donbrew

Yeah, but I drove '62 - '69 VW's for 15 years while smoking (mostly) cigarettes. I have COPD, but the cars did not blow up. I never heard of any explosions. Those cars had the standard battery mounted under the rear seat, with no ventilation, in an air-tight vehicle. And, I can assure you that absolutely NO routine maintenance was performed on the batteries, because that would have cost $ or time (I had neither).

Jeda13

1996 Firebird, original battery until 2008. 98K. Take that! And the battery didn't die, I just replaced if for precautionary reasons.

Jim

08bowtie

in south florida batteries die with NO warning - they just quite because of our proximity to the bermuda triangle - the syphongitis becomes disconnected from the hydraulic riff raff inside the battery from the magnetic fields created by the wormholes at the bottom of the triangle - this is the only explanation i have

jay loukakis

That was to be kept secret, now everyone knows.

sleeper

In a modern vehicle, there is a lot of parasitic drain from all the electric gee-gaws.

So sitting on the shelf would last longer & your duc (I'm guessing) would be about the same.

jay loukakis

I dont mean to be a smart ass but thought I would add a little more info, when a battery starts gassing the battery is about 80& recharged at 2.36 VPC [ volts per cell ] that is why a hydrometer is used to measure the specific gravity fully charged about 1250 sp. a discharged will be about 1150 SP. depending on the MFG. while charging you can measure the total voltage and decide by the number of cells in the HHR 12 volts [ 6 cell battery ] should have been devide by the number of cells. if the battery has vent caps you can use your digital volt meter and go from the positive post and put the negative probe in the acid and measure the voltage and go from cell and add the voltage if you have a shorted cell the on charge voltage of that cell will be much higher. a lot of battery failures are because may just be giving a surface charge and not mixing the acid which will corrode the grid, hope this may of some help.

timehhr2

I ended up with a replacement Delco in my 2004 Saturn Ion as none of the other brands that were safe for in cabin use were any cheaper. The original lasted 6 years so no complaints. Of course the base frame for the Ion and the HHR are the same so it makes sense it needs the same, rear mounted battery.

johouse05

I have a 2009 and I am an over the road truck driver my car has set for two weeks at a time when used about 40 miles for a day then sets for another two-three weeks

I have not sold my car just because it starts right up after sitting in the elements all year round and its 170 a month after carpayment and insurance :-)

sleeper

Battery will last longer left on a battery tender when you are gone..

But you know this..

chevyorange

How many people with gripes about the battery have aftermarket mods to the electrical system? I'd be interested as I've never had good luck in any previous car so mine is bone stock that way.