Car batteries are the lifeblood of automobiles. These are the integral component to start the engine and power up all the crucial electrical components of the car. This includes door locks, sliding windows, car lights, and other related components. Unlike other car parts, the battery has a limited lifespan of 3 to 5 years, depending on the climatic conditions and maintenance. This may need a new cheap car battery for replacement when it begins showing problems.
However, replacing can be as tough since these come in various capacities, sizes, brands, and other features. Hence, you must have a list of things to look for when you shop for a cheap car battery. Below is a guide that can help you make the right decision.
Brand
Most cars come with a specific brand’s batteries and replacing them with the same battery is the best way to make sure you got the best one for your car. However, if you think that the brand used in your car is expensive and you can’t afford it, you can go for other brands as well. If you opt for this, you just have to make sure that you go by the requirements noted in your car’s owner manual.
It’s recommended that you don’t fall for cheaper brands, as they can cause more harm than good for your car. Cheap batteries might have many defects and perform very poor. This is why you should be careful about the brand you need to choose for your car battery.
Position of battery terminals
You may not have noticed, but the position of the positive terminal in the car battery plays an important role because close contact with the metal body or other terminal of the wiring can result in short circuit, damaging various electronic items in the car. Hence, you have to check the side of the positive terminal on your batteries car depending on your vehicle type.
Battery maintenance
Batteries for cars are divided into two types: one which needs regular maintenance while the second doesn’t need one. The battery which requires maintenance has to be serviced every six months, and it can become a liability at times as without maintenance, you will have to ultimately replace it. The one which does not require maintenance is made up of sealed liquid electrolyte, by which it does not need regular maintenance until life ends.
Check the battery's age
Newer batteries for cars tend to perform better and last longer than older ones. Be sure to check the manufacturing date on any replacement batteries you are considering purchasing for your vehicle. Generally, a battery is considered "fresh" if it is less than six months old.
However, manufacturing dates usually not provided in conventional notation. Instead, 2-character alphanumeric codes are used to express the age of a car battery. The first character is a letter from A to L, representing the month of manufacture; the second character is a number from 0 to 9, representing the year of manufacture.
Check the battery's reserve capacity
A battery's reserve capacity rating (RC) refers to its "standing power." This is the amount of time the battery can continuously supply the minimum voltage necessary to run your car should the alternator or fan belt fail. With an excellent reserve capacity rating, your car can run on its battery alone if the alternator stops working.
Do not merely settle for the battery that has the longest reserve capacity. Consult your owner's manual to learn the recommended reserve capacity rating for your particular car model. Only choose batteries whose RC ratings fall within the recommended range listed in your vehicle owner's manual.
Shop around
Compare the price of batteries car sold at different shops. If possible, browse prices online or call the shop to find out how much they charge for the type of batteries you need. Doing this can save you a great amount of time and energy.
Buy car battery can be a daunting task to do. But with the right guide, you can surely have an easier time doing so. This is why you need to remember all the factors to consider discussed in this article in order to have a hassle-free shopping experience looking for the best and cheap car battery for your vehicle. Always buy car battery from a renowned and trusted store. By doing so, you can have a battery that would last longer than its normal lifespan.
