Just had to replace the battery on my 09 tdi 9 years and 3 month after the car was registered and I wonder anyone with an older battery still going strong ?

That's pretty good going, have you had it since new?

We have had it since it was 9 months old ( march of 2010 ) it had cover approx 12000 at the time and has now just ticked over 94,000

My 03 Mk1 Octy battery lasted to 2014. My current car was new in 2012 but the battery only lasted five years!

I think maybe the large batteries of old were replaced in the factory on later models by smaller but harder worked batteries.

Still on original as far as I know on my May 2008 Scout.

I got it in March 2010 on 30k and it now has 176k and still going (Touch wood).

On ‎19‎/‎09‎/‎2018 at 19:47, seriesdriver said:

Just had to replace the battery on my 09 tdi 9 years and 3 month after the car was registered and I wonder anyone with an older battery still going strong ?

 

Just now, pastiche said:

 

My last Octy also had the  battery go at 9 years 55k when I sold it.

Just replaced mine as starting was getting a little iffy, it'd turn over like it was flat then suddenly kick into life
13 Years, 211k miles old I reckon that's value for money!

In my car, first battery died after approx 7 years. The second one died this summer, while it was approx 5.5 years old.

 

For most batteries, heat is the major issue. Most batteries die during summer, but it can be its only noticable when the temperature drops (And its harder to deliver enough startup current).

 

Also, I have seen some cars with some kind of thermo cover. This, and where the car is located (the amount of excessive heat) might also explain the differences in the age. My car is always on the road, many times in the sun and/or heat. I don't have a garage or something similar to park the car in the shade. If I see the charts of batteries, high temperature significally reduces its life.

 

In the UPS at my work I did some research. Long life batteries are stated to last 10-12 years, but thats based on 20 degrees (Celcius) environment. This is reduced to 5-7 years at 30 degrees. 

Although this isn't a car battery, this also applies to car batteries.

 

Last battery failed on a trip to Belarus, it decided not to start anymore somewhere on a Polish motorway.....  But it was 38 degrees or so, and I was driving for 7 hours or so, so it *was* very hot under the bonnet...

I was able to get some help from some Latvian guys with a small van who allowed me to jumpstart my car (I always have starter cables with me). Battery still worked, only wasn't able to provide enough juice for starting... So I kept driving once it was started.

Lukely a Polish hardware store had batteries for sale

 

Although 5.5 years isn't that long, it still has lasted almost 200km (125k miles) including summer trips (39 degrees on the French motorway, 41 degrees in Croatia, and some mountain passes in the Alps with 35 degrees, so it has been a tough life for it)

Edited 21 September, 20187 yr by DJSmiley

Mine was changed late February, wouldn't turn over when I was out with the dog. Owned from new Sept 1st 2008 so that would make it 9 months 5/6 months old?

3 minutes ago, blackspaven said:

Mine was changed late February, wouldn't turn over when I was out with the dog.

 

I don't think its fair to blame the dog....

12 minutes ago, xman said:

 

I don't think its fair to blame the dog....

 

He left the stereo on.

Mine still going since August 2006.

I think my MK1 Octavia original battery lasted 12 or 13 years, not sure as it was a while back, the identical replacement Varta Blue series IIRC lasted not a lot longer than its guarantee before showing some signs of deterioration.

 

The original one may well have gone on for a lot longer it was a fault with my Tom-tom that killed it, it would switch itself back on every 168 hours and the display would flatten the battery if the car was not used for several days.

I get around ten years out of batteries. I had an Exide in my BL Mini which was sold with the car after ten years. My current battery in 5 year old Roomster was checked at last service and no deterioration reported. Is it luck because I mainly do short local runs with the occasional holiday once a year?

On 19/09/2018 at 19:47, seriesdriver said:

Just had to replace the battery on my 09 tdi 9 years and 3 month after the car was registered and I wonder anyone with an older battery still going strong ?

 

My previous 2003 Superb pd  (now owned by a friend) still has the original battery (and exhaust!)

 

Suspect the battery in my latest Superb won't last as long - it looks tiny in comparison.

 

 

Edited 17 October, 20187 yr by bigjohn