We Should All Be Speeding

[BostonRich]

I was shocked this week when I took my relatively new 2019 car in for it's 15,000 mile maintenance checkup. The tests showed my battery was just about dead. It registered a "1" on the "1 to 10" scale. The technician told me that the constant short low-speed trips we all take in the Villages combined with the heat kills our car batteries.

I also found a bunch of information that said cars need to go over 40 mph to heat up enough to burn up contaminants and clean out our engine and keep all systems running optimally.

We are killing our cars and let's face it, 35 mph is artificially slow for the major through roads like Buena Vista. 40 mph makes much more sense and will save us money and aggravation. A car needs exercise too and now that the Villages are so big you can travel long distances under 40 mph every day of the week.

So $280 later I say tell the nice officer that you are "speeding" for the health of your car. He will understand.

[Laker14]

I guess every once in a while we need to evacuate the bubble, get on I-75 or the Turnpike, and let her fly for an exit or two.
Sounds like a good excuse to find some good restaurants.

[Laker14]

OP, what is the make and model of your car?

[ThirdOfFive]

I was shocked this week when I took my relatively new 2019 car in for it's 15,000 mile maintenance checkup. The tests showed my battery was just about dead. It registered a "1" on the "1 to 10" scale. The technician told me that the constant short low-speed trips we all take in the Villages combined with the heat kills our car batteries.

I also found a bunch of information that said cars need to go over 40 mph to heat up enough to burn up contaminants and clean out our engine and keep all systems running optimally.

We are killing our cars and let's face it, 35 mph is artificially slow for the major through roads like Buena Vista. 40 mph makes much more sense and will save us money and aggravation. A car needs exercise too and now that the Villages are so big you can travel long distances under 40 mph every day of the week.

So $280 later I say tell the nice officer that you are "speeding" for the health of your car. He will understand.
This is true for all cars. Driving them for only short distances means that the engine and moving parts rarely get up to full operating temperature, which can be harder on cars than not driving them at all. And it's not just the battery. It is the entire vehicle.

We use the golf cart for everything in The Villages and fire up the Rav4 for a trip to Orlando and back about every two weeks.

[jdulej]

I have a diesel BMW that will start to run a little rough if I don't give it a run on I75 occasionally. One time I almost caught up to an 18 wheeler.

[dewilson58]

Not the car speed, it's the engine RPM.

[biker1]

4 years is not an untypical life expectancy for a flooded lead acid car battery in hot climates. It sounds like your battery went south a bit prematurely. You may do better with an AGM battery. I have averaged about 7 years for my car with an AGM battery. If you are doing a lot of short trips then change your oil more frequently - use the "severe driving condition" recommendation in your owner's manual. If your car has a maintenance minder then it will consider your driving conditions when it alerts you to do maintenance.

I was shocked this week when I took my relatively new 2019 car in for it's 15,000 mile maintenance checkup. The tests showed my battery was just about dead. It registered a "1" on the "1 to 10" scale. The technician told me that the constant short low-speed trips we all take in the Villages combined with the heat kills our car batteries.

I also found a bunch of information that said cars need to go over 40 mph to heat up enough to burn up contaminants and clean out our engine and keep all systems running optimally.

We are killing our cars and let's face it, 35 mph is artificially slow for the major through roads like Buena Vista. 40 mph makes much more sense and will save us money and aggravation. A car needs exercise too and now that the Villages are so big you can travel long distances under 40 mph every day of the week.

So $280 later I say tell the nice officer that you are "speeding" for the health of your car. He will understand.

[golfing eagles]

Not the car speed, it's the engine RPM.

So the plan should be to red line it on Morse?????:1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl:

[tophcfa]

At least our golf carts don’t suffer from underuse or not going at their designed speeds.

[MrFlorida]

Get out on 441 once and a while..

[Penglobal]

Sorry that you car battery failed after only two years but may I add to your mechanic's reply.

First, if you car is under 36 months, you "may" be still covered under your new car's warranty, as other factors may of killed your newish battery, such as an alternator going out, loose defective belts or relay switches.

GENERALLY speaking, many car batteries used in new factory cars, such as in your situation are not necessarily of the highest quality nor fitted with a battery with the highest stored amperage hours. To save weight and cost, many new car batteries are as small as possible to conserve weight which contain minimal amperage hours.

Additionally, the combination of the Florida's sun and the constant use of the A/C will quickly drain any battery. I hope you spent a few extra dollars and replaced your dead battery will an efficient one.

