9 year old car battery

[GMFan]

My parents beater 1999 VW Jetta failed to crank this morning trying to move it for the snow plows to clear the 18" of snow. We had to jump start it. I told my dad to check when he last replaced the battery. He checked his car file and the last battery was installed in 2001 (replacing the failed VW battery after 2 years) and was a Sears Diahard International battery.

I said no way, you definitely replaced it since then. We went to Sears and the guy in the computer confirmed, the last batery was bought in 2001 and it matched the one we had installed. We bought another Diehard Gold battery and I installed it for my dad (PITA in this car).

Car cranks nicely now. I was thoroughly impressed that the battery lasted 9 years through all these tough winters. My hats off to DieHard batteries. We were extremely lucky, or is this just a great battery? I'd say we got our monies worth.

 

[finalyzd]

Expensive battery but served your dad well. I think there a good battery but I know a lot of people that have had bad experiences with them. What's the warranty on one of those?

 

[GMFan]

From Sears website:

Warranties & Coverage:Months in Use Free Replacement - 36
Warranties & Coverage:Months in Use Pro Rated Replacement - 100

 

[Mr Nice]

It definately pays to buy a more expensive and better quality battery verses trying to save $25

 

[ls1mike]

I have a 7 year old Die hard in the Buick. Starts the first time everytime.

 

[eljefino]

It's not the winters that kill batteries it's the summers.

Probably a Johnson Controls made one. They're good.

 

[Nick R]

Good to know. We have a DieHard Platinum II in the expedition, and now one in the Jeep too. Great batteries, these things crank like nobodies business.

 

[demarpaint]

October 8, 2010 my Diehard Gold celebrated its 10th birthday in my E-150 van. I hope I didn't just jinx myself.

 

[JHZR2]

my mother's 97 plymouth breeze still has its original battery in it. Works great.

It is in the fender and so I guess a bit more out of the heat.

 

[Errtt]

Is it a Johnson or Exide battery?
Sears had their North & South batteries, now I see the Platinum.
Some years ago they were running a bad batch of Exide at one time, as I have heard.
I have always had good luck with the DieHard batteries as well as Interstate batteries.
I have a DieHard battery in my Harley and it does well.
I would like to try the Sears Platinum battery in one of the vehicles, but all 3 vehicles got Interstate batteries a year or so ago. If I would have known about the Sears Platinum at the time, but I didn't check into it then. Oh well, next time. If I get 4 years out of a battery, I'll replace them, needed or not. Next will be the DieHard. At the 4 year mark, I hope to remember to start looking for the Sunday flyer's in the paper.
I don't think I have ever pushed a battery over 5 years of service if even that.

 

[The Critic]

Why did you replace it with a Diehard Gold instead of another Diehard International?

 

[Ken42]

My 90 VW battery died after about 18 months.
Ken

 

[ComfyShorts]

Originally Posted By: The Critic
Why did you replace it with a Diehard Gold instead of another Diehard International?
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Sears is changing over their "international" label batteries into gold. 49,94r,48,47,27F etcetcetc ...some you'd notice are slightly different shape, others just appear to be re badged.

 

[Burt]

Originally Posted By: demarpaint
October 8, 2010 my Diehard Gold celebrated its 10th birthday in my E-150 van. I hope I didn't just jinx myself.


Don't sneeze around it.