Car Showrooms - flat batteries

[MyNameIsUrl]

I went round half a dozen car showrooms yesterday to try out a range of models. I was amazed that in all except one, the brand new cars in the showroom all had flat batteries. In one place the salesman warned me as I went in that I wouldn't be able to open any boots because of this. I also couldn't see what the dashboard display looked like, and most importantly for me, in many cars I couldn't adjust the seat because they were electrically powered. One salesman got me a battery pack and opened the bonnet to hook it up so I could adjust the seat.

In the one place where the batteries weren't flat, I noticed a CTEK charger tucked by the wipers, so presumably every so often they just bring an extension lead out overnight. Not really that difficult for all of the garages to do this.

Are they just not interested in selling cars at the moment?

[pje16]

Are they just not interested in selling cars at the moment?

Or doing the right thing by not wasting energy

[richlist]

I watched a program on tv a few days back where the garage has stopped taking orders for new cars because of the chip shortages. They are only actively trying to sell their used stocks.

[DrFfybes]

This is odd, as most cars these days don't like having a flat battery. Lots of error codes, things needing resetting, etc.

I'm very surprised, as AFAIR every main dealer I've been in over the last few years has sockets scattered around the floor. At the very high end places they put them on CTEKs every night, and Porsche in Exeter used to leave them on most of the time.

But as has been said, a lot of places have such a long waiting list for new cars I'm surprised they bother opening the showrooms at all.

Paul

[9873210]

Do they have flat batteries or disconnected batteries?

IMHO disconnecting the batteries would represent a standard of care towards the car, while allowing them to go flat would not.

When I was working with batteries the list of things not to do to them began, in descending order of awfulness.

1. Physical violence -- axes, explosives, significant drops, and the like
2. extreme and persistent overcharging
3. run them till flat, with extra destruction points for a continuing drain so they go really flat.

In practice running them flat was the major battery killer, since it only required negligence, while the two above it required effort.

[Mike4]

In addition, lead acid batteries 'self discharge' slowly anyway when disconnected for long periods, i.e. months at a time.

LA batts also sulphate if not kept fully charged, reducing capacity.

[Dod101]

I went round half a dozen car showrooms yesterday to try out a range of models. I was amazed that in all except one, the brand new cars in the showroom all had flat batteries. In one place the salesman warned me as I went in that I wouldn't be able to open any boots because of this. I also couldn't see what the dashboard display looked like, and most importantly for me, in many cars I couldn't adjust the seat because they were electrically powered. One salesman got me a battery pack and opened the bonnet to hook it up so I could adjust the seat.

In the one place where the batteries weren't flat, I noticed a CTEK charger tucked by the wipers, so presumably every so often they just bring an extension lead out overnight. Not really that difficult for all of the garages to do this.

Are they just not interested in selling cars at the moment?

Personally I would have asked them why they do that.

Dod