Battery - what is this?

any decent car shop at about 30 to 40 quid

Would it not be worth trying to first of all find out what's caused it to fail? Is this the first time the car has failed to start? Has cranking speed been slower and slower over a period of time? (i.e has the car been struggling to start?)

I only had the car a few months. I do not use it regularly. And it has always been a bit sluggish after a week's rest. The battery is 5 years old (found on old bills), so it's a good guess it's that. This morning it was totally dead - no lights, indicators and obviously not a whimper when "turned-over". Any ideas on what else it could be?

Vin

No. a five year old battery has done better than most.

(that's most, not all. Just to head off the "I've had the same battery for

Steve

Indeed. In my many many years of motoring, five years is a goodly life for a battery. Many fail to make that. It's for a good reason only the best makes offer a three year warranty.

It has indeed. However, the Ford original equipment batteries are known to last well - mine is 8 years old now, and while it has a solar trickle, it's still go plenty enough life to crank a cold diseasel.

I suspect many batteries would give a longer life if they had the benefit of constant trickle charging. (OK, I know it's only during the daytime).

The trickle is so I can run radio kit all day without the engine.