What is the longest life you've gotten out of a car battery?

General Discussion
41
"There is a difference between being paranoid and just careful and proactive!"

Of course, but that didn’t stop an un-named forum member from stating that I was paranoid because I choose to replace my batteries after 4.5-5 years, even if they test “ok”.

My feeling is that if spending ~$90 every 4.5-5 years (rather than waiting for unexpected battery failure and/or replacement of the alternator) is going to make somebody poor, then they have much bigger problems than just battery failure.

Just as I buy insurance hoping that I won’t ever need it, I now replace my batteries proactively, rather than waiting until the cost is actually far higher. And, I say “now” because I once tried to get as many years as possible out of a battery, and that wound up stranding me on the way to work, getting a tow, and having to replace the alternator in addition to the battery. I learned about the possible consequences of trying to penny-pinch, and it was an expensive lesson.

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42

@VDCdriver Well said! We know a stingy couple who had 2 alternator failures in short order on their 6 year old Subaru. They concluded that Subarus were bad news and traded a perfectly good car in for a Hyundai.

I had mentioned that marginal batteries will cut down on alternator life.

A fresh battery should be regarded as relatively cheap insurance. We spend a great deal of time in the mountains, summer and winter. Many mountain lodges do not have plug-ins for the block heater. So a capable battery is a must for us. We find that the OEM batteries last us 7 years max even if we only drive under 10,000 miles a year.

I worked with a contractor in Saudi Arabia, and they replaced all belts, hoses and batteries proactively every 2 years. Extreme heat is the real enemy there.

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" My insurance policy says it is void if the house is not checked out at least every 5 days."

Hmmm…I think that I had better take a close look at my policy, just in case it has a similar clause.

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@VDCdriver I would rather think that you replace them becasue your batteries have reached a point you may not trust them. As I mentioned before even a new battery can have a sudden failure that does not show up on a load test. Generally speaking, a top quality battery treated well should give you 7 plus years of service for the average diver. Just having an old battery does not mean it’s inferior, though David Ortiz has seen better days. It does mean it needs more watching. I have no criticism for others replacing a battery that is 4 years old but still tests well. I am just not ready to that myself.

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Well, you know my feelings since I started the thread. But… If you are replacing your batteries proactively at 3 or 5 years, even though they test good, I wonder statistically what the odds are that in tampering with a working system that you are going to get a bad battery, introduce some kind of electrical fault, or have some other kind of bad luck. There is a reason for the saying “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” My luck seems to run like that–when I try to improve something that is working fine, I end up with some idiotic problem that I never thought could even occur… but reality is always the inspiration for fiction. Maybe just the universe telling me I need to relax and leave ---- alone. Just saying…

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No one is saying you keep a battery with problems. One that legitimately tests well and is 5 years old, in good shape and a top quality OEM battery, is no harder on the charging system then some of the cheapos that many buy just becasue they want to pay $120 very four years instead of $185 every eight. Being proactive to me is staying on top of a battery and carrying a jumper. Even new cheapo batteries you plan on replcing every four years are in need insurance.

47

If you live in an area with cold winters you want to replace a marginal battery before winter. That might be after 4 years, 5 years or even 6 or 7 years.

The last New Year’s Eve party was at a club in the outskirts of town. It was bitterly cold and one guy with a weak battery went out every hour to start up his car and ran it 10 minutes, much to the chagrin of his wife.

I used to carry jumper cables but with all the expensive electronics I leave that now to the AAA should I ever need to. I’m also reluctant now to give others a jump start for fear of damaging their vehicles.

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@dagosa

“Being proactive to me is staying on top of a battery and carrying a jumper.”

You are not everybody. In fact, I don’t think you even represent the majority of US drivers

As a mechanic, I would be more comfortable selling a customer a new battery, because his battery is 5 years old, but still tests good . . . versus telling the customer to buy a jumper pack, carrying it in his trunk, and trying to wring every last minute out of his current battery

Not to mention that you have to make sure the jumper pack is fully charged. After all, there is a battery in there, as well

Wouldn’t it be “ironic” if you bought a jumper pack, kept it in your trunk, and tried to wring every last minute out of your battery. But then, when that day came, that your original battery finally failed, and you needed your jumper pack, the jumper pack itself was out of juice and wouldn’t get your car started?

Now you have to call the auto club, borrow a neighbor’s jumper cables, or rely on the mercy of strangers, maybe in a bad area?

If you think about it, the approach of buying the jumper pack is even more expensive than just replacing the battery proactively at 5 years. You’ve bought the jumper pack, and you’re going to need that battery eventually, anyways

I just remembered something quite important. If I tell the customer to not buy a fresh battery, but buy a jumper pack, instead, I would be a bad businessman.

