mehlosTT

Just picked up an '08 A8 4.2 that has the Varta battery. No records were available for any replaced battery. I have a long trip coming up and want to be sure I shouldn't replace the battery now. Last night I put her on a 2 amp trickle charge for 6 hrs..the battery seems to be holding at 13.02V
The Varta has engraved numbers of 00 978 401
and a paper sticker that has numbers under the bar code of ( 4E 09 151 05A ) but Varta doesn't seem to code the manufacture date as domestic batteries do.. so, does any one know how to decode that number for getting the age of the Varta battery? Vatrta's web site is absent this data. The car is a 2008 A8L
Thanks!!!

Oneplank

A8 batteries are expensive. I'd buy a good set of jumper cables and carry a credit card with my laptop and VAG-COM cable on my trip. Run the battery until it fails, then replace it. With the sophisticated power management system of the A8 combined with not being exposed to high underhood temperatures, it could be several years before it fails. Or it could fail tomorrow.

jakematic

I never take a long trip without VCDS and Bentley.

Jumper cables are a must have, and not cheap ones either.
A good set of 0 gauge cables will last you forever - mine were $75 fifteen years ago but will never need to be replaced if taken care of.

AAA membership, a credit card and cash are cheap insurance as well.
Having driven 50K+ miles per year for work I can vouch for that.

I read once that Varta batteries are color coded by date of manufacture in certain countries.

-Jake

MP4.2+6.0

especially, for most cars. Pays for itself the first call or tow annually.

Oneplank

Check with your insurance agent about towing insurance. It costs me less than $1/month per car. Call any tow truck (no waiting hours for a AAA truck), pay the driver and FAX the receipt to your agent. In a week, I get a reimbursement check.

jakematic

Just make sure that "any" tow truck is a flat bed.

Am thinking that an insurance company would have very strict limits on cost/distance.
My advice would be to check the details very closely.

Premier membership gets me 200 mile towing.

Some things are worth what you pay for them.

Oneplank

Yes, the flatbed is implied. Around here, most tow trucks are now flabeds due to their versatility.

I asked my agent about far they would reimburse for a tow. His answer is there is no set limit. It is based on the circumstances. For a tire, it would be the nearest tire shop that can perform a repair (repair warranties recognized). If the car bricks, you need a qualified Audi specialist. Personally, I have used it for a 40 mile tow, no questions asked.

I do have a decent agent, that probably helps.

20 years ago I had some "issues" with AAA Gold. Then they imposed the 2 call per year limit. Could just be my local chapter of the AAA, but this is my experience. Maybe things have changed.

jakematic

Come to think of it I haven't seen a hook truck in awhile.
Well except the one that made that horrendous crunching/cracking noise as it yanked that brand new Dodge out of my parking spot...

Sounds like you have a good plan and agent.
I've had the same agent for 15 years and even though his office has grown astronomically he still calls me personally and comes out to see me when I stop in.
Pays to have someone who knows you as opposed to an online "agent".

Have heard from more than one person who was irate at AAA about limiting the calls per year or their low mileage limits on the cheap plans.

I subscribe to the maintain your vehicle instead of abusing any policy school of thought.
Things do happen, but in 25 years of membership I've only used AAA once.

Like you said, VCDS, good cables and a credit card can fix a lot of issues.
My netbook has a custom Pelican case just for VCDS and goes with my every time.

snapdragon

VARTA
http://www.varta-automotive.com%2Ffi...Folder_car.pdf

The battery should be installed in the customer’s vehicle no later than a total of 15 months from the date of manufacture (please see colour coding table). The terminal voltage should be greater than 12.2 V.

Batteries should be sold according to the first-in, first-out principle. Therefore, they are helpfully colour coded according to the date of manufacture (please see colour coding table).

snapdragon

[QUOTE=snapdragon;24276868]VARTA
http://www.varta-automotive.com%2Ffi...Folder_car.pdf

The color coding is by way of a colored dot on the main front of the battery by the way.