Battery life

How long should I expect the original battery in my 2001 Xterra to last? I'm at about 52xxx miles right now.

Most people seem to be getting about two years from them, give or take two years.

Mine lasted two years to the week.

Mine lasted over 5 years, but it does sit in the garage at night, so that might have helped.

I've still got my original, at about 45,000 miles.

Ok, next question then....since mine's coming up on four years, what's the best battery for your money for the X?

It has a lot to do with temperature, loading, and luck

I just bought ye olde Wal Mart special... it's really not a very important decision (i.e. lead-acid batteries are all basically the same)... but a lot of folks here are into the Optima batteries (I forget whether Red Top or Yellow Top is supposed to be better)

I hate those damn Duracell commericals... "You may thing all batteries are the same - but consider this...." My answer (I actually yell this at the TV) is "I'm an engineer and I KNOW that they are all the same you @#$%%%%. Your AA is rated for 2850 milliamp-hours... and SO IS ENERGIZERS!!! They're the SAME! EAT MY @$#%@#%@%"

I'm passionate about some stupid things :rolleyes:

The only real advantage to the Optima, or other Gel Cell batteries, like the Orbital/Exide, etc... of the lead acid ones is that the Gel jobs won't spill acid all over when you are off camber/laying it over, etc...or spill their guts going over rough terrain, etc.

If you don't care about battery survivability (You stay on road mostly, etc...)..there's not a great reason to spend the extra $ for the Gel. (Maybe Less acid splash mess in an accident, etc...)

The Red Top/Yellow Top (Optima) has nothing to do with which is "better"...one is for deeper cycles, like if you have a winch, or other draw that could completely drain the battery...the other is meant for starting the engine, just like a regular battery.

Either "top" can run a winch or start the engine....one is just better at each function.

(Yellow for winches, etc...red for starting)

My 2001's battery lasted just over 2 years/ 50000 miles. My 2003's original lasted 10000 miles... So there is no set time frame.

I just replaced my original battery a few months ago. When the weather started to cool I could tell that the battery wasn't starting as well as it should. That's ok because it had 5+ years and 70k+ miles on it. Not a bad run.

I replaced mine abot four months ago
with red top optima.
Old one was still good but I red posts
about stock Xt batterys exploding
so I did it just to be safe
but the stock one still works in
my harley davidson golf cart
four years old battery and still cranking
Chris

Its not about how many miles you have on your truck cause your battery doens't run the truck while you drive.

A 2 year old car with 10K miles and sat for a whole year will have a weaker battery than a similar car that is used regularly and has 30K miles.

Most battery's won't last longer than 4-5 yrs....especially in cold climates.

i know im gona need a new battery soon. i got over 98K on what i think is the stock battery in my '00

it may have been replaced some where along the line, since i am the second owner of the vehichle.

i dont remember the date on the batery...

oh well its old i can say that much

I am glad I searched and found this post, and avoided the wrath of the "PLEASE SEARCH" crew.
It did actually answer my question, actually two of them.

Thanks guys....XOC ROCKS!

In most cases the Optima will outlast the normal battery. The one in my Frontier is nearly 6 years old...the longest any other normal battery I've had has ever lasted in Arizona heat is just under 3 years.

That, and not getting that white furry corrosion all over your terminals makes the extra $$ for the Optima well worth it, IMO.

The red top is the normal one, the yellow top is a deep cycle, meaning, it'll survive better if it gets run all the way dead than other batteries.

wow - old thread!

FYI, I've become an Optima convert after I got acid all over EVERYTHING from that Wal Mart battery. It's damn near impossible to get that crap all cleaned up and neutralized.

The Red top is the right one for regular applications (yellow top is a deeper cycle battery - not quiiite as good for starting - but better for long term high drain devices like a lot of offroad lights, a competition stereo, or a winch). You can get 'em at Sam's Club for about $100.

I put a red top in mine, after the stock died after 4 years.

That thing cranks it, I thought I was going to turn the whole truck over on it's side the first time I started with it!

Yeah - I was definitely impressed with how quickly the thing turned over the first time with the Optima.

They can deliver a LOT more current than any traditional battery.

Oh, an FYI... you'll hear some people call them gel cells. They aren't.
Optimas are lead acid batteries with the same chemistry as any other lead acid battery - they just have a different structure inside that allows them to use softer more pure lead rather than having to put in a bunch of other crap that will make the lead strong enough to support its own weight. It looks like a swiss cake roll, actually... or, rather, 6 swiss cake rolls connected together. The extra purity of the lead provides higher current capability.

4 years and 106,000 on original battery. still going strong. plan on an optima when it finally dies (hopefully not antime soon).

I have a yellow top optima battery in mine. I have no problems with it yet. I plan on using it when I get my shrock bumper and winch down the road.

A word to the wise.

The stock battery has a tendancy to completely die without warning. My Xterra was running fine at lunch one day, but at the end of the work day, I tried starting it up and the starter solinoid just went, "click-click-click." The X had about 55k miles and 4.5 years on it at the time. All in all, not bad performance for a stock battery IMO.

If your battery is pushing 60k or 5 years, I'd consider replacing it as a preemptive strike. It beats waiting for AAA to come and give you a jump start.

That's pretty common for all car batteries, actually. They often go from fine to totally trash in a couple hours.

i just got my tires rotated about a week and a half ago, and i had to get my factory battery replaced because it was leaking acid. so i just got some $75 interstate battery, really wanted an optima but life goes on.....

my stock battery was still going good at 4 years, 40000 miles. the only reason i replaced it was because a friend gave me a relatively new yellow top he couldn't use anymore.

That is exactly what happen to me.
68,000 miles...4 years.
Went to a movie(everything fine), left the movie(everything fine), stopped to get gas, then "click-click-click".....moments later after an AutoZone trip, new Optima red top.

5 years, 127,000 miles. Thanks for bringing this thread back up. I was reading it yesterday at work, thinking, wow... mines still ok... stop for gas on my way home... clickity click click...

Does anybody know when you are supposed to change out an optima yellow top? I guess you you just change like any other battery?

Just curious...

Does everyone check the water levels in their batteries every month or so? (Of course I'm not talking about those with sealed batteries).

I didn't see that stressed in this thread. Routinely checking the water levels in the battery will extend the life of your battery. Also you need to use distilled water when adding to the cells. (Don't use tap water).

Batteries do require just that slight amount of maintenance. Yeah, some will die all of a sudden, but for the most part, you'll get a longer life out of them when you check them regularly.