I'm of the same opinion too. If my cars batteries are 4 years old or more, I always change them when winter is coming up. I have an Oxford charger/conditioner and I used to leave my touring bike (used a couple of times a year) on it permanently throughout the winter months. Recently sold that and just have the scooter left now but as I’m semi-retired with a free travel card, that’s hardly used these days so I’m going to fit the hard wire kit to that now and leave that on a trickle. Past: FL2 TD4 HSE Auto
Evoque SD4 Dynamic Lux Auto
Present: Audi A3 S Line.

Why would you change your battery so regular ?

I had a Disco 2, from 6 months old, kept it for 10 years and sold it with the same battery. (the original one !)

.

Because these are power hungry and hardly cope as it is from new. I had starting handles once and used them but technology and power required has moved on. FL2 MY10 TD4 GS traded in at 2 years
FL2 MY13 TD4 GS Current

I changed my pickup battery at 6 years old despite it being fine, Might aswell ensure it starts, no point waiting for a fail.
should last until I sell.
I also have use for good used batteries so nothing lost there. -operating gas banger bird scarers in the fields. At work
At home

"I can't always believe facts I read on the web" - Charles Dickens

winner by default of the tractor vs caravan race

That works for sure then as most of the little darlings are now on my allotment.  FL2 MY10 TD4 GS traded in at 2 years
FL2 MY13 TD4 GS Current

Largered wrote:

Why would you change your battery so regular ?

I had a Disco 2, from 6 months old, kept it for 10 years and sold it with the same battery. (the original one !)

.

Largered wrote:

Why would you change your battery so regular ?

Because a car battery only has a service life of 4 years.

It is also Murphy's Law that your car will not start at the most inconvenient time, cold weather making things worse.

A new top quality car battery amortized over 4 years does not cost much & is one less thing to worry about!

In Australia road service is called out due to dead batteries more than any other car problem & we don't even have really cold weather, & you will get a 2 year crappy replacement piece of crap!

Over the last 3 decades I & other half have almost jump started more cars than in a shopping centre car park!

Click image to enlarge

I actually have two sets of these to reach 6 metres which I have used a handful of times because the car was dead in a difficult to reach location. Procrastination, mankind's greatest labour saving device!

Acoustic insulation ARB TPMS 3xARB air compressors After cooler Air tank On-board OCD pressure air/water cleaning Additional 50L fuel Carpet in doors ABE 2x1kg Waeco 28L modified fridge Battery 4x26ah Solar 120w Victron MPPT 100/20 DC-DC 18amps 175amp jumper plug Awning 6x255/60R18

chicken george wrote:

gas banger bird scarers.

Now there's a phrase you don't encounter every day

Yes a phrase also used to describe Young Farmers in a Northallerton night club in the 1970's.  FL2 MY10 TD4 GS traded in at 2 years
FL2 MY13 TD4 GS Current

Hippo wrote:

Is this the same CTEK charger others have? There seems to be several different titles for the same 5amp product. Price seems to vary up to double too.

https://www.tayna.co.uk/battery-chargers/ctek/mxs5-0/

I can confirm that I have successfully trickle charged the Freelander using an Optimate intelligent conditioner via the permanantly live 12v socket in the boot of our 09 GS . The car had been stood outside for 5 days in this freezing weather , and was struggling . Using a 12v male plug adapter sold specifically for Optimate / C-Tek type chargers we left it plugged in overnight , and it cranked like a good’un . My wife is extremely pleased as it is simplicity itself to make the connection . 2009 GS Auto Zermatt Silver - Sold June 21 after 10 years of ownership

2016 Subaru Outback SE 2.0 diesel SE Premium Lineartronic Sold 2024 after 8 years and 80k miles . Best Car I ever owned !

2023 Toyota Hilux invincible X 2.8 Auto .

I've just ordered a Ctek CT5 which is designed for stop/start cars - https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00YBR...&psc=1

Hmmm... mine has a choice of modes, one of which is for AGM batteries.

Are you sure you’ve not bought one with all the other modes stripped out?  2005 D3 2.7 Auto
Previously:
2010 MY FL2 TD4e GS - Now gone at 199,500 miles, about 135,000 of them mine.
‘93 Defender 110 200TDi CSW
‘87 Defender 90 4 cyl Petrol
‘83 110 CSW V8 - best ever!
Range Rover 2-door V8 (not sure of year - 4-speed box and vacuum diff switch)
Series III SWB Diesel

It says it's designed for stop/start batteries but can be used for all other batteries as well - looks easier to use

...and yours was £20 cheaper, which can’t be bad! 2005 D3 2.7 Auto
Previously:
2010 MY FL2 TD4e GS - Now gone at 199,500 miles, about 135,000 of them mine.
‘93 Defender 110 200TDi CSW
‘87 Defender 90 4 cyl Petrol
‘83 110 CSW V8 - best ever!
Range Rover 2-door V8 (not sure of year - 4-speed box and vacuum diff switch)
Series III SWB Diesel