Before Vince left, he showed me how to use the battery minder thing. He told me to either drive my car every 7 days or plug it into the battery minder. For his car, I can go 10 – 12 days without driving it. I watched Vince hook the battery minder up (kinda like using jumper cables), then he wanted me to do it. I didn’t even know how to raise the hood. He showed me that. Then I looked at all that stuff under the hood and said “NO! I’ll make sure I drive them enough.”
I’ve been doing pretty good but today would have been a week since I drove the Highlander and I am not going out with all that snow and ice because (1) I don’t want the gunk they spray on the roads on my car and (2) I don’t want it all dripping off in the garage so I called Vince and had him walk me through hooking up the battery minder.
I do not like doing this kind of stuff . . not one little bit.
I’ll have to drive his car by 1/9 or hook it up. I think Monday or Tuesday while it’s sunny, I’ll go for a ride. I think he told me to drive it for 15 minutes.
Another not fun thing about not having him here.
What’s weird is that his old pickup has an older battery than either one of the SUVs. Vince was here for five weeks and the truck wasn’t started and when he got home, it cranked right up. I think the Honda battery is not old but older than the Highlander battery which is probably six months old. Vince said he’d buy a new battery for the Honda before he left but I said no . . if I’m going to let one run down and have to be replaced, let it be an old battery . . not a new one. I know exactly how old the battery is in the Highlander. . we got it in to go out to eat on my birthday in June and it wouldn’t start. It was only six months old – it wouldn’t start when I was at the hotel in MO at the end of 2019 and I had to replace it. That battery was six years old. When we had to get a new battery in June, 2020, the guy at the battery place said “You have to drive that car at least 15 minutes every 7 days.” Our mechanic said “You can probably go 10 days” but Vince said . . do it every 7 days.
So, here I am having to keep two cars running. In the spring and summer, I hope Vince will be here, but I don’t mind driving then. In the winter, having to keep those batteries charged is interfering with my hibernation/isolation.
Sherry V. says
Do you have to actually drive the vehicle, or can you just pull out of the driveway and let the car run in place for 15 minutes?
If you just need to run the motor you can sit inside and knit or read for the time needed and then pull back into the garage and go back in the house.
Just a thought since I wouldn’t want to go out on icy roads either.
Judy Laquidara says
The mechanic said it’s better to actually drive it but I have no idea. I can use the battery minder as I don’t really want to leave it sitting in the driveway running. I won’t go out on icy roads. We can buy a new battery before I do that.
Vivian Oaks says
I’m surprised that you were told to drive the cars that often. My car is old…a 2010, and there are times I have let it go for a month or more without issues. The battery was replaced probably 3-4 years ago. When it died then, it really died!! The car wouldn’t even turn over then. I turned the key in the ignition and didn’t hear a sound. If the batry is good, it should start easily for at least a month…but then, I’m not a mechanic. What do I know? LOL!
Judy Laquidara says
That’s what mine did in June. In fact, Vince was driving and when he pushed the button to put his seat in his position, it kinda grunted and didn’t do anything. It wouldn’t make a sound when we tried to crank it. It had been about three weeks since we drove it. I think it all depends on how much draw the battery is getting from electronics. Vince’s old pickup has some electronics but not much and it started just fine after he had been here for five weeks and he said it may have been two weeks before that when he last drove it.
Even a new battery will run down if left sitting very long with electronics drawing it down. We’ve learned that the hard way more than once.
Stephani in N. TX says
I’m finding that the newish tires on my car are showing less pressure on the computer that analyzes those things (buttons I can push on my car computer). I am not driving much or far since moving, so at least quarterly I need to get to the garage and have them air up the tires a bit.
Judy Laquidara says
That’s why we always buy tires at Discount Tire. They’re so good of running out and checking them. We have newish tires on my car and so far, none of them have shown low pressure.
Sue Edberg says
Wow! I am amazed you can get 6 years out of a battery. Here in Arizona, we only get a max of 3 years and you can be sure that when the 3 years is up, the battery will die the next day! I am sure it has to do with the heat and dryness of the area.
Judy Laquidara says
We were surprised too. Even the guy at Auto Zone was shocked.
Joan says
I have heard that the batteries they sell these days are not as long lasting as the old ones They even come with shorter warranties, and I haven’t been able to find a new battery with a longer warranty. Since my husband passed away, I have a hard time keeping his beloved truck running during the winter. I only use it to go to the dump or to take the dogs to the vet so that battery minder has become essential. I still cringe every time I hook it up though, worried that it’s going to explode!
Judy Laquidara says
Yes! Vince went ahead and bought a new battery for the pickup and was surprised at the shorter warranty. I know what you mean – every time I passed by the door leading to the garage, I cautiously opened it, expecting to see a fire or worse.
Nelle Coursey says
I am with you! I don’t like doing things with a car! But I bet those cars have a lot more electronical gadgets on them that the old pick up does. So that is probably why it started right up. And when he got back we had not had that much cold weather.