Car not starting, battery issues??

[Adz86]

Hey all, my other car (99 v reg rover 420) has been sat in the drive a while, won't start, radio won't even come on, got the jump leads out, all dash lights and radio came on but the car won't even tick over, there's nothing there at all, any ideas??

[Deztroyer]

car has probably got soo flat that its lost it immobiliser code - and cant recognise the key - will need to be reporgrammed

[Birchy63]

New battery, don't skimp by trying to charge the current one if its more than say 3 years old..... They can and do sometimes explode.

[Adz86]

How much are the above problems likely to cost?? Was only getting it ready to be sold

[yadziyad]

try starting it with a different battery, could be starter motor

[Birchy63]

Didn't the Rover have some weird immobilizer thing where by it wouldn't start if the keys had been in the ignition more than 30 seconds and/or the door was open?

I learn't to drive in a 100 (Metro) in 1998 and the instructor was constantly cursing the immobilizer for its various quirks.

Reprogram apparently around £25, new car battery £30-£45 or double that if you go to a tyre/exhaust place and triple that if your female.
(A "friend" was quoted £95 for a new Ford Escort battery and when I went to the same place for the same battery 2 days later I was quoted £60)

[stevedee3]

How much are the above problems likely to cost?? Was only getting it ready to be sold

try starting it with a different battery, could be starter motor

Sounds like the battery is either cooked or just flat. Try jump starting it and drive it about for a bit. If it starts by itself after that then I wouldn't bother replacing the battery => total cost = $0

car has probably got soo flat that its lost it immobiliser code - and cant recognise the key - will need to be reporgrammed

Do Rovers do that?! I'm glad Vectras don't.