Shade Tree Guy posted for all of us...
I didn't count all the replies but if one assigns a $1 to each one then he could have a new battery installed by the dealer for less. He seems to have a higher end model but wants to cheap out on maintenance. Over & out.
ting characteristics.
That might make sense if anyone was going to pay him $1 per post, but since that ain't gonna happen, it's a ridiculous statement.
I don't see one single post from the OP that indicates he is trying to "che ap out" on anything. He even went to the autostore looking for a "memory keepe r". In other words...to buy something.
What gives you the impression he is trying to cheap out on maintenance?
OP here-- thanks for the tons of responses and great suggestions in this thread. Here's how it played out:
The reason I was looking to replace the battery is that one cell had very low fluid so I topped it up. But even after a battery charge and a few days of driving, the specific gravity in that cell was still way low. So I started shopping around and posted here-- even though the other 5 cells showed 100% charge and the battery magic eye had always showed green.
But now after 9-10 days (including a 150 mile car trip), the SG in the "bad" cell is back up to full charge.
So I'm going to hold off for now, check the cell periodically, and see how it goes. Oh, and FWIW, the battery is the OEM that was in the car when purchased new in the fall of 2011.
Thanks again for all the input!
Many of those auto stores will install the battery for "free". I'd take advantage of it.
What does that have to do with any of this? The OP isn't looking for help installing the battery, he looking for a way to save the settings when the battery is removed.
And the shop will have and hopefully use the proper tool to do the job and save the settings when the battery is changed. . .
Has lot to do with it. The shop will have the proper equipment to change the battery and save the settings. This is done every day by people that know what they are doing. You don't even get your hands dirty. Last time I had it done was on my car that had the battery under the rear seat. Took about 20 minutes. Did not have to schlep the old battery back either.
Think it is easy enough? Batter idea?
The OP said he went to 2 different auto stores so apparently having them replace it is not part of his plan.
In addition, he also posted (before you did) that he had topped of the bad cell and everything was fine (for now).
Smart people change plans when shown a better idea. No one knows everything but when an opportunity to do better arises, they jump on it.
Everything is fine for now. You know the battery is eventually going to die so this is a good time to have a plan. Could go in a year, could go tomorrow. I'd replace it before the cold weather hit next winter if it goes that far. I'd rather replace it at my convenience rather than try to find a jump in the snow at 5 below.
+1 I had suggested that many auto stores do it for free in my first reply here. And I would think many of them have the memory holder device. When looking for a battery, one could ask.
If you're worried about it, why not connect the new battery to the old wires with jump leads, as though you were jump starting the car, then swap them over while keeping at least one always connected to the car?
I d "I hit both the local NAPA and Advance Auto Parts stores looking for one. I got a blank stare at NAPA.The Advance guy showed me some fancy black box gizmo that connected to the OBD port that they used when they replaced batteries- but they had nothing for sale."
It seems to me that if the guy at Advanced showed him the device and said that they use it when they *replace batteries*, that would have been the perfect time for Wade to say "OK, let's do it" or maybe "I'll be right back with the vehicle."
So while your suggestion has merit, Wade doesn't seem to want to take advantage of the free install. I don't know why, but since he passed on the chance when he went looking for the device, we have to assume that he wants to do it himself.
For what it's worth, I change my own batteries, wipers, etc. I know I can get it done for free, but I'd rather be under (or over) the hood doing it the way I want, when I want. It gives me a chance to give everything a a good inspection/cleaning. I don't think the guy/gal at Advance Auto is going to bring a vacuum cleaner out to my vehicle and clean the crud from the battery tray or the debris from the shroud under the wipers. It's not just about the cleaning, it's about really looking at the cables, the hold down, and anything else that becomes visible while I have the battery out.
And I posted a link to Advanced Auto that shows they sell them. Now, IDK what's in stock at his local store, but if the local store doesn't have it, you can buy it online, pick it up at the store, etc. Also a simple google shows that they are available lots of places. He seems to be suggesting they are hard to find, when they are available from lots of places. Also, IDK what his time frame is. Need a battery today? In a week or two?
