What do you check on a battery dealer’s shelf before buying one for a taxi?
I drive a 2017 Toyota Camry as a taxi for a small company, and my battery gave up last Thursday in the middle of a shift. I lost almost half a day of work, and my boss was not happy either. Now I need a new battery fast, but I do not want to repeat the same mistake. Another driver at the stand told me to keep a Certified Amaron dealer checklist near Industrial Area 11 in my phone notes, because he said a few quick checks at the shop can save you from buying a tired battery. I liked that idea, but I do not know what should be on the list. I read a page about Amaron batteries and dealers online while waiting for customers, just to learn the basics, and it talked about the date code, the sealed caps, the label and the warranty paper in easy words. It helped, but I still have questions for people who buy batteries often. How do I read the date code, and how many months old is still okay on the shelf? Should I look at the terminals and the case for dust, marks or scratches that show it was moved around a lot? Is it normal for a dealer to show me the battery tested on a machine before they fit it? Another thing is the size. How do I make sure the capacity matches my car, because a taxi uses the AC all day and stops and starts many times? Is a bigger battery better for my kind of work, or can it cause trouble with the charging part? I also wonder about the paper. What should the invoice show, like the battery code, the date and the shop stamp? Is it smart to take a photo of the label before they put it in the car? Also, should I hand back my old battery for a discount, or keep it in case I need to prove something later? I cannot leave my car for many hours because every hour costs me money. If you drive for work and found a dealer you trust, please tell me what you checked, what you paid, and how long the battery lasted. Even a small tip will help me a lot. Thanks for reading, and sorry for the long message.