[DeTomaso] Best Battery These Days?

[audionut at hushmail.com]

Nobody is going to believe this, but--
I purchased my car in Jan 2006 from Mayberry Lincoln-Mercury with a
brand new Ford Motorcraft battery.
It still works like a champ.  
I keep it on a cheap modern electronic charger 24/7.  I pull it out
once a year to keep the cable connections/terminals/plastic case clean
and top the cells w/distilled water.
Sometimes it doesn't need water for another year or two.
Without diligent charging and good hygiene a batteries' ability to
accept and maintain a charge slowly declines.  We tend to charge them
sporadically thinking that it must be good because it accepted a
charge but this can be an illusion.  Batteries will accept a charge
right up to the point of death giving us no warning as to its' state
of health.  
Surprised and annoyed by our batteries' unexpected death, we head out
to buy another one while our lady sits around waiting.  After a nice
drive we return home, park the car and catch a football game.   The
new battery gets treated like shit just like the last one.  
Take it from a guy who owns several cars and way too many motorcycles.
 I have made every battery mistake that can be made.  
Unless you drive your car at least every other day, the battery is
going to go bad slowly and imperceptibly over time.  New batteries
start to go bad sitting on the shelf at AutoZone.  We buy new ones
thinking that it will easily last through it's warranty but if the
battery sat in the mfg warehouse and then also at the retail store, it
is already well on its' way to a premature death.  (Maintaining
motorcycle batteries in various vintage machines tends give one a
slow, brutal lesson in battery maintenance).    
Apparently, with my Pantera's Motorcraft unit I must've got lucky with
a "freshie" that didn't sit around for very long as new.  Either that
or it is magic.
Which brand is best?  In my experience, brand means next to nothing. 
Buy the one you think looks cool.  Just keep it clean, keep it charged
and keep the cells filled.  
(And don't fall for that "sealed/no maintenance required" nonsense) 
 Sent using Hushmail
On 9/17/2019 at 6:04 AM, "Mark Pinson via DeTomaso"  wrote:What's the
conventional wisdom on the best, latest and greatest battery for our
Panteras these days?
Thanks in advance,
-------------- next part --------------
   Nobody is going to believe this, but--

   I purchased my car in Jan 2006 from Mayberry Lincoln-Mercury with a
   brand new Ford Motorcraft battery.

   It still works like a champ.

   I keep it on a cheap modern electronic charger 24/7.  I pull it out
   once a year to keep the cable connections/terminals/plastic case clean
   and top the cells w/distilled water.

   Sometimes it doesn't need water for another year or two.

   Without diligent charging and good hygiene a batteries' ability to
   accept and maintain a charge slowly declines.  We tend to charge them
   sporadically thinking that it must be good because it accepted a charge
   but this can be an illusion.  Batteries will accept a charge right up
   to the point of death giving us no warning as to its' state of health.


   Surprised and annoyed by our batteries' unexpected death, we head out
   to buy another one while our lady sits around waiting.  After a nice
   drive we return home, park the car and catch a football game.   The new
   battery gets treated like shit just like the last one.

   Take it from a guy who owns several cars and way too many motorcycles.
    I have made every battery mistake that can be made.

   Unless you drive your car at least every other day, the battery is
   going to go bad slowly and imperceptibly over time.  New batteries
   start to go bad sitting on the shelf at AutoZone.  We buy new ones
   thinking that it will easily last through it's warranty but if the
   battery sat in the mfg warehouse and then also at the retail store, it
   is already well on its' way to a premature death.  (Maintaining
   motorcycle batteries in various vintage machines tends give one a slow,
   brutal lesson in battery maintenance).

   Apparently, with my Pantera's Motorcraft unit I must've got lucky with
   a "freshie" that didn't sit around for very long as new.  Either that
   or it is magic.

   Which brand is best?  In my experience, brand means next to nothing.
   Buy the one you think looks cool.  Just keep it clean, keep it charged
   and keep the cells filled.

   (And don't fall for that "sealed/no maintenance required" nonsense)



   Sent using Hushmail
   On 9/17/2019 at 6:04 AM, "Mark Pinson via DeTomaso"
   <detomaso at server.detomasolist.com> wrote:

     What's the conventional wisdom on the best, latest and greatest
     battery for our Panteras these days?
     Thanks in advance,