A suggestion. As you car battery begins to age and your mechanic states that your battery will need to be replaced soon, start shopping for a good quality battery on sale. Then buy the battery and store it until needed. Rarely does a battery die and immediately need replacement when the new batteries go on sale. It's also very simple to replace a car battery.

Also, Walmart batteries are identical to the large brand name batteries costing almost double and Walmart will install the battery for free.

[Dana1963]

I was shocked this week when I took my relatively new 2019 car in for it's 15,000 mile maintenance checkup. The tests showed my battery was just about dead. It registered a "1" on the "1 to 10" scale. The technician told me that the constant short low-speed trips we all take in the Villages combined with the heat kills our car batteries.

I also found a bunch of information that said cars need to go over 40 mph to heat up enough to burn up contaminants and clean out our engine and keep all systems running optimally.

We are killing our cars and let's face it, 35 mph is artificially slow for the major through roads like Buena Vista. 40 mph makes much more sense and will save us money and aggravation. A car needs exercise too and now that the Villages are so big you can travel long distances under 40 mph every day of the week.

So $280 later I say tell the nice officer that you are "speeding" for the health of your car. He will understand.
Just a FACT I drive a 2013 Toyota Prius on a recent service visit I questioned my Auxiliary 12volt power system this runs the engine. Hybrids have a drive system battery along with a separate 12volt battery. With 8 years and 125,000 miles on the vehicle.
The Auxiliary battery has a 10 year/100,000 warranty it’s not a Lithium battery.
The Hybrid drive batteries are have a 10 year/100,000 warranty my Brother in law is pushing over 200,000 miles with hybrid 2008 Prius batteries. Guess we are on borrowed time.

[Number 10 GI]

We have a 2017 Nissan Murano bought new that we brought with us when we moved here in 2018, still have the original battery. You could have had a defective battery but something smells wrong. I don't know what the 1-10 rating is but I would think if it was that low on the scale the car wouldn't have started. Were you having problems with it? What car do you have?

[Michael G.]

Walmart batteries are identical to the large brand name batteries costing almost double and Walmart will install the battery for free.

And if you have a Sam's Club membership is another reasonable place for battery
replacement.

I had mine replaced free install at Sam's somewhere around $100.00.

A friend of ours went to a Buick dealership and paid $500.00 plus installation.

[Garywt]

This just tells me you are not using your golf cart enough. Only use your car when you leave the reservation.

[jdulej]

Also, of note - with many newer cars (mine is a 2014 BMW, and it is true for it) you should not just drop in a new battery like in the good old days. The car has to be re-programmed to recognize that a new battery was installed, or it will overcharge and will wear out quickly. It needs to be done by someone who knows what they are doing.

[GrumpyOldMan]

Just to stir the pot - LOL

Another good reason to trade in your ICE vehicle for an EV - LOL!

Sorry, couldn't resist, but EV's don't have to "warm-up" to burn efficiently they don't burn. And of course, their batteries are designed, in conjunction with regenerative braking, for short low-speed use stop and go driving, which is probably 90% of what most seniors do.

[GrumpyOldMan]

/// duplicate

[jdulej]

Just to stir the pot - LOL

Another good reason to trade in your ICE vehicle for an EV - LOL!

Sorry, couldn't resist, but EV's don't have to "warm-up" to burn efficiently they don't burn. And of course, their batteries are designed, in conjunction with regenerative braking, for short low-speed use stop and go driving, which is probably 90% of what most seniors do.

I agree with you, Grumpy. When EVs get a bit better range as well as their current benefits, it will be tough to argue against. My diesel Bimmer as a 1,000-mile range on a tank full (24gal @45mpg at 80mph on Hiway 10 to Texas last spring).

[Bogie Shooter]

A new way to bitch about the speed limits.

[charlieo1126@gmail.com]

This just tells me you are not using your golf cart enough. Only use your car when you leave the reservation. and in other golfing communities including Arnold Palmers Bay Hill Country Club in Orlando, never had or wanted a golf cart and I have a garage for one lol and the only time Ive had a club in my hand was playing miniature golf a few times , I know lots of others who don’t own one either

[tophcfa]

Also, of note - with many newer cars (mine is a 2014 BMW, and it is true for it) you should not just drop in a new battery like in the good old days. The car has to be re-programmed to recognize that a new battery was installed, or it will overcharge and will wear out quickly. It needs to be done by someone who knows what they are doing.

