A battery is the one part of this work where the price is driven almost entirely by the vehicle rather than by us. Two cars parked next to each other on the same street can need batteries at very different prices, because one takes a modest flooded unit and the other takes a high capacity absorbent glass mat battery with regenerative charging behind it.
That is why the first thing we ask for is the registration. It tells us the type, the case size, the cold cranking requirement and whether the vehicle needs the new battery registering to its monitoring system, and from that you get a real figure rather than a range.
What you are actually paying for
The invoice has fewer moving parts than people expect, and none of them are hidden.
- The battery itself, priced by type and capacity your vehicle requires
- Fitting on site, including a memory saver so settings are not lost
- Registration or coding to the battery monitoring system where the car needs it
- A charging system check, so the new battery is not fitted into a known fault
- Removal and recycling of the old battery
Why stop start batteries cost more
A stop start car restarts its engine repeatedly in traffic and recovers charge under braking, which is punishing duty. Absorbent glass mat construction exists to survive that cycling, and it costs more to make. Fitting a cheaper flooded battery to save money on the day tends to mean buying a second battery within a year, so it is a false economy rather than a saving.
How to keep the cost down honestly
There are legitimate ways to spend less, and they mostly come down to timing rather than haggling.
- Replace a failing battery during the day rather than after it strands you at night
- Have it tested before winter so the job is planned, not an emergency
- Have the charging system checked at the same visit, so you are not paying twice
- Fix the drive pattern or the drain that killed the last one
- For a fleet, do several vehicles in one visit rather than one at a time
What drives a battery price on your car
The specification decides the figure, so the registration decides the quote.
| Factor | What it changes | Practical effect |
|---|---|---|
| Battery type required | Flooded, enhanced flooded or absorbent glass mat | AGM costs more, and substituting it fails early |
| Cold cranking rating | How much current the battery can deliver cold | Larger engines need higher rated, more expensive units |
| Coding or registration | Whether the car must be told a new battery is fitted | Adds a step, and skipping it shortens battery life |
| Fitting position | Under the bonnet, in the boot or under a seat | Awkward positions take longer on site |
| Time of day | Out of hours attendance | Night and bank holiday visits carry the higher rate |
Questions
Q.Why is an AGM battery more expensive than the one it replaces?
Absorbent glass mat construction is built for the heavy cycling that stop start and regenerative charging impose. If your car specifies it, fitting a cheaper flooded battery instead usually means paying again within a year.
Q.Is a mobile fitting dearer than a garage?
You are paying for the vehicle coming to you rather than a recovery or a taxi and a day without the car. For most people the total cost of getting it done where the car sits works out lower once the alternatives are counted.
Q.Does the quote include taking the old battery away?
Yes. Removal and recycling of the old battery is part of the job, so there is nothing left with you to dispose of.
Q.Can you price it before you arrive?
Yes, give us the registration on the phone. That identifies the exact battery specification, so you get a firm figure for the battery and the fitting before anybody sets off.
Give us the registration and we will price it now
One call gives you the correct battery specification, a firm figure, and a fitting where the vehicle is parked, at any hour.
Priced on the phone by registration, fitted where the vehicle is parked.