I hope you are correct, but new batteries that set on shelves are inside a store, not in below zero temperatures. My Corvette now has a top of the line Delco, new the spring of 2013. In the winter of 2013-2014 I started it once a month in the first week of November through February. Backed it up six feet, and ran it for about 15-20 minutes and then pulled it ahead, and parked it. Put the cover back on and went another month. However, I neglected to do that in early March, and tried starting it the last week of March though the car barely turned over for a second or two, it didn't start the car. In May of this year I had the disconnect switch installed. We shall see what happens next April.

 

I can give you one scenario that will make that happen. The previous person that pulled the panel you remove to take out the battery on my 86 slid the panel tab on the bottom between the washer and the head of the bolt then cranked it down. It dug into the tab and almost none of the head was accessible (no space between the panel and rocker to angle the wrench). I had a bear of a time getting a wrench on it to loosen it up. I must have spent over 30 minutes on that one bolt before I was able to get a wrench on the enough on the head of the bolt to loosen it up.
I was close to the point of cutting the panel before I finally got a wrench on it enough to loosen up the bolt.
Whoever did it made a stupid mistake and it was awful getting it loose when I went to change the battery.
Make sure that washer on the bottom bolt goes under the tab on the panel.

 

Yep, I can see that happening to me, but it won't because I'd have to remove it in the glow of a flash light, as there is no electricity in my storage shed.

R/C