Online car battery buying guide

Car batteries are perceived to be one of those fickle components that work perfectly, until they don’t. This misconception is fuelled by our own misinformation, misguidance, and let’s admit it, negligence.

A car battery is one of the most essential components of a car. It provides the initial spark to start the engine and provides power to all electric components such as the headlights, taillights, wipers, air conditioner, radio, power windows, etc.

The average car battery lasts for about 4-6 years. So, check the manufacturing date and purchase date of your vehicle. If it has been long, you might want to purchase a new battery before it leaves you stranded. Especially if your car has been acting up lately – like making clicking sounds when the key is turned, or the engine cranks but takes a long time to start, or the engine starts fine but only for a short blissful moment – it might be time to replace its battery.

Like almost everything else in the world, car batteries can be purchased online. However, if you are a novice at purchasing car components, here is a detailed online car battery buying guide. However, before we get into the nitty-gritty, get your battery checked by an authorised mechanic and make sure that it is indeed the battery that needs replacement and not the electrical connections.

Now, let’s get down to it.

Get Your Car Owner’s Manual

There are a lot of specifications you need to check before purchasing a car battery. But don’t worry, we will get through the technical terms together. Grab your car owner’s manual and turn to the battery specifications.

The following specifications are important in your online car battery purchasing endeavours.

Dimensions or Battery Group Size

Battery Group Size will tell you the size of the battery that your car will accommodate. The common battery sizes are 24, 24F,25, 34, 35, 52, 58, 58R, 59 and 65. Some cars manufacturers allow more than one battery size. In that case, look for a battery size that is the largest as it usually indicates more power and reserve time.

Ampere Hour (AH) Rating

AH rating is the output of your battery per hour. A higher AH rating means that the battery can maintain the load for a long time and chances of the power running out are less. While buying your car battery online, look for a battery with an AH rating slightly higher or equal to the rating mentioned in the manual. If in doubt, stick to what the manual says.

Cranking Ampere (CA) Rating and Cold Cranking Ampere (CCA) Rating

CA is the power required to start a vehicle at 32 degrees Fahrenheit or zero degrees Celsius. CCA is the power required to start a car at 0 degrees Fahrenheit or minus 17.7 degrees Celsius. Unless you live in colder regions, you don’t need to pay much attention to the CCA rating.

Reserve Capacity

Reserve Capacity is the number of minutes a fully charged battery at 80°F will discharge 25 amps and maintain a voltage of 10.5 volts for a 12-volt battery. In simpler terms, it is the capacity of your battery.  The higher the reserve capacity, the longer is the battery performance between recharges.

Type Of Battery

There are different types of car batteries. The most common types are Lithium-ion (Li-ion), Lead Acid Batteries, and Starting, Lighting, and Ignition Batteries (SLI). While some are better than others, check what your manual says and purchase the same type as its compatibility with the vehicle is based on the car manufacturer’s specifications.

Other Parameters

Besides these, there are also other parameters you need to take into consideration while buying online car battery. Check the battery life and make sure it is a new battery and not a reused one. Take a look at the battery warranty (yes, batteries have warranties) and the replacement services and policy of the provider. Also, check if the battery is low maintenance or maintenance-free. Between the two, opt for maintenance-free.

And the most important thing – customer reviews. Look for reviews talking about other buyers’ experiences. It can be a good indicator of the reliability of the battery as well as the provider.

Lastly, unless you are a certified car mechanic, leave battery replacement to the experts. Installation of a car battery is a tricky business unless you know what you are doing. It can lead to disastrous results if not handled by professionals.

Looking for a reliable online car battery store? Check out Car Fit Experts, a brand true to its name! Car Fit Experts provide car battery replacement at your doorstep, so you can be sure of the quality of work. Not only that, we offer a free car battery check-up, provide up to 20% discount on your new battery in exchange for the old one, and provide 100% genuine products. If that wasn’t enough, transform your car with a free new car fragrance with every Car Fit Expert battery purchase!