Battery Life/When to Replace?

[Seeker <rfg@xxxxxxx>]

	The battery in my 92 525i, the original battery, went after 8
years. I was parked in my driveway, so when the car wouldn't start, I just
rolled down it, jumped the clutch and went and had a new battery put in.

	On my 96 328i, it started just fine Thursday morning (19 degrees F)
but about three miles later, I stalled at a light.  Turned the key and
nada.  Even the flashers wouldn't work.  Couldn't jump start it from
another battery, so called a tow truck (still under warranty so BMW payed
the tow) and had a new battery put in.  Had to wait almost three hours for
the tow truck and 'bout froze my ass off.

	Asked the two truck driver how to avoid that again and his
suggestion was replace the battery every four years.  Folks who put in the
battery suggested the same thing.  I've always waited until they died in
the past, but in the future, think I'll just go ahead, bite the bullet, and
replace it every four years.

	How often do _you_ replace the battery/how do you handle this
question of batteried that die?

	Thanks,
	Seeker

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