how do dealers keep so many batteries charged?

[mechanicx]

Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
i dont know how other manufacturers are, but Ford and Mazda do not cover dead batteries under warranty while i car is still on the lot. its always fun when a new sales person kills the battery on a older Miata and comes in crying because he cant find the battery under the hood.


Honda is so chintzy. They charge about 25K for a basic Accord coupe with no frills and don't really even offer national roadside assistance. It's like local assist ran through your dealer or something. GM for instance has had national roadside assistance for years.

 

[mrsilv04]

Originally Posted By: Audi Junkie
The Astra is on it's 3rd battery at 3500 miles


Wow. Someone with a worse track record than the ****tastic Exide/NAPA batteries in my Silverado.

 

[Dualie]

Originally Posted By: mechanicx
Originally Posted By: eljefino
I've seen GM owners manuals claim that they body control module will keep your dome light on after you shut the door/turn off the key for "X" minutes, unless there are less than 20 miles on the odo, when it turns it off sooner. For all that time spent getting detailed etc.



Yeah that's true. GM started installing in about the mid 90's battery run down protection that will shut down about all electrical drains after some minutes. I don't remember the specifis but it also has a "new" car program strategy in the BCM that is in effect. One thing is like the theftlock password will set after the new car strategy ends by stating the car so many times or something to that effect.


I should tell that to the escalade that cant sit longer than 5 days. It really sucks coming home from long trip and the stupid things wont start. Had 3 an 03, 05, and 07, that all did that little party trick.

 

[Bill in Utah]

Around here they start all the engines and idle them for hours on end.

Last time I was at the Subaru dealership test driving a few cars there was at least a dozen that were idling for the 2 hours we were there.

Another reason why I change the factory fill sooner than later on a new vehicle I buy.

Bill

 

[SteveSRT8]

Factory buys the cheapest battery built to their spec.

GM batteries really suck, but I've had one running since 06 in a van with 200k miles plus on the clock. So there's always a freak.

My Silverado came with a defective battery from the factory, caused all kinds of strange seemingly non-related symptoms.

All cured with a new one.

 

[mpvue]

Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
Factory buys the cheapest battery built to their spec.

GM batteries really suck, but I've had one running since 06 in a van with 200k miles plus on the clock. So there's always a freak.

My Silverado came with a defective battery from the factory, caused all kinds of strange seemingly non-related symptoms.

All cured with a new one.

I had the same original OEM battery in my saturn VUE for 6 years, never had a problem. car parked outside its whole life, always started even on the coldest days. just traded it w/ nothing ever changed under the hood except plugs and filters.

 

[PT1]

Originally Posted By: mechanicx

Honda is so chintzy. They charge about 25K for a basic Accord coupe with no frills and don't really even offer national roadside assistance. It's like local assist ran through your dealer or something. GM for instance has had national roadside assistance for years.


Sure but with a Honda...you never need roadside assistance...with GM you need it once a week...

 

[addyguy]

Lots of times I've been to a used car lot to look at a car, it hasn't started from a dead battery. The guy just goes to the office, grabs a booster pack, and get the car to fire up. They all comment that it's no big deal, car batteris do that.

Even if I've bought a car that had this done to it, I've never had a bettery fail soon after purchase - all last about as long as they are supposed to. I've always shrugged it off as no big deal.....

 

[mechanicx]

Originally Posted By: PT1
Originally Posted By: mechanicx

Honda is so chintzy. They charge about 25K for a basic Accord coupe with no frills and don't really even offer national roadside assistance. It's like local assist ran through your dealer or something. GM for instance has had national roadside assistance for years.


Sure but with a Honda...you never need roadside assistance...with GM you need it once a week...

Well if you never need national roadside assistance with a Honda then why are they still so chintzy not to offer it?

 

[tonycarguy]

Originally Posted By: Audi Junkie
The Astra is on it's 3rd battery at 3500 miles


Sounds like the problem is not with the battery..

 

[Drew2000]

Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
Factory buys the cheapest battery built to their spec.

GM batteries really suck, but I've had one running since 06 in a van with 200k miles plus on the clock. So there's always a freak.

My Silverado came with a defective battery from the factory, caused all kinds of strange seemingly non-related symptoms.

All cured with a new one.


The OEM Ford Motorcraft batteries seem very well made. Many folks seem to get 7+ years out of them.

 

[Kruse]

Originally Posted By: Bill in Utah
Around here they start all the engines and idle them for hours on end.



Yes, especially when it's cold.
At a dealership that I know, a couple of salesman came in trying to sell a gas additive that allegedly kept the catalytic converter in tip-top shape. The spew coming out of their mouth basically said: "You need this stuff in a new car's gas tank, because we know how a dealership will idle their cars for long periods of time and this will keep your catalytic converter in good shape".
The owner didn't buy any. And why should he? The cars come with a warranty.

 

[Nick R]

I believe they let them die. Our mustang's battery was dead when they went to test drive it, and the battery on the focus my grandfather and I test drove was dead.

 

[EricF]

when I went to look at the Saturn Relay's, the one I liked I got into and turned the key and the engine JUST BARELY cranked over and somehow started. So I knew I'd be getting a new battery!

went home, got the wife, came back about 2 hours later, the car fired up like it had a new battery.
the other Relay's had their engine idling away.

I'll bet they quickly tossed a battery charger on and let it rapid fast go to town... needless to say, I didn't get the new battery.

 

[bigmike]

Originally Posted By: tonycarguy
When I drive past the large local Honda dealership, I always wonder one thing. The dealership is huge, with possibly 200 cars, and I'm sure some of them take a months to sell. How do they keep all the batteries from draining? Or do they just let them die, knowing that is bad for the battery's lifespan?

I don't even let my cars sit for 5 days without hooking up a charger because the parasitic draw is so high on modern cars. Do dealers just not care, knowing that if the battery lasts 1 year they're probably off the hook?


I always check the manufacturer date. My Honda was built in Jan 09 and I bought it on Feb 16 09. Doubt it had much trouble with the battery.

 

[Scdevon]

Originally Posted By: mechanicx


Well if you never need national roadside assistance with a Honda then why are they still so chintzy not to offer it?


I've always thought that the more a company offers for free, the more desperate they were to lure buyers in. GM buyers have so internalized the company philosophy that they EXPECT to need the roadside assistance and feel lost without it. Just sayin'........