Tempting fate, longest serving car battery

[rash_decision]

Hi all, it dawned on me recently, that although my wife’s Fiat 500 is like Trigger’s broom, it’s on the original battery!!

The car is a March 2012, with 118k miles. and aside from 2 gearbox rebuilds, countless suspension components, 3 sumps, 2 exhausts, an alternator, a rear axle, a new windscreen, brakes a few times, a full respray, it’s still running absolutely fine with the 14 year old battery!!

Can anyone top that? I’ve never had a battery last as long!

It’s gonna chuck it tomorrow though, now I’ve posted this!

[Pica-Pica]

Well done. My BMW F30 335d is 10 years old next month, and on its original battery. I was tempted to change it last winter, just to be safe, but I think I'll leave it to see how long it goes on for. It has never been re-charged except by normal running.

Edited by Pica-Pica on Tuesday 13th October 17:05

[rash_decision]

My wife’s job changed recently and she now drives the car 2.4 miles a day. To and from the train station. I’m willing to let the car not start based on that, just to see how it lasts!!

[SO27]

That's good going.
I replaced my Mitsubishi Evo's original battery at about 13 years. It was okay but getting noticeably weaker.
Its replacement is now about 9 years old!

[rash_decision]

Pica-Pica said:

Well done. My BMW F30 335d is 10 years old next month, and on its original battery. I was tempted to change it last winter, just to be safe, but I think I'll leave it to see how long it goes on for. It has never been re-charged except by normal running.

Edited by Pica-Pica on Tuesday 13th October 17:05

That’s better going that the Fiat!! Especially with the electronics in the BMW…

[rash_decision]

SO27 said:

That's good going.
I replaced my Mitsubishi Evo's original battery at about 13 years. It was okay but getting noticeably weaker.
Its replacement is now about 9 years old!

Jeez equally impressive!! Maybe battery technology has come on somewhat! I thought the 14 years was up there… seems you guys are close to that too!

[ATM]

rash_decision said:

Hi all, it dawned on me recently, that although my wife s Fiat 500 is like Trigger s broom, it s on the original battery!!

The car is a March 2012, with 118k miles. and aside from 2 gearbox rebuilds, countless suspension components, 3 sumps, 2 exhausts, an alternator, a rear axle, a new windscreen, brakes a few times, a full respray, it s still running absolutely fine with the 14 year old battery!!

Can anyone top that? I ve never had a battery last as long!

It s gonna chuck it tomorrow though, now I ve posted this!

My 2012 Porsche Boxster also still on its original battery

But

It has been laid up for extended periods and when it is laid up it is constantly hooked up to a trickle charger / battery maintainer so I feel like thats cheating a bit

[rash_decision]

ATM said:

rash_decision said:

Hi all, it dawned on me recently, that although my wife s Fiat 500 is like Trigger s broom, it s on the original battery!!

The car is a March 2012, with 118k miles. and aside from 2 gearbox rebuilds, countless suspension components, 3 sumps, 2 exhausts, an alternator, a rear axle, a new windscreen, brakes a few times, a full respray, it s still running absolutely fine with the 14 year old battery!!

Can anyone top that? I ve never had a battery last as long!

It s gonna chuck it tomorrow though, now I ve posted this!

My 2012 Porsche Boxster also still on its original battery

But

It has been laid up for extended periods and when it is laid up it is constantly hooked up to a trickle charger / battery maintainer so I feel like thats cheating a bit

Again mate, impressive!! It seems at the ripe old age of 50 and having memories of batteries going every other year, that things have improved!! I might have started this thread in vain!!

Edited by rash_decision on Tuesday 13th October 18:58

[v9]

I replaced the original battery in my 2010 RenaultSport Megane last month after 16.5 years and 150k miles.
It was fine then dropped dead overnight!

[Dog Star]

Replaced the battery on my 2012 C class estate last month, it was still starting but sometimes didn’t crank as fast as normal and winter is coming. 205000 miles and 14.5 years. Original.

[vaud]

A 2013 Volvo XC60 - I thought the battery had failed, until I popped open the bonnet and found the alternator belt no longer attached to the alternator. I did change the battery anyway as there was an offer on…

[TCEvo]

My dad's currently in the process of changing the battery on his 2013 Audi Q5 3.0 TDI for the first time. Not sure of the mileage, but guess 145k+

[rash_decision]

Seems I am well off with my admiration of the wife’s battery!!

[Clad-Hach]

When I bought my Cayman in 2011 the previous owner had to get a new battery fitted (the good old 111 point check), for the warranty it had to be a Porsche supplied MOLL battery, yes I hadn't heard of them either and finding out how much it cost I decided to look after it, I used a dedicated wet-cell optimizer.

It must have lasted a good twelve years and only by my own stupidity it died one winter...when I laid it up I forgot to switch on the bloody charger and never noticed till I went to start it one day to give it a run.

Oh and a little tip for anyone with a Porsche and a MOLL battery that seems a bit lazy to start, regularly check the levels in each cell as it uses fluid, one time I had to put in around 1 litre of de-ionized water to top it up...it was 100% again after that.

[ATM]

rash_decision said:

Again mate, impressive!! It seems at the rip old age of 50 and having memories of batteries going every other year, that things have improved!! I might have started this thread in vain!!

Mine is an AGM battery so maybe they're just better and last longer

And also modern cars have more complicated battery management systems rather than good ole fashioned alternators

[Sheepshanks]

Dog Star said:

Replaced the battery on my 2012 C class estate last month, it was still starting but sometimes didn t crank as fast as normal and winter is coming. 205000 miles and 14.5 years. Original.

The (massive) original battery in my late 2004 C Class estate lasted 15yrs. I only ever used the car for long work runs and for the last few years I had the car it was only being used once or twice per mth so I suppose in charge / discharge cycles it ill have done way less than cars used more often.

When it failed to start the car it hadn't been used for a month and the battery box was half full of water. AA changed it as it was showing 50% of something - patrolman said it'd probably be OK but as the car had AA breakdown warranty he changed it. Should have cost me £35 but their system was down so they couldn't charge (no pun intended) me.

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

rash_decision said:

My wife s job changed recently and she now drives the car 2.4 miles a day. To and from the train station. I m willing to let the car not start based on that, just to see how it lasts!!

She drives just over a mile?

[mwstewart]

March 2011 Corsa. Original. Start/stop stopped working earlier this year so it's on its way out. Currently testing at 22%. Starter still sounds fine but I'm listening for a slow down then I'll change it.

[ATM]

mwstewart said:

March 2011 Corsa. Original. Start/stop stopped working earlier this year so it's on its way out. Currently testing at 22%. Starter still sounds fine but I'm listening for a slow down then I'll change it.

Give it a proper charge over night and it might keep it going a bit longer

[Watcher of the skies]

My 2002 MG TF (manufactured in Dec 2001) is still on it's original Yuasa battery. It does spend every winter Sorned on a Ctek though.