NRMA batteries versus others.

mike_nofx · 06-02-2017, 08:27 AM

Does anyone know where NRMA currently sources their batteries from? How do they stack up against similarly priced batteries such as the Century?

This morning on the way to work I had a battery failure in my BF LPG at least I think it's the battery and not the alternator, either way I will replace the battery as it is 4 years old.

Speaking to a workmate also with a BF LPG who does virtually the same driving and kms per year, he has had the same NRMA battery since 2011 and it appears to still be going strong, even with a hint of green remaining in the little window.
It's a Blue sealed battery with an NRMA, RACQ etc sticker on top.

Did an online NRMA check and it's just under $160, and they bring the battery to you and fit it. So I'm also asking, would their new batteries be of similar quality to this 2011 one? If not, i have no issue buying another brand and fitting myself but I want it similarly priced.

Trump · 06-02-2017, 09:38 AM

If they are have a yellow case and a blue top, they are Australian-made Century batteries. Any other colour and they are imports of some flavour.

vztrt · 06-02-2017, 12:33 PM

Id personally get it myself. You can get century batteries cheaper then 160.

mike_nofx · 06-02-2017, 01:03 PM

Will go the Century, at least then I know where it's from. Thanks.

**Jastel** · 06-02-2017, 09:06 PM

Got one from NRMA due to breakdown recently...was not blue/yellow but all black and fully sealed. It looks ok, just like most other batteries.
550 CCA and was $160
Could get better and cheaper at home but since I wasnt home it beats walking.

mike_nofx · 06-02-2017, 09:12 PM

Dammit. Turned out to be the alternator after all. Oh well!

commodorenutt · 06-02-2017, 09:54 PM

I don't hold them in high regard.
Our VE had one fitted just before the 3 year mark, when it was still under a fleet lease.
They came & fitted it, and I had to hand in the receipt at work, who reimbursed me, and in turn got it back from the lease company.

18 months later, it failed. By now I had purchased the car from the lease company.
The sticker proclaiming "2 year warranty" got my attention.

I rang them up "do you have the original receipt?" - as I didn't, I asked at work, and they had sent it to the fleet company. Buckleys of getting it back....

So I asked them to check the history on their records, and they'd have it - I provided the numberplate details from back then (put personals on it when I bought it). Because those plates turned up in their system on another car, belonging to a current member, it seems they couldn't access my history.....

Then I remembered the date cast/melted into the top of the battery & took a pic. Told them on the phone, and they said they'd send the van out. He arrived. Because I was not the original owner of the car at the time the battery was fitted, only a 1 year warranty applies. Even if I provided the receipt, the car wasn't in my name at the time.

Bloody BS terms & conditions - the car never left my possession - only the rego went from fleet co. to my wife, and the RTA got a whole lot richer from stamp duty.

So I was left with a useless lump of dubious lead, that in any other case would have been replaced free under warranty......so you can see why I declined his offer of 10% off the inflated price of a new battery....

Bought one myself, for $40 less, with a 2 year warranty.....

Express · 06-02-2017, 10:27 PM

I’ve had two batteries from the NRMA, one replacing the other and both failed after about 12 months.

I have no idea what brand they were and I purchased them because it was easy to have them come to my home.

When the second one failed he remembered being at my house before and checked the speedo reading and told me there was no warranty as I didn’t drive the car.

I didn’t know how to argue that.

I told him there was no point in him sticking around and I bought a yellow with blue top Ultra Hi Performance Century battery myself and for the last 5 years it’s always started without fuss even though I rarely drive the car.

.

Crazy Dazz · 07-02-2017, 12:46 AM

I used to get RAC batteries. Similar setup.
They come to you, fit the right battery, and keep the records. No hassle and never had a problem. Used em for year, and the only time I had a battery fail, they just came out and replaced it.

Now, I assume they have been sold off, but still trade under the RAC name. Last one I bought, they only had the "premium" model to fit our car, and it is just a POS. Battery died after only 6 months. Not only would they not replace it, I had to kick up an absolute ****-storm just to get any action at all. Eventually they collected it, put it on heavy charge for 4 days, then proclaimed there was nothing wrong with it, because at that point it was (barely just) holding a charge.

**Mechan1k** · 07-02-2017, 02:06 AM

They just use the cheapest battery they can purchase in bulk (they probably only buy them at $20 per battery) ... and then on-sell it at a price comparable to a quality battery. They are only good to get you out of a bind when really stuck.

Franco Cozzo · 07-02-2017, 06:09 AM

RACV batteries are cheap Chinese junk sold at extortion prices.

Itsme · 07-02-2017, 12:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

RACV batteries are cheap Chinese junk sold at extortion prices.

Well for a cheap junk battery I'm getting exceptional use & value out of one in my wife's car, oem Jap battery lasted 7 years & this one has exceeded past that one, fingers still crossed.

Crazy Dazz · 07-02-2017, 04:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trublu

Well for a cheap junk battery I'm getting exceptional use & value out of one in my wife's car, oem Jap battery lasted 7 years & this one has exceeded past that one, fingers still crossed.

