Hi chaps,

Hoped I could pick your brains on this one.

Me and my dad have a classic Mini Cooper, W plate, one of the last of the old style.

Had loads of trouble with starting it over the years, mostly put down to the fact that we don't use it often.

It's had a new battery, new starter motor and new alternator over the past couple of years. Recently we got a trickle charger so we could leave it permanently charging in the garage.

Tried to start it today and it wouldn't turn over, classic symptoms of a dead battery.

However, multimeter was showing 12+ volts in the battery.

Jump started it (first time with another car, second time with my battery booster) and all was fine. Drove for half an hour, switched off and tried to restart... Dead again.

Anyone got any ideas about what could be wrong here? Has the battery just died after being out of use for a while before we got the trickle charger?

Reckon it's simply a case of the battery being able to provide it's 12 volts, but not adequate current?

Cheers for any ideas chaps! I know my way with electrics, but it's all fixed installations, not vehicles!