I own a Beamer as well, great cars to drive but way over engineered. So many dam computer chips and sensors that frequently go on the fritz. Plus, all these electronic devices draw a small current when the car is parked, which drains the battery. When I park the car for any extended amount of time, I always disconnect the negative battery terminal and put it on a trickle charge.

[BostonRich]

OP, what is the make and model of your car?

You know what Laker? I did say to the guy that my battery was probably under warranty and he emphatically said "no". Not "maybe". Not "you should check it out". Just "no".

When I got home I did a little research and found this:

Battery: for Model Year 2016 and up, 3 years/36,000 miles (no proration)

So it looks like I actually got ripped off. Now I am angry at Pep Boys too. Should have taken the longer ride to the dealership after all. But then that might have charged up the battery!

Hyundai Elantra - BTW

[New Englander]

Some car dealerships and garage's will tell a customer that this or that needs to be replaced when the part they want to replace is perfectly okay.

[La lamy]

Definitely a good idea to give our cars a little run once in a while. Thanks for the reminder.

[coralway]

So the plan should be to red line it on Morse?????:1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl:





At 3 AM

[Laker14]

You know what Laker? I did say to the guy that my battery was probably under warranty and he emphatically said "no". Not "maybe". Not "you should check it out". Just "no".

When I got home I did a little research and found this:

Battery: for Model Year 2016 and up, 3 years/36,000 miles (no proration)

So it looks like I actually got ripped off. Now I am angry at Pep Boys too. Should have taken the longer ride to the dealership after all. But then that might have charged up the battery!

Hyundai Elantra - BTW

I asked because we had the same issue with our 2017 CRV. In our case the problem was the "cold Northeast winters"....blah blah blah....I would never have bought another battery from Honda, but the car was in the care of our relatives while we were in TV and they were doing us a favor by dealing with it...only later did we find out that there are a handful of service bulletins on the battery issue, running the gamut from "underpowered battery" to "parasitic drain"...so instead of them owning up to their crappy product, they took advantage and turned another profit on it, charging us full price for another crappy Honda battery.

As a wise old uncle used to say to me, "screwed again, Sport"....

[vintageogauge]

A few things to note, to get higher RPM's just drop it down a gear but these motors today will run twice as long as they did 20 years ago. That being said, my wife bought a new 2017 Honda Civic Touring when we moved here, it now has 31,000 miles on it and it has never been on a road that was has a speed limit over 55, 95% of the mileage on her car is speeds 45 MPH or lower. She did have the battery replaced after 2-1/2 years and warranty covered it but other than that no problems whatsoever. One final note on the Civic, I never re-set the MPG memory in the car and since day one and the average gas mileage is 36.5 MPG which is pretty good for never being on a highway. I'm not into foreign cars but gotta admit that this one has been very good.

[tsmall22204]

You were not told the truth. You were ripped off.

[swooner]

You too could be one of the jerks who consistently fly down Camino Real at 50+. May think it's good for your car but not to safe for everyone else on the road. You paid way too much for your battery.

[Fastskiguy]

I was shocked this week when I took my relatively new 2019 car in for it's 15,000 mile maintenance checkup. The tests showed my battery was just about dead. It registered a "1" on the "1 to 10" scale. The technician told me that the constant short low-speed trips we all take in the Villages combined with the heat kills our car batteries.

I also found a bunch of information that said cars need to go over 40 mph to heat up enough to burn up contaminants and clean out our engine and keep all systems running optimally.

We are killing our cars and let's face it, 35 mph is artificially slow for the major through roads like Buena Vista. 40 mph makes much more sense and will save us money and aggravation. A car needs exercise too and now that the Villages are so big you can travel long distances under 40 mph every day of the week.

So $280 later I say tell the nice officer that you are "speeding" for the health of your car. He will understand.

You must live north of the turnpike....us southerners have some 45mph stretches on warm springs and morse. You could always simply move ;)

[thevillages2013]

I guess every once in a while we need to evacuate the bubble, get on I-75 or the Turnpike, and let her fly for an exit or two.
Sounds like a good excuse to find some good restaurants.
Where I’m from it’s called “blowing the soot out”. You yanks have probably never heard that terminology. Imagine how many accidents would happen if everyone drove the speed limit exactly. I’m doing my part to prevent accidents :boom:

[Luggage]

Go ahead thumb your nose at us. But I'm telling you now save up oh, those auxiliary batteries do cost a lot of money

[Luggage]

Not everyone knows that car should be driven once in awhile fast least 30 minutes . And I've Been Told that's the difference between a two-year battery warranty and a 3-year guarantee is about 50% more cost with a battery, but basically it's the same battery,

[kendi]

I was shocked this week when I took my relatively new 2019 car in for it's 15,000 mile maintenance checkup. The tests showed my battery was just about dead. It registered a "1" on the "1 to 10" scale. The technician told me that the constant short low-speed trips we all take in the Villages combined with the heat kills our car batteries.

