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The lockdown restrictions have had a massive effect on us all, and profoundly changed the way we use our cars. For many of us, it has meant our vehicles ended up being laid up for longer periods than usual, and are still being used less frequently because we’re working from home more. This could mean your battery has suffered, and now the cold weather has arrived, it’s more likely to fail.
If it does, you should see if you can revive it with a smart battery charger like our test-winning CTEK MXS 5.0, but all car batteries will eventually need replacement. A main dealer or fast fit is likely to be an expensive option, though, and online battery retailers can dispatch a new battery to your door for much less. Changing a battery is an easy DIY job, too, if you follow a few simple rules.
We followed some leads to find the best online battery seller. They were poles apart – so see which got a positive result in our test.
We tried eight battery sellers and checked the prices for replacement batteries on five cars: 2014 Toyota RAV4, 2012 Land Rover Discovery, 2005 Skoda Fabia, 2010 Citroen C1 and 2005 Porsche 911.
We looked at the cheapest battery, plus a ‘premium’ option (if offered) – usually a Bosch or Yuasa. We also checked delivery cost and times, taking an average to find the lowest prices. Finally we rated ease of use and looked for customer reviews.
Although our average price index gives a good indication
of the competitiveness of the online retailers, there are still wide discrepancies between the costs for certain brands and models. If you want to get the best deal, it’s crucial to spend some time bashing the keyboard to look for the keenest price for your particular car. We’d suggest you fight through the confusing offer codes and start with Carparts4less.co.uk, then try Tayna.co.uk. Finally, make a note of the part you’re looking for and check Advancedbatterysupplies.co.uk, too.
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This wasn’t the cheapest site when the prices were averaged out, but it did have the lowest costs on some batteries we looked for, and is so simple to use that we recommend you try it.
The easy and accurate registration number look-up instantly suggested up to six choices of brand and cost. Delivery within five days is free, with next-day available for £4.95. Our only irritation is the confusing discount codes that complicate comparisons. Still, the site should be top of your comparison list.
Buy now from carparts4less.co.uk
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Tayna had the lowest average prices here, yet for some cars it seemed dear, while others were really cheap – showing the need to shop around.
It would also have been close to being Best Buy if the site had been more user-friendly. There is a registration look-up, but Tayna tries to steer you towards its choice (usually an unknown brand) rather than the wider range, and delivery costs extra, too. But reviews say service is good, and we liked the detailed descriptions and instructional videos.
Buy now from Tayna.co.uk
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Advanced Battery Supplies had the lowest prices for some of the cars we searched, so we can’t help but recommend it’s on your list of sites to check out – especially since next-day delivery is free. But using the site is a chore, not least because it looks like it was designed by a teenage trainee in the nineties.
It relies on a manual make and model selection that didn’t list some cars, including our Discovery. But if you do manage to find your car, the site offers a decent choice.
Buy now from Advancedbatterysupplies.co.uk
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The similarity between this site and our winner’s is due to them sharing a parent company, with the ECP site having the option to collect (and return if necessary) from a network of stores across the UK.
This clearly adds to the cost, though, given the ECP prices are dearer across the board, even once you’ve deducted the ridiculous and ever-changing discount codes to uncover the best prices.
There’s still an easy-to-use search facility, though, and it may be worth the few quid extra if you need to go to a store to get a battery in a hurry.
Buy now from Eurocarparts.com
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GSF’s slick site has an accurate registration search, but its list of options is confusing. The first choice was always a brand we’d never heard of (DriveTec), and its price was often double the Bosch’s from rival sites. Further down, you’d find respected Yuasa batteries with seemingly big discounts and free, fast delivery. Some were even less than unknown makes from rivals.
It’s worth having GSF on your shortlist, but the lack of choice and confusing offers stopped it from scoring higher.
Buy now from GSFCarparts.com
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We had high hopes for this site given the effective registration search brought up the cheapest prices for our Toyota RAV4’s battery, including free next-day delivery. The Skoda had a really cheap quote, too, although no premium option was offered, but the Discovery brought back some of the highest quotes.
Then the search crashed for our 24-hour test period, and listed nothing for our C1. In office hours it could be worth a phone call, but the site is below par.
Buy now from Batterymegastore.co.uk
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Halfords is the go-to place for most, so it’s a surprise it’s this far down our list.
While the site and search are as slick as you’d expect, there are only a couple of choices, and prices are the second highest. In some cases Halfords-brand batteries were twice the price of the cheapest elsewhere, and at least 50 per cent more than a Bosch from rivals.
However, they’re often available in store, have a decent warranty, and can be fitted for £15. But you pay for the privilege.
Buy now from Halfords.co.uk
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Another big name languishes low down in our chart, almost entirely due to the high cost of the batteries; in some cases the price of Bosch batteries was £40 or even £50 more than the same part sold by rivals here. Where a cheaper brand was offered, it was often still pricier than the premium choice elsewhere.
The site works well, though, and any battery is fitted for free for RAC members, but it would usually be cheaper to buy from a rival site and pay a local garage to fit it.
Buy now from RACShop.co.uk
Continue reading...
If it does, you should see if you can revive it with a smart battery charger like our test-winning CTEK MXS 5.0, but all car batteries will eventually need replacement. A main dealer or fast fit is likely to be an expensive option, though, and online battery retailers can dispatch a new battery to your door for much less. Changing a battery is an easy DIY job, too, if you follow a few simple rules.
- SEE MORE Best mini jump starter packs 2020
We followed some leads to find the best online battery seller. They were poles apart – so see which got a positive result in our test.
How we tested them
We tried eight battery sellers and checked the prices for replacement batteries on five cars: 2014 Toyota RAV4, 2012 Land Rover Discovery, 2005 Skoda Fabia, 2010 Citroen C1 and 2005 Porsche 911.
