Date:         Wed, 3 Oct 2007 15:52:50 -0700
Reply-To:     Loren Busch <starwagen@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Loren Busch <starwagen@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Tale of a Failed Battery
Comments: To: Wetwesties <Wetwesties@yahoogroups.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

This is a positive and a negative report on products and service from Budget
Battery, a chain of battery only stores here in the NW.
Lesson summary:  Budget Batteries can fail but Budget makes good on their
warranty BUT if you buy local your SOL if the battery fails a long way from
home.
Details
Last March I needed a new starting battery for my '90 Westy. I went to a
local store, Budget Battery, total cost $76 with tax, etc.  More than
Walmart, less than FLAPS but included install and disposal of the old
battery.
Two weeks ago, in the middle of a three week trip, and as I was approaching
Glacier National Park, it quit.  12.5v when I parked, 10.5 in the morning,
and I'd put an amp meter on it the night before to make sure there was zero
draw. Seven month old battery had gone bad.
So into Kelispel and Walmart and an hour later back on the road with a new
starting battery.  I paid the $9 core charge and kept the old battery so I
could find out what Budget would do about it.  Found out today.  No refund,
pro rated I paid just under $9 and got a new battery that I have no use for
(see other post).
One note here.  I had run the battery stone dead once and very low on one
other occasion.  But, that was four months and many miles ago.  I have to
assume that the abuse plus a bad battery combined to destroy it.