I also found a bunch of information that said cars need to go over 40 mph to heat up enough to burn up contaminants and clean out our engine and keep all systems running optimally.

We are killing our cars and let's face it, 35 mph is artificially slow for the major through roads like Buena Vista. 40 mph makes much more sense and will save us money and aggravation. A car needs exercise too and now that the Villages are so big you can travel long distances under 40 mph every day of the week.

So $280 later I say tell the nice officer that you are "speeding" for the health of your car. He will understand.

Sarcastic I know. But not funny. Respect the speed limit by taking your car on the highway occasionally.

[butlerism]

So .... engine RPM is the key.

Speeding results in tickets.

Looks like I will be doing more burnouts!!!

[Captainpd]

Sorry that you car battery failed after only two years but may I add to your mechanic's reply.

First, if you car is under 36 months, you "may" be still covered under your new car's warranty, as other factors may of killed your newish battery, such as an alternator going out, loose defective belts or relay switches.

GENERALLY speaking, many car batteries used in new factory cars, such as in your situation are not necessarily of the highest quality nor fitted with a battery with the highest stored amperage hours. To save weight and cost, many new car batteries are as small as possible to conserve weight which contain minimal amperage hours.

Additionally, the combination of the Florida's sun and the constant use of the A/C will quickly drain any battery. I hope you spent a few extra dollars and replaced your dead battery will an efficient one.

A suggestion. As you car battery begins to age and your mechanic states that your battery will need to be replaced soon, start shopping for a good quality battery on sale. Then buy the battery and store it until needed. Rarely does a battery die and immediately need replacement when the new batteries go on sale. It's also very simple to replace a car battery.

Also, Walmart batteries are identical to the large brand name batteries costing almost double and Walmart will install the battery for free.

Rural King batteries are made by a very reputable maker. They have the best prices but DON'T INSTALL.

[toeser]

I was shocked this week when I took my relatively new 2019 car in for it's 15,000 mile maintenance checkup. The tests showed my battery was just about dead. It registered a "1" on the "1 to 10" scale. The technician told me that the constant short low-speed trips we all take in the Villages combined with the heat kills our car batteries.

I also found a bunch of information that said cars need to go over 40 mph to heat up enough to burn up contaminants and clean out our engine and keep all systems running optimally.

We are killing our cars and let's face it, 35 mph is artificially slow for the major through roads like Buena Vista. 40 mph makes much more sense and will save us money and aggravation. A car needs exercise too and now that the Villages are so big you can travel long distances under 40 mph every day of the week.

So $280 later I say tell the nice officer that you are "speeding" for the health of your car. He will understand.

Just came back one week ago from a summer "up north." I get on the freeway, get in the left lane, set my adaptive cruise control way above the speed limit, and simply go with the flow of whatever speed the left lane traffic is doing. That's actually much safer than having to constantly change lanes to maintain the speed limit. Using that method, about 50% of the time I was going 80. My battery should be just fine.

[BostonRich]

You too could be one of the jerks who consistently fly down Camino Real at 50+. May think it's good for your car but not to safe for everyone else on the road. You paid way too much for your battery.
No and no. So sorry to hear of the human carnage on Camino Real. My service included a Mobil One oil change and tire rotation but thanks for your concern of my finances.

[merrymini]

Sorry excuse, bum battery or not, for thinking raising the speed limit on a road can make a difference. Who are you listening to fauci?

[charlieo1126@gmail.com]

Lots of these messages are missing an important point , who goes 35 on Buena Vista or Morse anyway , I certainly don’t lol

[jimkerr]

I have a lead foot so no worries.

[Larchap49]

I was shocked this week when I took my relatively new 2019 car in for it's 15,000 mile maintenance checkup. The tests showed my battery was just about dead. It registered a "1" on the "1 to 10" scale. The technician told me that the constant short low-speed trips we all take in the Villages combined with the heat kills our car batteries.

