There are 5 important factors to consider when choosing a car battery:
- Size
- Reserve capacity
- Cold-cranking amps
- Age
- Brand
Size
Size refers to the physical dimensions of the battery: height, width and length.
It is important that the battery should fit snugly and securely. A replacement battery should be as close as possible to the size of the original battery. Buying a smaller-sized battery will just be a waste of money and may damage the electrical systems in your car as it will likely not be powerful enough even though it may be able to start your vehicle.
Reserve Capacity
Reserve capacity rating (RC) refers to the battery's ‘standing power'. The RC rating of a battery is often listed in "amp hours" often marked as Ah. This is the number of hours the battery can supply 1 Amp of current.
The longer the operating time of the battery' reserve capacity, the better; because this is the one quality of the battery that could save you from getting stranded, for example if you leave your lights on when out shopping or play the stereo for a long time with the engine switched off.
IMPORTANT: You cannot just pick and buy a battery with the longest reserve capacity you can find. Consult your owner's manual to learn the recommended reserve capacity rating for your particular car model. It is best practice to choose the an RC rating as close as possible to that of the original battery.
Cold-Cranking Amps
Cold-cranking amps (CCA) measure the battery's ability to start your car even in extremely cold weather. During freezing condition, your car will be hard to start because the car's engine oil thickens and chemical reactions, in turn, slow down.
Choosing a battery with a high number of CCA is better; particularly to those vehicles being driven in a cold climate. A higher cold-cranking amps figure ensures that your car's engine will start even on snowy mornings.
- Check your owner's manual and follow the CCA rating specified for your car battery.
- Do not choose batteries with CCA rating which is much lower or much higher to the rating recommended by your car's manufacturer
Age
Batteries get weaker with age but are generally considered ‘fresh' if it less than 3 months old.
Look for the manufacturing date. Most date codes are stamped on the battery case or terminal.
Brand
Brand refers to the trademark given to a certain product. Sometimes it is the same with the manufacturer's name (e.g. Varta is a leading battery manufacturer).
Buying the same brand of battery currently fitted to your vehicle is not necessary. A battery marked with the same brand as your car (eg BMW) will simply be a third party battery (eg Varta) that has been stickered up for the car manufacturer and they will just charge more for it.
Do not be tempted to buy the cheapest brand of battery because it could turn as the most expensive battery you've ever bought. Batteries that are suspiciously cheaper than the "going rate" are often lower capacity batteries stickered up to look like one of a higher capacity and will therefore fail earlier if subjected to a high load. This will more than wipe out the money you've initially saved when you chose the cheap car battery.
More Tips on Car Batteries:
- At first sign of battery trouble, start scouting around for a new car battery. You won't get a good buy when you're stranded with a dead car battery.
- A car will normally need a battery change every 3 years.
- Ensure your battery is being hold in securely on its tray.
- Car batteries are NOT ‘maintenance free'. You must check the battery regularly. Keep the terminals, cables, and connectors clean and free from corrosion. Here's how to clean the battery: use a wire brush and baking soda/water mixture to scrub away the growth of whitish, greenish, and bluish stuff on the battery terminals.
- Carry a portable jump start pack inside your car for emergency use, but be sure to know how to use the gadget and be sure to charge it every 3 months even if you have not used it.
| 
Basket
) 
