Flat battery, car won't start. 3.5yo. Worth buying a charger, or just a new batt

[sjw]

Battery is reading 11V switched off. It's been sitting for probably a couple of weeks, no activity from the engine at all when trying to start.

Is it worth buying a charger and giving it a go, or shall I just buy a new battery and be done with it? The car is about 3 and a half years old. Don't want to buy both a charger and a battery if only one of them is needed!

[fredgroves]

Batteries generally last three to four years. If its winter and maybe there is a global pandemic that means less car use, it will kill it for sure.

You could try jump starting it and taking it for a drive to your local supermarket and onto a local park, visit your relative for a care check and go home. If after that it's not held any charge to sufficiently restart the car then its knackered.

[clubsport]

If you are not going to be driving the car often, you are most likely on the slippery slope toward a new battery.

VW fitted batteries are generaly second tier anyway, 3.5 years sounds about right?

Search on here for threads suggesting upgrade to AGM type battery & necessity to code the new battery into the car to funtion correctly.

[sjw]

Batteries generally last three to four years. If its winter and maybe there is a global pandemic that means less car use, it will kill it for sure.

You could try jump starting it and taking it for a drive to your local supermarket and onto a local park, visit your relative for a care check and go home. If after that it's not held any charge to sufficiently restart the car then its knackered.

What's a good length journey to get it charged back up? I don't want to stop, really, in case I can't get going again.

[sjw]

If you are not going to be driving the car often, you are most likely on the slippery slope toward a new battery.

VW fitted batteries are generaly second tier anyway, 3.5 years sounds about right?

Search on here for threads suggesting upgrade to AGM type battery & necessity to code the new battery into the car to funtion correctly.

Thanks for the recommendation. I did wonder if coding was necessary. Can it be done with an OBDEleven? I've been thinking about getting one for ages anyway

[clubsport]

Yes, I coded mine with OBD 11, it literally takes a couple of minutes.

I appreciate it is a US spec car and video, but I watched this to code the new battery.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36OB96OtUsE&t=235s

[TurboTrev]

If it's a Sebang they are rubbish.  VW fitted them in 2017, mine lasted 2.5 years but I got it replaced by a Varta under warranty. It's another EFB battery, but it was free and it's a good make. 

If I was buying one, I'd probably go for an AGM battery as they are better technology, but it will need coding in as already mentioned.  That said I believe Halfords do an EFB battery with a 5 year warranty and they are cheaper.  (An EFB battery may need coding as well?)

As I do so few miles I've now got my battery hooked up to a CTEK 5.0 to keep the battery in good condition.

[Al1040]

Between 6 & 9 miles of driving depending upon conditions & how much the car is using (heated seats, light etc) to charge for a re-start.
I would give it a go with a battery charger if it has been sitting for a while, you may get some more use out of it, they are always handy to have, esp if you are going to be using an OBD11 as they eat batteries whilst connected.

[Norwich7point5]

I replaced mine a couple of weeks ago. It was the original 'Sebang', so about 3.5 years old.
I replaced it with a Yuasa 096 900 AGM from GSF and used OBDEleven to recode it; piece of piss!!

[Rob_benton]

In my experience when a battery goes flat once, it will never recover 100%.
I’d just get a agm battery from Halfords. Think I paid around £140 before Christmas.
Any car I wasn’t driving regularly, I’d stick my ctek charger on once in a while to keep the battery topped up.