Topic: What did you do to your car today?

[EV Dan]

I had to replace the battery in my wife's 2017 GMC Sierra. Pretty disappointing life at 5-6 years but the battery guy claimed that was normal.

That's what i figured too.  every 5 years ish new battery just long enough to be out of warranty

Lead acid batteries like to be kept charged. Lots of cars didn't have that luxury during the first covid year so now many are up for replacement sooner than usual. Also I think the trunk located batteries last longer.

We were pretty active during covid with none of us laid off so I dunno. Its a small cost overall.

Unless it's a big AGM one. Can easily be 300 bucks nowadays. I don't remember what brand mine was (Genesis) but it lasted for 7-8 years and maybe longer for the second owner. I charged it every few weeks during lockdowns.

[PJungnitsch]

Who knows how long that 2017 sat on the dealer’s lot when new. Move it around a few times, let customers sit in it with the ignition on, playing with the radio, lots of starts, but no real driving…

I hear it’s pretty common to have to jump start vehicles on dealer lots. That’s a battery that’s got a head start on a short life right there.

Remember test driving one used RX that had to be boosted. The salesman was 'just don't let it die in traffic', not exactly good vibes

Was surprised how much trickle charge our RX took the other day. Wife drives it regularly around the city, but not long trips and with the electric hatch and what not there must be a lot of demand on the battery. There's even some pump that kicks in occasionally when it's sitting in the garage, something to do with the fuel tank vent capture system. Some of these vehicles should really have RV type deep cycle batteries

[Arthur Dent]

Who knows how long that 2017 sat on the dealer’s lot when new. Move it around a few times, let customers sit in it with the ignition on, playing with the radio, lots of starts, but no real driving…

I hear it’s pretty common to have to jump start vehicles on dealer lots. That’s a battery that’s got a head start on a short life right there.

Good point. We bought it used which is even more of gamble.

[Great_Big_Abyss]

When I bought the Tundra, the battery died on the test drive.  We had driven to a gas station to put gas in it prior to the test drive (LOL!!) and then it wouldn't start up.  So obviously a combination of being left on, sitting out in the cold, lol. 

The dealer put a brand new battery in it before delivery, though, and it was never an issue after that.

[Blueprint]

The TR6 is seldom started, yet the circa 2012 battery is quite strong. The trickle chargers help of course, and no cold temps...

I changed the batteries in the Odyssey and Accent. Audi still had its original one, and replacing that would have required computer, software and interface. Fgc.

[HeliDriver]

I replaced the GTI’s original battery after 8 years, but only as a precaution. It still seemed pretty good, but I figured why chance another winter. I’m kinda sad I didn’t keep it until the end, just to see how long it would go.

But I also special ordered the GTI and picked it up just a couple days after it got off the truck. Doubt the dealer had time to kill the battery, and I know I never let it drain down in the time I owned it.

[Arthur Dent]

The TR6 is seldom started, yet the circa 2012 battery is quite strong. The trickle chargers help of course, and no cold temps...

I changed the batteries in the Odyssey and Accent. Audi still had its original one, and replacing that would have required computer, software and interface. Fgc.

Being a basic car helps I think. The Elantra battery is older but going strong.

[PJungnitsch]

Another modern complication. The Crosstrek battery is labelled as 'stop-start'

[ArticSteve]

The Crosstrek battery is labelled as 'stop-start'

So it's an AGM then?

[PJungnitsch]

Doesn’t appear to be, based on the warnings to keep it level. Maybe an ‘enhanced’ regular type, the EFB type above

[ArticSteve]

Interesting, the wife's MDX is an AGM and it's got the lovely S/S.  The Armada has the traditional wet cell.  Don't know if it's EFB.  No S/S.  Tremor appears to have the same. No S/S.

[ArticSteve]

Just checked Crappy (easy) for the battery cost for the MDX.  Wait for it .... $502 tax in.  Beyond ridiculous.  Who knows what the Acura dealer nails people for.

https://www.canadiantire.ca/en/cat/automotive/batteries-maintenance-accessories/car-truck-batteries-DC0000279.html

[Blueprint]

Just checked Crappy (easy) for the battery cost for the MDX.  Wait for it .... $502 tax in.  Beyond ridiculous.  Who knows what the Acura dealer nails people for.

https://www.canadiantire.ca/en/cat/automotive/batteries-maintenance-accessories/car-truck-batteries-DC0000279.html

The dealer had given me a quote for the e-tron: $1 000 installed and programmed 

[PJungnitsch]

See the Costco replacement comes up as an AGM, but maybe that's just because it's safe to ship. Comes up at $250 plus tax delivered, not bad

[Arthur Dent]

I feel better about the $166 I spent on the GMC battery. 

[2JDM]

So a day before bringing the BMW to the shop for a suspension noise and brake diagnosis, I noticed the suspension noise wasn't as loud / not making noise at all. Drove around for an hour, barely heard it. WTF? 

Read a few things on the BMW forums. Thread from like 2010: One dude brought his in 5 times to the dealer, couldn't figure it the rear noise. It turned out it was the SUNROOF COVER being loose in the headliner. Flopping/clunk noise like a piece of bristol board. So I tried it - and sure enough, with it open, the damn thing made so much noise over bumps. 

[tortoise]

Well that's a win.

[Dante]

Did an oil change on the GTI, for the first time on time (one year) rather than kms. Only 6,500 km driven this year....

[rrocket]

Did an oil change on the GTI, for the first time on time (one year) rather than kms. Only 6,500 km driven this year....

How much on the BMW?

[Dante]

Did an oil change on the GTI, for the first time on time (one year) rather than kms. Only 6,500 km driven this year....

How much on the BMW?

Probably around 14,000 km over the same period out of 16,000 km since I got it.
The BMW is due too in about 600 km @8,000 km.