Most days I can sit back and laugh at the Mars/Venus differences around here but some days, it’s so truly frustrating. I’m not saying I’m right and he’s wrong. We’re probably both a little right and a little wrong but I have to wonder how we make it together when almost everything we do, we do it so differently.
My car is a 2007 model. When we left MO in August, 2011, I told Vince that I wanted to get a new battery. It had the original battery. We had a mechanic there that we liked so I told Vince I wanted to call Chris and have him get a new battery and replace it. We were moving to a place where we knew no one and if I got somewhere and my battery didn’t work, I didn’t want to be stuck waiting on AAA or someone to come help me. He squawked about it and couldn’t believe anyone would replace a perfectly good battery. Usually, at some point, I say “Vince, this is non-negotiable!” and since I’m usually pretty reasonable, he will either go along with me at that point or he will gear up for all out battle. He went along with it and I got a new battery in 2011. Then, in 2016, the battery was 5 years old and I told him . . before winter, I want to replace the battery in the car. No . . the battery was still good. I told him . . either you do it or I go to Toyota and get them to do it so he did it.
Dead Battery
The last couple of days, he’s said “I hope my car starts!” because the battery was sounding weak. What would Judy have done? Gone on Day 1 and bought a new battery! Nope . . that was Monday, same on Tuesday, today when he started to leave to come home for lunch, he had to get it jumped. I said “Why didn’t you just go buy a battery instead of coming home for lunch?” Because he had to eat lunch! Men! He started to go back to work after lunch. Dead . . had to use the jumper to get it started again. I said “Why don’t you go by the auto place after work and get a battery?” Maybe.
I said “How old is your battery?” 2010 model. You know what that tells me? His car is a 2001 model. I’m betting the first battery lasted 9 years and now this one is about 8 years old. I guess he has saved a bit of money because in 17 years, I would have bought three batteries and he’s so far bought one.
For me, it isn’t about money (obviously!) . . it’s about convenience and peace of mind and knowing that, based on normal usage, my battery is going to start my car. For him, it’s squeezing that dime and getting the very last crank out of the battery. Who wants to be out jump starting the car when it’s 10°? Not me!
The good news is . . if he doesn’t get a battery before he comes home, I’m going to insist we go to town and get one and Heff’s has free burgers today . . buy fries and a drink and get a free Heff’s burger and I like their burgers. We’ll see what he does.
Joyce says
Men… LOL
Sherrill Pecere says
GAH! He could quit buying neon blue sweats at bargain prices and have enough dough pretty quickly for his battery!! HAHA
Erin says
All I could do is laugh ..
marcie says
I am absolutely SOOOOOOOOOOOO with you on this!
Sue Edberg says
I can’t believe your batteries have lasted as long as they have. Here in the Phoenix, AZ area we are lucky if we get 3 years out of a battery because of the summer heat. If you go somewhere to get a new battery and ask how long they will last, they’ll tell you 3 years.
Judy Laquidara says
Your weather in Phoenix may be a bit warmer than ours but I doubt it’s warm enough to make your batteries last less than half as long as ours. I have no idea the reasoning behind it but I replace mine every 5 years and Vince, obviously replaces his when it will no longer work at all and for this battery, it was at least 7 years. Here we can buy DieHard and they have a full three year replacement warranty and they say they expect them to last at least 5 years.
Paula says
I”m with Sue. We live in Tucson and our batteries last 3 years and we buy good quality batteries. I had a 6 year battery once that lasted 3.5 years. We aren’t alone. Everyone we work with says the same thing and you can bet there will be a run on batteries around early June every year.
Judy Laquidara says
I guess the only good thing about that is that you should get a warranty replacement or at least some part of it. The battery he bought will replace it free if it fails within four years and then it’s some kind of pro-rated something up to six or seven years . . can’t remember what he told me.
Teri says
Did you get to have burgers???
Judy Laquidara says
No. He went and got the battery before he came home.
Bon says
I just replaced my original battery last month. It was nine years old.
Judy Laquidara says
Thank you! I was beginning to think we were weird because our batteries don’t die every three years. 🙂
Wanda says
Yep Venus and mars but love each other an comple!ment each other too
Nelle Coursey says
If you say “free” burgers I bet he will do it!! LOL
Judy Laquidara says
He didn’t. 🙁