The Perils of Replacing a C5's Battery......

Post by **myglaren** » 02 Dec 2010, 16:47

My battery seems to be holding out. Slow on first start after standing 8 0r so hours, otherwise no problems.
10 minutes to the RVI in Newcastle this morning, same home at 13:15. Took longer to plod through the snow to the car.

It did take me half an hour to dig my car out yesterday, someone nicked my parking space so I had to park round the back. Lots of snow cascading down from the roof blocked me in.

The Corsa that nicked my space was trying to leave yesterday tea time when I got back from work. He couldn't move it more than four feet and it was in the middle of the road, couldn't get past him. Circled the estate and he had pushed it back into my space. Dug myself another one.
When I returned he had gone. There is another Vauxhall thingy there now, no doubt they will have the same problems tomorrow

Citroenmad · Post by **Citroenmad** » 02 Dec 2010, 16:59

Wow, well its not quite as bad as having to dig yourself a parking space around here yet!

We have had snow on and off all day again, but its not really done much. The roads are black ice again though, wet looking roads which are just bright ice. Really dangerous.

Ive not used my car today, ive been driving the Peugeot, I think my car will struggle in the morning since its not been used today. I might charge it up over night. Or just use the Pug until the battery comes.

Citroenmad · Post by **Citroenmad** » 02 Dec 2010, 20:44

Well, according to the tracking info my battery has not moved from the warehouse all day, handy

frenchcarnut · Post by **frenchcarnut** » 02 Dec 2010, 23:07

Citroenmad wrote:Well, according to the tracking info my battery has not moved from the warehouse all day, handy

Perhaps they are using it to power the warehouse ....along with all the other batteries they've stolen from their deliveries : D

Citroenmad · Post by **Citroenmad** » 03 Dec 2010, 08:33

Perhaps!

Its onto the delivery van again, i hope it gets a bit nearer to me this time

I took my C5 for a little run last night to give it a chance to charge before putting it in the garage. Ive just got it out ready to go and it started, but with a fight. Could really do with this battery today.

frenchcarnut · Post by **frenchcarnut** » 03 Dec 2010, 08:46

Citroenmad wrote:Perhaps!

Its onto the delivery van again, i hope it gets a bit nearer to me this time

I took my C5 for a little run last night to give it a chance to charge before putting it in the garage. Ive just got it out ready to go and it started, but with a fight. Could really do with this battery today.

It's a shame for the supplier in these situations. Get the product out, only for the delivery people to let them down (if the weather is not the real excuse). They do seem to cope better elsewhere with the snow. And I do have to wonder how long Britain can afford to keep using bad weather as an excuse for closed schools, poor attendance and a badly run/maintained infrastructure. It's okay for the police to say, "don't go out unless absolutely necessary", but some small businesses might just not survive if their workers decide to stay at home.

Hope you get your battery today Chris, but I do think you're a victim of the country's general obsession, and inability to cope, with the snow.

addo · Post by **addo** » 03 Dec 2010, 09:52

What was different thirty years ago, when I was almost ten?

Maybe more small factors who held greater levels of common stock on the shelf (as opposed to twice-daily delivery runs), less chain stores, and more standardised batteries?

I remember garages having racks of charged-up batteries in the common sizes. People didn't shop around so much, they assumed the local supplier was charging a fair price and that was that.

Ah; nostalgia isn't what it used to be!

frenchcarnut · Post by **frenchcarnut** » 03 Dec 2010, 10:11

Just to make Chris feel a bit better:

I have just rejected a City Link delivery of an LCD TV from Amazon on the basis that the box was severely damaged.

A chunk of the cardboard outer cover had been ripped away and I could get my finger in a crevice of the protective polystyrene thus showing. It had clearly been dropped on the edge.

I suggested to the driver that the item had clearly been mishandled in transit, to which he responded, "It was like that when I loaded it on the van", to which I responded, "Well, you should not have accepted it on the van then should you. Why should I be expected to accept mishandled, expensive items?". He then huffed on, "Well you might not get a new replacement before Christmas then", to which I responded, "Well I'm definitely not going to accept the item now and if City Link are scheduled to deliver a replacement, I'll be requesting a refund, Christmas or no Christmas".

Cheeky bu***r

Not only that, they delivered it in an uncovered box so the local drug addict (who happened to be passing by) could see exactly what was worth stealing from my house to fund his vile habit!!!

Not pleased at all

And I'm not the only one who's had problems with City Link: Complaints here

Xantidote · Post by **Xantidote** » 03 Dec 2010, 11:42

Well done Frenchcarnut

As consumers, we need to stand our ground, or they will continue to try and fob us off with damaged goods.

frenchcarnut · Post by **frenchcarnut** » 03 Dec 2010, 11:59

Xantidote wrote:Well done Frenchcarnut

As consumers, we need to stand our ground, or they will continue to try and fob us off with damaged goods.

