[JimD]

The battery in my Suzuki SUV is nearly six years old - actually it is probably over 6 years but I haven't owned it quite that long. I carry jumper cables but I do not plan a proactive battery replacement. I could do it for less than $100 so maybe I should.

I plan to go at least this long on the bimmer.

Both my vechicles are garaged and it doesn't get very cold in SC. Because I have two they sit for several days at a time, however.

I don't know if anybody else has one but we used to use testers for the specific gravity of the fluid. I still have one, I think. I've pried the caps off "maintenance free" batteries before and maybe I'll do it for the old zuki battery. Testing the fluid in each cell can give you a better idea of the battery condition. The testers are simple little devices with plastic balls in a glass body and a bulb to pull in the battery acid.

Jim