Cleo Frank wrote:

Background: 1990 Mazda Protege, very well maintained, very clean
under hood. Last night it started as usual. I drove it to the dumpster
at the edge of my property to dump some trash, stopped the car,
and cut engine. When I tried to start it back up, I got the usual
click of a dead battery; digital clock very dim etc.

Went to NAPA today and bought topnotch battery (the same
kind that came in car when new).

Unless the original battery was shot (and even if wasn't charging well that's
probably because there were only a few strands left of the earth strap), let's
hope they'll take it back then.

I made just the same mistake when an earth strap failed on a car of mine.
Halfords took it back though.

Graham