Join Early Retirement Today
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 08-29-2021, 02:11 PM   #41
Full time employment: Posting here.
teetee's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2019
Posts: 679
In New England area my experience is that the Interstate brand batteries lasts a lot longer than others by a lot. 12 years is not uncommon. I park my car outside with the temperature range between -20F to 100F. I only replaced mine because it took at least three cranks for the starter to start the car on early winter mornings. I wonder how many years it would have lasted in my 96 Accord if I didnot replace it.

Then there is Duralast brand from AutoZone. They could barely make to 5 years. And it is not the economy tier batteries either. The gold grade is not any better. I can't endorse Interstate batteries either since I have not used their modern product after the last was replaced.

I think the manufacturers figured out how to make them not last because they know scheduled obsolescence bringing more profit than their reputation does, like the car reliability for domestic vs Japanese cars. That is the difference between having pride in your product vs everything is about profit and profit only.
teetee is offline   Reply With Quote
Join the #1 Early Retirement and Financial Independence Forum Today - It's Totally Free!

Are you planning to be financially independent as early as possible so you can live life on your own terms? Discuss successful investing strategies, asset allocation models, tax strategies and other related topics in our online forum community. Our members range from young folks just starting their journey to financial independence, military retirees and even multimillionaires. No matter where you fit in you'll find that Early-Retirement.org is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!

You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with our members, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create a retirement blog, send private messages and so much, much more!

Old 08-29-2021, 02:35 PM   #42
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
jollystomper's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 6,129
I have been fortunate, 2011 Camry still running on probably original battery. I say "probably" since I bought it used in 2013 with about 20K miles, so they could have replaced it with another Toyota battery before purchase. Battery test is still showing normal voltage.

2011 Corolla battery lasted until 2018. Bought a Walmart battery that is still going strong.
__________________
FIREd date: June 26, 2018 - "This Happy Feeling, Going Round and Round!" (GQ)
jollystomper is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-29-2021, 02:59 PM   #43
Recycles dryer sheets
 
Join Date: Feb 2020
Posts: 83
My model year 1999 Miata built in 1998 has its original battery! Yes 23 years old. I've always kept this car on a battery maintainer also the car never gets driven in winter. I can tell its been getting worse the last few years , when I start the car it doesn't turn over as quickly as it used to but it is enough to start the car. The original battery is a Japanese made Panasonic AGM battery. I'm sure whatever replacement I get won't last nearly as long.
I also keep battery maintainers on our other cars if we won't be driving them for a few days. The newer cars with so much electronics just eat batteries, 3-5 years seems to be average for many cars now.
NewEnglander is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-29-2021, 03:43 PM   #44
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
travelover's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 14,328
Quote:
Originally Posted by Midpack View Post
Thanks, I didn’t realize that and confirmed online (though many others mistakenly assume the 12V battery is used for starting). Confusing that I was able to jump start the car and the ICE. Courtesy lights and key fob locks worked but dashboard and NAV system were blacked out dead - I hadn’t seen that before. And also puzzling how the conventional full sized 12V battery (Group 51) died if it only powers electronics. But now I know better, thanks again.
Yes, hybrids are peculiar. They don't have an alternator like a conventional vehicle - the 12 volt battery is charged off the high voltage battery through a DC-DC inverter. So, you'd think one could just key on and the big battery would charge the little battery. However if the 12 volt battery is dead, the electronic controls don't work and you get zip until the controls have enough power to boot up. This was a $55 lesson I learned when I left my lights on and had to pay a tow truck for a 1 second jump. I carried jumper cables after that.
travelover is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-29-2021, 03:47 PM   #45
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
travelover's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 14,328
Quote:
Originally Posted by NewEnglander View Post
My model year 1999 Miata built in 1998 has its original battery! Yes 23 years old. I've always kept this car on a battery maintainer also the car never gets driven in winter. I can tell its been getting worse the last few years , when I start the car it doesn't turn over as quickly as it used to but it is enough to start the car. The original battery is a Japanese made Panasonic AGM battery. I'm sure whatever replacement I get won't last nearly as long. ............
You should really pursue a paid endorsement from Panasonic. I've never heard of a car battery lasting anywhere near that long.
travelover is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-29-2021, 04:09 PM   #46
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
 
Join Date: Aug 2021
Location: Wofford Heights
Posts: 1,548
Quote:
Originally Posted by travelover View Post
..This was a $55 lesson I learned when I left my lights on and had to pay a tow truck for a 1 second jump. I carried jumper cables after that.

