Do you replace your car Battery before it dies?

[JanetRose]

It's been about 4 years since my daughter's car battery was replaced and I'm thinking about just getting her a new one soon so her car won't die somewhere when she's alone, at night, etc.

 

[Micca]

Doesn't sound like a bad idea, but I don't think I've ever heard of anyone replacing their battery before it was conked out completely.

 

[tazdev3225]

I never have, I usually find out its bad when I'm running late to go somewhere and the car won't start. Take it to your mechanic and have them do a diagnostic on it. They can then tell you whether or not it needs to be replaced.

 

[Tanuki]

I replace my car battery on a time schedule just like I replace the batteries to my smoke detectors in my house on a time schedule. I don't wait until it goes out before I replace it. The ones I have had go bad in the past seem to do so without warning and at the most inopportune times. I had a car battery go out while I was waiting in line at the drive thru at McDonalds.

 

[Chris2597]

Dh always does this, along with preventive maintenance.

 

[aprilgail2]

Never have- but then I never kept a car other than this one past 3 years so there was no need to. I will just wait till it dies, get AAA to tow it to my mechanic or a nearby one and get a new one when it goes.

 

[freckles and boo]

Most batteries only have about a four to five year life span. If you are facing a cold winter I would definitely do it for the peace of mind.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

DH just checks the battery life with a meter or at AutoZone, I think.

Now is the time to check, before it gets cold.

 

[Pin Wizard]

Doesn't sound like a bad idea, but I don't think I've ever heard of anyone replacing their battery before it was conked out completely.

Only those of us that have been stuck somewhere with a dead battery! I'm all for buy ahead of time.

What's the life of a car battery?