Who’s to say the customer will buy the jumper pack from me?

Who’s to say, when the battery does finally die for good, that the customer will buy that new battery from me? more than likely, he’ll buy that fresh battery from whatever shop or parts store is closest. And it probably won’t be me

:tongue:

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49

“He’ll buy that battery from the whatever shop or parts store is closest. And it probably won’t be me”

@db4690
You make my point exactly. It’s all about maximizing profits for the seller. Batteries are a huge money maker and for those who don’t test their own and depend upon someone else, they are vulnerable to " boy, do you need a new battery. It’s going to be really cold tonight." Everything is normal but the battery is 4 or 5 years old. Why the heck do we even bother to test the battery of we buy a new one every 4 years. In reality, in cold climates, the battery gets load test every cold morning.

Not all batteries, like cars, are treated the same way. Some are used for frequent stop and go driving in very hot climates, while some are used for extended driving in cooler climates. To say they all should be changed at the same time is contrary to good maintenace practices on all other components. That’s why we test batteries. Stores love to sell batteries long before they need be replaced and long before their warranty runs out.

Btw, the jumper battery is never left in the car in cold weather. There are times when a new flattery ou.d fail. A jumper battery is like a spare tire to me. Just becasue I have four new tires , does not mean I don’t need a spare.

You need new fresh tires regardless of how many miles are on them and regardless of the tread…it’s been four years. :wink: you need new shocks becaue it’s been four years, you need new plugs because it!/ been four years…you need to pay my kids college expenses because it’s been four years.

@Docnick Or after ten years ! When ever they need replacemen, they get replaced.

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one of the biggest profit maker parts wise for every chain service provider

How much profit is in a battery? I don’t see how these shops can stay in business if this is their “money maker”.

Batteries and tires are a competitive business, we don’t make much money on these items.

I believe 90% of the people who try this 10 year battery plan will be disappointed. A battery’s failure cannot be predicted by CCA alone. Many of the batteries that I replace have an open cell (no continuity through the battery) or a shorted cell. These failures are unpredictable and come with age.

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@Nevada_545
I think you are taking things out of context.
First, not is not a 10 year plan. It’s monitoring a part until it needs replacement. That sounds reasonable
Secondly, one of the biggest does not mean the biggest nor does it mean it is high relative percent. Any store could have categorized items where their biggest selling item could be as little as 10% of their profit. If their profit drops on the batteries, it does not mean they could not stay in business. The 10 year plan is your concoction, not mine. I don’t have a time plan to change my oil…I do it by mileage. Batteries are also affected by mileage,…and time, environment and type of use. To only use time, is a waste…of time and money.

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In hot climates lead-acid batteries often fail suddenly.
I experienced that when a friends 4 year old battery died in the Arizona desert.
So you can’t always rely on declining load tests.

So the battery in my Matrix has been through its 9th winter, but original batteries in Toyotas have a reputation for longevity, I don’t drive a lot (52K miles so far), and I give the battery a full charge every two months.
If my situation were different I’d change it sooner.

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Exactly…heat, freezing temps when the battery is not fully charged, too frequent discharge and charging cycles…all contribute to early battery failure. To say that you will replce a battery that HAS NOTbeen subject to abuse just because it happens to be a particular age, even though it performs and tests sufficiently, is a waste of money and resources. Battery recycling is a huge success story…but that doesn’t mean we should unnecessarily contribute to it.

@circuitsmith you are like me in most respects. We own good quality batteries in reliable cars with moderate mileage and we probably don’t abuse them…why should we change the battery at 4 years becasue…it’s time.

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Daughter got grandmas old car , heated garage for grandma, 2001 saturn 35k miles , when she quit driving. Aug of 2012 (battery install date check), daughter is like it is cranking slow, took it to autozone for a check, 65 cranking amps. Original battery, bought her a new one they installed, cleaned terminals and used a memory tender for $85. 700 cca and 6 year whatever warrenty. Happy customer. that would be an 11 year old battery, 2 years in WI winter outside parking after grandma gave it up. Daughter is good about fuid changes!

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@dagosa

so let’s see if I understood this . . .

You want to get every last second out of your battery?

You bought a jumper pack, but you don’t keep it in the trunk in cold weather?

So what exactly do you do, when your old battery finally dies, and it’s cold outside, and the jumper pack is in your garage, and not in the trunk?

Let’s make it realistic, also. Let’s say you’re 20 miles from your house, so you can’t just walk back and get the jumper pack

I’m assuming, in that case you call the auto club, rely on the mercy of strangers and/or neighbors, etc.

So then what happens when that stranger gets your car started?

Do you head to the nearest parts store, which may not have good prices?

Or do you head to the very competent . . . I’m not being sarcastic . . . shop who recommended that you replace the battery based on its age?

