P38A Varta Batteries UK Poor Customer Service

Below is a copy of an email I've just sent to Varta UK pretty self explanatory. Bought a battery based on Varta search system battery doesn't fit and Varta couldn't give a toss. Admittedly I didn't purchase it direct from Varta but you'd think a big company like that would be slightly more interested in end customers and good pr.
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Dear Varta

I recently required a replacement battery for my Range Rover having used Varta batteries in the past I had no hesitation in choosing Varta for my replacement battery. I decided to use your convenient automotive battery search page to choose my new battery. Having entered my registration M266MWP into the box the search results showed I should order a
Promotive Black 610 047 068 bar code 4016987129067
I straight away googled this bar code and battery number and ordered one. My battery arrived and I was looking forward to fitting it. Unfortunately to my dismay when I attempted to fit the battery I found that the terminals were the wrong way round, + to the left and - to the right where as the range rover requires - left and + right.



I have since checked online and it appears that there are two versions of the

Promotive Black 610 047 068
one bar code being - 4016987129067 a Type 663 battery and the other bar code being 4016987129074 a type 664 battery all though this information is not displayed in the search results on the Varta website.


I contacted a member of your team Vince when I initially discovered the battery doesn't fit my vehicle in the hope that Varta would possible as a good will gesture provide me with the correct battery for my vehicle as the one showing on your search system is in fact incorrect. The seller I purchased the battery from showed no mention of any vehicle model specific to this battery so I lay no blame on themselves as they are merely selling a no model specific product. I would have thought Varta would be grateful for a customer pointing out an error and preventing future batteries being mis-sold. Vince did question whether my Range Rover is modified but I can assure you it is as it came out of the factory. I have a attached a photo of the page from my owners manual stating that the Range Rover mk2 2.5 diesel should only be fitted with a Type 664 and not a Type 663 as shown in your search system.

I was informed by Vince that even if Land Rover did state that Varta is listing the incorrect battery Varta still would not be interested in helping a loyal customer which I think is pretty poor customer service.

I would hope that Varta would be willing to help out a loyal customer bearing in mind the number of members of online Automotive forums who will more than likely choose to use alternative battery manufacturers in future as a result of reading about this error. I have taken several screen shots of the varta search system results and am happy to forward them to yourselves if required. As far as I can see there are no disclaimers on the search results page advising customers to measure and check their existing batteries before believing the information given in your search results.

Perhaps Varta could modify the search results page to just show a disclaimer page similar to Tanya batteries which flashes up between search and result if your information isn't to be taken as gospel?

Yours sincerely

Stephen F

Why not send it back to the seller? Distance selling act, cooling off periods and all that.

not the sellers fault as no mention of range rover in listing and if i do send it back it back i'd have to cough up for postage and restocking fee. just narks me off that varta said tough not our fault or our problem their attitude sucks and they basically said i was totally wrong and it is the right battery for a range rover p38. .weren't even interested in updating their search results.

Out of interest what is the difference is it the cca

terminals are the wrong way round on a type 663

But armed with the info from your manual that you needed a 664, then you could have matched it to the 664 on Varta web site, which you have subsequently done, it isn't the first technical chart to be wrong, and it won't be the last, especially where batteries are concerned!!