What are the different kinds of car batteries?
Halfords currently supplies three main types of car batteries. How long they last depends on how often you turn your engine on and off, how far you drive each year and other factors such as letting your battery run down repeatedly. Certain types of battery will last longer than others, but the key thing to look out for is the number of starts and how long the guarantee is.
Lead acid
Lead acid batteries are one of the most common types found in vehicles. Durable and relatively cheap to replace, these 20,000 start batteries will last a long time before they'll need to be replaced, plus they're covered by a 3 year guarantee.
Calcium
These batteries offer a slight improvement on lead acid batteries thanks to their 4 year guarantee and a rating for around 30,000 starts. You'll also get 18% more starting power, which is handy on colder mornings when engines often need an extra kick to get going.
Our top end calcium batteries come with a 5 year guarantee and are good for up to 50,000 starts. You'll also get an additional 33% starting power than you would with an ordinary battery.
AMG/EFB (start/stop)
If your car has start/stop technology (the engine switches off when you stop at traffic lights or junctions), then you'll need a different AGM or EFB battery. These batteries are a bit more expensive, but are a lot more durable, lasting for an incredible 360,000 starts! These special batteries may need to be registered with your car's on-board computer to work properly, so we'd recommend having them replaced by our in-store professional to make sure your start/stop function continues to work.