Car Battery - Toyota Vios

[ihightower]

Last week my battery was dead and the car (Toyota Vios 2005 Model) couldn't start. With the help of a friend's car (using cables) I could start the car and kept it running for an hour for charging my dead battery.

Later, then I took the car to my company's maint facility and the technician looked at the battery and said I have to replace it.

This was the original battery which was in the car:

1) Can someone suggest a retail price of the below Panasonic Battery and lifetime?

---

In my company's stock, there was a brand new boliden battery as per image below and the Technician asked me to buy this battery for THB2,200 and I did replace it as per his advice.

This is the newly replaced battery:

2) Can someone suggest a retail price of the above Boliden Silver Calcium Battery and its lifetime? Is the price I paid any good?

3) Is the "Boliden Maintenance Free" Battery any better than the original?

4) How to prolong the battery's lifetime? What do you suggest for next time?

I am totally new to anything technically related to cars. Please help.

Just fyi:

My company has nothing to do with cars.. all they have is a big maint facility for anything related to trucks, buses, etc. And, they have lots of spares of everything and testing device.

Edited September 30, 2009 by bazmlb

[Tywais]

4) How to prolong the battery's lifetime? What do you suggest for next time?

4 years on a battery in Thailand is pretty good actually. I've replaced mine 3 times averaging about 4 years usage on each. Some members have reported 2 years as average for them.

[JohnC]

Yes I agree, my Mitsubushi dealer used to work in the industry in the USA and told me that the life of a car battery in Thailand is about half that in the west, he said I would be lucky to get three years out of it, I have just reached that point and it is playing up! I have had quotes of around 3000 baht for a replacement so think I will shop around a bit more!

[Greenside]

The price sounds about right. I was told by the owner of a battery shop that the average life of a battery here is around three years. You'll notice that they are much smaller than the ones we are used to in Europe too.

[katabeachbum]

Last week my battery was dead and the car (Toyota Vios 2005 Model) couldn't start. With the help of a friend's car (using cables) I could start the car and kept it running for an hour for charging my dead battery.

Later, then I took the car to my company's maint facility and the technician looked at the battery and said I have to replace it.

This was the original battery which was in the car:

1) Can someone suggest a retail price of the below Panasonic Battery and lifetime?

---

In my company's stock, there was a brand new boliden battery as per image below and the Technician asked me to buy this battery for THB2,200 and I did replace it as per his advice.

This is the newly replaced battery:

2) Can someone suggest a retail price of the above Boliden Silver Calcium Battery and its lifetime? Is the price I paid any good?

3) Is the "Boliden Maintenance Free" Battery any better than the original?

4) How to prolong the battery's lifetime? What do you suggest for next time?

I am totally new to anything technically related to cars. Please help.

Just fyi:

My company has nothing to do with cars.. all they have is a big maint facility for anything related to trucks, buses, etc. And, they have lots of spares of everything and testing device.

Iv not seen Toyota come with Panasonic batteries before, so I think its already been replaced once.

My Yaris needed battery replaced at 20 months/25k km, and I got the same Boliden battery as you did at 2000 baht in Phuket. Expect it to live 2-3 years. Life in the tropics.

In general to keep long battery life time, avoid hard load when charging starts. Thats just after starting engine and 5 minutes. Slow fan, no lights, drive off directly.

1000 baht a year in battery costs isnt much to complain about

[mdechgan]

Batteries in Thailand have a 1 year warranty. 2 years lifetime is usual. 3-4 years means you are lucky. The tropical weather here really puts a drain on a car's electrical system. The a/c units really drains the batter especially in traffic when the motor is not running. I am a fan af boliden batteries however they cost about twice as much as a 3K or equivalent brand like Yuasa or GS. I've tried them all and there are same same. My GS lasted about 1.5 years while the Yuasa a little longer like 2. My current is 3K and still going strong after 2 years. However I don't think it will last longer than another year.

[elkangorito]

The below threads are interesting;

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Car-Battery-...ttery&st=50

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Battery-Life...ttery&st=50

[katabeachbum]

Batteries in Thailand have a 1 year warranty. 2 years lifetime is usual. 3-4 years means you are lucky. The tropical weather here really puts a drain on a car's electrical system. The a/c units really drains the batter especially in traffic when the motor is not running. I am a fan af boliden batteries however they cost about twice as much as a 3K or equivalent brand like Yuasa or GS. I've tried them all and there are same same. My GS lasted about 1.5 years while the Yuasa a little longer like 2. My current is 3K and still going strong after 2 years. However I don't think it will last longer than another year.

Boliden guarantees 18 months, not only 1 year. The price is about 50% more than ordinary acid/lead batteries, not double. Besides they are maintenance free.

[ihightower]

Thanks for your reply.

Iv not seen Toyota come with Panasonic batteries before, so I think its already been replaced once.

This is a second hand car bought in Feb 2008 and used by me since then. So, I am not aware if the battery was changed before.

What battery make Toyota Vios comes with originally?

[Milo]

Thanks for your reply.

Iv not seen Toyota come with Panasonic batteries before, so I think its already been replaced once.

This is a second hand car bought in Feb 2008 and used by me since then. So, I am not aware if the battery was changed before.

What battery make Toyota Vios comes with originally?

Comes with a Toyota own brand battery. Ran my pickup for 4 years on the stock battery, but I'm always careful not to run the a/c for the first 5min after starting first thing in the morning. DON'T buy that Panasonic crap, especially from the small independent guys, they're usually reconditioned plates in a new case, I learned the hard way, and was only wised up by a mate who's job it is to truck them to and from Bkk, big business.

