Battery

,

I need a new car battery for my 2007 Audi A3 2.0 Turbo Wagon, how much should I be prepared to spend?

When purchasing a battery you want a fresh one. So when they go to pull the front battery off the sliding shelf, that’s not the one you want. Those are the battery’s that have sat on the shelf. Instead you want the battery on the back of the sliding shelf. That’s the newer battery.

If you live where it gets cold, you want a battery that has a high Cold Cranking Amp capacity. This determines how many chances you have to get the engine started when the temperatures drop below freezing.

And last, Reserve Capacity. This determines how long the battery will keep the vehicles electricals operating in the event the charging system should fail. This reflected in minutes.

Now find all that in the group size battery that fits your vehicle.

I forgot to add, expect to pay $80.00-$100.00 just for the battery.

Tester

$40-$120 depending on the cold-cranking-amps and the quality/warranty of the new battery. If you plan on keeping the car for a while and you live in a climate where it gets really cold or hot, spend the extra for the better battery and warranty.

I live in Los Angeles and was told that it would cost $150 with a 8 year warranty (the last 5 years being prorated)

Go for it! Just make sure they plug in a battery back-up system prior to disconnecting the battery.

Tester

$150 sounds like a lot for a battery to me…

Not familiar with your car, but you may save a few bucks if you shop for a battery case that will fit rather than the exact case (group #) that came in your car. It just has to fit in the space, have the positive and negative terminals in the correct corners, and accommodate your battery hold-down clamp. The hold-down can be adapted if you are ambitious.

My BMWs call for a group number that is sold by only one vendor and by the dealer. Not surprisingly, they are expensive. However, a different group number fits and clamps down just fine but is 1/4" shorter om height. That group is available at Costco and Walmart. I pay a bit extra to get the most capacity available in that group size. I find that paying for more capacity than the book says your car needs gives you more weight, but it results in more years of service. Maintenance-free batteries do not like to be stressed.

I live in a mild climate (Sacramento) and my batteries last about eight years. I have never had to use a battery warranty in 45 years of driving.

It calls for a Group 40…

I think the Audi requires a special size and about $150 from the dealer. $80 if you could get it from Wal Mart but don’t think so. My Delco cost me $150 6 months ago because it also was a special size so $150 is not out of line.