On 12/31/2015 11:34 PM, Vic Smith wrote:
On Thu, 31 Dec 2015 19:27:01 -0700, Don Y
wrote:

On 12/31/2015 6:17 PM, Vic Smith wrote:

My cables are hanging in the garage, a 25' foot set of heavy and a 20'
set of medium. Haven't used them at least 10 years.

Keep ours in the trunks of the cars. The first time the car
doesn't start, you check the date stamped on top of the battery.
If more than 3 years (regardless of the grade of battery), you
pull the battery and get it replaced. Batteries simply don't
last in the heat, here.

[And, if you buy a battery that covers the first 36 months
"in full" -- prorating after that -- you usually don't pay
for the replacement... or the replacement for the replacement...
or the replacement for the replacement for the replacement... : ]

I kept a pair in the trunk until maybe 5 years ago - old habit.
Came to realize I just don't need them. I've been getting at least 5
years from a battery. Never had one pro-rated.

First battery I bought, here, was like a 100 month battery.
Deader'n a doornail after ~4 years. Prorated value would still
have me shelling out $50 for another of the same.

So, since then, we've been buying $50 batteries at Costco.

Well, more accurately, we bought *one* $50 battery and have
been returning it every few years for a free replacement!
Anybody here with half a brain (and the ability to remove two
cables from a battery!) does the same sort of thing. The
heat just kills the batteries in short order.

Unfortunately, you never know if the battery is going to
give up the ghost in your garage (where the cables might be stored)
*or* somewhere away from home (where you'd have to rely on AAA,
etc.). So, I just lay the jumpers in the spare tire wheel
well "tracing" the outline of the spare. That way, I know where
to find them!

Heat also wreaks havoc on tires! Most (concrete) driveways are
covered with tire tracks -- as if someone had skidded on them (just
the rubber melting off the treads!)

[Women don't seem to understand the concept of NOT turning the
wheel unless the car is ROLLING!]