German battery VARTA available in Thailand

By The Nation

Thai Petroleum & Tradings Co Ltd has launched super premium battery "VARTA", aiming to emphasise on luxury and supercar segments.

Imported from Germany, VARTA batteries are currently installed in a number of luxury cars by European auto manufacturers. With its patented PowerFrame technology, VARTA batteries provide consistently higher starting power and a clear improvement in battery lifespan that include an 18-month warranty.

At the initial stage, the company plans to focus on building brand awareness as it seeks to penetrate premium-grade auto service centers of both European and Japanese car makers. TP&T targets sales of VARA batteries to exceed Bt10 million within six months.

"In Thailand, overall market value of after market batteries totalaround 4 million units, worth over THB5 billion. The company's diversification into battery business is meant to offer a new alternative for car users in Thailand with quality product, whose manufacturing process meets international standard. As batteries for premium or luxury cars currently account for around 4-5 per cent market share, we see substantial room for growth in this segment. Therefore, we have sought to become importer and distributor of VARTA batteries, which will allow greater coverage of auto battery market," said Rittichai Tingtanatikul, assistant managing director of TP&T.

Following the official launch, the company will initially focus on auto showrooms and service centres of all luxury brands. It will continuously build brand awareness through public relations at selling points and provide product knowledge directly to consumers as well as conducting sales promotion and media campaigns. TP&T expects VARTA to generate no less than THB10 million in sales within six months after the launch, he said.

-- The Nation 2011-05-18

VARTA makes you to watch at a photo of two batteries and to ask yourself: are there more photos of that super premium battery launch event?

18 month warranty, hmmmmmmm. In the UK a CHEAP crap battery has a 2 year guarantee.

18 month warranty, hmmmmmmm. In the UK a CHEAP crap battery has a 2 year guarantee.

It's a bit hotter here.

You are lucky to get a one year guarantee here in LOS and as above the climate is not at all battery friendly.

18 month warranty, hmmmmmmm. In the UK a CHEAP crap battery has a 2 year guarantee.

It's a bit hotter here.

Hot under any hood where the battery is under the hood holding hands with the engine.

You generally get a decent airflow even under the hood when you are moving that will keep the temp down and remember that most vehicles spend the mojority of their lives parked up. It's the higher average temperature here that does the damage.

You generally get a decent airflow even under the hood when you are moving that will keep the temp down and remember that most vehicles spend the mojority of their lives parked up. It's the higher average temperature here that does the damage.

Yep for sure but we have talked lots here about battery life and the norm is 2 years so what is Varta offering that is better, with a basic 18 month guarantee, nothing.

German..? Expensive and lousy.

Heat in Los ?? try living in Arizona now thats hot and if someone tried to sell a battery with an18 month warranty they wouldnt be in business long. 18 months is a joke.

The last Thai battery I bought had a 3 month guarantee. Even better joke!!!

Heat in Los ?? try living in Arizona now thats hot and if someone tried to sell a battery with an18 month warranty they wouldnt be in business long. 18 months is a joke.

Absolutely,

But.................The warrantee is not necessarily representative of actual battery life which is likely to vary but a fair bit longer then the actual warrantee..

The girls are making the rounds though.. Couldn't get a picture to come up so have to link the page.

Same girls, same company?

this is news?

First the Japanese muscled into Thai industry and now the Germans are having go at peddling their wares here.

The good old axis powers trying to take over again. Next it will be the Italians I`ve no doubts.

I read the heading and assumed that the military were buying 88mm cannons.

You generally get a decent airflow even under the hood when you are moving that will keep the temp down and remember that most vehicles spend the mojority of their lives parked up. It's the higher average temperature here that does the damage.

Yep for sure but we have talked lots here about battery life and the norm is 2 years so what is Varta offering that is better, with a basic 18 month guarantee, nothing.

I posted a few years ago... 2004 I bought a brand new Honda Jazz, 14 months later battery was dead, Honda said Batteries in Thailand have a guarantee of between 3 - 6 months, Honda's own battery being the better one [?? ] with 6 months guarantee, I had the Jazz 4 years and 3 new batteries..

Present car Audi A6, 2 years ago needed a new battery, bought a expensive one with 18 months guarantee, the old battery was from new and the date stamp on it showed it was 10 years old., so was the 1st battery.

2005 Battery fitted and supplied by Honda, 978 baht....... 2009 Audi battery supplied and fitted by local battery shop 2,650 baht, still perfect.