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56

I’ll add that I practice what might be called “good battery karma.” In the winter, I will start turning off high-drain accessories like the rear defogger as I begin to approach my destination. I’ll let the car idle for a minute or so before shutting it off with all accessories off in very cold weather. I make sure that if I’m doing a lot of short trips, that I also do a decently long one somewhat frequently. And I do let my car warm up with no more accessories on than needed. If I’m parked, listening to the radio for more than 20 minutes or so, I will have the engine running. I think these actions contribute to the battery staying as charged as possible, and its longevity.

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Of course, but that didn’t stop an un-named forum member from stating that I was paranoid because I choose to replace my batteries after 4.5-5 years, even if they test “ok”.

It was more about the reasons you gave for doing it. Remember, the sky IS falling…

My feeling is that if spending ~$90 every 4.5-5 years (rather than waiting for unexpected battery failure and/or replacement of the alternator) is going to make somebody poor, then they have much bigger problems than just battery failure.

Nice try. You missed the mark. Nobody but you ever said it had anything to do with money.

But as long as you brought it up, the guy that dumps 1000 gallons a week on his lawn in a drought has a similar mindset- I can afford it so why not?

I learned about the possible consequences of trying to penny-pinch, and it was an expensive lesson.

So, once in your life you got stranded and for what, $500, you proactively replace batteries every 4-5 years. Why don’t you add up all the costs of those batteries over the years and weigh that against a tow and alternator since you’re so focused on the monetary aspect…

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If you live in a cold climate the answer as to when to replace the battery is simple. If the battery is sluggish in October, it won’t make it through the winter, and needs to be replaced.

I once knew a cheapskate who tried to nurse his to the very end. The result was that even the AAA refused to come top his aid, although he was a member. The TOLD him to get a new battery.

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@db4690.
Ha ha…you are doing this in jest aren’t you ? ;-))))I live in weather that had an average temp last Feb of 6 degrees. Do you think I am going to have a battery that did not provide the CCA I needed to start. Do you think I would “store” the jumper battery outside ? I keep it inside and take it on trips where the car will be started again away from home in very cold weather. You and I agree on so many things, it sounds like you are being in jest. . My batteries ahve lasted up to 10 years or more for a variety of reasons. None of which can be pigeoned holed into a reason that works for every one.

. The biggest enemy of batteries, is heat. That’s what ages a battery along with frequent discharging and charging cycles. Next, you have a top quality OEM battery and you test it evry fall and winter, especially after four years. to make sure it does have the capacity under load. In winter when I don’t do my own servicing, the dealer service department test it and the system for free when working on it.

You don’t trust your ability to test a battery ? I trust you. At the very instant, a battery fails to pass a load test, indicates that it has starting problem or looses it’s charged, everything gets inspected, fixed and if the battery is at fault, it gets replaced. ( which it hasn’t for many, many years)

You are telling me, which I think you are, that you replce batteries at four years regardless of how they test. Well, that’s fine for a fleet when you buy cheaper aftermarket batteries or you think time in repair is worth more then maintence and care of the battery. Fleet vehicles are usually much harder on batteries and you juge all components that need replacement by their inherrent quality, use and maintenace.

Mine last ten years, which means they get traded before Replacement of the battery. Now, where does that sound like "I try to squeeze the last second out of a battery " the key is, my cars are kept out of the heat, driven 10k or fewer miles, used for steady driving and not short. Trips, and watched fetidiuosly. Oh, they are Toyotas, Hondas and Subarus. It is common knowledge that the dealers, all of them in this area,must use the best batteries in their cars OEM. It is a terrible advertisement for a three year old car with a crappy battery not to start…regardless of any warranty.

Btw, if I am driving along and my car stops 20 miles from home, there probably is something else other then the battery wrong. If it’s cold and a planned overnight stop is anticipated, the jumper gets thrown in. I DO THAT WITH MY NEW CARS TOO !

Btw, in my younger days when I bought only old cars and replced their batteies with cheapos, it was not unusual to have one fail in three years. You get what you pay for…

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It’s like I tell the local Toyota dealer when they refused to fix a position switch ( expensive because of location) on my 4 Runner even though it was several thousand miles over warranty. I want to speak to a factory rep. I told him I was a great customer. Paid top dollar for their cars but this would be the last if all they expected was a lifetime like item to last only 60 k miles. I buy Toyotas becasue I expect them to last longer then others and a previous Chevy truck never had problems with indicator switches like this. They fixed it for free Immediately. I DONOT expect their batteries to last just four years either, regardless of who makes them. My dad always said, if you have any problems with a battery, replace it. They don’t improve with age. A quality battery routinly lasts for seven to eight years, easily. Why are some warranted for 84 months?..? So we can replace them in four years ?