After handing off our 16-year-old sedan to grandson #2, we’re learning the mixed joys of new cars.
We’re so old that even that sedan still felt new to us, with its heated seats and built-in (although often out of date) GPS in the dash.We were feeling pretty darn smug about the low mileage on our new SUV. We acquired it in October 2019, but to date have only put 15,000 miles on it, even after a couple of round trips to Florida. Except.
That wonderful low mileage was the reason my battery lost the will to live. Apparently, with today’s whiz-bang cars, they’re always up to something just sitting in the garage, humming away to themselves with all their fancy electronics. This causes wear and tear to the battery, and if I don’t toodle off for periodical drives to Maine or eight hours of steady errand running, the battery will wither away like a Victorian belle on her fainting couch. (On the plus side, the battery was under warranty, so the whole incident was free, aside from the inconvenience.)
So go out and give old Betsy a pat on the hood if she’s hit middle age or beyond. She might shed a muffler now and then on the highway, but her battery will hold up longer than mine.
The car we had before this one was old enough to vote when we traded it in. It wasn't pretty and had some quirks of its own but it was (mostly) reliable.
ReplyDeleteI invested in my own battery starter after a couple of these events. I feel so techy using it!
ReplyDeleteHey, the same thing happened to me when my battery died on the driveway. In my case it was the stereo security that is on all the time.
ReplyDeleteI did not know that about the batteries in modern cars, but of course it makes sense. I'm even more glad I don't have a car now.
ReplyDeleteMy old trusty Honda Civic is also old enough to vote, and works well enough that I don't want to get rid of it, for the few years I'll continue to drive. Mostly I ride the bus these days.
ReplyDeleteWhat?! Our battery would die constantly.
ReplyDeleteIt's weird to think there are things "awake" in a car even when it's sitting in the driveway or garage!
ReplyDeleteSo now I guess I will stop complaining that my husband drives my hybrid car more than I!
ReplyDelete