If its anything like my experience with RAC (WA) and what is said above about NRMA, I think you'll find the situation has changed, if you need to buy a new battery.
From what I can understand, these businesses were started as a service to members, selling a decent product at a reasonable price. Then at some point they were sold to private operators, who now trade off the name to bilk unsuspecting customers.

Itsme · 07-02-2017, 04:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crazy Dazz

If its anything like my experience with RAC (WA) and what is said above about NRMA, I think you'll find the situation has changed, if you need to buy a new battery.
From what I can understand, these businesses were started as a service to members, selling a decent product at a reasonable price. Then at some point they were sold to private operators, who now trade off the name to bilk unsuspecting customers.

You may well be correct but at the time RACV came to the rescue to my dear wife when I was not around, I expected the battery to last about 3 years on average, this one just on ten years & still going.

XByoot · 07-02-2017, 06:25 PM

Im a little concerned with the RACQ battery my daughter bought for her car when I wasn't around...time will tell I guess. My Century battery in the daily has lasted very well, 4 years and tested up very well at the last service. Varta battery in another car I look after lasted about 10 years,very good but very expensive,probably not great value at the retail price they charge compared to say 7 years out of a century.

mike_nofx · 07-02-2017, 09:55 PM

But of an update, if anyone cares!

No new battery yet, my US made Federal is still going strong 4 years on. Have just purchased a brand new genuine Ford alternator for $289 which I will fit tomorrow. Here's to another 4 years with the federal!

MITCHAY · 07-02-2017, 10:22 PM

I only recently got a new battery from NRMA and the records on their computer said the one that died was 7 or 8 years old if I recall correctly.

Itsme · 08-02-2017, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mike_nofx

But of an update, if anyone cares!

No new battery yet, my US made Federal is still going strong 4 years on. Have just purchased a brand new genuine Ford alternator for $289 which I will fit tomorrow. Here's to another 4 years with the federal!

It is no surprise to me at all people blaming battery failure when it could be a faulty charging system for their battery demise, I have always tested charging before battery replacement.

Franco Cozzo · 08-02-2017, 11:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trublu

Well for a cheap junk battery I'm getting exceptional use & value out of one in my wife's car, oem Jap battery lasted 7 years & this one has exceeded past that one, fingers still crossed.

I saw their buy price from their supplier, the RACV contractors pay about $50-$60 for a Falcon battery, Century is minimum $40 more to a retailer on the best price bracket but its made in Brisbane.

Make of that what you will.

What's the going rate for a China special Falcon battery these days from RACV? $175?

commodorenutt · 08-02-2017, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trublu

It is no surprise to me at all people blaming battery failure when it could be a faulty charging system for their battery demise, I have always tested charging before battery replacement.

One thing in NRMA's favour - the times I've had experience with them, they've jump-started the car & done a comprehensive charge test on it before condemning the battery.
Still have the printout from my FG when it was <3 years old and the OEM battery was playing up. Fixed it myself with an Optima red-top....

Crazy Dazz · 08-02-2017, 07:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trublu

It is no surprise to me at all people blaming battery failure when it could be a faulty charging system for their battery demise, I have always tested charging before battery replacement.

Nope.
Batteries wear out, that's a fact of life.
Some batteries are pieces of junk, another sad fact.

Itsme · 08-02-2017, 08:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crazy Dazz

Nope.
Batteries wear out, that's a fact of life.
Some batteries are pieces of junk, another sad fact.

No doubt some batteries are inferior, did not say batteries wear out but a lot of batteries do get replaced prematurely, see a lot of this when people come running to me with their problems.

mike_nofx · 08-02-2017, 08:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trublu

No doubt some batteries are inferior, did not say batteries wear out but a lot of batteries do get replaced prematurely, see a lot of this when people come running to me with their problems.

I suppose because a strong majority of cases where a vehicle is cranking slowly, or clicking it's due to the battery. Of course once you get it started you should confirm it is charging before replacing the battery.

I posted this question while at work, I got a lift to work before looking at the battery or alternator so I was researching to prepare ahead. It was also strange that at no point did my battery charge light come on on the dash. Is this typical of alternator failures?

Franco Cozzo · 08-02-2017, 08:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mike_nofx

I suppose because a strong majority of cases where a vehicle is cranking slowly, or clicking it's due to the battery. Of course once you get it started you should confirm it is charging before replacing the battery.

I posted this question while at work, I got a lift to work before looking at the battery or alternator so I was researching to prepare ahead. It was also strange that at no point did my battery charge light come on on the dash. Is this typical of alternator failures?

Sometimes the light comes on sometimes it doesn't.

A heap of times we get them putting out 14
V at idle but as soon as the low and high beams go on, boom no charging.

Itsme · 08-02-2017, 10:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mike_nofx

. It was also strange that at no point did my battery charge light come on on the dash. Is this typical of alternator failures?

Happens quite a lot, in the old days Lucas alternators were renowned for this problem when the exciter diode failed intermittently.

deesun · 09-02-2017, 12:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trublu

Happens quite a lot, in the old days Lucas alternators were renowned for this problem when the exciter diode failed intermittently.

Lucas, wasn't he known as the prince of darkness? lol

Olbucko · 10-02-2017, 06:25 PM

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