Get a battery jump start box and jump start yourself.

Also charge your phone or other things in a pinch.
Lots of choices out there.
MC Rider is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-29-2021, 05:18 PM   #47
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
Koolau's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Leeward Oahu
Posts: 17,793
Quote:
Originally Posted by MC Rider View Post
Get a battery jump start box and jump start yourself.

Also charge your phone or other things in a pinch.
Lots of choices out there.
Yes. Costco has these from time to time. On the order of the cost of your $55 jump. Not sure they will work with a very dead battery. If you battery still has a little bit of charge left, the tiny jumpers seem to work well (personal experience.) Mine even has a flashlight!
__________________
Ko'olau's Law -

Anything which can be used can be misused. Anything which can be misused will be.
Koolau is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-29-2021, 05:27 PM   #48
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
 
Join Date: Aug 2021
Location: Wofford Heights
Posts: 1,548
Quote:
Originally Posted by Koolau View Post
Yes. Costco has these from time to time. On the order of the cost of your $55 jump. Not sure they will work with a very dead battery. If you battery still has a little bit of charge left, the tiny jumpers seem to work well (personal experience.) Mine even has a flashlight!

Maybe. One started my 08 Accord, but it still ran poorly.
The AAA tech tested it and said it looked like there was an internal short.
Having them change the battery in my driveway was only a little more $ than doing it myself, and a lot less work. So.....



I think if it was just a weak battery, the jump battery will get ya going.
MC Rider is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-29-2021, 05:56 PM   #49
Moderator Emeritus
Ronstar's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Northern Illinois
Posts: 16,543
We used to get a new battery every year in our Arizona snowbird place Acura. Batteries couldn’t survive in the car with no use from April through November. And the 120 degree heat didn’t help.

I recently got a new battery in my truck at around 3.5 years. Someone told me that newer vehicles have more things going on that require power even when the car is off.
Ronstar is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-29-2021, 06:08 PM   #50
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
Midpack's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: NC
Posts: 21,200
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ronstar View Post
Someone told me that newer vehicles have more things going on that require power even when the car is off.
I’ve read the same thing, parasitic drain from lots of electronic gadgets. Fortunately we drive both our cars almost every day, evidently a car battery can go dead in as little as four weeks if not driven.
__________________
No one agrees with other people's opinions; they merely agree with their own opinions -- expressed by somebody else. Sydney Tremayne
Retired Jun 2011 at age 57

Target AA: 50% equity funds / 45% bonds / 5% cash
Target WR: Approx 1.5% Approx 20% SI (secure income, SS only)
Midpack is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-29-2021, 06:12 PM   #51
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
 
Join Date: Aug 2021
Location: Wofford Heights
Posts: 1,548
These things are not meant to sit unused. They need to drive.
MC Rider is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-29-2021, 06:40 PM   #52
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
travelover's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 14,328
Quote:
Originally Posted by MC Rider View Post
Get a battery jump start box and jump start yourself.

Also charge your phone or other things in a pinch.
Lots of choices out there.
Well yea. This was ten years ago. I have a lithium jump box now and jumper cables.
travelover is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-29-2021, 07:01 PM   #53
Recycles dryer sheets
 
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 190
I don't think I have ever had a battery last less than 7 years. My 2006 Jeep Liberty is on it's second battery and my 2013 Chevy Cruze is still on it's original.
Plantman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-29-2021, 07:30 PM   #54
Full time employment: Posting here.
SnowballCamper's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2019
Posts: 691
There are good batteries made in USA still. Maybe not every size for the passenger car market, but Trojan makes a motive battery for vehicle starting applications. https://www.trojanbattery.com/corporate-overview/
__________________
--At what age does spending less now in order to have more later stop making sense?
SnowballCamper is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-29-2021, 07:33 PM   #55
Moderator Emeritus
Ronstar's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Northern Illinois
Posts: 16,543
Quote:
Originally Posted by Midpack View Post
I’ve read the same thing, parasitic drain from lots of electronic gadgets. Fortunately we drive both our cars almost every day, evidently a car battery can go dead in as little as four weeks if not driven.
You’ve jogged my memory. We had a home watch service come to the snowbird condo once a month, check the place, flush the toilets, and start the car.

