Car batteries

[Leggibone]

My car is a 61plate Ford Focus ecoboost - great car, just doing my head in today - I went to go out and it’s dead as a dodo, for the 2nd time in about 3 months, unfortunately when it’s like this there is no way to get it to live again as it’s keyless with a push button start, last time it was going in for some other investigation into a coolant leak, so I got it recovered to the garage, they got it started (not sure how) and left it on a while to charge the battery, since then I’ve done a couple long runs and more like 20min runs (with a couple shorter runs but not many), but the last time i drove to hunt for Paddling pool, drove 20mins to crawley, then went around like 4 different retail parks, stopping in each one and driving between, then drove 20mins home. I haven’t replaced the battery since I bought the car in 2014 (and I highly doubt ford replaced it before then) so I guess it’s probably due?
Anyway, it is something we are happy to do ourselves, for £110 we can get a Halfords battery, or £126 from euro car parts gets a Lion Brand one Or the Bosch ones on euro are £300+
I have checked all are compatible with my cars stop start (that funnily enough hasn’t worked for the last 3 years or so) which would you go for? Or any other suggestions on places/brands I can look for in the southeast near gatwick?

[Trusty ian]

The halfords batteries are ok actually. Just make sure it's an enhanced flooded battery type. Your focus will have had the 590amp ford efb from new. Also where ever you get battery from and they fit it , make sure they reset the b.s.m ( battery monitoring system) it decides how much Charge battery depending on age of battery amongst other parameters.
Edit. Halfords efb 100

[kiwiinabd]

I always buy car batteries online these days significantly cheaper than Halfords or Eurocarparts !

Had a falling out with Halford over battery warranty !

Costco were good but they stopped selling the Bosch Silver battery and just sell the bulk standard Bosch batteries !

The last battery I brought was a Yuasa Silver from these people was about half the price of Halfords !

ebay/itm/Yuasa-Car...item5d7033c059

[Johnnyp]

It may be worth getting the alternator checked or a auto electrician to find out if there’s a deeper cause

[Leggibone]

thank you for your replies, my brother can do a little diagnostic (he will be able to check the battery at least) between the family were pretty convinced its time to change the battery,
the start stop having not worked sort of suggests battery issues, the cars only done 48k miles, but im sure im lucky its lasted this long, and died in the drive rather than wtih me in the middle of nowhere.

[Trusty ian]

If it's the original battery then you have done well. These stop start type batteries seem to last 4-5 years on average on the fords.

[mickey house]

We always turn our stop start button off as soon as we start the cars up. It not only will increase the battery life, but I am perhaps old fashioned because I can't see it doing the car any good keep stopping and starting.

[Leggibone]

Originally Posted by mickey house

We always turn our stop start button off as soon as we start the cars up. It not only will increase the battery life, but I am perhaps old fashioned because I can't see it doing the car any good keep stopping and starting.

See more...

It’s my first car with start stop, I only used it a handful of times when stuck in bad traffic, I’m not overly bothered if it’s not working tbh, just need the rest of my car to be okay (having to replace my car ruins Disney 2021 quicker then covid)

[youre-nicked]

I've been off work for 2 weeks and only used my car once, went to go to shops this morning and the battery was dead!

Got it on charge now, fingers crossed that's all it needs, as previously mentioned I don't want to put possible Orlando savings into a new one

[Mr Tom Morrow]

Wow I didn’t realise batteries were so expensive nowadays

I don’t think I’ve bought one since the 1970’s. Just as well judging by the cost now.