I also found a bunch of information that said cars need to go over 40 mph to heat up enough to burn up contaminants and clean out our engine and keep all systems running optimally.

We are killing our cars and let's face it, 35 mph is artificially slow for the major through roads like Buena Vista. 40 mph makes much more sense and will save us money and aggravation. A car needs exercise too and now that the Villages are so big you can travel long distances under 40 mph every day of the week.

So $280 later I say tell the nice officer that you are "speeding" for the health of your car. He will understand.

You got ripped off. While true cars need exercise and batteries can fail prematurely on a 2019 vehicle with 15k the battery is under full warranty coverage. Go get your money back.

[jdulej]

I own a Beamer as well, great cars to drive but way over engineered. So many dam computer chips and sensors that frequently go on the fritz. Plus, all these electronic devices draw a small current when the car is parked, which drains the battery. When I park the car for any extended amount of time, I always disconnect the negative battery terminal and put it on a trickle charge.

I agree in general, but I will say that my wife's car, a MB SUV with similar over the top engineering , had the original battery for 7 years and 90,000 miles. I had it changed just out of general principle, since I figured it had to go sooner or later. And it was an Interstate (good brand) not some fancy Mercedes $500.00 battery.

[DAVES]

I was shocked this week when I took my relatively new 2019 car in for it's 15,000 mile maintenance checkup. The tests showed my battery was just about dead. It registered a "1" on the "1 to 10" scale. The technician told me that the constant short low-speed trips we all take in the Villages combined with the heat kills our car batteries.

I also found a bunch of information that said cars need to go over 40 mph to heat up enough to burn up contaminants and clean out our engine and keep all systems running optimally.

We are killing our cars and let's face it, 35 mph is artificially slow for the major through roads like Buena Vista. 40 mph makes much more sense and will save us money and aggravation. A car needs exercise too and now that the Villages are so big you can travel long distances under 40 mph every day of the week.

So $280 later I say tell the nice officer that you are "speeding" for the health of your car. He will understand.

I do not know who your mechanic is but it sounds like a snow job in Florida. There is no such thing as a 1-10 scale. That 280 sounds like he/she sold you a battery. A battery should cost like half of that. As far as stand by losses, there are many things that can cause that. Devices in your car that are always on-using current. Often no realized is if the top of your battery is dirty, it can self drain. That 40 mph number would have been partly true for much older cars than 2019 like 1950's that had generators. A more modern car will have an alternator that charges the battery at much lower speeds than 40 mph.

You can check the state of charge in your battery with a simple INEXPENSIVE device called a hydrometer. An eyedropper kind of thing with 4 colored balls in it. You draw up the fluid in each cell one at a time and see how many of the balls float. You then put the sample back into the cell. The weight of the fluid changes with the state of charge.
Thus, you can tell how charged your battery is.

My OPINION you need to find an HONEST place to have your car serviced.

[New Englander]

If you make this political, this thread will be closed.

[DAVES]

I agree in general, but I will say that my wife's car, a MB SUV with similar over the top engineering , had the original battery for 7 years and 90,000 miles. I had it changed just out of general principle, since I figured it had to go sooner or later. And it was an Interstate (good brand) not some fancy Mercedes $500.00 battery.

With all the pollution stuff in a car you can find that even with enough power to turn the starter it will not run. I figure it is time to change the battery at 5 years. No I don't follow my advice. Last time I had it changed at about 7 years. It was till working. I own a CHEVY. Mercedes are good cars. Service is very expensive perhaps the reason why many lease them. Stuff like a brake job are wow expensive but they rebuild the system not just pop on a set of pads.

[DAVES]

I have a diesel BMW that will start to run a little rough if I don't give it a run on I75 occasionally. One time I almost caught up to an 18 wheeler.

Fortunately, there is no shortage of engine options. A diesel is not the same as a gasoline engine. The fuel tends to gel if it sits in the injectors. You may want to try a different brand of diesel fuel and/or a diesel stabilizer a product you pour into the fuel tank. Today, the price of diesel fuel has gone up quite a bit. The engines have also been improved as far as idleing, noise, cold starting and power curve. The way I drive, I don't think I would own one in the villages.

[jfkilduff]

OP that’s a bunch of bull my vehicle idles for hours in TV and the battery is going on 5 years old

[golfing eagles]

Just came back one week ago from a summer "up north." I get on the freeway, get in the left lane, set my adaptive cruise control way above the speed limit, and simply go with the flow of whatever speed the left lane traffic is doing. That's actually much safer than having to constantly change lanes to maintain the speed limit. Using that method, about 50% of the time I was going 80. My battery should be just fine.

