jerseydrew

i went into the garage and noticed the battery tender was still red even after being plugged in for 3 days. pulled the tender and bat was at 12.9 started car and went for a drive. volt meter running at about 14.5 came home and shut the car off. tested bat again and voltage was at 12.3.

battery is original should i just bite the bullet and go get a new one?

jerseydrew

after sitting for 20 min now its at 12.43

Dan_the_C5_Man

In general, batteries can be expected to last around 5 years.. If you've managed to get 7 out of it, I wouldn't press your luck.

Better to replace it now than to be stuck in a parking lot somewhere. -ds-

Too-Fast

Yep, battery is probably done at 7 years, I would change it.

Landru

Good question, I'm in the same boat. Original Delco in my '08.
Actually a leftover '08 bought 03/09. New cell had to be installed day after delivery since car sat over a year in the showroom waiting for a buyer. Died very next day.

Since then though it's on a maintainer whenever not used. Been religious about this, too. After all these years battery seems strong, starts crisply. I'll be watching for something flakey to start & move immediately replacing it.

Sounds like yours is just starting to flake out, it's in the process of failing. New cell now would be a wise move.

AzDave47

Time for a new battery. If you do it yourself, search the site for batteries and save yourself a lot of grief.

The biggest issue is getting the old battery out. A $4 battery strap makes it easy. Duct tape has also been used. When the old battery is out, duct tape the bottom of the holddown bolts so they do not fall out of the bottom holes. Also, I used a trickle charger plugged into the lighter plug and did not have to reindex the windows or reset anything else. Many of us like the Autozone Gold for the Z, which is vented as required and can be replaced all over the country at an AZ store.

It's a no pain 10 minute job if you do it right and lots of blood and *&%&R&* if you don't.

Gary '09 C6

I just had the shop I use replace the original battery in mine last week...car was built May '10, so the battery was at least 5.5 yrs old.

Always keep it on a tender, but the tender recently died so the battery was severely weakened. Must have been a power surge
or nearby ground lightning strike to fry the tender. Replaced the tender as well.

OP, don't push your luck and risk being stranded/inconvenienced...time for a new battery !

LEJ ZO6

A new battery costs less than $100.

Change it out.

jerseydrew

i'll go pick up an Autozone one soon. i've heard getting the old one out is sorta a PITA. but i've had some PITA projects before.

AzDave47

See my post #6 to avoid PITA issues.

mikes08z06

Still on the factory battery on my 08 Z06. Consistently keep it on a battery tender with no signs of death yet. First sign of weakness and it's gone, but the battery tender seems to be important to extending battery life. I'll wait and see.

GMuffley

Original battery from May 2007 still measures strong. Certainly not typical.

jerseydrew

That was honestly the easiest and fastest battery replacement I've ever done. It did help to know before hand about that stupid vent hose though that would've caught me up had I not known about it. As far as getting the old battery out I don't understand why people make such a fuss out of it, to vice grips act as handles perfectly.