You must have a major retailer close by? The likes of CarCare/Cockpit or TyrePlus/similar? You don't want to go forking out for a Toyota original, but you can trust those guys not to give you 'Farang price', a brand new battery and decent warranty. If you're doing lots of short hops, town trips it's well worthwhile upgrading to a larger, proper heavy duty battery, the a/c knocks holy hel_l out of them. You can tell a pukka heavy duty simply by size rather than what it says on the box, go for as big as will fit in the battery compartment.

Edited October 4, 2009 by Milo

[Flatouthruthefog]

Batteries in Thailand have a 1 year warranty. 2 years lifetime is usual. 3-4 years means you are lucky. The tropical weather here really puts a drain on a car's electrical system. The a/c units really drains the batter especially in traffic when the motor is not running. I am a fan af boliden batteries however they cost about twice as much as a 3K or equivalent brand like Yuasa or GS. I've tried them all and there are same same. My GS lasted about 1.5 years while the Yuasa a little longer like 2. My current is 3K and still going strong after 2 years. However I don't think it will last longer than another year.

Boliden guarantees 18 months, not only 1 year. The price is about 50% more than ordinary acid/lead batteries, not double. Besides they are maintenance free.

Yes, these and Yuasa are about the best of a very bad lot among "names you'll never have heard before". You did well, OP. Denso (short for Nippondenso) are also very good, and Bosch and Vata from Germany are excellent. But a premium price, though.

[katabeachbum]

My Vigo battery lasted 2 years from new, can't remember the makers name on the old one but it wasn't tagged Toyota. l bought a new one from Toyota dealer which was identical in markings etc to the old one but had Toyota written across it. At the dealers l asked about guarantee, they said 30 days. l think that say's it all about Thai batteries. A post say's air con drains the battery, l fail to see this as the alternator takes over electricity supply after start up and air con uses little, air con is a mechanical system, it just takes power from the engine, and getting into your 4 wheeled oven for 5 minutes sort of defeats the object of air con. lf l missed something there please inform me.

airconcompressor doesnt drain the battery.

using aircon involves at least to electrical fans, vent fan inside car and fan for cooling aircon radiator. these drain battery.

The first 5 minutes after starting engine, battery loves to recieve high charging from alternator. if the electrical system has an easy load these 5 minutes battery life can be extended.

personally I dont mind spending 1k baht a year on new batteries (2000 baht every second year), so I run aircon high fan (actually its auto-fan) just after starting.

Boliden batteries come with 18 months guarantee and is not more expensive than Toyota batteries. and its maintanence free.

[elkangorito]

Nobody listens Do they?

[BSJ]

Optima AGM batteries are proving to be good batteries. Yellow top for Civic and other small cars run to US$150 in the states, probably more in LOS....if you can get em! Blue tops are a bit dearer. But they come with a 3 year warranty (Yellow top), some have dual terminals, all are any position mounting.

What kills batteries is heat, use while undercharged, exposed plates due to lack of battery acid and vibration if not secured in the holder.

Edited October 5, 2009 by BSJ

[mdechgan]

My Vigo battery lasted 2 years from new, can't remember the makers name on the old one but it wasn't tagged Toyota. l bought a new one from Toyota dealer which was identical in markings etc to the old one but had Toyota written across it. At the dealers l asked about guarantee, they said 30 days. l think that say's it all about Thai batteries. A post say's air con drains the battery, l fail to see this as the alternator takes over electricity supply after start up and air con uses little, air con is a mechanical system, it just takes power from the engine, and getting into your 4 wheeled oven for 5 minutes sort of defeats the object of air con. lf l missed something there please inform me.

airconcompressor doesnt drain the battery.

using aircon involves at least to electrical fans, vent fan inside car and fan for cooling aircon radiator. these drain battery.

The first 5 minutes after starting engine, battery loves to recieve high charging from alternator. if the electrical system has an easy load these 5 minutes battery life can be extended.

personally I dont mind spending 1k baht a year on new batteries (2000 baht every second year), so I run aircon high fan (actually its auto-fan) just after starting.

Boliden batteries come with 18 months guarantee and is not more expensive than Toyota batteries. and its maintanence free.

Most current cars today have alternators rated at 50-70 amps max. At idle the load is about 25% efficiency or about 20 amps max.

One condensing fan, radiator fan, cooling fan and to power the engine's electrical and ignition system is about 20 amps already if you measure using a DC load amp meter. At night turn on the stereo and headlights the battery will barely charge unless the car is running.

[mdechgan]

Optima AGM batteries are proving to be good batteries. Yellow top for Civic and other small cars run to US$150 in the states, probably more in LOS....if you can get em! Blue tops are a bit dearer. But they come with a 3 year warranty (Yellow top), some have dual terminals, all are any position mounting.

What kills batteries is heat, use while undercharged, exposed plates due to lack of battery acid and vibration if not secured in the holder.

There is a place in "the old siam" that sells optima batteries for 14,500 baht.

[katabeachbum]

Optima AGM batteries are proving to be good batteries. Yellow top for Civic and other small cars run to US$150 in the states, probably more in LOS....if you can get em! Blue tops are a bit dearer. But they come with a 3 year warranty (Yellow top), some have dual terminals, all are any position mounting.

What kills batteries is heat, use while undercharged, exposed plates due to lack of battery acid and vibration if not secured in the holder.

There is a place in "the old siam" that sells optima batteries for 14,500 baht.

hmmm, 3 years warranty and 14500 baht or Boliden maintancefree with 2 years warranty and 2000 baht. Have to think again.