Just returned from Halfords with the 2cv. It's been sat in the garage for a few days and when I came to fire it up around 3pm it was fairly lifeless, so I jump started it and set off for the aforementioned motor accessory store. When I got there I explained the situation and invited the Halfords chap to check the charging system and battery, he did so and pronounced the car was charging perfectly but the battery was duff, so it's now on it's third battery since the original one was bought in March/April 2008

Viva la Batterie!!

You need a varta you do.

I should check the voltage your self jf I were you sounds like its being cooked

Mind you,
as long as Halfords are daft enough to test batteries when they're nowhere near fully charged, seems to me that Jonathan's onto a winner...

ken

The Halfords 'test' showed the charging system was 'good', so how can it be over charging and if so, wouldn't it have 'cooked' the battery much sooner? I bought the original in April '08, fitted to car in May '08 when the car was put back on the road from a restoration and the battery had to be replaced in February '09(less than a year later). That means the battery replaced today has lasted nearly two years, so it's not like it's 'cooking' batteries all the time The regulator is a new-fangled electronic jobbie, so much less likely to go wrong. Any hints/tips gratefully received

Drive it more often!!

You can start by picking me up Monday night for Wasps

Sorry mate, late shift on Monday and a 7am start on Tuesday. I won't be there.

Used the 2cv to go to work this morning and took the long way there - 20+miles instead of 5 miles I even decided to open the hood and it was perfect at 45-50mph Car is running lovely atm, just looking forward to summertime.

Did Halfords replace the batteries each time without complaint?

For the most part, yes. Like I said, I "invited" the Halfords bloke to test the battery insitu and the testing machine thingy showed it was the battery at fault, not the car's charging system.