There was more to it that that in reality; the box had clearly been left to slide around the delivery van (or another van if it had been returned previously) or chucked around a warehouse, or both, especially given all the dirty scuff marks evident almost over the entirety of the box - which was also crumpled at the corners.

You wouldn't have wanted to give it as a present in that state, even if the innards were guaranteed unaffected and working. They take us for mugs sometimes and just don't seem to get what good customer service is all about. There's no point being faster and cheaper that everyone else, if that means you have to forego some basic guarantees that prevent you ending up with a veritable lemon. I might just tell them to stuff it anyway and wait until January when companies try desperately to stave off the double dip recession we might be heading into, even if VAT is about to rise.

Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon, wouldn't give his loved ones scuffed and damaged goods, so why should we be expected to.

Citroenmad · Post by **Citroenmad** » 03 Dec 2010, 21:20

I did get my battery today, late this afternoon i arrived. Ive fitted it and the car is starting much better now. The test will be tomorrow morning when its been left a while. Though it shouldnt have any problems.

It was -8 when i left the house this morning. I started the car, which did take it a good while of very very slow chugging, thanks to the old battery, parked the car on the drive for about 30 minutes while i got ready. I had to get the car out which was in front of my C5, other wise id have left it in the garage longer. By the time i came to go out, the doors and boot had welded shut with ice. SO i had to get the fan heater out to defrost it again. Its not got about -5 most of the day.

I know what you mean about people being unable to cope with the weather, a lot of roads are virtually at a standstill they are going so slowly. Some people are either driving far too fast and not judging the conditions and others are crawling along at a snails pace.

Mind, the motorway this morning was very icy in place, just looked wet but it was sheet ice. Still, leaving a big gap in front and being aware of your surroundings makes driving at a reasonable speed safe.

There does seem to be a lot of broken down cars on the roads with all of this cold weather, usually stopped in the worst of places too.

Its a shame about your TV, ive not had much dealings with CityLink, but id be surprised if anyone would except such an expensive item with damaged packaging. Hopefully your replacement will be in better nick!

Post by **myglaren** » 03 Dec 2010, 22:14

-11°C here today, made worse by a bitter wind. Car started OK, just slowly as usual.

Followed by half an hour of ignominy attempting to get out of the parking place, despite a thorough clearing yesterday afternoon, more snow and cars up and down the road had created ice furrows that were the very devil to get over, had to clear a path with a spade.

After that, no trouble at all - except when it came time to leave work and there was an artic blocking the exit from the estate, had to sit in the nice warm car for half an hour while it moved enough get by.

Most of the people working on the estate went round to the back of a few of our factories to get past it more quickly. A few of us waited for them to clear the car park then went the direct rout as the truck had moved a bit more by then. We got straight out but for some unfathomable reason the truck then moved forward again and became stuck - again, trapping all those who had dashed away in the first place - they sat there another half hour.

Pleased the battery finally appeared Chris. Maybe I will get one, one day

Citroenmad · Post by **Citroenmad** » 03 Dec 2010, 22:22

The worst temperature i saw today was -8, up at Newcastle while I was at Uni. Luckily the car parks up there had seen a plough and were parkable. As i got home it had only dropped to -7.

Its warmed up very slightly since then, about -5 now, but its been snowing hard again.

Im pleased i got it too, i dont think my last would have lasted much longer. Should have got one earlier really.

addo · Post by **addo** » 03 Dec 2010, 23:06

Being the TV lover I am, every busted one gives me renewed hope for society.

So few people can watch the goggle box with any level of critical judgement about content or need to view...

Glad to hear the battery arrived. Did it show any signs of being used to jump start a fleet of delivery vans?

frenchcarnut · Post by **frenchcarnut** » 04 Dec 2010, 09:29

addo wrote:Being the TV lover I am, every busted one gives me renewed hope for society. So few people can watch the goggle box with any level of critical judgement about content or need to view...

Glad to hear the battery arrived. Did it show any signs of being used to jump start a fleet of delivery vans?

They tried to get me to sign for what seemed to be the same refused damaged bundle today. I mean, who is going to sign for something first before they see it:

4 Dec 2010 07:19:00 AM Kettering Northants GB Out for delivery
4 Dec 2010 01:45:00 AM Kettering Northants GB Arrival Scan
3 Dec 2010 09:47:00 AM Birmingham West Mids GB Customer refused delivery
3 Dec 2010 06:08:00 AM Kettering Northants GB Out for delivery
2 Dec 2010 09:49:00 PM Kettering Northants GB Departure Scan

Strong email of protest going to US HQ.