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Car Battery - Varta versus Amaron


awhtc
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My Hitachi car battery in my Honda Shuttle Hybrid died on me a few days ago.  Sadly, it lasted only 1.5 years, and could not start my engine after I WFH for a few days.  Luckily, I managed to get a nice guy to come down within 20 min to re-start my car for $25.  Thereafter, I went to a car workshop to change to a new battery.

Initially, I wanted to install the cheaper advertised Amaron car battery ($70).  However, the technician looked at my hybrid engine and recommended the Varta Blue car battery ($110), which he said was specifically for the start-stop engine.  He said it could easily last 2 years.

I thought Amaron was the hottest brand in the market and I had a good experience with it on my Vios.  Any feedback on the Varta battery?  Unfortunately, the small battery tray in Honda Shuttle Hybrid meant that I could only install the smallest Varta Blue battery even though I wanted a bigger one for only $10 more.  I checked around several online websites and Varta batteries easily cost 50% more than Amaron batteries of similar capacity and current 🙁

Edited by awhtc
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By the way, the guy who came to my battery rescue used a 70mai portable battery charger.  However, after several futile attempts over 15 min, he gave up and used the traditional charging cables before my car came to life.  It seems that Honda Shuttle Hybrid engine needs a higher current to start.  I almost wanted to get the 70mai charger earlier too but I guess charging cables or really bigger portable battery charger are really the way to go.  I accidentally left my big portable battery charger at another place and I suppose I better buy another pair of charging cables ☹️

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Supersonic

most hybrid car only need a small 35AH battery, no need for stop-start battery.

 

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@Kb27  It seems that my GPS tracker and car dash camera are draining the car battery a lot.  I just hope to have a battery that can last longer.

The problem with my hybrid car is almost all the time when the car starts up, I don't hear the engine cranking.  This prevents me from knowing whether the battery is dying.

I guess I will get a battery tester and test the battery at least once a month.

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Twincharged
15 minutes ago, awhtc said:

@Kb27  It seems that my GPS tracker and car dash camera are draining the car battery a lot.  I just hope to have a battery that can last longer.

The problem with my hybrid car is almost all the time when the car starts up, I don't hear the engine cranking.  This prevents me from knowing whether the battery is dying.

I guess I will get a battery tester and test the battery at least once a month.

Second the battery tester. But no need once a month. You can see the state of health. I would say accurate enough. Also chart the internal resistance to see the cells deteriorate. It give you a better picture. I bought the ancel unit. 

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Supersonic

Yeah, hybrid starting can't really hear the cranking. For Honda, there's Grace, Shuttle, Vezel, Civc, Insight. I've replaced them with Amaron 35AH, it should easily last 2 yrs or more.

Toyota hybrids, more irritating, they use different batteries, Prius (early models), Axio use 35AH, the spaceship Prius, Noah, CHR use 45AH. That gives me problem, when I have to carry different batteries around. [laugh]

But generally, a 35AH will work. Yes, you need to check the battery health occasionally.

Get a digital battery analyser, check for CCA. If the battery rated CCA is 360A, anything measured less than half, like 180A, you must quickly change it out, before it fails completely. If you get cheap analyser which may not be very accurate, you just use the ballpark figure, check when the battery is new, and note the reading down. Then you can compare next time.

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Supersonic

Your "nice guy" charged you $25 to restart your car and you had to go elsewhere to change your battery? You realise there are mobile services that will sell you a new battery for a lower service charge? (and I'm not talking about AA, you can do much better than them).

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1 hour ago, Turboflat4 said:

Your "nice guy" charged you $25 to restart your car and you had to go elsewhere to change your battery? You realise there are mobile services that will sell you a new battery for a lower service charge? (and I'm not talking about AA, you can do much better than them).

the guy posting above you is one of them lol

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@Turboflat4  Normally, a guy who comes down to change a car battery on site tends to charge me a lot more.  I thought it was a WFH battery flat case as my original battery was only 1.5 years old.

