If you notice that your car is not starting right away or that your battery warning light has become lit on the dashboard of your car, it may be time to buy a new car battery. If you have never bought a car battery before, it can be hard to know which one to buy. The guide below walks you through a few quick tips to help you ensure you purchase the right car battery without having to remove the existing one.

Check the Amps for the New Battery

The first thing you need to do when looking for a new car battery is to look for the letters CA and CCA on the battery in your vehicle. CA stands for cranking amps. This is the number of amps it takes to start the car when the temperature outside is above freezing and CCA stands for cold cranking amps which indicates how many amps it takes to start your car when the temperatures are below freezing outside. When you go to purchase the new battery, look for identical numbers next to CA and CCA as are found on the battery in your car to be sure that it can produce the necessary amps to start your vehicle.

Check the Size of the Battery

Next, you need to look for the voltage sticker on the battery in your car. Next to it you should see two numbers clearly posted. These two numbers indicate the group size for the battery to let you know the size battery to look for when you go to the shop.

Check the Casing Size

Finally, you need to know how wide the battery needs to be by looking for the casing size. The casing size indicates the size of the shelf that the battery sits on when it is under the hood of your car. You need to know the exact casing size so that the battery can fit perfectly in your car.

Once you have purchased the new car battery, take it to a mechanic to have your old battery replaced. The mechanic will give you back the old battery after it has been replaced so that you can take it back to the shop where you purchased the new battery so that it can be disposed of properly. Some jurisdictions charge a core fee when you buy a new battery if you do not have the old battery to turn in at the time of purchase. When you bring the old battery to the shop, the core fee will be refunded to you.

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