I don’t remember getting a report that the car wouldn’t start during any of their monthly checkups. But it didn’t start when we got there for a fall visit.

I’d call AAA once we got there. They’d come and jump it and give me a diagnostic report and told me not to shut it off because it wouldn’t start again without jumping. I’d drive to Autozone, hand them my battery receipt and AAA diagnostic report. They’d install a new one free of charge.

In the Phoenix area, AAA has vans driving around doing nothing but battery jumps and replacements.
Ronstar is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-29-2021, 10:39 PM   #56
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
Koolau's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Leeward Oahu
Posts: 17,793
Quote:
Originally Posted by Plantman View Post
I don't think I have ever had a battery last less than 7 years. My 2006 Jeep Liberty is on it's second battery and my 2013 Chevy Cruze is still on it's original.
Do you keep your vehicles garaged? Over the years, I've found my "indoor" vehicles' batteries last much longer. YMMV
__________________
Ko'olau's Law -

Anything which can be used can be misused. Anything which can be misused will be.
Koolau is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-30-2021, 07:49 AM   #57
Recycles dryer sheets
 
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 190
Quote:
Originally Posted by Koolau View Post
Do you keep your vehicles garaged? Over the years, I've found my "indoor" vehicles' batteries last much longer. YMMV
Yes, they're in an unheated garage in northeastern Ohio. So I don't have to deal with too many temperature extremes.
Plantman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-30-2021, 01:00 PM   #58
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Out of Steam's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 1,636
Quote:
Originally Posted by travelover View Post
Hybrids don't use the 12 volt battery to start. The power comes from the big, high voltage battery. The 12 volt battery just powers the controls.
The OE battery on our Ford Hybrid (which is unusually small for the reason you note) lasted under 4 years. The replacement Motorcraft battery from the Ford dealer has been in the car over 5 years. I plan to replace it before winter.
Out of Steam is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-30-2021, 01:46 PM   #59
Recycles dryer sheets
 
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 269
Quote:
Originally Posted by Midpack View Post
Came home yesterday to find DW stranded at home with a dead 12V battery on her 2019 Honda Accord Hybrid! After jumping the car, I got it replaced at the Honda dealer for free under warranty.

I have replaced car batteries proactively at about 4 years without being confronted with a dead batt for decades, never expected a battery failure after 2 years 9 months. Is that normal for OEM batteries these days or just bad luck? I read a couple of Honda and Subaru forums with lots of posts about how crappy OEM batteries are these days, but for all I know there are thousands of owners who haven't had (premature) battery failures. Some of the posters had replaced their batteries with much better after market batteries shortly after buying their new Hondas/Subarus - seems like a waste.

Now I'm wondering if I need to be concerned about my Subaru with a 3 year 6 month old OEM battery... I may buy a battery load tester, or at least a shop/parts store that has a loaner.
Northern extreme climate. Caterpillar has batteries for majority of vehicles today. Very competitively priced. I drive diesels. The last two I bought for a past truck lasted 12 yrs in our climate. Not one bit of trouble. I replaced them in 18' just because. I just move them to another truck if I change trks.
Hyper is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-30-2021, 03:29 PM   #60
Dryer sheet wannabe
 
Join Date: Jan 2021
Posts: 20
I have bought two car batteries from Batteries Plus, and they are at about 5 years and still going well.
oaklanding is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Rechargeable Batteries vs Leaking Alkaline Batteries Jerry1 Technology, Media & e-Gadgets 26 11-13-2019 07:27 AM
They Don't Build Cars Like They Used To - Thank Goodness! Midpack Other topics 2 01-09-2013 09:54 AM
Cell Phone Batteries/Batteries Plus kaneohe Other topics 13 09-16-2012 07:58 AM
They just don't make Flight Attendants like they use to! Rustic23 Other topics 4 09-10-2009 10:22 AM

» Quick Links

 
All times are GMT -6. The time now is 02:06 AM.
 
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.