In today's newspaper, Maplin are selling quick start units for £29.99.
400A with built in light and cigarette socket.
Too late for a Christmas present?
I think they are a good idea, especially at that price, and one in the boot of student offspring's car does increase peace of mind.
I do not know if they are available on the web at this price.
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At one time a starting handle was the done thing.....
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At one time bump starting was the done thing....
It is a No NO with all those automatic box thingys.
Now I am told by a recent thread that bump starting is not good for the cam belt.
No need for a fag packet for the points.
What is left?
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I do not know if they are available on the web at this price.
www.maplin.co.uk and put jumpstart in the product search box.
It would appear that if you buy another item then you get free delivery.
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They recently had one of these units with a built in air compressor at LIDL for £20. They sold quicker than hot cakes. I went into the Newbury branch 3 hours after they had opened and had sold the lot within 2 hours of opening. Similar story with the Swindon branch as well.
I saw a similar unit in Woolworth's today reduced from £40 down to £20. However to jump start a car you had to plug it into the cigarette lighter for around 20 to 30 mins before you could attempt to start a car with a flat battery. OK I suppose if you're on your lonesome in the middle of nowhere, but far cheaper were the jump leads next to it for £3.99 and you politely ask a neighbouring motorist for a loan of his battery for a couple of seconds.
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They recently had one of these units with a built in air compressor at LIDL for £20. They sold quicker than hot cakes.
Sadly the Maplin one does not include a compressor.
I will watch out for a repeat offer at LIDL.
but far cheaper were the jump leads next to it for £3.99 and you politely ask a neighbouring motorist for a loan of his battery for a couple of seconds.
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One of my daughters Uni friends was given one of these units by her dad so that there was no need to approach a stranger.
First use of it without RTFM, they pressed the compressor button and jumped out of their skins.
Having read the complicated instructions for using jump leads
on a Focus, are there any different instructions for these units?
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Is the Maplin unit 'similar' to the one currently being offered in Halfords?
Oz (as was)
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I bought one from Argos in the summer during a half-price offer - including air compressor - £25.
Paid me back earlier in December when the battery in my car went flat at less than 3 years old (and car is kept under cover at night) - a 10-minute (or less) job to pop back into the house, pick it up, pop the bonnet and connect it to the car battery (proper leads, not a cigar-lighter jobbie). Well pleased with it, but very disappointed in original battery fitted to the vehicle (Varta heavy duty sealed-for-life - I've never had a battery go flat this soon before. Maybe first owner had flattened it a few times or kept vehicle in the open at nights).
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I bought one from Argos in the summer during a half-price offer - including air compressor - £25. not a cigar-lighter jobbie). Well pleased with it.
Ivor
Hmmm. Missed that offer. I would obviously prefer the version with the compressor.
Oz. If you mean the Halfords item below then yes a similar item
Booster Pack and Light Item code: 775031-0
at price £49.99 (inc. VAT)
www.halfords.com/opd_product_details.asp?id=18571&...8
OK I suppose if you're on your lonesome in the middle of
>>nowhere, but far cheaper were the jump leads next to it for
>>£3.99 and you politely ask a neighbouring motorist for a loan
>>of his battery for a couple of seconds
DD Part of the benefit of such a unit to a student daughter is NOT to ask a stranger but to quickly and simply use it and be away thus limiting exposure to risks.
Lads can probably get away with jump leads.
Just peace of mind for Dad.
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Argos have currently got one, with built in compressor, in their sales. Reduced from £49.99 to £39.99.
tinyurl.com/2t4zb
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That's no good, it only does diesels up to 2000cc.
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With all the warnings on the technical side regarding how easy it is to damage the ECU on modern cars would it be wise to give anyone a jump start off your vehicle.
In the handbook for mine it warns that the battery must be disconnected before charging. So many other stories of how easy these units are fried or air bags activated that I would be reluctant to hook jump leads on my battery.
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Along the same lines, I attended a tech evening hosted by the Motoring Institute? as a guest a while back, and learnt that some new cars are not allowed to be jump/boost started at all.
The recommended procedure is to disconnect and charge the battery. The reason being that some newer cars (VW for one) are starting to use a black box device for priority electrical distribution. i.e.Braking/steering/etc circuits getting electrical power in the event of a problem.
There will be a sticker on the battery or windscreen to warn of this. In the event of the car being jump started, this box will be damaged, but the car will run as normal with perhaps a warning light showing. Cost to replace I think will be in the region of £50-£60.
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That's no good, it only does diesels up to 2000cc.
But you've just been boasting about how reliable the Alfa's been over the past 12 months(##), so you won't be needing one anyway ;o)
## www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=18696&...e
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But you've just been boasting about how reliable the Alfa's been over the past 12 months(##), so you won't be needing one anyway ;o) ## www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=18696&...e
Yeah, but I may come across a Merc 2.7CDi or a V10 Touareg in need of assistance. Imagine the headlines!
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>DD Part of the benefit of such a unit to a student daughter is NOT to ask a stranger but to quickly and simply use it and be away thus limiting exposure to risks.<
I'd recommend in the case of a student daughter the gift of an AA membership. She will no doubt have a mobile phone!
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What would the engine's displacement have to do with it?. Check cranking amps of jump start unit against those of standard battery to see if it would be suitable. Not all 2,000 cc diesels have the same compression ratios or require the same battery power to turn the engine. Kind of short sighted for the makers to broadly limit use based on engine displacement.
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"Not all 2,000 cc diesels have the same compression ratios or require the same battery power to turn the engine"
I think you'll find they are all pretty similar.
Personally, I think this unit will struggle to spin over a diesel engine.....some of the 'professional' jump start units struggle to......
--
groups.msn.com/honestjohn/problems.msnw?Page=1 - Pictures say a thousand words.....
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The Argos one "jump-started" the VW 115 TDI PD engine in my car OK - in fact I was pleasantly surprised as it had to crank for a good few seconds before the engine caught - and it then only took a few hours to recharge off the mains, whereas usually it takes 2 days to charge back up after being left for 2 months unused.
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I have had one of these (ex-Makro - don't know the rating) for a couple of years and have frequently used it to start a diesel Transit 2.5l.
Apologies for any typos - that stupid Volvo banner is sitting over the typing area!
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Yeah, I heard the Makro one was amply able to start large diesels such as Fait Ducato and such like. £30 or there-abouts?
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Looks like I may be off to makro than.....
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Just bought a 'Jump Start' from Focus Diy, including comp. for £30. Works a treat on my TR6...
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£30 or there-abouts?
When I bought mine they were £19.99+vat, saw them later @£15.99+vat, but don't often frequent Makro now so don't know current price/availability.
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Just seen them in woolworths for £19.99
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Just seen them in woolworths for £19.99
As I mentioned earlier in this thread.
The downside of the Woolworths one is that it is not very powerful and you don't get jump leads to connect dirrectly to the battery, but instead you have to plug it into the cigarette lighter and wait for approx 20 to 30 mins for it to recharge the car's battery. If like my on car, you have to switch on the ignition to activate the cigarette lighter, then any charge to the car's battery is drained again by any circuits that also activate when you turn on the ignition.
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