Talk about great timing!

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Patman

Patman

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A few weeks ago when we got that real cold snap my wife told me her BMW had a hard time starting up one morning, even with it being parked inside our garage (so it was probably around 25-30F in there that day) so I mentioned that it's probably time to get a new battery. We bought the car in the summer of 2014 and don't know if it's the original battery from 2010 or if it had been replaced, but either way it was time. This morning my wife says we should pop over to Walmart and have them install a new one (I'd do it myself but it's too cold out and it's buried in the trunk pretty good) When the guy goes to start the car to move it into the service bay, the battery was dead! So our timing was perfect! The BMW has never left us stranded, but if we had not done the battery today, it would have stranded us for sure.
 
The battery would have lasted longet if you ran Amsoil or Redline
sick.gif
 
It MIGHT have started a time or two more if it is better flowing but not a deal breaker. A battery blanket/warmer along with a oil pan warmer MIGHT have helped too. I buy a battery every 2-3 years regardless and usually its about time. I have considered doing the bracket/trunk mod to free up engine space. Glad he got himself a new battery.
 
The last time I had a battery die on one of our three vehicles was in the early 1980s..... probably 36 years ago.
I change them every four years..... roughly 48K - always stored outdoors enduring four different seasons. I keep the removed battery for exchange purposes on the next one. Our state charges us extra on the new one, if no exchange occurs.

That was a close call. It was surely your lucky day.
thumbsup2.gif
 
Originally Posted by Patman
A few weeks ago when we got that real cold snap my wife told me her BMW had a hard time starting up one morning, even with it being parked inside our garage (so it was probably around 25-30F in there that day) so I mentioned that it's probably time to get a new battery. We bought the car in the summer of 2014 and don't know if it's the original battery from 2010 or if it had been replaced, but either way it was time. This morning my wife says we should pop over to Walmart and have them install a new one (I'd do it myself but it's too cold out and it's buried in the trunk pretty good) When the guy goes to start the car to move it into the service bay, the battery was dead! So our timing was perfect! The BMW has never left us stranded, but if we had not done the battery today, it would have stranded us for sure.

One of my friends told me about a friend who delayed auto repairs as long as possible. He eventually decided he needed to replace the tires on his Volvo. There was a little bump at the door of the tire shop. As the car went over the bump, 2 tires blew out. That's critical timing.

The story sounds a bit far fetched, and I wasn't there, but my friend isn't one to make things up.
 
The battery in my Honda is almost 7 years old now, so I'm probably due there also but I'm willing to gamble since we don't take out of town trips with this car anymore, so chances are good that when it does die, it'll die in my driveway on a cold winter morning. (and Walmart is only 1km away from my house)
 
My sister bought a vehicle from a friend of hers.
All 6 cells were VERY LOW....as in taking about a quart of distilled water low.
I told her the battery had been truly abused and if it ever cranked weakly or exhibited anything less-than-perfect to replace it without thought.
It died shortly thereafter and all drama was averted.

Maybe not as good as a timing story but I'll take it any day.

Then there was the time when a battery died on month 35 of its 36 month free replacement period. YAA-HOOOO.
 
Most of the time your car will WARN you ahead of time of problems on the horizon. If you dont heed the WARNING you could be standed.
 
Originally Posted by Warstud
Most of the time your car will WARN you ahead of time of problems on the horizon. If you dont heed the WARNING you could be standed.


There is no warning with AGM batteries, one moment they work the next they're dead. That's why is critical to go by time with them.
 
Originally Posted by Pelican
Originally Posted by Warstud
Most of the time your car will WARN you ahead of time of problems on the horizon. If you dont heed the WARNING you could be standed.


There is no warning with AGM batteries, one moment they work the next they're dead. That's why is critical to go by time with them.

The WARNING wasn't just for battery's but okay.... thanks for the heads up.
 
