AIBU to refuse to change the car battery given my caring duties?

[Kardelen]

how easy is it to change car batteries?
we changed my dads one a few years back, but it was me, my husband and dad.
i remember it being very heavy, and also having a small electric shock midway.

at the moment, I have two young children im caring for, and my elderly parents, and also my husband who is unwell.
so my husband can’t help, it’s out the picture. But my dad also can’t help as he is elderly, chronic pain, breathlessness etc, but is eager for me to buy it and thinks he can do it alone.

he was gonna ask my brother, but as usual very reluctant and im the go to person. But this time I said I can’t do it, but feeling guilty.

am I being unreasonable of not wanting to do it? - only because I remember last time it was 3 of us and we struggled.

Just go to Halfords

Halfords

Just say that it is too risky now with children in the house and it is also an extremly hazardous fire risk becuse car batteries can be over charged and its worse than Dante's inferno

I have a marine battery, believe me they are hazardous.

If you have RAC membership, they will replace and fit it for free. I had only just got their membership a few days prior to my battery dying after 7 years. They came to my home address and fitted a brand new battery. You do have to pay for it in full if you cancel the membership within 12 months of the fitting

It's really bloody simple. 5 mins job. Really can't believe the number of people seeming to be unable to do it.

Grease your nipples and get going gal!

With modern cars why on earth would you fuck about doing it yourself. Halfords charge £50 to fit a battery in my car with a 5 year guarantee. For my car it says

programming , to inform the car's Battery Management System (BMS) that a new battery is installed is required which prevents overcharging, ensures correct charging profiles (like for AGM batteries), and maintains proper function of electronics, especially for start-stop systems, to avoid premature battery failure and electrical issues

I've changed a few batteries with no issues, I have also changed glow plugs and HT leads. Every woman should know the basics of car maintenance! Big jobs, I go to the garage we use, smaller jobs such as the above and wipers, I'll do myself. (If I'm feeling fit enough, my husband does it if I'm not!)
When I passed my test in '91, my husband showed me the stuff he thought I needed to know. And even though, at the time, I was rolling my eyes all over the shop, I'm actually glad he did!
But if you aren't confident or have a newer car, then go to a garage. I'd just rather not be ripped off for something I can actually do myself.

Not every has such fancy cars though. Mine certainly isn't. And the battery itself was £45 with a 3 year guarantee so why would I pay more than that for someone else to fit it when I could do it myself

That's what I did last time round. (I'm on my own.)

I absolutely get this for an older car. @Kardelen hasnt said HOW old the car is

I’m getting annoyed at posters. (Not you) saying woman up and change it yourself, all you need to do it watch a YouTube video

roadside assistance is great as well but you need to wait for it to die first

Mines not that old lol.

Crack on then. I'd rather bung someone £50 and have a brew while they do it for me, just my choice

It really is an easy job if you know what your doing. I last changed a car battery two years ago in about 10 minutes, but i do have Arthritis now. I've also changed plenty of wheels before my health took a nose dive. I've also trained both my daughters to be able to carry out the basics, but the I spending an hour watching my Dad maintain the family car growing up, and I was raised is a very practical household.

It's very easy. The battery is a little heavy but I'm older and can manage, or go to Halfords, they will do it for a small cost.

£50 to change a battery is extortionate, its really easy and if you're unsure, you'll be able to watch the process on YouTube.

However its clear here that the issue is that the OP has a lot on her plate and a brother who doesn't do his fair share with their DF, so its fair to say that he shouldn't be getting away with not doing stuff because he's 'reluctant'.

I'm sure the OP would rather not have so many people who depend on her like they do, but that's life and he should be doing more and if he was a decent human being he should be more than willing to do his share with their parents as well as help his sister change her car battery and take the old one to the council recycling centre rather than her being ripped off by Halfords who are probably already more expensive for car batteries than online suppliers.

Halfords came to my home, I only paid for the battery, there was no charge for fitting the battery. I found them very good, they also called m when they were on their way.

Usually easy to do (and you shouldn't get a shock if it's done properly) but far better to get whoever you buy it from to do it - they're used to doing it! As suggested before Halfords are usually excellent.

I think most people go to a garage, I’ve actually never heard of anybody doing it themselves

Maybe for people with much newer cars. From what I've seen under the bonnet on newer cars, there's no way I'd attempt anything under there! I'm glad I've got an older one!

If that was the case, and I’m not sure they offer free mobile fitting, then you have still paid for it in the extortionate price that they charge. I can usually get the same battery for not much more than half of what it costs in Halfords. Not to mention the fact that I wouldn’t let a Halfords employee anywhere near my car.

I would !!! It would be done while the kettle is boiling Maybe you have these spare £50s to waste , bully for you

And bully for you that you find changing a car battery easy. OP clearly didn't the last time she changed one - it's in the first post.

How did you get an electric shock off a 12volt battery ?

Thechaseison71

I would !!! It would be done while the kettle is boiling Maybe you have these spare £50s to waste , bully for you

It’s not wasting money, a car is a dangerous machine, if you do something wrong you can endanger lives. We all have to pay over that amount for things like regular services, if people can’t then they can’t afford to have a car and in the same way if you can afford a car you can afford to have someone experienced fix it (even though it might leave you very tight/ having to go without that week etc)