We looked at the cheapest battery, plus a ‘premium’ option (if offered) – usually a Bosch or Yuasa. We also checked delivery cost and times, taking an average to find the lowest prices. Finally we rated ease of use and looked for customer reviews.
Verdict
Although our average price index gives a good indication
of the competitiveness of the online retailers, there are still wide discrepancies between the costs for certain brands and models. If you want to get the best deal, it’s crucial to spend some time bashing the keyboard to look for the keenest price for your particular car. We’d suggest you fight through the confusing offer codes and start with Carparts4less.co.uk, then try Tayna.co.uk. Finally, make a note of the part you’re looking for and check Advancedbatterysupplies.co.uk, too.
- Carparts4less.co.uk
- Tayna.co.uk
- Advancedbatterysupplies.co.uk
Reviews
Carparts4less.co.uk
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- Prices average: Cheapest £120, premium (Bosch) £169
- Delivery: Free, 3-5 days. £4.95 next day
- Rating: 5/5
This wasn’t the cheapest site when the prices were averaged out, but it did have the lowest costs on some batteries we looked for, and is so simple to use that we recommend you try it.
The easy and accurate registration number look-up instantly suggested up to six choices of brand and cost. Delivery within five days is free, with next-day available for £4.95. Our only irritation is the confusing discount codes that complicate comparisons. Still, the site should be top of your comparison list.
Buy now from carparts4less.co.uk
Tayna.co.uk
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- Prices average: Cheapest £117, premium (Bosch) £159
- Delivery: £8, 1-2 days
- Rating: 4.5
Tayna had the lowest average prices here, yet for some cars it seemed dear, while others were really cheap – showing the need to shop around.
It would also have been close to being Best Buy if the site had been more user-friendly. There is a registration look-up, but Tayna tries to steer you towards its choice (usually an unknown brand) rather than the wider range, and delivery costs extra, too. But reviews say service is good, and we liked the detailed descriptions and instructional videos.
Buy now from Tayna.co.uk
Advancedbatterysupplies.co.uk
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- Prices average: Cheapest £118, premium (Bosch) £162
- Delivery: Free, next working day
- Rating: 4/5
Advanced Battery Supplies had the lowest prices for some of the cars we searched, so we can’t help but recommend it’s on your list of sites to check out – especially since next-day delivery is free. But using the site is a chore, not least because it looks like it was designed by a teenage trainee in the nineties.
It relies on a manual make and model selection that didn’t list some cars, including our Discovery. But if you do manage to find your car, the site offers a decent choice.
Buy now from Advancedbatterysupplies.co.uk
Eurocarparts.com
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- Prices average: Cheapest £135, premium (Bosch) £199
- Delivery: Free, 3-5 days. £4.95 next day
- Rating: 3/5
The similarity between this site and our winner’s is due to them sharing a parent company, with the ECP site having the option to collect (and return if necessary) from a network of stores across the UK.
This clearly adds to the cost, though, given the ECP prices are dearer across the board, even once you’ve deducted the ridiculous and ever-changing discount codes to uncover the best prices.
There’s still an easy-to-use search facility, though, and it may be worth the few quid extra if you need to go to a store to get a battery in a hurry.
Buy now from Eurocarparts.com
GSFCarparts.com
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- Prices average: Cheapest N/A, premium (Yuasa) £135
- Delivery: Free, 2-3 days
- Rating: 3/5
GSF’s slick site has an accurate registration search, but its list of options is confusing. The first choice was always a brand we’d never heard of (DriveTec), and its price was often double the Bosch’s from rival sites. Further down, you’d find respected Yuasa batteries with seemingly big discounts and free, fast delivery. Some were even less than unknown makes from rivals.
It’s worth having GSF on your shortlist, but the lack of choice and confusing offers stopped it from scoring higher.
Buy now from GSFCarparts.com
Batterymegastore.co.uk
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- Prices average: Cheapest N/A, premium N/A
- Delivery: Free, next day
- Rating: 2.5/5
We had high hopes for this site given the effective registration search brought up the cheapest prices for our Toyota RAV4’s battery, including free next-day delivery. The Skoda had a really cheap quote, too, although no premium option was offered, but the Discovery brought back some of the highest quotes.
Then the search crashed for our 24-hour test period, and listed nothing for our C1. In office hours it could be worth a phone call, but the site is below par.
Buy now from Batterymegastore.co.uk
Halfords.co.uk
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- Prices average: Cheapest £197, premium N/A
- Delivery: Free, 3-4 days
- Rating: 2.5/5
Halfords is the go-to place for most, so it’s a surprise it’s this far down our list.
While the site and search are as slick as you’d expect, there are only a couple of choices, and prices are the second highest. In some cases Halfords-brand batteries were twice the price of the cheapest elsewhere, and at least 50 per cent more than a Bosch from rivals.
However, they’re often available in store, have a decent warranty, and can be fitted for £15. But you pay for the privilege.
Buy now from Halfords.co.uk
RACShop.co.uk
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- Prices average: Cheapest N/A, premium (Bosch) £219
- Delivery: Free, 3-5 days, £4.99 next day
- Rating: 2.5/5
Another big name languishes low down in our chart, almost entirely due to the high cost of the batteries; in some cases the price of Bosch batteries was £40 or even £50 more than the same part sold by rivals here. Where a cheaper brand was offered, it was often still pricier than the premium choice elsewhere.
The site works well, though, and any battery is fitted for free for RAC members, but it would usually be cheaper to buy from a rival site and pay a local garage to fit it.
Buy now from RACShop.co.uk
Continue reading...