Maybe Advanced didn't have the best deal on a battery. Or maybe he thought they charge to install them. It doesn't mean that another auto store wouldn't have a battery at a good price and put it in, for free, while saving his settings.
Just because he went to Advanced looking for a memory saver, they didn't have one, I don't see how that translates into assuming much of anything.
I agree, there are advantages to DIY. But if you're hung up on the memory saving thing, I don't see what the problem is with suggestions that one option is to get it done at an auto store for free..
ying to "cheap
memory keeper".
I didn't get the impression that he was suggesting that. I just took it at face value that the 2 places he went to didn't have one for sale. Later on in this post you are going to chastise me for making a possibly unwarranted assumption. Aren't you doing the same thing here?
So I'm going to hold off for now, check the cell periodically, and see how it goes. Oh, and FWIW, the battery is the OEM that was in the car when purchased new in the fall of 2011."
Twere it me, I'd have changed that battery at the first sign of a problem. If I'm not mistaken, the battery in a 2011 CRV only had a 3 year, 36K warranty so he is way beyond that. You know that when it finally fails, it is not going to be on a sunny 70° Saturday morning. If it does fail on a nice day, it will fail at the most inconvenient time or place possible. ;-)
Of course, all of that is true, but I've bought 3 batteries in 3 years at Advance Auto (Speed Perks discounts plus sales) and all three times I was asked if I wanted them to install it. In fact, one time I purchased the battery on-line, to be picked up at a store 200 miles from my house where my daughter goes to college. The on-line rep said to call the store and tell them that your daughter would be picking it up and to ask them to install it for her. In-store or on-line, they never failed to mention the free install. They do the same when I buy wipers.
It's really hard not to know that they will install it for free, but definitely possible.
I was sure you would bring that up as soon as I wrote it. ;-)
My point was that you (and others) have mentioned the free install, yet Wade doesn't seem to want to take advantage of the service - assuming he knows about it. Only Wade can answer that question (and maybe he will) but for now, I'm comfortable making that assumption and nothing anyone can say (expect for Wade) can take that comfort away from me since it's all speculation at this point.
I agree, but that suggestion was made early on and Wade (apparently) choose not to take advantage of the service. I only commented on it when Ed brought it up (again) 3 days after the suggestion was first made. The main thing that we are missing here is why (or if) Wade doesn't want to take advantage of the service.
If you wait for the battery to totally fail then all those settings can be lost.
besides using a failing battery can put more stress on the charging system. when i went to new battery every 3 years, i quit replacing alternators, to say nothing of being stuck in the bitter cold
Even *before* the battery fails ("flat") as, sooner or later, you'll try to turn it over and the battery voltage may fall to a point that the electronics *decide* the battery has been removed (which might be something ABOVE zero volts!)
Here, we just plan on replacing batteries every 3-4 years -- BEFORE they start causing problems. Places like Costco are so used to dealing with high return rates on batteries that they don't even check the battery under a load.
Like you, I try to do as much maintenance and repair work myself as I can. Couple of reasons, though, why I didn't let Advanced Auto install one:
First, while Advanced offered three lines of batteries, their best-spec one was not as strong the ones Sam's Club or Costco sells...plus the price was about quite a bit more.
Second, I wouldn't have let Advanced's greasy-pants. greasy-hands, tobacco chewing, entry level, minimum wage combo counter-guy/battery-installer within 15 yards of my hood release, much less my leather upholstery.
The capper was when he showed me their shop OBD memory holder device and said it plugged into the cigarette lighter adapter. When I asked him how he planned on getting the rectangular OBD plug into the round CLA, he didn't even look embarrassed.
As Kenny Rogers says, you gotta know when to hold 'em and know when to fold 'em...
Now that you have time to prepare you can find the best deal. I understand your reluctance, but the guy doing the selling may or may not have been the installer. There are plenty of other battery sellers unless you are way out in the boonies.
You and me both. Or is that neither? ;-)
DerbyDad03 posted for all of us...
rating characteristics.
DIY Plus he probably doesn't have the proper tools.
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