If your car won't start because the battery is done, we come to wherever it's sitting and replace it there. Home, work, a store lot, a parking garage. We test it first so you're not buying a battery you don't need, we install the Interstate battery your car calls for, and we check the alternator is charging it before we leave. Usually that's 20 to 45 minutes on site.
Why not just drive to a parts store?
Because the car won't start. That's the whole problem. Getting it to a store means a jump from a neighbor (if the battery will even take one), a tow, or pulling the battery yourself in a Publix parking lot in July. Then somebody has to put the new one in. On plenty of newer cars that isn't a two-bolt job anymore. The battery might be under the back seat, under the trunk floor, or buried behind a cowl panel, and the car might need to be told a new battery went in.
We skip all of that. You tell us where the car is. We bring the battery to it.
What we actually do
We test before anything else. Battery health, state of charge, alternator output with the engine running if we can get it started, and the cables and grounds. About the most frustrating thing in this business is watching somebody buy a battery when the real problem was a clamp that had worked loose. If yours is fine, you'll hear it from us.
We match the battery to the car. Size, terminal layout, cold cranking amps, and type. Flooded, EFB or AGM. Your car was designed around one of those, and putting in the wrong type is how a "new battery" dies in eight months. See how to find your battery size if you're curious what goes into that.
We do the install the way it should be done. Old battery out, tray and clamps cleaned, new battery in, hold-down tight so it can't walk around, terminals protected. Heat sleeves and vent tubes go back on. On newer cars we use a memory saver so you don't lose settings, and if your car needs the battery registered, that's part of the job.
We check our work. Engine running, charging voltage checked with the new battery in. Then you get an invoice with the battery, the price and the warranty terms, and the old battery rides away with us for recycling.
Places we do this every day
- Driveways and garages in Brandon, Riverview, Westchase, New Tampa and FishHawk
- Apartment lots near USF, along Fowler, and all over Town 'n' Country
- Office garages downtown, in the Channel District and around Westshore
- Hospital parking at TGH, St. Joseph's and AdventHealth
- Beach lots in St. Pete Beach, Clearwater Beach and Pass-a-Grille
- Store lots up and down Dale Mabry, US 19, SR 54 and Gandy
If it's somewhere we can safely park and work, we can usually do it.
What it costs
A standard battery installed is usually $249 to $329. AGM or start-stop is usually $329 to $449. We look up your car and give you the number on the phone, and that number doesn't change because it's 2 a.m. The prices page breaks down why one car costs more than another.
Is it the battery?
The usual signs: a slow, lazy crank, rapid clicking, dim lights when you hit the key, a battery light on the dash, start-stop that quit working. If the engine cranks normally but won't fire, it probably isn't the battery. Signs your battery is dying goes through it, and what happens during a visit shows the job step by step.
Questions we get about this
Can you replace it in my apartment parking lot?
Yes, as long as we can park near the car and work safely. Tell us the building and space if it’s numbered.
Do I have to be there?
It’s best if you are, so you can see the test and OK the price. If you can’t, call and we’ll sort out access and approval ahead of time.
How long does it take?
Most swaps are 20 to 45 minutes once we’re parked. Under-seat and trunk-floor batteries take longer.