How Much is a New Car Battery in the UK 2024?

New car battery prices in the UK range from around £50 to £290, depending factors like the brand, the length of the battery guarantee and conventional vs. start-stop technology. Having a car battery replaced professionally in the UK typically costs in the range of £162 to £460, including both the battery and labour installation costs, with prices varying significantly depending on the type of service center.

We’ve asked a number of main dealers, independent garages and high street stores to find out how much it would cost to replace a car battery. Here's what we found.

Average Car Battery Cost

The cost of a new car battery in the UK is £50 up to £290, with costs varying by factors like the vehicle—and batteries for newer cars with start/stop technology typically cost around 20-25% more than conventional batteries.

Beyond the battery cost, professional fitting adds to the price of car battery replacement. Chains like Halfords charge from just £27 (up from £15 a few years ago) for those on a budget (Halford's weFit service), while going to an independent workshop or a dealer will probably cost quite a bit more. Our survey for a Ford Fiesta found that independent workshops charge an average of £195 for battery replacement, while dealers charge closer to £290—including battery and labour costs. AA charges £10 to fit your new battery and dispose of the old if you're a member without At Home cover (it's free if you have At Home cover), and £35 if you're not a member—plus you pay for the battery, of course.

Where you have your car battery replaced affects the price you'll pay

Independent Network

Having a new battery fitted through an independent workshop will cost £193 on the low end (e.g. for non-start/stop vehicles), and around £257 on the higher end (e.g. for those fitted with the technology, certain cars). The most expensive garage (in our study) was just £21 (£26 start/stop) more expensive than the least. The labour figure is quoted as less than one hour, although in our experience, a new battery can be fitted in around 20 minutes, including reprogramming the in-car entertainment.

Some independents will come to your home or place of business to change the battery, which is a bonus over potentially-cheaper high street companies.

Main Dealer Battery Costs

Again, the quoted labour time is less than one hour, but the average cost for a battery replacement through the main dealer network is in the range of £282 to £460 according to our research for a range of Ford, Audi and Mercedes cars. Some of that £100-£200 difference from independents is the mark up for parts, but the rest is swallowed by labour costs.

Depending on where you live, you could be paying at least 20%+ more from one city to the next for a battery replacement from a dealer.

Do I Need to Buy the Same Brand of Car Battery?

It's worth understanding that most car batteries are nearly identical, providing you’re choosing like for like; they come in a wide array of different types, from lead-acid, through to AGM (Absorbent Glass Material), and Gel, and of course, have different power ratings—a 3.0 litre diesel V6 needs much more starting power than a 600cc three-cylinder petrol engine for example.

This means that the competition is quite strong—the replacement battery doesn’t have to be labelled as a main dealer only part, and you can quite literally pick up car batteries from a wide range of outlets: high street automotive accessory stores, independent motor factors, main dealers, and of course, the independent workshop.

How Long Should a Car Battery Last?

It’s not quite as simple as that. Many different factors can affect a battery's performance and longevity, from environmental conditions through to how the car gets used, or even what type of driving it does. However, most batteries have a minimum number of starts before performance drops, this can range from around 20,000 through 50,000 for regular batteries, perhaps even as high as 360,000 for start/stop batteries.

All new batteries carry a guarantee, the minimum is typically for three years, and some companies offer double that. Under regular use, we’d expect a minimum service life of around four years, but well-maintained batteries can last for up to ten years without problems. Most car batteries on the market these days have a guarantee of 3, 4 or 5 years.

How to Charge a Car Battery

DISCLAIMER: The following is intended as a guide only. Different cars can sometimes require different charging procedures, in particular, vehicles fitted with stop/start technology may not be suitable for charging with a regular charger.

Before charging any vehicle battery, it’s always good practise to make sure that the battery terminals (also known as ‘posts’) are clean, and that the clamps are tight; the smallest amount of movement could indicate that the clamps aren’t tight enough, which could be the reason why your vehicle isn’t starting.

If you still need to charge your battery:

It’s a similar process should you wish to change the car battery yourself, except you’ll also need to undo the restraining clamp to remove the battery.

How to Test a Car Battery

Unfortunately, there is no real way of testing a vehicle’s battery without the use of specialised test equipment. Even for driver’s that are armed with a voltage meter, that will only give you a basic readout of the stored volts, it won’t tell you how capable of delivering power it is, even more so when it’s under load.

Most workshops have specialised equipment that can test a battery, and for the main part, they’re always happy to diagnose the charging system (including the battery) for a small fee.

How to Dispose of Car Batteries

All car batteries have hazardous substances inside them, and it’s for this reason that you’re not allowed to dispose of them (by law) with your regular household waste. Most recycling centres, scrap metal facilities and garages are able to dispose of them, some may charge a fee for doing so.

If you need to transport the battery, remember to always keep it upright, and preferably placed within a safe container, even if that’s just cardboard. Also, car batteries are heavy, be careful not to injure yourself while moving them.

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