How much does it cost to replace car battery? This is one question that all car owners are going to have to cope with at some point in their lives. Most people who have cars have had to cope with turning the key in the ignition and hearing that ominous clicking at least once. While replacing a car battery isn't as expensive as some other service needs, it does help to have some idea of how much this costs. Being prepared to replace a battery at some point makes things less of an ordeal when battery troubles do occur.
Picture
The Cost of a Car Battery

The most important cost that car owners need to consider when a battery needs to be replaced is the actual battery cost. This is important because many people prefer to just install the new battery themselves, saving time and money. At the lower end of the price scale, many good batteries can easily be replaced for $40 or $50. Some of the top high-performance batteries might cost as much as $250. Before choosing a battery, it's always a good idea to find out which ones are best suited for the car. A mechanic can make a good recommendation for anyone who's not quite sure.

Regular Batter or Hybrid?

Another factor to keep in mind is whether the car has a gas or diesel combustion engine or whether the car is a hybrid. The batteries used in hybrid cars are far more expensive than in their combustion engine counterparts. This is because the batteries are specifically designed to last for the car's lifetime. Most hybrid batteries range from $1,000 to $6,000. Even though this cost is high, many don't consider it to be as much of a problem because there is only a small likelihood of having to replace the battery.

Labor Costs

There are several factors that can influence labor costs. One is whether the car is still under warranty or covered by an extended warranty. Customers who own newer cars are often able to take advantage of this because most dealerships offer their cars with a warranty. This often involves very little cost, depending on the warranty terms.

The options that car owners have available include dealership service centers, independent garages and chain service centers that might offer other services such as oil changes and alignments. Each location generally has different prices, but will charge either an hourly labor charge or perhaps a flat fee to replace the battery. Some car owners might be able to save some money by buying the battery ahead of time so that they only need to pay the labor costs. It helps to check with the service center first to see if this is possible.

The labor cost for the installation might range from as little as $10 to as much as $100. One way to save additional money is to go to the service center that battery came from if it came with a guarantee. In many cases, a battery that didn't last for the term of the guarantee will be replaced free of charge.




Leave a Reply.