It seems pretty common here that most products we buy in thailand are not export quality, I can only guess that the market will not support the selling of quality goods, but it bothers me that it is so hard to find a quality product without paying the import duty which makes it prohibitive to buy when said product is not produced here. I am all for a country protecting its industries thru import duties but when you dont produce something and still charge me a ridiculous price it just doesnt make sense. Oh wait where am I ?

Guess those happy V signs by the pretties refer to Varta powered Vibrators.

You generally get a decent airflow even under the hood when you are moving that will keep the temp down and remember that most vehicles spend the mojority of their lives parked up. It's the higher average temperature here that does the damage.

Yep for sure but we have talked lots here about battery life and the norm is 2 years so what is Varta offering that is better, with a basic 18 month guarantee, nothing.

I posted a few years ago... 2004 I bought a brand new Honda Jazz, 14 months later battery was dead, Honda said Batteries in Thailand have a guarantee of between 3 - 6 months, Honda's own battery being the better one [?? ] with 6 months guarantee, I had the Jazz 4 years and 3 new batteries..

Present car Audi A6, 2 years ago needed a new battery, bought a expensive one with 18 months guarantee, the old battery was from new and the date stamp on it showed it was 10 years old., so was the 1st battery.

2005 Battery fitted and supplied by Honda, 978 baht....... 2009 Audi battery supplied and fitted by local battery shop 2,650 baht, still perfect.

I have a battery charger in my car port and use it every week or so. My pick-up's battery is about a year old - the charger usually gives the batteries another 6-12 months life. This is the 4th battery.

Compare with England: I bought a new Datsun car and forgot to fill the battery for the first 8 years. I thought it was a sealed for life one. The car always started first time so I never thought about topping up the battery.

One wet morning it didn't start - first time ever. I checked the battery - the acid was only just touching the plates at the bottom - about 1" acid left.

I took it to work to fill it up and charge it. My workmates couldn't believe that it was the original battery as they usually had to change theirs every 3 years.

The battery worked fine for the next 4 years until I sold the car.

So why can't I get a decent battery like that one here? Is it just because the Bangkok Battery co. and all the other suppliers of crap have the market sewn up and the retailers get a big margin?

You generally get a decent airflow even under the hood when you are moving that will keep the temp down and remember that most vehicles spend the mojority of their lives parked up. It's the higher average temperature here that does the damage.

Yep for sure but we have talked lots here about battery life and the norm is 2 years so what is Varta offering that is better, with a basic 18 month guarantee, nothing.

I posted a few years ago... 2004 I bought a brand new Honda Jazz, 14 months later battery was dead, Honda said Batteries in Thailand have a guarantee of between 3 - 6 months, Honda's own battery being the better one [?? ] with 6 months guarantee, I had the Jazz 4 years and 3 new batteries..

Present car Audi A6, 2 years ago needed a new battery, bought a expensive one with 18 months guarantee, the old battery was from new and the date stamp on it showed it was 10 years old., so was the 1st battery.

2005 Battery fitted and supplied by Honda, 978 baht....... 2009 Audi battery supplied and fitted by local battery shop 2,650 baht, still perfect.

I have a battery charger in my car port and use it every week or so. My pick-up's battery is about a year old - the charger usually gives the batteries another 6-12 months life. This is the 4th battery.

Compare with England: I bought a new Datsun car and forgot to fill the battery for the first 8 years. I thought it was a sealed for life one. The car always started first time so I never thought about topping up the battery.

One wet morning it didn't start - first time ever. I checked the battery - the acid was only just touching the plates at the bottom - about 1" acid left.

I took it to work to fill it up and charge it. My workmates couldn't believe that it was the original battery as they usually had to change theirs every 3 years.

The battery worked fine for the next 4 years until I sold the car.

So why can't I get a decent battery like that one here? Is it just because the Bangkok Battery co. and all the other suppliers of crap have the market sewn up and the retailers get a big margin?

Good question. In most farang countries you get a good guarantee, no quibbles, and that guarantee does not state if we have an extra hot summer the guarantee is void do they. I had a Varta in a ride in UK that lasted a couple of years and it was replaced under their warranty.

Unbelievable l know it sounds, my Pontiac fun ride had only 2 batteries in over twenty years. Relocated a 135amp battery in the trunk floor and used a trickle charger connected all the time when not in use.