Did I get bad advice ??

Nope; it'll start just fine. I have left mine that way for up to 7 months (Oct-May). Connect the battery, hit start button - starts like it was running yesterday. OF COURSE, this assumes that the battery was fully charged when disconnected and that it's not so old as to be on its last legs anway.

 

I've stored cars over the winter here in the Northeast for many years, and I usually am too lazy to trickle charge them all. I've had mixed results. Often the battery will be fine. Other times I just have to charge it up right before I use it. Occasionally one goes dead over the winter and it's kaput. I suspect it has a lot to do with the condition of the individual battery. But I think it's mostly just a crap shoot without a charger.

 

It will be fine. I do the same with the battery in my 87 328. The battery is at least 4 years old and holds a charge like I bought it yesterday.

 

Heck go to an autopart store half the batteries they sell are at least 8months old.

 

I've heard a good rule of thumb is that batteries lose 1% of charge per day when stored, seems like they've always worked about like that for me.

I'd suspect you'll have to charge it once when you get ready to start again, but sounds like some other guys here have had better results.

 

Batteries are so unpredictable- some last 5 yrs, others 2 months. One can check them constantly with meters/specific gravity balls, etc, still, they quit. Down here, the mottto is "after 2 yrs, dump the battery good or not........

 

just something to keep in mind with batteries, they 'operate' via a chemical reaction, when it gets cold enough the battery will have less available charge due to a slow down in the chemical reaction taking place. charging a really cold battery will also take longer as well.

 

I would never leave a battery alone for any long length of time. Lead acid batteries go 'stale' from inactivity. The best thing to do is get not a trickle charger, but what's referred to (in most circles) as a 'battery maintainer'. Basically it cycles a battery from a discharged to a charged state, over and over as long as it's connected. It doesn't completely discharge a battery, just enough to keeps the plates chemically active. That ongoing chemical activity is what will insure you don't lose a charge, and lose capacity from sulfation.
To really increase the performance and reliability from your battery-get an Optima. Do those fit 308's? I don't have one (yet), so I have no idea....

 

my migi has been sitting since before thanksgiving, outside and uncovered on some cold days and nights. fired right up yesterday. old battery too.

 

Sorry, off topic . . . smg2, your avatar is the bomb!!

 

Just disconnect it and make sure it's not sitting on a cold/wet concrete floor (leave it in the car). Come spring you'll probably have to give it a charge but it should be about as good as when you disconnected it. Never used a charger of any sort for storage, and I've never had a battery go bad or deteriorate.

 

My car has had the same battery for the last 4 years and it starts up every spring after freezing winters. I have an Optima battery. I do start it up a few times during the winter.

 

I went through two bad experiences with battery maintainers which is what led me to the "disconnect and leave 'em alone" philosophy some years ago. As I stated earlier, I have left cars in remote, unheated garages for up to 7 months over winters in NY and MD and no charging was necessary and cars started instantly when batts were reconnected.

I have no problem with chargers/maintainers IF they are monitored. But I would not consider leaving a charger on an unattended battery/vehicle.

FWIW, starting a car over the winter and having it run while just sitting can cause acid to form from combustion products in the oil combining with the moisture that will be generated. The engine will not become warm enough to "boil off" the moisture that will be in the crankcase and the exhaust system. The acid is hard on main/rod bearings and mufflers. If you can take it out for maybe 10-15 miles of operation, it's a good thing. But not running over the winter at all is better if the car isn't going to be driven.

 

I totally agree with you, and sorry for not being clearer earlier, yes, when I can, I start it up and run it around the block till the engine warms up. I also go through all the switches, put the antenna up, turn on the heater, A/C, move the mirrors and put the windows up and down in an effort to keep the electrical all working.

If I can't do that, I just leave it parked.

 

Heres an idea. Get into the car in march and see if it will start. If not throw a charger on it for 1/2 hour and then start it.

 

I just started (or attempted to start) the car for the first time this past weekend and it cranked for a few times and died. I usually pride myself on not using the tenders but this winter did it for my almost 5 yr old battery.

Tenders can be problems when not monitored. So I'd be careful with that.

Ace