Expected battery life?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 111
Likes: 0
From: Mission Viejo California
Expected battery life?
I have heard from a couple of people that the battery in Corvettes is not exactly known for long life. What are you guys experiancing with the life of the stock battery? Also now that the weather is turning ugly and I see a lot of you are saying you just keep it in the garage for the winter, do you start it periodically to keep the batter charged?
I got mine in March so this is my first winter with it and since it is not my DD I find it sitting in the garage a lot more.
I appreciate hearing what others do.
I got mine in March so this is my first winter with it and since it is not my DD I find it sitting in the garage a lot more.
I appreciate hearing what others do.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 11,762
Likes: 2
I just ordered a ctek 3300 in case I'm not going to be driving it for an extended period of time as it's cheap insurance to keep the battery charged. I have yet to hear a negative comment about the ctek units.
http://www.customcorvetteaccessories...rycharger.html
http://www.customcorvetteaccessories...rycharger.html
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 20,933
Likes: 905
From: salem OR
I have heard from a couple of people that the battery in Corvettes is not exactly known for long life. What are you guys experiancing with the life of the stock battery? Also now that the weather is turning ugly and I see a lot of you are saying you just keep it in the garage for the winter, do you start it periodically to keep the batter charged?
I got mine in March so this is my first winter with it and since it is not my DD I find it sitting in the garage a lot more.
I appreciate hearing what others do.
I got mine in March so this is my first winter with it and since it is not my DD I find it sitting in the garage a lot more.
I appreciate hearing what others do.
and was still going when I sold it on 4-07. If It's not the battery some cars have a drain problem.Sometimes it's the battery. I'm one those
who has good luck and have nothing but good to say about delco.
My pick-up 2000 stock battery so it's from 99 but it's getting ready
to change. I'll take mine out for a short drive enough to warm fully in the winter if the roads are dry and clean.
Safety Car
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 4,289
Likes: 129
From: Providence Forge, VA
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12
IMHO, the best way to extend battery life is religious use of a battery tender. I keep mine hooked up virtually all the time. My original AC Delco battery was changed at 7 years on my C5 out of caution but was still going strong. 
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 4,836
Likes: 9
From: Rushsylvania Ohio
Use a battery tender! I use the Battery Tender Plus brand for the Vette. Most of these charges come with a pigtail plug that can be permanetly attached to your battery. When you know the car is going to sit for awhile, pop the hood and plug it in, then lower the hood, but don't latch it. Takes 60 seconds and no battery issues.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 8,514
Likes: 235
From: Currently somewhere in IL,IN,KY,TN,MO,AR,MS,AL, or FL
In the past 40 years my experience has been that a factory battery will last 3-4 years and the replacement from Interstate will last 7. These numbers will decrease 50% or more if you don't keep the battery charged to 100% all the time. Any time it discharges at all you are expending some of it's life. It is the discharge/recharge cycles that take the life of a battery and it isn't the number of cycles but the depth of the cycle.
The C6 is more power hungry than older Corvettes so it discharges the battery more when it is not running and the battery "wears out" sooner. Keep a Battery Tender on it whenever you know it is going to sit and the battery can easily last 7 years. Just start the car every week all winter and you will need a new battery in a year or so.
The C6 is more power hungry than older Corvettes so it discharges the battery more when it is not running and the battery "wears out" sooner. Keep a Battery Tender on it whenever you know it is going to sit and the battery can easily last 7 years. Just start the car every week all winter and you will need a new battery in a year or so.
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 46,295
Likes: 2,596
From: Northern, VA
St. Jude Donor '15
"In honor of jpee"
See this thread. Unless you are super-lucky, you will have an issue either during the winter, or when you start it up in the spring.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1884186
Esp., see talon90's post toward the end. Act accordingly; buy a battery tender and use it. Short runs, and idling it in your garage will not do the trick from what I've been told.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1884186
Esp., see talon90's post toward the end. Act accordingly; buy a battery tender and use it. Short runs, and idling it in your garage will not do the trick from what I've been told.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 7,588
Likes: 6
From: Montreal Qc
I just ordered a ctek 3300 in case I'm not going to be driving it for an extended period of time as it's cheap insurance to keep the battery charged. I have yet to hear a negative comment about the ctek units.
http://www.customcorvetteaccessories...rycharger.html
http://www.customcorvetteaccessories...rycharger.html
...Lambo, Ferrari, Mercedes, Porsche, Mayback, have all choosen the CTEK to be branded with their own nameplates, anyone of these companies could've picked any charger but decided on the CTEK.
CF Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 23,313
Likes: 25
From: Tucson Arizona
I picked-up my C6 on 3 March 2005...34+ months later my original, factory battery is still cranking fine...I've never had a problem. I typically find a battery lasts from 2 to 3 years so I fully expect my OEM battery will need replacement at some point soon. No complaints about my 2005 MN6.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 5,611
Likes: 5
From: Thousand Oaks California
I have owned 23 new GM cars. Battery life has been anywhere from 1 to 5 years.
3 to 5 years is typical, for the Declo battery, assuming the battery has never been deep cycled.
My current 2005 C6 battery is 3 years old, and has NEVER failed to start the engine.
3 to 5 years is typical, for the Declo battery, assuming the battery has never been deep cycled.
My current 2005 C6 battery is 3 years old, and has NEVER failed to start the engine.
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 53,529
Likes: 77
From: Arizona
3 years is fairly standard for oem batteries with our AZ heat.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,164
Likes: 0
From: Eagle River Wisconsin
St. Jude Donor '08
Just got rid of my C5 00 this fall. It had the original battery still in it and it preformed great. Alway disconnected it in the winter and ran it all summer. No problems. I got 10 year old Delco Voyager battery for mu trolling motor on my fishing boat, its been charged and discharged hundreds of times and the darn thing will not die. Every year I think I'll have to replace, but it keeps on going. Must have gotten a good one there.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 10,962
Likes: 29
From: Van Buren Arkansas
Wounded Warrior Escort '11
The first battery in my '99 lasted about two months I think when the positive post fell off. Fortunately I was standing in front of it when it happened. The second battery went into it at the same time from Costco and last till two years ago when I noticed it cranking slightly slower, so I replaced it with a new Sam's Club battery... still working just fine. The '07 is only a year old and it has no battery issues at this time.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 3,966
Likes: 1,295
From: SouthEast PA
Unmodified C8 of the Year 2021 Finalist
2018 C7 of Year Finalist
It takes a lickin'
My 05' C6 was made the week of 7/20/04 and I took delivery 8/31/04. Original Delco battery still going strong and now at least 40 months old. It's always on a battery tender if the C6 is not started after 2 days. The vette is in storage until spring. Let it snow!! 