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Comments
These batteries claim 12-year lifespans or you can get the same amount of starting-power for 1/2 the weight..... some people NEED these features.
HOWEVER: Unless you need the features offered by these advanced technologies, your $$ is better spent elsewhere.
A standard LA (lead-acid) battery costs a lot less than the above-mentioned ones.. In fact, you could replace a standard LA battery several times for the same price of the fancy ones.
But I like the spiral/gel/AGM (Absorbent Gas Mat) technology that traps and re-cycles gas, to be the best for my application and climate location, not to mention the fact that these don't have to be mounted in upside position, do not cause corrosion, they are much lighter, etc.
Yes, they are pricey but they are truly maintenance free and last much longer (as you have mentioned) than standard lead acid batteries. It's money worth spent for a long time worry free operation. I have had some of those in my previous vehicles as well as marine applications and found Optimas to be the best (last Optima I put was in my son's 05 Subaru Forester not long ago....).
The batteries I buy are pretty much worry and maint free for the life of the battery. I don't think the average driver really needs one unless they live in Death Valley or Alaska possibly or they have some very special application. Like when is the last time I had to install a battery on it's side or upside down or worried that it may when 10lbs more than some other battery??? Never in over 40 vehicles owned.
Sorry, I guess we are getting off topic somewhat. Although I guess batteries apply to all vehicles, this is probably not the thread for this discussion.
Also, there's a glow plug system to support, in addition to all the usual amenities of modern cars.
I'd expect the alternator to be different as well. .
Check this link, if you are interested to learn more. Lead-acid batteries will soon disappear!
http://www.themanufacturer.com/us/profile/204/Johnson_Controls
NOTE: Most batteries are priced such that the COST is the same for a given "grade" battery. This means, people with "gasser" VWs can ask to have the TDI battery installed and the COST will not be any different than installing the origial-sized battery.
I have done this on virtually every "gasser" VW I have owned since my 1979 VW Scirocco.
I found it amazing that a battery smaller than my motorcycle-battery could start that engine.... but that is the magic of a $230 battery.
Personally, I will stick with $80 LA batteries in my road-going vehicles. They last over 5 years even thru Vermont winters starting the engine at -15F.
RedLine MT90 comes in a close 2nd.\
As for capacity... I do not have the factory service manual in front of me but I seem to recall the capacity is 2L
But not glow plugs---they are a heavy draw, which is why they carry a what....80 amp fuse? 50 amps? Something like that. My Benz diesel needed 80 amp fusing.
When I took the vehicle to the dealer for the first emissions light incident, the tech said he couldn't reproduce the fault. He told me that the computer will find what it thinks is a fault, turn on a warning light, and then keeps on testing. If it can't reproduce the circumstance that caused the fault light to go on the first time, it turns itself out. Is this true?
If so, I wonder if the airbag fault light is the same sort of thing.
Any ideas on how to avoid killing a day with the car at the dealer for every time a fault light comes on and probably doesn't mean anything significant?
http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov
1. ODI ID Number : 10286347
2.ODI ID Number : 10275729
"less lead = less weight = lower freight charges to ship the vehicles over the ocean"
I hope that was a joke, right?
Ro/Ro vessels that haul cars across the Pond are not paid by weight but per unit/car. Many manufacturers (like VW) have their own sub-contracted vessels and shipping costs are appx $ 150.00 per car, regardless of the weight.
Theoretically you could make a typo and indicate to tirerack that your car was an 06 without TPMS and then they'd ship you TPMS-free tires/wheels for your "06 TDI" that would coincidentally fit your 09 too.
Quite frankly, if I own another German car, I'd buy a good scanning tool and take care of these warning light resets myself. They seem all too frequent.
U can find other battery at www.autopartsway.ca .
The federal government has also defined what a "trip" is.
essentullay;
1)engine start below a specific temparture
2)run till temp goes above specific target
It may be *weeks* before someone acheives 50 of these predefined "trips" which will affect a reset of the CEL.
I once had a similar problem with Range Rover because I may be what they consider "tinkerer" as I do a lot of work on my cars myself, under warranty or not. Many items that you do yourself will not void warranty as long as you keep meticulous records. You can also get reimbursed, depending on manufacturer's policy, for parts, etc.
You have many choices to find another dealership in the area where you live.
What they "want" is one thing but once you walk in and start negotiations (if you have time and patience) not that many dealers would leave you walking out without some kind of a deal! If you have more than one dealer in town, I would work one against another one hoping the same owner doesn't own both franchises.
Ask them, when you walk in, how much they want to make on that car (rather than telling them what do you want to pay or them telling you what they want for the car). Once they give you a figure, do your homework on Edmunds website and you come up with the price that you want to pay. You should not pay more than 300 to 500 over the "invoice".
Every time I read how many cars VW wants to sell in the States in the near future it seems that I run across a story like yours that illustrates how muh of a challenge VW is facing.
I've come to the firm conclusion that when it comes to vehicle maintenance, the vast majority of owners are totally uniformed sheep. Those who participate in these forums, however, are not.
