My Autolite 84 battery has been going for 10+ years

[matthew1]

I bought and installed it circa 2001. Took a photo of it last night when it struck me how old it is. It's needed a jump or two, but only because I left a light on, etc.

Otherwise, it still starts strong even when left outside overnight in ~20 degree F temperatures.

Seven years of its life were in Seattle (parked outdoors), three+ in Denver (garaged).

According to this page, you can find them at Goodyear and Autozone stores.

Ten years is a long time, so the manufacturer/components/quality may have changed. I'm just throwing this out there.

Now that I've posted this, naturally it'll die within a week.

[jimmy57]

Yep, you just signed the death certificate on that one.....

I get 10 years out of batteries routinely but I am OCD on battery care. I HATE to buy a battery as they have a simple unglamorous purpose and no amount of advertising or swoopy colors will change that.
I charge every battery at a slow rate twice per year. I put distilled water in when needed.
I charge them additionally any time there is situation like lights or ignition left on accidentally.
Alternators do not bring batteries back to 100% charge except for the newest Volvos and others who have adopted "smart" charging. Even those strategies probably don't replace the slow charge "tune-up".
My 9 year riding lawn mower has its original battery and I got 10 years out of the last two diesel pickup trucks' battery pairs.
I think Autolites are Johnson Controls (Interstate) products. Volvo uses them for their North American battery program.
There are differences as some batteries use different alloys of lead and some have the lead plates surface stamped for more surface area. For most of us these things probably don't matter. Bigger than you really need would be the "trick" to getting more life out of a battery as a higher capacity has a smaller percentage discharge to start the car and this impacts plate sulphation and battery death more than anything else.

[jmmxc]

I put distilled water in when needed.

Hey jimmy57, it is interesting you mentioned the addition of distilled water to the battery.
I did that recently, about 3 months ago after having had battery problem off and on.
see my post:
http://https://www.matthewsvolvosite.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=43813
since then my battery has been charging to peak voltage and deliver good cranking power even during these cold morings.
Thanks for bringing this up.
Matthew1, wishing long life to this Autolite battery, 10 more years
jmmxc

[jblackburn]

Wow

My Interstate wasn't even holding a charge for more than one crank at 5 years old. I left the headlights on for 5 minutes once to light up the inside of a shed and it was so dead it wouldn't even click after that.

Jeep/Honda batteries, as it turns out, when brand new, last about 2 years max. The Jeep one cracked (this was its 2nd), and 2 Honda batteries on different vehicles were replaced under warranty.