Buying your first car is always exciting. However, once you buy the car, you will realise that it requires a considerable amount of maintenance. Your car will need tuning after every few months, and you will also have to check the water levels and get the engine oil replaced after every few thousand kilometres. You will also need to get the car battery changed after every couple of years or so.
The car battery is usually installed in the engine bay, and is used for providing electricity to all the car systems. When you first turn the ignition on, the power is routed through the car battery, which delivers a spark that starts the car’s engine. If you are having problems with the ignition, it is very likely caused by an obsolete car battery. Here’s a brief guide to buying your first car battery.
Battery Power
Automotive batteries generally come with different readings. For instance, a standard 12 V, 40 Ah battery is used in smaller cars. If you want more power, you should consider buying a bigger battery, such as a 12 V 65 Ah battery. Before you start searching for car batteries, take your old one out and take down the reading. If you feel that your battery was not as powerful and the car took a longer time to start, you should consider buying a bigger battery.
Talk to a Mechanic
One of the best things that you can do before you go battery shopping is to talk to a mechanic. Ask them about all the different brands that are available in the market, and which is the preferred choice for consumers. Car mechanics generally have a lot of experience in dealing with different types of batteries. They are able to provide better guidance about the type of battery that is best suited to your vehicle.
Dry vs. Wet
Another important thing that you need to consider when buying a battery is whether you want to buy a dry or a wet battery. Lead-acid batteries are still the most common type of batteries available in the market. They are connected to six galvanic cells in a series to create a standard 12-volt system. However, dry batteries have now become very popular and are widely used in newer models. The reason is simple: dry batteries require much less maintenance.
You need to put distilled water in the wet battery after every month or so, and most people forget to do that. This severely impacts the battery performance. Dry batteries require very little maintenance. However, while they are a lot more convenient, dry batteries are also considerably more expensive. In terms of performance, there’s very little difference between the two. That’s all you need to know about buying a car battery for your car!
