True. Reading all the posts of dead OEM batteries had me concerned. I guess I'm going to replace mine next year (3 years). I bought it June 2021 with a Build Date of May 2021.Without a battery maintainer on the stored battery, six months would be about the limit, I think. I know Interstate checks dates and rotates stock at their independent retailers.
Why wait? If you're going to buy a battery in advance, why not install it then? What happens if you tie up $2-300 and your battery decides to enter another dimension when you're a hundred miles from home? That H8 at home on the shelf isn't going to help you any.
I didn't wait for grief. I replaced my battery at 3 years. Maybe I threw away a year's worth of battery, maybe not. But it is worth it for peace of mind. There's too much electrical stuff in these trucks to risk it.
I'm partial to the Walmart EverStart Maxx brand. I've been using it on all my vehicles for over 10yrs. I replace every 4 years. The Everstart Platinum H8 is about $170. I might go ahead and buy one if it I ever see it in stock when I go to Walmart.
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