When To Replace Battery?

Larry Weil wrote:
> When should I replace my battery if I want to do so before it fails and
> won't start the car?
>
> The car is an 04 Impreza 2.5 TS automatic, purchased new in March 04. I
> live in southern New Hampshire and do not have a garage, thus the car is
> kept outside at night. It currently has approx 80,000 miles.
>
> I know I'll get a variety of opinions, but perhaps I can draw a general
> consensus out of them.
>
> Thanks for your help.


If it aint broke why fix it !

However having said that it would be prudent to carry 'round a set of
jumper cables as one day in the next 5..6..7...8 years one of the cells
is going to collapse and leave you stranded.
 >> Stay informed about: When To Replace Battery? 

Just a product plug but when you do decide to replace, Optima batteries are
well worth the few extra dollars. I currently have 2 in a diesel tractor
and all 3 Subarus have them. Won't consider another brand.
 >> Stay informed about: When To Replace Battery? 

My OEM battery on a '97 Legacy was good for 4 years. My Sears Die
Hard Gold replacement just passed its 6th birthday. Keeping the
jumpers handy is a good idea.


On 28 Oct 2006 17:04:00 -0500, subaru RemoveThis @toddh.net (Todd H.) wrote:

>Larry Weil writes:
>
>> When should I replace my battery if I want to do so before it fails and
>> won't start the car?
>>
>> The car is an 04 Impreza 2.5 TS automatic, purchased new in March 04. I
>> live in southern New Hampshire and do not have a garage, thus the car is
>> kept outside at night. It currently has approx 80,000 miles.
>>
>> I know I'll get a variety of opinions, but perhaps I can draw a general
>> consensus out of them.
>
>Buy a good set of jumper cables and learn the simple steps to using
>them safely.
>
>Once the battery is over 3 years old, start paying attention. THen,
>the first time you hear the battery struggle on a cold day to start
>your car, head to the store.
>
>My 2001 is still on its original battery. I'm in Chicago and my car
>is generally garaged, FWIW. I'm thinking I'm due to get one here
>soon.
>
>Best Regards,
 >> Stay informed about: When To Replace Battery? 

On Sat, 28 Oct 2006 21:24:58 -0000, Larry Weil wrote:

>When should I replace my battery if I want to do so before it fails and
>won't start the car?
>
>The car is an 04 Impreza 2.5 TS automatic, purchased new in March 04.

4 years seems to be the tipping point that a lot of people/mechanics
look at for battery age. With the 80k miles you have on the battery
in the car you're driving now, I am guessing you are doing a lot of
highway mileage, which means you're recharging that battery often. I'm
sure you've got a couple more years out of your current battery, but
start watching how the car starts this winter, its third.

I replaced my car's OEM battery at about 4.5 years in its life, not
because it was failing, but because in December in western New York, I
noticed the car wasn't firing up as vigorously as it should, and at
that time I was making a biweekly commute 140 miles round trip,
returning home late at night, often as late as 11 pm. So, since I had
the car in for other work that month, I went ahead and changed out the
battery, feeling that the $95 expense was cheap insurance (and I
didn't want to get stranded in the parking lot of the University at
Buffalo at 10 pm). That battery (an Interstate) is still running
great almost 4 years later, but the car is firing up just fine, so
I'll see how it goes. Besides, I'm not doing that long commute, so if
I get stranded somewhere, I'll be in my home town. I anticipate
replacing the battery next year, definitely by the next presidential
election.
 >> Stay informed about: When To Replace Battery? 

1998 UK 2L GLS Auto Forester, 72000 miles, never garaged, still on the
original battery.

--
Best Regards

Mark

It's time to add some chlorine to the gene pool !
"Larry Weil" wrote in message

> When should I replace my battery if I want to do so before it fails and
> won't start the car?
>
> The car is an 04 Impreza 2.5 TS automatic, purchased new in March 04. I
> live in southern New Hampshire and do not have a garage, thus the car is
> kept outside at night. It currently has approx 80,000 miles.
>
> I know I'll get a variety of opinions, but perhaps I can draw a general
> consensus out of them.
>
> Thanks for your help.
 >> Stay informed about: When To Replace Battery? 

Edward Hayes wrote:
> When you try to get the last 10% out of a battery you are putting your
> charging system to allot of extra work. I believe it's better to just
> change at the very first sign of sluggeness. Alternators are much more
> expensive that batteries. My Forester original was changed at 4 +
> years when it first showed some sign of aging.
2000 OBW Ltd. - purchased in july 1999, currently @ 128 K miles, still
on orig. battery ( johnson controls ) and running /starting strong
kd
 >> Stay informed about: When To Replace Battery? 

