Well, typical chain of events. Went out to the Jeep and the battery was flat. So I need a new Battery. What do I do? I probably dont have to explain, but it was the only way to get one. The first garage, no battery. No one has one. So I have to drive to Feu Vert, as the only place I can think of where they have a lot of batteries.

Got one there, at risk of fine. I may as well have got a fine though as the battery cost me ....... wait for it ........ €170. I bought one for the FTO the other day and it was less than half that price.



Add to that, when I went to pay for it it seems our credit cards have lapsed and the bank havent sent us new ones.

So far the only bank that I have come accross that sends out new cards as a matter of course is ING.

My other banks do nothing. I have to go in and request a new one (and then go back a few days later to pick it up).

We had one debit card in the wifes name. Nothing else at all although we were assured they were sent from Madrid in February

So I have no way of drawing cash, no way of paying for anything by c/c, and the new ones might be at the bank by next Wednesday

Must be the battery season - needed help last week & eventually gave up trying to charge it & got a new one (65€). This week the friend who got me to the village to get a new one's own battery died
....
delights of small villages; I can't think of very many places where I couldn't get a tab if needed - even the gasolinera!

Jon visit you local Coop where the farmers go (assuming you have one) as there I paid 85eu for the "correct Amp Hour item" for my diesel Astra, that was 95 from the Motor Factors, and 125eu from Eroski.

P.S I assume that you have tried charging the battery ?, or the one off the FTO that had seen better days.

Weird.

Our car went for work yesterday(again) and today we find out that the battery has gone also.

We keep a spare and charged up car battery in the garage, a spare mobile telephone in the house, a spare debit and credit card hidden away along with some emergency cash, a gas heater and cooker in case the electric goes off, a spare TV in the second bedroom, photo copies of everything imaginable and more copies on internet storage, a spare baseball bat in case the other one breaks, the dogs are insured as is everything else, and next week we’re going to see about funeral insurance, maybe.

I sometimes think we’re a bit paranoic.

We had a similar problem. We asked the G.C. and the local ITV station what the law is.
If you have a prebooked test you can drive it directly there you should be ok. Alternatively put it on a trailer or Grúa.
However as in any case when you ask someone they all could come up with a 1000 answers. So the latter 2 are the safest.

Yep ,some things are dearer in Spain , car parts being one of them , unless it was one of the gel Optima batteries as fitted to some Jeeps it should have been around 100,00 euro , dont buy the branded junk from eroski/al campo stuff, they dont last.

This one has a colour key on the top telling you the state of the battery. Its a Tudor Battery

Mmm .....Tudor usually come from India so it was very expensive but I`m sure it will fine for a few years so long as you dont let it completely discharge if the vehicle is left standing for some time ,batteries are one of the few things that last longer the more you use them!!

Heh heh

Well, if I thought the problems were over, now the emissions control malfunction light is permanently on, which is computer operated. I assume disconnecting the battery has not been to its liking

Any ideas anyone?

Sounds like something has failed, maybe a lander sensor or the cat, it needs going on a diagnostics computor but its unlikley anyone in Spain will have the programme for that car, if your lucky it may just be a vacuum pipe or a bad connection.

Ask on the FTO forum http://www.ftooc.org/phpbb/viewforum.php?f=1

Heh heh

Yes ... although thats only for FTO's I did ask on there. I hope I get a reply, seeing as I own that forum!

Its a Spanish Suzuki Vitara so I'm pretty sure they will have the system for it here. I just hoped it might be something to do with the battery disconnection

Small world, you may have dislodged a vacuum pipe when fitting the battery, many of these operate the emissions and induction units, check all are in good condition as they regulary perish and cause mayhem.