02 BoxsterS: battery is at the point where it will not start the car but all interior lights work...power windows work...hood/trunk release work. Will a 12V battery tender "juice" it up enough to start? Or will I need something else?

Thanks

 

Is a battery tender like a charger? I say try a charger to see if the battery holds the charge, but if not you'll better off getting a new battery. Had the same issues awhile back and ended up getting a new battery. Good luck

 

Ok,
A tender is just that, it keeps the battery charged with low monitored charging as not to over charge, a charger does just that, charges and shuts off after full charged is reached, they are not interchangeable.
If the battery is not holding a charge you have a dead cell and it needs to be replaced. In most cases when a battery will not start the car it's on it's last leg, so be done and replace it.

 

Thanks, I bought a 660a 12V battery booster ($49) and the car started right up. But yes this battery has been in the car for 5 yrs so I would imagine its probably got limited reliable life left in it. This winter in Chicago has been most brutal. When I bring the car in for pre-season service I'll have the battery changed.

 

Great info - thanks for sharing!!

 

I would change it before you get stuck somewhere and wished you had.

 

Currently I do not drive the car in winter...especially this winter in Chicago. I just start the car once a week and let it run for about 15 mins or so. But, I will surely look to replace the battery come Spring time. In the mean time this battery booster is like a battery within a battery. No need for an AV outlet. Just charge the unit up and put it in the trunk. (dimensions: 8x10") No need for jumper cables or another car to help jump the battery. I would recommend one of these to anyone!

 

Down in the south we don't really have this issue with cars, as the weather is pretty good year round. I do, however, have a boat and jet ski and these are not ridden very often. We actually use Battery Butler and is about half the cost of the Batterytender. We've had good luck with them and they have a decent warranty too. We had a few go bad (we leave these boats covered outside on the dock) due to the elements and they have replaced them at no charge.

 

Letting the battery run down and then boosting it will reduce the overall life of the battery considerably. A battery tender is definitely the way to go. If you don't have an AC outlet near where you park your car and you truly aren't going to drive it over the winter, one option is to remove the battery and bring it inside to where you have an AC outlet nearby, and then put it onto the tender there.