CAR BATTERY Check before your journey

you need to check your car battery even before summertime

Summertime can be hell on your car and motorcyclebatteries. Especially if you live in hot and dry climates in “Southern Europe” this could be the “American South west and Texas”. When summer temperatures could reach 30 degrees C and more, the combination of the heat in the air and evaporation can quickly drain the life out of your car batteries. Add that to the fact that the average car battery only lasts between two and three years then who’s to guess that you'll probably have to replace the battery in your car, truck, or motorcycle at least one June or July every few of years.

Before you start off on that summer road trip it's a good idea to have your battery checked at your local battery store and make sure everything is running al-right. A simple battery charge test will show you just how much power your battery has and whether or not it's able to continually hold a good level of charge.

If the battery power is low or not charging correctly then it's probably time to change that battery with a new one. After all, the last thing you want is to be stranded at a service area because your car won't start, waiting for roadside assistance to arrive from hours away. In other words, a dead car battery can really put a damper on that family road trip.

But surviving the summer's heat and 200 mile trip to some “ theme park” doesn't necessarily mean your car battery is in the clear. Winter can be just as harsh on car batteries, especially in bone chilling temperatures, snow, and ice.

Car Batteries often fail under freezing winter conditions and if you are sitting in the summer heat without the comfort of air conditioning while waiting for help to get to you is bad, just imagine sitting in subzero temperatures with no heat, similar to the poor people trapped on the M11 motorway the other year with a flat battery, waiting for relief from the impending frost bite. Winter driving is dangerous enough; the last thing you want to risk is a flat battery.

Don’t risk a dead car battery

But some people avoid replacing worn batteries, even after the first signs of failure. They rely on jump lead starts and recharges to get by, because they mistakenly believe replacing that old damaged battery is going to be too costly.

Fortunately car batteries can found online for just about every make and model of car, truck or motorcycle. You can even find lawn mower and marine batteries for a fraction of the cost at the major automotive store making finding your car batteries online, a good way to help keep your car running smoothly and keep a little extra cash in your pocket.