of the range battery couldn't give me that peace of mind!

 

[Accy cyclist]

And it's also an offence. But you know, Trumpists do what Trumpists do 🤷‍♂️

I bought the car in honour of the Donald's corn yellow hair!

 

[dodgy]

Ironic, given that I imagine a car like that is popular with hairdressers.

 

[Accy cyclist]

Ironic, given that I imagine a car like that is popular with hairdressers.

Not quite. Hairdressers have these over the headlights!

 

[MntnMan62]

accy , the best advice is a new battery, a portable jump starter or booster pack is a temporary measure , the fact that you need one is because your battery is fecked

But what do you do when you see no sign of issues with the battery, drive a good distance, park the car, and when you come back to it, the engine won't start? If everyone knew when their battery was going to die, there would be no need for these emergency services memberships or jump starters. Buying a new battery is what you end up having to do AFTER you needed the starter. They aren't mutually exclusive.

 

[Accy cyclist]

But what do you do when you see no sign of issues with the battery, drive a good distance, park the car, and when you come back to it, the engine won't start? If everyone knew when their battery was going to die, there would be no need for these emergency services memberships or jump starters. Buying a new battery is what you end up having to do AFTER you needed the starter. They aren't mutually exclusive.

'Car won't fire up' phobia is more common than i thought! Out of about 8 people i've mentioned this to today,i'd say nearly all fear being miles from home and the engine won't fire up. Not necessarily due to a flat battery,but they do fear being stranded!

 

[MntnMan62]

'Car won't fire up' phobia is more common than i thought! Out of about 8 people i've mentioned this to today,i'd say nearly all fear being miles from home and the engine won't fire up. Not necessarily due to a flat battery,but they do fear being stranded!

That may be true with some people but others such as myself have actually been stuck somewhere and needed to jump start the car. It seems you are making light of people's real life experiences. Over a car battery starter? Really?

 

[Accy cyclist]

That may be true with some people but others such as myself have actually been stuck somewhere and needed to jump start the car. It seems you are making light of people's real life experiences. Over a car battery starter? Really?

Why do you think i'm making light of it? Ok,the 'Car won't fire up' phobia' was a bit of fun,but seriously,if there is such a phobia then i have it! I spend hours worrying about my car not firing up,or it breaking down...but then i'm a worrier!
I'd also like to say that i've had 3 Japanese cars(2 Nissans and a Suzuki). I never had that worry with them,though they were petrol not diesel. I've only ever had 2 German cars (1 VW and 1 BMW Mini) both gave/give me worries about not firing up,but then both were/are diesel!

Edit...No i tell a lie! I had a 1993 Audi 80 a few years ago. That fired up without a problem,but then it was petrol,not diesel!

 

[johnnyb47]

I'm afraid all cars can and will let you down at some point. That's something we all have to accept. If you find this a stressful and worrying scenario take some positive steps and actions to help you yourself out of it by getting some roadside recovery plan.
You can then look at the situation and if the worst happens you've at least got a plan b to go to.
There's no point in worrying about what could happen in the coming future buddy, because it's usually out of our hands anyway. We can only merely take steps to ensure we have a back plan to help when things go wrong

 

[MntnMan62]

Why do you think i'm making light of it? Ok,the 'Car won't fire up' phobia' was a bit of fun,but seriously,if there is such a phobia then i have it! I spend hours worrying about my car not firing up,or it breaking down...but then i'm a worrier!
I'd also like to say that i've had 3 Japanese cars(2 Nissans and a Suzuki). I never had that worry with them,though they were petrol not diesel. I've only ever had 2 German cars (1 VW and 1 BMW Mini) both gave/give me worries about not firing up,but then both were/are diesel!

Edit...No i tell a lie! I had a 1993 Audi 80 a few years ago. That fired up without a problem,but then it was petrol,not diesel!

Ah. I misunderstood. My bad. We've had American (Ford Escort, Explorer & Edge), Japanese (Mazda 323, Acura Integra, Subaru Outback & Acura MDX), German (Audi A6) and Swedish (Volvo S60) cars. Never had one that gave us concerns about it not starting. Sometimes you would get the tell tale hesitation before it would turn over, indicating the battery might be on its way out. But I've never worried that the cars would not start. If it needs a new battery, we get one. But I feel much more comfortable having the small portable jump starter in the car and feel the small one time cost is well worth it over a service so that I don't have to worry about the car not starting.