woke this morning sugar needed for tea jumps in the car and the dead battery devil has struck again pigging typical phone call to my son 50 quid l8r job done let the winter battle with jack frost commence!

I hope you checked your charging circuit before buying the battery Andy. As a retired garage manager I would be quite well off if I had a pound for every customer who bought a new battery then came to us a few days later when it had gone flat because the alternator was not charging (at the beginning of my career it would have been a faulty dynamo or regulator, but that makes me sound old !!!).

faulty dynamo or regulator, but that makes me sound old !!!).



i remember those too, and repairing them

Nothing gets repaired these days in the UK, crazy! Four years ago I had an alternator go on my Greek Brava, the local Fiat dealer took the alternator off, sent it to a local place and refitted it two hours later repaired and working perfectly. Then they had the cheek to charge me 34 euros (about £24)!!!!
Some other prices I paid at the Fiat dealer while in Greece for three years were:
Air con recharge 10 euros (£7)
Full service including plugs, filters and oil 120 euros (£84)
Head gasket renewal 230 euros (£161)

I wish the labour rates here were that good.

6 days on no probs to report thank god..

Mine needed a new battery last week. I'll let it off though. It was freezing and it is a lot of engine to turn.