Originally Posted by ecotourist
One of my friends told me about a friend who delayed auto repairs as long as possible. He eventually decided he needed to replace the tires on his Volvo. There was a little bump at the door of the tire shop. As the car went over the bump, 2 tires blew out. That's critical timing.


A friend of mine was giving me a ride one day and I noticed his gas gauge was low, almost empty so I told him we should get some gas. He pulled up to the pump and at that point the car stalled. He didn't think it was out of gas, but after we filled up it started up right away. He's the type that had a car engine seize on him because he forgot to check the oil on a long trip.
 
Our 96 Chrysler and 98 Buick spend the winter in an unheated attached garage. The NAPA battery in the Chrysler must be 8-9 years old by now. The Buick's (brand unknown) is approx 5 years old. Neither has ever failed to start though we see a few days below 0F every year. YMMV.
 
Originally Posted by Wolf359

A friend of mine was giving me a ride one day and I noticed his gas gauge was low, almost empty so I told him we should get some gas. He pulled up to the pump and at that point the car stalled. He didn't think it was out of gas, but after we filled up it started up right away. He's the type that had a car engine seize on him because he forgot to check the oil on a long trip.


These are also the people that never want to pay their repair bill!!!
 
Originally Posted by Linctex
Originally Posted by Wolf359

A friend of mine was giving me a ride one day and I noticed his gas gauge was low, almost empty so I told him we should get some gas. He pulled up to the pump and at that point the car stalled. He didn't think it was out of gas, but after we filled up it started up right away. He's the type that had a car engine seize on him because he forgot to check the oil on a long trip.


These are also the people that never want to pay their repair bill!!!


He's more the absent minded person type, he has plenty of money. Just forgets to do common sense stuff.
 
Originally Posted by Wolf359
A friend of mine was giving me a ride one day and I noticed his gas gauge was low, almost empty so I told him we should get some gas. He pulled up to the pump and at that point the car stalled. He didn't think it was out of gas, but after we filled up it started up right away. He's the type that had a car engine seize on him because he forgot to check the oil on a long trip.

I have an even worse story. When I was young I was totally broke. So when I went to a nearby city to look for a place to stay, to start university, I took my father's car. It was 160 miles away. My friends and I drove there, drove around all day and drove back without fuelling up. The fuel gauge was on empty as we passed the last reliable gas station 30 miles from home. We ran out of gas pulling into my parent's back yard.

We kept gas in a barrel in our back yard in those days so it was not a big deal to get going again (on my father's gas). I think my dad was impressed with my brinkmanship. But I never did it again.

.
 
Don't forget to register that battery. Otherwise the charging algorithm will not be correct.
 
Originally Posted by Patman
A few weeks ago when we got that real cold snap my wife told me her BMW had a hard time starting up one morning, even with it being parked inside our garage (so it was probably around 25-30F in there that day) so I mentioned that it's probably time to get a new battery. We bought the car in the summer of 2014 and don't know if it's the original battery from 2010 or if it had been replaced, but either way it was time. This morning my wife says we should pop over to Walmart and have them install a new one (I'd do it myself but it's too cold out and it's buried in the trunk pretty good) When the guy goes to start the car to move it into the service bay, the battery was dead! So our timing was perfect! The BMW has never left us stranded, but if we had not done the battery today, it would have stranded us for sure.


Had that happen a couple of times over the years - fail to crank.
I found a few truisms in the situations .....
1) Always fail in the winter
2) Always fail at night
3) Always fail away from home, not at home
4) Always fail on the weekend when garages are closed
5) Always in the 7th year

So to counter these truisms for decades I have changed the vehicle battery in the summer (warm weather) of the 6th year (before failure) in the afternoon (not night) of the day of my choosing (open stores, choice of replacement battery)
thumbsup2.gif
 
Originally Posted by The Critic
Don't forget to register that battery. Otherwise the charging algorithm will not be correct.

I assume you're talking about an AGM battery. What do you have to do?
 
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