How long will my battery last?

I have a 2000 with the original battery still (4 1/2 years). I drive
my car all year long so it's not sitting at all. Just wondering if I
should be pro-active and change it now so I can avoid getting stuck
becaues this would be the time period it would go considering the age
and heading into winter...

--
Scott Streeter

http://www.wpi.edu/~ss/

*shrug* I have a 97 with the original battery, and it starts up just fine!

I've never in my life had a car with a factory battery last more than 2 yrs.
These things are AMAZING!


"Scott Streeter" > wrote in message
...
>
> I have a 2000 with the original battery still (4 1/2 years). I drive
> my car all year long so it's not sitting at all. Just wondering if I
> should be pro-active and change it now so I can avoid getting stuck
> becaues this would be the time period it would go considering the age
> and heading into winter...
>
> --
> Scott Streeter
>
> http://www.wpi.edu/~ss/

On 2004-11-23, Scott Streeter > wrote:

> I have a 2000 with the original battery still (4 1/2 years). I
> drive my car all year long so it's not sitting at all. Just
> wondering if I should be pro-active and change it now so I can
> avoid getting stuck becaues this would be the time period it
> would go considering the age and heading into winter...

It's not like it's going to fail suddenly without notice (at
least my car batteries never have). Pay attention on cold
mornings. If you notice it's starting to crank slower every
week, then get a new one.

--
Grant Edwards grante Yow! Are we on STRIKE yet?
at
visi.com

I believe my first one crapped out after about five years. I changed the
second one out at about that time as my daughter was taking the car to
school and I didn't want this to be a problem. Third one is a Wesco and it's
been fine; first two were Panasonics. Amazing life for a battery!

Ken

"Grant Edwards" > wrote in message
...
> On 2004-11-23, Scott Streeter > wrote:
>
> > I have a 2000 with the original battery still (4 1/2 years). I
> > drive my car all year long so it's not sitting at all. Just
> > wondering if I should be pro-active and change it now so I can
> > avoid getting stuck becaues this would be the time period it
> > would go considering the age and heading into winter...
>
> It's not like it's going to fail suddenly without notice (at
> least my car batteries never have). Pay attention on cold
> mornings. If you notice it's starting to crank slower every
> week, then get a new one.
>
> --
> Grant Edwards grante Yow! Are we on STRIKE
yet?
> at
> visi.com

I replaced the original battery in my '91 B a year ago. I bought the car
new in Sept. '91. Hmmm....
12 years and 2 months on the original battery!!!!!! I too had
considered a pro-active change, as recommended by Miata magazine, but never
having had any problems with it, I left it in there. Glad I did.

I've heard there are still some '90s out there running around with the
original battery. Mine was getting awfully slow turning over the starter
that last winter before I changed it, and I had put a 500 mah trickle
charger on it a few times overnite. I probably could have gotten another
winter out of it with the charger, but did not want to bother with that
again.

Mine was the Panasonic AGM battery. If yours is an AGM, I would say to
leave it as long as it will turn your starter over. -Rod

"Scott Streeter" > wrote in message
...
>
> I have a 2000 with the original battery still (4 1/2 years). I drive
> my car all year long so it's not sitting at all. Just wondering if I
> should be pro-active and change it now so I can avoid getting stuck
> becaues this would be the time period it would go considering the age
> and heading into winter...
>
> --
> Scott Streeter
>
> http://www.wpi.edu/~ss/

Grant Edwards > writes:
> On 2004-11-23, Scott Streeter > wrote:
>
> > I have a 2000 with the original battery still (4 1/2 years). I
> > drive my car all year long so it's not sitting at all. Just
> > wondering if I should be pro-active and change it now so I can
> > avoid getting stuck becaues this would be the time period it
> > would go considering the age and heading into winter...
>
> It's not like it's going to fail suddenly without notice (at
> least my car batteries never have). Pay attention on cold
> mornings. If you notice it's starting to crank slower every
> week, then get a new one.
>
> --
> Grant Edwards grante Yow! Are we on STRIKE yet?
> at
> visi.com

I've had batteries work on the ride to work and then just be dead to
go home so it has happened suddenly. From what others have said here
though I don't think I'm going to worry about it. Thanks all.

--
Scott Streeter

http://www.wpi.edu/~ss/

On 2004-11-23, Scott Streeter > wrote:

>> It's not like it's going to fail suddenly without notice (at
>> least my car batteries never have). Pay attention on cold
>> mornings. If you notice it's starting to crank slower every
>> week, then get a new one.
>
> I've had batteries work on the ride to work and then just be dead to
> go home so it has happened suddenly. From what others have said here
> though I don't think I'm going to worry about it. Thanks all.

Sudden failures are possible if something just plain
mechanically breaks. In my experience "wearing out" is usually
a pretty gradual process.

--
Grant Edwards grante Yow! Thank god!!... It's
at HENNY YOUNGMAN!!
visi.com

Grant Edwards > writes:

> On 2004-11-23, Scott Streeter > wrote:
>
> >> It's not like it's going to fail suddenly without notice (at
> >> least my car batteries never have). Pay attention on cold
> >> mornings. If you notice it's starting to crank slower every
> >> week, then get a new one.
> >
> > I've had batteries work on the ride to work and then just be dead to
> > go home so it has happened suddenly. From what others have said here
> > though I don't think I'm going to worry about it. Thanks all.
>
> Sudden failures are possible if something just plain
> mechanically breaks. In my experience "wearing out" is usually
> a pretty gradual process.
>
> --
> Grant Edwards grante Yow! Thank god!!... It's
> at HENNY YOUNGMAN!!
> visi.com

Well I have had batties "suddenly die". Just becaues it's never
happened to you doesn't mean it never happens.

--
Scott Streeter

http://www.wpi.edu/~ss/

>Well I have had batties "suddenly die". Just becaues it's never
>happened to you doesn't mean it never happens.

ME TOO! Larry HIll

"Scott Streeter" > wrote in message
...
> Grant Edwards > writes:
>
> > On 2004-11-23, Scott Streeter > wrote:
> >
> > >> It's not like it's going to fail suddenly without notice (at
> > >> least my car batteries never have). Pay attention on cold
> > >> mornings. If you notice it's starting to crank slower every
> > >> week, then get a new one.
> > >
> > > I've had batteries work on the ride to work and then just be dead to
> > > go home so it has happened suddenly. From what others have said here
> > > though I don't think I'm going to worry about it. Thanks all.
> >
> > Sudden failures are possible if something just plain
> > mechanically breaks. In my experience "wearing out" is usually
> > a pretty gradual process.
> >
> > --
> > Grant Edwards grante Yow! Thank god!!...
It's
> > at HENNY YOUNGMAN!!
> > visi.com
>
> Well I have had batties "suddenly die". Just becaues it's never
> happened to you doesn't mean it never happens.
>
> --
> Scott Streeter
>
> http://www.wpi.edu/~ss/

No doubt. I've had batteries die suddenly as well, BUT they were usually
traditional lead / acid batteries. If a cell (or 2) runs dry, or low, or
the battery gets a good jar, the plates can break / arc. The Panasonic is
an AGM battery, and I *believe* they are much more robust / predictable.

Using my jetskis as an example... I have an Odyssey AGM battery that I bough
in 1996 when the ski was new... Still works GREAT to this day. In contrast,
I cheaped out on my other ski, and I get about 2 seasons out of the lead
acid batteries. *shrug*