I'm on year 4 of an el-chepo Wal-Mart 2 year battery. And I keep the jumpers
handy. Truck is starting to crank a bit slugishly in the morning, I think my
truck is going to get a new battery for christmas - before it strands me
somewhere


"Marcus" wrote in message

> 1998 UK 2L GLS Auto Forester, 72000 miles, never garaged, still on the
> original battery.
>
 >> Stay informed about: When To Replace Battery? 

When you try to get the last 10% out of a battery you are putting your
charging system to allot of extra work. I believe it's better to just
change at the very first sign of sluggeness. Alternators are much more
expensive that batteries. My Forester original was changed at 4 +
years when it first showed some sign of aging.
 >> Stay informed about: When To Replace Battery? 

Larry Weil wrote:

> When should I replace my battery if I want to do so before it fails and
> won't start the car?
>
> The car is an 04 Impreza 2.5 TS automatic, purchased new in March 04. I
> live in southern New Hampshire and do not have a garage, thus the car is
> kept outside at night. It currently has approx 80,000 miles.
>
> I know I'll get a variety of opinions, but perhaps I can draw a general
> consensus out of them.

I like to think that a battery is worth 5 years
minus a year for every time it got drained down
to zero. That reminds me of how damaging it is
to leave the lights on...

YMMV depending on the brand and quality of the
battery. My mechanic-shop owner-friend swears
by Interstate.
 >> Stay informed about: When To Replace Battery? 

Don't be like me because I am a bad car parent, but I replaced what I
am almost certain to be the orginal battery in my 6 year old car this
year after I left one of the interior lights on for about a week and
the battery wouldn't even take a jump. What makes me think this was the
original battery is that I have never seen a Johnson Controls battery
for sale anywhere.
 >> Stay informed about: When To Replace Battery? 

> Why would a hot climate be harder on a battery than a cold one?

This may be a shot in the dark because I'm not a chemist and not really
scientifically inclined, my guess is that the heat more greatly
contributes to chemical changes in the compounds that make up a battery
than the cold would and that the cold just makes stuff not want to
start, but doesn't irreversibly alter the fundamental make up of the
battery.
 >> Stay informed about: When To Replace Battery? 

Jim Stewart wrote:

> Larry Weil wrote:
>
>> When should I replace my battery if I want to do so before it fails
>> and won't start the car?
>>
>> The car is an 04 Impreza 2.5 TS automatic, purchased new in March 04.
>> I live in southern New Hampshire and do not have a garage, thus the
>> car is kept outside at night. It currently has approx 80,000 miles.
>>
>> I know I'll get a variety of opinions, but perhaps I can draw a
>> general consensus out of them.
>
>
> I like to think that a battery is worth 5 years
> minus a year for every time it got drained down
> to zero. That reminds me of how damaging it is
> to leave the lights on...
>
> YMMV depending on the brand and quality of the
> battery. My mechanic-shop owner-friend swears
> by Interstate.
>
>

Not in the south or south west. I'v only ever had a batt. last 5 years
once. Average is about 2.5 - 3.

Carl


--
to reply, change ( .not) to ( .net)
 >> Stay informed about: When To Replace Battery? 

In article ,
alckytxn RemoveThis @swbell.not says...
> Jim Stewart wrote:
>
> > Larry Weil wrote:
> >
> >> When should I replace my battery if I want to do so before it fails
> >> and won't start the car?
> >>
> >> The car is an 04 Impreza 2.5 TS automatic, purchased new in March 04.
> >> I live in southern New Hampshire and do not have a garage, thus the
> >> car is kept outside at night. It currently has approx 80,000 miles.
> >>
> >> I know I'll get a variety of opinions, but perhaps I can draw a
> >> general consensus out of them.
> >
> >
> > I like to think that a battery is worth 5 years
> > minus a year for every time it got drained down
> > to zero. That reminds me of how damaging it is
> > to leave the lights on...
> >
> > YMMV depending on the brand and quality of the
> > battery. My mechanic-shop owner-friend swears
> > by Interstate.
> >
> >
>
> Not in the south or south west. I'v only ever had a batt. last 5 years
> once. Average is about 2.5 - 3.
>
> Carl


Yep, I've yet to have a battery last more than 4 years. 2-3 years is
pretty typical. Where I live in AZ we see 110+'s in the summer and 10's
in the winter...

FWIW: Before you replace it, check the electrolyte levels: my OEM WRX
battery needed to be topped off every other month.

Brent.
 >> Stay informed about: When To Replace Battery?