How long before the battery runs down?

[Kendahl]

I don't drive my 2008 G37S in ice and snow because the summer tires have no traction and because I don't want to expose the car to salt. The first two winters were no problem. Occasional snow storms were separated by several weeks when the roads were clean and dry. That meant the car only sat for a week or two at a time. This year, we had a major storm in mid December and another at Christmas. Snow is piled six feet high and the roads are still a mess of salty slush. Therefore, the car hasn't moved since December 1st.

I have read that some cars (e.g. Porsche Cayman) put a noticeable load on the battery even when the car is parked. Owners are advised to invest in a battery maintainer if they expect not to drive for more than a month. How long can I let my G37S go before I need to worry about recharging the battery?

[Poyzinous]

Personally, I would start my car and let it run for 5 minutes if it were to stay put for more than 5 days. I've let my G sit for 6 days without moving it before... but any longer and I have someone start it up and move it, just so the tires don't get a flat spot on them. Plus, the cold is not good on batteries, or any electrical item for that matter. The original battery only lasts 5 years in good conditions, around 3 in cold states.

[RichiePoor]

My battery only lasted three years and my car is in the South. I think the heat is hard on them, too. When I got a new battery at the Infiniti dealership the Service Tech said they replace them all the time, even in new cars sitting on the lot.

[telcoman]

I don't drive my 2008 G37S in ice and snow because the summer tires have no traction and because I don't want to expose the car to salt. The first two winters were no problem. Occasional snow storms were separated by several weeks when the roads were clean and dry. That meant the car only sat for a week or two at a time. This year, we had a major storm in mid December and another at Christmas. Snow is piled six feet high and the roads are still a mess of salty slush. Therefore, the car hasn't moved since December 1st.

I have read that some cars (e.g. Porsche Cayman) put a noticeable load on the battery even when the car is parked. Owners are advised to invest in a battery maintainer if they expect not to drive for more than a month. How long can I let my G37S go before I need to worry about recharging the battery?

The wifes Altima sat in the garage from December 4th to January 6th & started right up no problem.

Here in NJ we don't care whats on the road. We just drive thru it.

Telcoman

[Tim30250]

It depends on the car (and of course the strength of the battery) and there's really no set amount of time a battery can sit without discharging. My BMW has always been a fairweather car since new, and when it sits for more than a month in the winter, the battery invariably dies. The best move is to just start the car once a week, let it run for a few minutes (or even better, take it for a short drive) and you'll never have to worry about it.

[CrackaLackin]

What about the feasibility of disconnecting the battery? No load, no dying? Still hit with the cold though...

And kind of a pain when you finally want to drive away

[Kendahl]

Thanks for all the replies.

I would start my car and let it run for 5 minutes

Isn't that even worse than short trips during which the car never gets a chance to warm up?

Quote »move it just so the tires don't get a flat spot on them[/quote]I've had temporary flat spots before. The first couple of miles are rough, but they go away after that.

My battery only lasted three years and my car is in the South. I think the heat is hard on them, too. When I got a new battery at the Infiniti dealership the Service Tech said they replace them all the time, even in new cars sitting on the lot.

That's distressing. I agree that heat is tough on batteries, too. Usually, I get a minimum of 5 years out of a battery. It will be interesting to see how long they last in the G37.

Here in NJ we don't care whats on the road. We just drive thru it.

That's what our 12 year old Subaru with 195k miles is for.

The G37's predecessor was a first generation Mazda RX-7 that I drove for 23 years. I never invested much money or effort in its appearance and, during the last few years, even drove it through the winter. It became a beater and looked like it. I don't want that to happen to the G37. When I was car shopping, I told the salesmen that I was looking for a car to keep until I was too old to drive anything but a wheel chair. Barring unexpected medical problems, I figure that to be 20 to 30 years. By keeping the G37 out of the salt and keeping up with mechanical and cosmetic maintenance, I expect it to be in excellent condition and a still a joy to drive when I am done with it.

What about the feasibility of disconnecting the battery?

Won't that kill all the memory settings?

At least the G37 isn't as awkward as a Cayman. The latter's battery is in the front trunk and the latch is electric. Without battery power, you can't get at your dead battery. It has to be towed to a shop. That's just one example of the dumb design choices that turned me off Porsche.

This week has been sunny and warm enough to clean off the major roads. Even our neighborhood street is almost bare. Early Sunday morning, before the snow melt starts running, I may be able to get the G37 out for a 30 to 50 mile drive. That should be enough to clean out the cobwebs and recharge the battery.

[Rivalry]

The alternator will recharge the battery in a matter of minutes. The life of the battery mostly depends on the temperatures it is subjected to, and how extreme those temperatures can reach.

[smockers83]

I still have the original battery in my G (will be 4 years come August 1) and I've stored it the past three full winters (4-6 months, depending on the winter). Each winter I always disconnected the negative terminal. Each winter when I brought it out of storage, hit always started up just fine on the first try. To be honest, it kind of surprised me, particularly after the last winter.

[Kendahl]

Just after my last post, I concluded that the roads would not clean up before spring. Therefore, I started my G37S and let it idle in the driveway for 15 minutes. The engine turned rather slowly during start up which indicates that the battery was down but not out.

We haven't had any new snow for a week and, this morning, the sun was shining, the temperature was in the low twenties and the roads were dry. I decided to take the G37S out for a spin. It wouldn't start. Despite the 15 minutes in the driveway two weeks ago, the battery was so far down that the engine would only turn part of a revolution. I put it on the charger and, after half an hour at 3-1/2 amps, it started easily. To finish recharging, I took it out for a 40 mile run on a nearby rural interstate.

Conclusions (which may not apply to everyone):(1) You can let the car sit for a month without any problem.(2) After six weeks, the battery will be far enough down that you may not be able to get the car started.(3) Two months is too long.(4) A few minutes at idle in the driveway isn't enough to make up for six weeks of storage.(5) For extended storage, my best guess is that you should put the battery on a charger for 30 minutes each month or invest in a battery maintainer.