After restarting, my car still gave a warning light after driving 15 min around that indicated the battery was still faulty.  Hence, I went to a workshop and the technician confirmed that the battery was a gone case.  I intend to buy another spare battery and put it in my car 😋

Hence, I would like to check if I should be paying a premium for a Varta battery versus an Amaron battery.  It looks like an Amaron is sufficient so far.

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@Mkl22 I encountered a few flat battery cases a few times already.  The battery was tested okay just 2 months ago during my car servicing.  I will definitely do more self-testing after getting the battery tester.

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Twincharged

Varta & Amaron both belong to the same Company,if i not wrong,both Brands under ''Johnson Controls''...so should be the same,now Varta Batteries no more 100% Made in Germany...& now Amaron Batteries,are no more as lasting as in the 90's...

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Twincharged
46 minutes ago, awhtc said:

Should be ok I guess. All about the same. 

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@Mkl22 KONNWEII ($41.61):

Thanks.  I just ordered it and there is a $3 discount coupon, so the net price is $38.61 with delivery.

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Internal Moderator
11 hours ago, awhtc said:

My Hitachi car battery in my Honda Shuttle Hybrid died on me a few days ago.  Sadly, it lasted only 1.5 years, and could not start my engine after I WFH for a few days.  Luckily, I managed to get a nice guy to come down within 20 min to re-start my car for $25.  Thereafter, I went to a car workshop to change to a new battery.

Initially, I wanted to install the cheaper advertised Amaron car battery ($70).  However, the technician looked at my hybrid engine and recommended the Varta Blue car battery ($110), which he said was specifically for the start-stop engine.  He said it could easily last 2 years.

I thought Amaron was the hottest brand in the market and I had a good experience with it on my Vios.  Any feedback on the Varta battery?  Unfortunately, the small battery tray in Honda Shuttle Hybrid meant that I could only install the smallest Varta Blue battery even though I wanted a bigger one for only $10 more.  I checked around several online websites and Varta batteries easily cost 50% more than Amaron batteries of similar capacity and current 🙁

I think 1.5 year is consider not bad. nowadays the battery don't make to last anymore le. Unlike those days where Yuasa battery can last forever.

Regarding about Amaron vs Varta, I also have a few good fair share for Amaron when my father still driving his van. But I think the company gotten complacent and start to neglect their QC, the latter years when my father use Amaron, the battery die quite fast. But then again, they battery we bought today are not made to last. 

if you wanna know if the battery is good anot, you can bring a weighing scale. For the same size battery, if there is one heavier one, it means there is more material for the plate inside to help conduct electricity. So it can last you longer.

I actually prefer bosch battery more than varta, currently I am on bosch battery. reasonably priced and quite lasting.

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Twincharged
1 hour ago, kobayashiGT said:

I think 1.5 year is consider not bad. nowadays the battery don't make to last anymore le. Unlike those days where Yuasa battery can last forever.

Regarding about Amaron vs Varta, I also have a few good fair share for Amaron when my father still driving his van. But I think the company gotten complacent and start to neglect their QC, the latter years when my father use Amaron, the battery die quite fast. But then again, they battery we bought today are not made to last. 

if you wanna know if the battery is good anot, you can bring a weighing scale. For the same size battery, if there is one heavier one, it means there is more material for the plate inside to help conduct electricity. So it can last you longer.

I actually prefer bosch battery more than varta, currently I am on bosch battery. reasonably priced and quite lasting.

My experience is amaron is still better than yuasa. Tried 2 yuasa 45a on 2 difference cars and they died prematurely around 1.5years. The few Amaron on the other hand still good after 3.3years. And yuasa cost that bit more than amaron. The only thing going for yuasa is the ability to top up de-ionized water. But I never needed to do so. The other plus point is the black casing looks nicer in the engine bay vs the slime green. 

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3 hours ago, awhtc said:

  I intend to buy another spare battery and put it in my car 😋

 

huh???

dun waste  money lol.

go hunt for a good set of jump cable and keep in your boot instead. the cable must be as thick as your finger, those thin thin 1 the thickness of a pen no use.

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