This is all interesting, but I'm getting a little tired of dragging what is still a new car back to the dealer for nits and gnats. A rear passenger side window kit, a new screen over the pollen filter (original was badly warped), a recall to reflash the DSG transmission's computer chip, and now a bad airbag sensor. These are all small things, to be sure, but my Honda-owning friends are starting to rib me a little.
ps - I've noticed that the mechanics who do the state inspection each year remove the tape.
ANY new vehicle can have these kinds of nit-pickey items that need to be addressed. The bigger issue is HOW YOUR DEALSERSHIP APPROACHES THE PROBLEMS.
Honda-dealers are well-trained to make the customers feel like a king. They often bend over backwards to please the customers.... even if it is obviously not really a problem with the car.
Other car-makers have not invested as much as Honda has in dealership-training to keep the customers happy. There have been a number of Hondas in my family over the years. I found the number of nit-picky problems was not less than any other vehicle...
HOWEVER here are a some things the Honda dealer did without question
*) Key locked in car out in the boonies (was fishing with my dad)
**) Honda dealership cut a key and hand-delivered it to us where we found a telephone to call from....then they drove us to the car which was many miles out a dirt road.
*) Tires were found to be wearing slightly faster on inside edge.
**)Honda dealer not only performed an alignment (not normally covered by warantee) but they also replaced all 4 tires at no charge to me.
*) Daughters gas gauge on her 9-year old Honda was acting up. I asked Honda dealership if I could look at the Wiring diagram for a couple minutes
**) Honda dealership told me to TAKE THE BOOK for the weekend and copy the pages I needed.
Bottom line: No other vehicle-make I have ever owned had a dealer-network that treated me like I spell-out above. ONLY HONDA Dealers have treated me like that. You can see how a Honda-owner could easilly overlook nit-picky problems with their new Honda if they were treated like this.
However, I prefer Volkswagen automobiles over Honda. I also drive past 2 local VW dealershiips and go nearly 100 miles to a VW dealership that treats me right.
Yesterday's visit to their parts dept. was a surprise: they do not have rear wiper blade for 09 Jetta Wagon in stock! One would assume such a common item should always be in stock. Unfortunately, I could not find that item anywhere on the web - I was searching for that item over a week now and all I can see are front wipers. The only site where they have them is on e-Bay in U.K.!
My next visit will be at 10,000 miles but since I have changed my oil and filter at 7,500 (and re-set the service interval check light on my dash board) I will only have them do the rest of the 10 K inspection; i.e. tire rotation and moving components check.
I plan to do my oil/filter changes myself at 7,500 intervals rather than 10,000 even though it may cost me extra because these are covered by VW at no cost. In my 40-some years experience with oil changes in this country I yet have to find one dealer (or quick lube) that would do this right - and that would include brands like Lexus, Mercedes, BMW, Range Rover - to name a few. I always find some clips missing on the undercover or some other small items that were not done to my satisfaction. Last oil change on my Saab 9-3 the dealer did not even bother to put the undercover back!
Our 2 visits to a local Honda dealership were not satisfactory.
First, we wanted to have a mid-section plastic undercover replaced because some clips were missing and the cover fell down and broke in half. Service manager (with a negative approach) told me that Honda doesn't cover road hazards although this was caused clearly by fasteners not being properly installed at the assembly. Later, after they submitted the claim to Honda, the replacement was declined by Honda.
This was a $ 13 item (that I bought later over the internet) The dealer wanted to charge me $ 70 plus labor to install. I had a micro fiche print out with exact part number and wholesale prices. The service manager was shocked with comments: "...where did you get this...?" Obviously, they don't like "informed" customers.
Second, we made a B1 service appointment over the internet. When we showed up at designated time, the service dept. was closed due to "inventory". Someone forgot to disable the appointment link on the internet. Granted, they later called and performed the service at no charge but our time was wasted.
We hear negative stories from our friends about this dealership. It seems that the problem is, if you live in a town that only has one dealer for a particular brand, that there is no competition and people really have no other choice. One could drive 40 to 50 miles to another Honda dealer but that is not convenient for people that have to work.
One would think VW would carry such an oprdinary item - but no cigar!
Also, the rubber part/blade cannot be removed (cannot slide out) from the frame of the blade as it is permanently sealed.
I have called VW customer center and they told me it's a new car and they may not have all replacements available. Also, I tried to send them an email but after entering my VIN number on their website I get error that such VIN does not exist.
Asked VW cust. center that question as well and I was advised that newer cars are not yet in their database ???!!! So anyone with "newer" VW - be on a lookout!
Perhaps you used the wiper while there was grit on the glass... that will wear a wiper AND scratch the glass too! Grit on the glass is best removed using other means besides rubber wiper.
I got through a rear wiper a year, and the last couple of months only provide marginal wiping ability.
They are still there but they do not wipe rear window clean and they squeek.
Each and every morning (in humid FL climate) you have to use both, front and rear wipers. Glass is ALWAYS wet!
Your remarks remind me of an attitude that Audi had several years ago when their cars accelerated without any reason....always blame the driver, right?
That cost Audi a lot and they almost had to pull out of the US market...
Therefore, no - I did not use them when there was grit on glass....