New battery, low idle.

[nookandcrannycar]

I drove quite a few miles yesterday...mostly highway miles, but I also stopped quite a few times. The last time I started the car, it barely started. I decided (because of this issue) to go (today) to a regional chain (Brake Check) that includes a battery check and a wheel alignment check with an oil/filter change for only about $10 more than the ultra cheap place I normally use for oil/filter changes (I can also wait at the Starbucks next door, instead of a waiting room ). Sure enough , my Yaris needed a new battery. I decided last Summer (when my cheapie 1yr guarantee Wal-Mart battery was 9-10 months old) to get the same NAPA Legend that CTScott has, but I wanted to milk more time and miles out of the Wal-Mart battery (it was still passing Wal-Mart's test at the time).

As of today, I'd had the Wal-Mart cheapie for a bit over 16 1/2 months and squeezed out about 48,000 miles. After leaving Brake Check, I drove straight to the nearest NAPA store (their yellow Yaris must have been out on a delivery ). They had the NAPA in stock. I know the AutoZone closest to my house will swap out the battery for you when you buy one from them (I've seen this in progress while shopping). This NAPA store?...Um, no. They said they would charge me the core charge, and then credit it back to me when I brought in the old battery.

I decided to go to the same shop that charged me an unbelievably low amount to change my control arm bolts, etc.. I drove there and the manager said 'not here, as we're slammed here for the rest of the day, but go down the street to our quick lube place and they'll take care of you...and I'll call ahead and let them know you're coming' (they have the shop I visited, the quick lube place about a block away, and their flagship/original location about 10 or so miles away). I pulled into the driveway at the quick lube and they pointed me away from the bays (in case they got a customer while I was there). I'm glad I didn't do this myself. They had a devil of a time getting the clamp off the positive terminal (both the negative terminal and the 'strap/clamp' (that holds the battery in place) were a breeze). They only charged me $10.00. A can of spray (for the terminals) might have cost a good portion of that If I'd had to buy my own can (as opposed to the few squirts they used from the can they already had).

Reading Wee Yari's post above prompted my recall of what happened over the next 10-15 minutes. I had left an item on a chair while I was at the shop a block away, so I needed to return there. The street was so backed up, I went three blocks on side streets to get the one block back to the shop. My car died 4 times during that period. The manager said even this reaction (more extreme than with the ECM relearning the fuel trims on previous battery replacements) was not abnormal.

I headed south on I-45 (toward the NAPA store.....to give them the old battery). After a few miles, an overhead sign (for Amber Alerts and other messages) indicated that an accident ahead on I-45 (past the exit for the NAPA store) had closed the 2 center lanes (Ugh!). I decided to get off the freeway and go to the UPS store to pick up the rim (with a tire on it) that I bought from CTScott (notice found in my box last night indicated that it came yesterday). I picked up that box and decided to take a round-a-bout way to the NAPA store (quite a few miles, but I did avoid traffic re that accident ) by the time I got to the NAPA store, the idle was smooth. With the two previous cheapie replacements, the idle wasn't smooth until the next day. Original out the door cost at NAPA -- battery + state fee + core charge + tax = $137.23. When I handed them the old battery (later in the day) they credited my card back $16.24 (core charge + tax on the core charge), so the final cost was $120.99.......plus the $10.00 to the other place for the install.

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by nookandcrannycar

I drove quite a few miles yesterday...mostly highway miles, but I also stopped quite a few times. The last time I started the car, it barely started. I decided (because of this issue) to go (today) to a regional chain (Brake Check) that includes a battery check and a wheel alignment check with an oil/filter change for only about $10 more than the ultra cheap place I normally use for oil/filter changes (I can also wait at the Starbucks next door, instead of a waiting room ). Sure enough , my Yaris needed a new battery. I decided last Summer (when my cheapie 1yr guarantee Wal-Mart battery was 9-10 months old) to get the same NAPA Legend that CTScott has, but I wanted to milk more time and miles out of the Wal-Mart battery (it was still passing Wal-Mart's test at the time).

As of today, I'd had the Wal-Mart cheapie for a bit over 16 1/2 months and squeezed out about 48,000 miles. After leaving Brake Check, I drove straight to the nearest NAPA store (their yellow Yaris must have been out on a delivery ). They had the NAPA in stock. I know the AutoZone closest to my house will swap out the battery for you when you buy one from them (I've seen this in progress while shopping). This NAPA store?...Um, no. They said they would charge me the core charge, and then credit it back to me when I brought in the old battery.

I decided to go to the same shop that charged me an unbelievably low amount to change my control arm bolts, etc.. I drove there and the manager said 'not here, as we're slammed here for the rest of the day, but go down the street to our quick lube place and they'll take care of you...and I'll call ahead and let them know you're coming' (they have the shop I visited, the quick lube place about a block away, and their flagship/original location about 10 or so miles away). I pulled into the driveway at the quick lube and they pointed me away from the bays (in case they got a customer while I was there). I'm glad I didn't do this myself. They had a devil of a time getting the clamp off the positive terminal (both the negative terminal and the 'strap/clamp' (that holds the battery in place) were a breeze). They only charged me $10.00. A can of spray (for the terminals) might have cost a good portion of that If I'd had to buy my own can (as opposed to the few squirts they used from the can they already had).

Reading Wee Yari's post above prompted my recall of what happened over the next 10-15 minutes. I had left an item on a chair while I was at the shop a block away, so I needed to return there. The street was so backed up, I went three blocks on side streets to get the one block back to the shop. My car died 4 times during that period. The manager said even this reaction (more extreme than with the ECM relearning the fuel trims on previous battery replacements) was not abnormal.

I headed south on I-45 (toward the NAPA store.....to give them the old battery). After a few miles, an overhead sign (for Amber Alerts and other messages) indicated that an accident ahead on I-45 (past the exit for the NAPA store) had closed the 2 center lanes (Ugh!). I decided to get off the freeway and go to the UPS store to pick up the rim (with a tire on it) that I bought from CTScott (notice found in my box last night indicated that it came yesterday). I picked up that box and decided to take a round-a-bout way to the NAPA store (quite a few miles, but I did avoid traffic re that accident ) by the time I got to the NAPA store, the idle was smooth. With the two previous cheapie replacements, the idle wasn't smooth until the next day. Original out the door cost at NAPA -- battery + state fee + core charge + tax = $137.23. When I handed them the old battery (later in the day) they credited my card back $16.24 (core charge + tax on the core charge), so the final cost was $120.99.......plus the $10.00 to the other place for the install.

^^^^^ I forgot to include that at some point during the life of the battery I just replaced I 'killed it' (dead as a doornail when I tried to start it) by leaving the stereo on . AAA revived the battery, and it later passed a test at Wal-Mart, but it never worked quite as well after that.

[nookandcrannycar]

^^^^^ I'm also very pleased with my new NAPA Legend battery.