But when some clown comes up behind you at 85-90, THE LAW requires you to move over and hence your lane change.

[mady101]

When I first moved to The Villages I was stopped for speeding. I was on a stretch of Buena Vista with no other traffic on the road. Not to make excuses, but with no other traffic I misjudged how fast I was going … 9 miles over the limit. With the ticket I was given a list penalties per number of mph over the limit, starting at 6 mph. Now I set my cruise control for 5 mph over and don’t worry. Many cars still fly past me.

[jbartle1]

At 3 AM

Don't speed on Chula Vista, 3rd pull-over in 15 minutes this morning.

[Fastskiguy]

Don't speed on Chula Vista, 3rd pull-over in 15 minutes this morning.

I'm glad to hear it, I didn't think anybody ever got pulled over for speeding in TV and some of the speeds have been ridiculous.

[charlieo1126@gmail.com]

Fancy Mercedes battery, I can’t figure whether that’s car envy or class envy hmmmm

[CoachKandSportsguy]

2017 Subaru Outback, 4 weeks in the garage and the battery is dead, from the always on electrical devices. If you don't run the car long enough in combination with often enough, the battery will present as dead, 15K miles doesn't matter . . . invest in a car battery charger. Put the battery on trickle charge, as Tophcfa mentions, and learn to keep a modern car battery charged if you don't drive it often and far enough. . .

several hours on the 40 year old Sears battery charger and the Outback is as good as new, no programming required.

[frose]

drive in a lower gear. rpm's up, battery charged, pistons and valves cleaned out. You can also use a fuel stabilizer yo keep things clean.

[Fastskiguy]

drive in a lower gear. rpm's up, battery charged, pistons and valves cleaned out. You can also use a fuel stabilizer yo keep things clean.

I just get up to 50-60mph and shift into 2nd gear for awhile and it all works out just fine.....oh wait LOL, JK!

Joe

[Topspinmo]

I find this post utterly ridiculous. My vehicle comes up to temperature 1 mile from my house, unless you idling around residential street all the time the engine going to rev up the transmission going to shift and battery gets charged. It only take about 1800 RPMs for alt to put out maximum volts. Batteries don’t last s long in extreme heat or cold. Especially factory batteries which are the cheapest the make.

[DaleDivine]

Some car dealerships and garage's will tell a customer that this or that needs to be replaced when the part they want to replace is perfectly okay.

Dealership mechanics work on commission so they will try to find any person they think is gullible and sell them fluid for their headlights...
:bigbow::bigbow:

[Topspinmo]

Lots of these messages are missing an important point , who goes 35 on Buena Vista or Morse anyway , I certainly don’t lol

Agree, even 35 mph is enough speed for the vehicle to come up to temperature, alternator to put out maximum volts, and transmission to shift. Only think left to do is Jack rabbit start occasionally to fully open up the injectors.

[Bay Kid]

Agree, even 35 mph is enough speed for the vehicle to come up to temperature, alternator to put out maximum volts, and transmission to shift. Only think left to do is Jack rabbit start occasionally to fully open up the injectors.

Dad always said you need to blow the carbon out every now and then. 0-60 in 3.5 seconds!

[charlieo1126@gmail.com]

You do remember we don’t have carburetors anymore??

[BostonRich]

You got ripped off. While true cars need exercise and batteries can fail prematurely on a 2019 vehicle with 15k the battery is under full warranty coverage. Go get your money back.

I know that now. I was suspicious but didn't think it through enough I guess. Checking around it seems like just about every new battery is warrantied for 3 years or 36,000 miles and of course they know that.

I filed a complaint with Seniors vs. Crime.

[nn0wheremann]

Quoth the OP “ So $280 later I say tell the nice officer that you are "speeding" for the health of your car. He will understand.” No the officer will not understand, and you wil purchase an expensive education in Florida law enforcement.

Just take a ride on the big highway and blow the cobwebs out of the motor once in a while.

[BostonRich]

I know that now. I was suspicious but didn't think it through enough I guess. Checking around it seems like just about every new battery is warrantied for 3 years or 36,000 miles and of course they know that.

I filed a complaint with Seniors vs. Crime.

UPDATE: I also wrote to the Pep Boys corporate office. I can now report that Pep Boys refunded me not only the cost of the battery and install but also the oil change and the entire $280 invoice.