This Tool Stopped a Car Dealership Scam ― "I Went To a Quick Oil Change Shop. One Of The Techs Tested My Battery and Said That I Was In Need of a New One. I Asked The Tech If I Could Get This In Writing"

One mistake many car owners make is waiting until their car battery dies before replacing it. However, another mistake is taking a service tech's word for it that your car needs a new battery.

To help car owners solve this dilemma, a recent Project Farm YouTube channel episode reveals which battery testers are the ones you can count on for accurate and truthful information about the health status of your car battery.

Car Battery-Related Money Saving

The importance of spending less for a battery tester over a tow charge because you waited too long or because you acted too soon with a not-yet-needed battery replacement, cannot be overstated.

One comment points to not just the need to verify your car battery's health outside of a service center but also a good response whenever a tech says you need a new battery when you suspect that this may not be true:

I went to a quick oil change shop. One of the techs tested my battery and said that I was in need of a new one. Since I had the battery for less than a year, I was pissed. I bought the battery at a different location. I asked the tech if I could get this in writing so that I could get warranty work at the original location. The tech balked at giving me this even after offering $10 for the service. I checked the battery at my brother-in-law's home and the original location. The battery was fine" ―@SubtleNuggets

How Battery Testers Saved Me Money

The battery tester I bought two years ago that has served me well is a TOPDON TB6000Pro for under $100.

I bought this brand based on an article titled "The $20 Car Battery Tester Will Save You Over $200," in which the host showed the practical applications of knowing a battery's health using his older TOPDON battery tester.

The following functions are useful for a repair shop as well as a DIY home garage:

1. It charges a wide range of 6V and 12V lead-acid and Li-ion battery types, including a "repair" mode with 9 customizable charging steps that I can monitor in real time to get an idea of the battery's health while charging.
2. Schedulable charging times so I did not have to be around it to check periodically but could monitor with my phone while doing other tasks.
3. Performs charging and cranking tests with data that can be saved and stored as a file on my smartphone.

During those two years, I found the TOPDON TB6000Pro useful for:

1. Monitoring my car batteries during the summer and winter while stored on a shelf.
2. Checking new batteries ordered online for delivery condition. An important point is that I have found car batteries ordered online to be a hit-or-miss deal. Whenever I receive a bad battery, I can support my complaint with a printout of the charging/testing data file and avoid any return complications and expenses.
3. Reviving poor-health batteries and reusing them for portable battery operation when camping or for other uses a weaker battery can handle.
4. Helping friends and family check the battery health on a used car before buying. An important point here is that a lot of times a used car seller will swap out a good condition battery with a poor one possessing just enough umph to start the car during a test drive.

If you are unsure about the health of your car battery and need a little instruction on what to do and how to do it, here is what you need to know with this informative Car Battery Maintenance, Testing, and Replacement Ultimate Guide.

The Project Farm Battery Tester Review Findings

The Project Farm YouTube channel review tested the following brands of battery testers and categorized them based on a wide range of tests:

• FOXWELL BT-705 ($117)
• MOTOPOWER 514A ($13) & 515A ($35)
• KINGBOLEN BM550 ($24)
• VEEPEAK 1220 ($25)
• KONNWEI KW208 ($35)
• VISDECTOR BT10 ($30)
• ANCEL BA101 ($32)
• AUTOPHIX BAS100 ($48)
• TOPDON BT100 ($59)
• TOPDON BT200 ($90)
• MIDTRONICS PBT300 ($300)
• OBD RESOURCE BR502 ($18)

For price and performance, Project Farm recommended only four battery testers that performed well under all tests. The remaining battery testers were subpar overall, having each failed some of the tests.

Based on cost and performance, the recommended battery testers were rated in descending order as follows:

1. Acil BA101 ($32)
2. AUTOPHIX BAS100 ($48)
3. TOPDOB BT100 ($59)
4. Foxwell BT-705 ($117)

For additional details about the tests performed, you can click on this link for the video.

One final note: The aforementioned TOPDON TB6000Pro I own is a model that tests and charges automotive batteries. The testers in the Project Farm review only test a battery's health. I recommend paying roughly $50 more over the least expensive Project Farm recommended tester for one similar to mine that offers more functionality. While Amazon fails to carry this model, the TOPDON website sells the TB6000Pro today for just under $100.

If you are looking for a new battery for 2025, here is an informative article titled "Best Car Batteries for the Money Rated by Consumer Reports Update" for your convenience.

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Timothy Boyer is an automotive reporter based in Cincinnati who currently researches and works on restoring older vehicles with engine modifications for improved performance. He also reports on modern cars (including EVs) with a focus on DIY mechanics, buying and using tools, and other related topical automotive repair news. Follow Tim on Twitter at @TimBoyerWrites as well as on Facebook and his automotive blog "Zen and the Art of DIY Car Repair" for useful daily news and topics related to new and used cars and trucks.

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