hate getting stuck with a dead battery, and so i buy a brand new pricey battery every few years as preventive maintence.......
i do field service and am on the road constantly.
i used to get a alternator replaced every few years,,,,,,,,
alternator replacements stopped when i began replacing my batteries before they failed......
a 100 buck battery replaced every 3 years is a bargain...... 33 bucks per year
as compared to a 300 buck alternator. that can cost 100 bucks a year