The AutoCraft Gold battery in the Mercedes 300D lasted 7 years
Posted By RichC on December 16, 2018
If you can get 7 years out of a car battery, that pretty good. I usually start watching them in my daily driver after 5 years, but this hefty 950 cold cranking amp AutoCraft Gold battery doesn’t have to work everyday … although sitting might be even harder on a lead acid battery? In any case, it started the car every time up until about a week ago, and then it didn’t. 
It went completely D-E-A D showing only 9.05 volts on my tester. Shocking as sort of expected a little more warning.
What was really surprising is that even sitting overnight on a charger and with a 400 amp jump-starter pack, the Mercedes 300D Turbodiesel wouldn’t start the car (heavy old diesels are hard to turn over, especially when it is a bit colder and need to also heat glow plugs). Eventually I did get it boosted after fully charging the battery, jumper pack and setting my charger to a 50 amp booster.
Whew … I think I need to find a new battery. Should I go traditional lead acid again, an AGM or should I retrofit one of those fancy spiralcell Optima batteries? I do have plenty of room in my fairly new battery tray.
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