allshownogo

2007 Base 6MT with 62k miles.

How long does your battery last? I replaced mine in January 2012 with Nissan Genuine Battery and exactly two years later (January 2014) it goes dead.

This time, I went with Duralast Gold.

jhc

My choice also. The thing about batteries (conventional) is they are all lead and acid, with no tech differences. A company can swear it'll last 6 years or more, but most go 3-4 before problems. Then you go back for warranty and they prorate a new purchase. 2 years is simply awful.

pyshin

iTrader: (14)

Optima YellowTop ftw.

allshownogo

yeah, i was shocked that my battery died. granted florida has been having some yo-yo weather (hot/cold/hot/cold), but still, esp for an OEM Nissan Battery.

I didn't even leave any lights on, as I check this every time I get out of my car.

The Nissan Battery stated "24 month free replacement", but I had already replaced it with Duralast and I didn't feel like going through the whole ordeal of changing out the battery (PAIN IN THE @$$!).

jhc

Are you running "monster amps"?

POS VETT

All these 20 or so years I own cars, only two batteries had to be replaced. Both were my fault running the stereo with engine turned off for too long. The first one was replaced under bumper-to-bumper car manufacturer warranty and the second one was out of my pocket.

The longest stint was about 9 years on the '98 M3 Sedan I bought in 2004 & sold last year in 2013. I'm unclear about the exact age of the battery when I sold the car; it was the same battery when I bought it. It had gone low several times over the years; most of the times the battery was ok after no usage of several days, some other times voltage dropped to 9ish, and a couple other times it went down even lower that the power lock wouldn't operate.

Everytime it went low, I hooked up a Battery Tender and let it charge at least overnight. The battery went back to life many times thanks to BT, but I assume any battery maintainer capable of float charging would do. So, my rule of thumb is that a battery doesn't just die. It might go low that it appeared dead, but in most cases, they can be revived with a proper equipment.

allshownogo

nope, my car is bone stock. the only "mods" i have are led parking lights/turn signals and led license plate lights.

I've never had any battery issues. This being my 5th car, I've replaced a battery once, prior to this experience. One of my cars, I only drove on the weekends and parked during the weekdays and that particular battery lasted from the time I bought the car brand new until I traded that car in a few years later.

What does a BT do? I've never heard of them before....

Diode Dynamics

iTrader: (6)

Most batteries have a lifespan of 3-5 years, but it really depends on your location, how many times the battery is discharged fully, recharged, jumped, etc. Also, excessive road vibrations can cause batteries to fail prematurely

I always recommend Optima or any other AGM replacement, as they are more shock resistant and have a much longer life. They also hold a charge considerably better than their non-AGM counterparts. I have seen Optima batteries last for over 6+ years, and I've seen normal batteries go bad within 2 years.

Nick C.

allshownogo

I didn't know about that about the road vibrations.

Also, I have the led turn signals on my car. Sometimes they hyper flash, but other times they don't. What could I do to keep a steady flash at all times? I've heard putting a resistor will do the trick, but is this the only way?

JCITY

iTrader: (2)

OEM batteries for the most part are not the best.I replaced mine at around 60k.
Due to the cold weather my car now at 93k,got a prorate deal,put a new one in.
I recommend when you replace,get a battery a little larger with CCA.Keep the
terminals clean.

TuckerE36

iTrader: (3)

Nissan doesn't make the batteries, they source them out and put their label on it just like everything else that's made.

Best battery to get would be an Optima Red Top. End of discussion.

SmoothZ

iTrader: (13)

Thread moved.

There are tons of threads in this section that talk about batteries and which ones people prefer.

davidv

iTrader: (2)

Duralast Gold.

Smart choice.

terrasmak

iTrader: (8)

My first one lasted 7 years, second one a few months ( left the radio on for hours ) killed the cells, this one will probably die shortly after I get back to the states.

POS VETT

BT is Battery Tender, I shouldn't have shortened it. In case you were unclear about a battery maintainer, here is a link to technical information regarding float charging at Battery Tender brand http://batterytender.com/resources/float-charging.htm.

I use this brand as a benchmark. There are more expensive and there are cheaper brands; my rule of thumb is to buy one with the same or lower price. I just happen to start with BT and over the years I've accumulated a few more of the same brand but different models.

allshownogo

Definitely. I was at autozone and was about to get the duralast red top, but the noticed the CCA were 500 and the Z calls for a min. of 580? So I went with Duralast Gold with 640 CCA.

For terminals, I always use the terminal grease and the felt rings.

Didn't know that about the outsourcing them.

Thanks!

Yep, exactly what I got and notice a huge difference, esp. when starting up the car. Start-up feels like my car had caffeine (i.e. it starts up faster and at a faster rate, if that makes sense).

Hmm, I didn't know these existed. Good info!

allshownogo

newbie question: how do you know when to add distilled water inside the battery?

POS VETT

Through inspection window on some batteries. Others require removal of the caps. A properly charged battery doesn't require adding electrolyte or distilled water.