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Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
34,548 posts, read 57,460,499 times
Reputation: 45902
I have '1995' batteries in my bulldozer It is very hard on batteries... ROUGH riding, tough starts, VERY DIRTY / HOT conditions.
Have a 1999 elcheapo Walmart 'dinky' battery in my kid's $400 GTI. Lasted through severe conditions in college (lights on many time / skiing every weekend, and now through3 yrs of infrequent use.
a decent quality Walmart battery only lasted 8 months in my motorhome
I am now buying Deka, but I expect 7-10 yrs from most applications (I have 28 cars, 6 trucks, 7 motorcycles, 3 tractors, and a bunck of 'other' battery eaters...heavy equip, lawn mowers)
My Tacoma is a 2000. Bought it new and it's still got the factory battery. This is not the norm but obviously it can happen. Typically batteries last 7-8 yrs if the car is driven regularly.
2001 Toyota Corolla with original battery... 10 years and going strong
I buy "Interstate" batteries since the dealer is just 4 blocks from my home. I buy the "7 year" batteries and replace them at 6 years 9 months or they die and leave me stranded past the 7 year mark just like clockwork.
P.S. This dealer give me at cost price , or warranty replacement, on these batteries since he does my other car work. THAT is the only reason I stick with this brand.
I buy "Interstate" batteries since the dealer is just 4 blocks from my home. I buy the "7 year" batteries and replace them at 6 years 9 months or they die and leave me stranded past the 7 year mark just like clockwork.
P.S. This dealer give me at cost price , or warranty replacement, on these batteries since he does my other car work. THAT is the only reason I stick with this brand.
How can you tell, if you replace them before they die?
Just beware that as the battery ages, it requires more charge from the alternator, eventually to the point where the alternator is running full-field. This causes excess wear on your alternator which will need to be replaced prematurely.
Ask me how I know... Now I replace the battery every 3 years whether it needs it or not.
Earlier alternators seemed less prone to failure under failing battery loads but you are very correct about these newer alternators. This past weekend I replaced my wife's alternator in her V6 Pontiac Montana because her Bosch battery failed prematurely. It was a 5-year battery and failed at a little over 2 years.
The Montana alternator is very inconveniently packed in behind the 3.4L motor against the firewall and requires that the engine be moved forward about four inches. This is not a job for the faint at heart and certainly not in the plus-100 degree weather we've been having here in west Texas. It will certainly make one check his battery condition often as he checks his engine oil.
How can you tell, if you replace them before they die?
Experience. I've had 9 Interstate batteries and after #4 left me stranded at work I learned my lesson since 1,2,3 batteries died in my driveway at about 7 yrs. This brand doesn't give any warning AT ALL they just work or they die....period.
Besides, after 6.5 yrs you're pushing your luck anyway IMO.
Experience. I've had 9 Interstate batteries and after #4 left me stranded at work I learned my lesson since 1,2,3 batteries died in my driveway at about 7 yrs. This brand doesn't give any warning AT ALL they just work or they die....period.
Besides, after 6.5 yrs you're pushing your luck anyway IMO.
That has been my experience also....sudden death, which is a royal PITA, especially if it's the wife's car.
Therefore, I replace them at 5 years whether they need it or not.
The old one doesn't go to waste though....I have a bank of batteries in my workshop for 12v needs, so I put the battery I replaced there...and grab the oldest bank battery to use for a core.
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It is very hard on batteries... ROUGH riding, tough starts, VERY DIRTY / HOT conditions.
Now I replace the battery every 3 years whether it needs it or not.
