Technical Gears

[DavideB]

Hello:

My dad (87 years old) has bought himself a Grande Punto 1.4 2007 he is having problems with the gears in the morning car not going into gear. He always drives it in Automatic but has the option for manual as well. He took it back to the garage and they told him that it is the battery and charged him £130 for a new battery.
Is this normal for Fiats? (Do not shout at me I have a Xsara Picasso) I think they have done him, but need to know before I go in and talk to them.

Many Thanks

 

[varesecrazy]

Hello, and welcome,
the grande - like a lot of modern cars - need lots of electrical power to work correctly, so a battery is an essential part of that,
£130 seems a lot, but if it's a stop-start equipped car..?? then they are more specialist batteries..,

bottom-line,
google the price of the battery actually fitted to the car now,
did it cure the fault..??

Charlie - Oxford

 

[AndyRKett]

£130 for a battery is B*****ks he's been done, if he's only just bought it they should be replacing a dodgy battery anyway!

No stop start on a 2007 car so no need for a fancy battery, shouldn't cost more than £70 fitted!

I'm also not sure how the battery is only going to effect the gears in the morning and be fine for the rest of the day I'd argue it probably needs a gearbox fluid change and new filter. The battery issue is extortion of an 87 year old man who they saw as an easy target!

Also Xsara Picasso !!!! You deserve to be shouted at !