Technically a new battery will give you the same problems… better still, get rid of the truck. It’s not worth keeping a truck you use but 300 miles for three days out of year ???. You can rent one for the inconvenience it causes. If you insist on keeping it, transfer a battery from somewhere else and back into another vehicle later if practical. I don’t think it’s a classic worth keeping. Surprised the thing runs well now with so little use.
Btw, what does this rig look like? Good shape? Rust bucket? Do u haul leaves to the dump once a year? Why do u keep it for <300 miles/yr?
This is a great car though not beautiful (the clear-coat is long-gone; I’ve fixed body damage myself and not bothered to make new paint blend in: what’s the point of removing paint I just applied?). The engine compression is the same as new. The fuel mileage is about as good as ever. I’ve owned it for 15 years. I’ve done all the work on it. I’ve spent a few months at a time living out of it. Instead of buying a cabin in the forest I fill it up with my camping gear and drive to an overlooked spot (I know many) in a national forest; I’ve been out-of-sorts the last 2 summers so haven’t gotten out.
I spent $219.36 on it last year, $391.89 in 2011 (I pay the state registration fee every 2 years.) More than $2/mile.
I bought gas zero times in 2008. After 18 months without new gas it started up and drove with no problem. I don’t believe in ‘stale gas’.
I imagine moving, which would probably involve spending a few months living out of it. If I were going to stick where I am for sure and didn’t own it I wouldn’t buy a car. I didn’t own one until I was 45. I’m attached to it.
If a new battery will be just as dead if I don’t start it for 6 months then a new battery won’t help me much: this one works for days after each start. If a jump-starter would make pushing unnecessary I may buy one.