What's the going rate for a 2nd hand car battery from a breakers yard?

Fingerbobs

My thinking being that few cars get scrapped because their battery is dead, so there must be some at least half-decent batteries pulled from scrap cars, and luckily it's a very common size I need (063) so should be spoilt for choice. Just don't want to pay over the odds!

There's an old thread on this forum from 2007, suggesting £5 was the going rate at that time, but I presume this has now gone up?

Scrapit

Don't buy used.

Fingerbobs

Scrapit said:

Don't buy used.

Why? Every car on the road has a "used " battery in it, and they don't end up at the scrap yard because their battery has failed. They end up there for different reasons.

I admit there is a risk of getting a duff one, but it seems like a very small risk to me.

RobM99

Why risk it?   £5 and it dies on the M25 at 5pm on a Monday night...

Scrapit

Fingerbobs said:

Scrapit said:

Don't buy used.

Why? Every car on the road has a "used " battery in it, and they don't end up at the scrap yard because their battery has failed. They end up there for different reasons.

I admit there is a risk of getting a duff one, but it seems like a very small risk to me.

Cos it renders a car useless if its dud. Buy new and if thats a dud get it exchanged. There's no value in used for a very, very good reason.

Fingerbobs

Mickey666 said:

Yes, the going rate seems to be £5-£6 based on what I’ve got in the past for dead batteries from scrap yards.
However, I suspect scrapyards receive more dead batteries than good ones left in scrap cars so it’s going to be a risky option unless you have some way of testing a car battery.  A simple volt meter is no good, you need to put it under significant load.

Of course, if you do manage to find a good one I imagine the price would suddenly rise because it’s suddenly worth more than just the scrap value of the lead.

This is a good point, and something I hadn't considered. Most of the batteries are probably ones that people have taken to be weighed in for scrap, and not ones pulled from scrap cars. That significantly increases the risk of getting a dud.

onlyfoolsandparking

My battery died on Saturday (RIP battery) without warning and whilst it was a bit of aggro getting it out (under passenger seat, stupid design imo) purchased a new heavy duty one today £65 with a 3 year warranty RESULT!! popped it in, messed about putting seat back in, sorted. I wouldn't want to put all that effort in to find out the one from scrappers is same as the one I just took out.  

societys_child

Should anyone be running a car if they can’t afford a decent battery, what else are they scrimping on?

The_Rainmaker

So your plan going forward is secondhand battery and no breakdown cover..............have fun 

AdrianC

Considering you can get a NEW 063 delivered to your door and have change from £35...

Some things are false economies.

Fingerbobs

The_Rainmaker said:

So your plan going forward is secondhand battery and no breakdown cover..............have fun 

I don't need breakdown cover. Never had it in my life. It's a pointless waste of money. Not a new decision.

The battery is not needed for a road-going car.