I have had two batteries go completely bad to the point they wont hold a charge in the last month. One was a older battery that I used for several years, and left in the cold for six months, but the second was only three weeks old, brand new. NAPA and Autozone both tested the system and battery, and diagnosed a bad battery and good charging system.

The batteries are shot, not just dying frequently. Any ideas?

 

Maybe they were actually bad batteries?

 

Thats very possible, I just don't want to buy a new battery. Its just funny timing two have two go bad

 

you'll save yourself a lot of headache if you purchase your batteries from a place like AutoZone where your covered 100% on a warranty for up to 3 years. Plus that typically involves reinstallation too. Working there, i have seen some batteries just be duds even if the car is fine. The way the mass manufacturing is today, they could have had an issue with a batch and just passed it on down the line to make it someone else's problem

 

Vehicle batteries will go bad if drained and left that way
"One was a older battery that I used for several years, and left in the cold for six months"

This one was shot and killed, it didn't "fail"

New battery probably has a short in one of the 6 cells, it happens, so it will self drain.

New used to mean "it works"
New now means "never tested"

 

I bought a battery from Walmart 7 years ago and have never paid for a battery since, once it dies I exchange it. Easy enough

 

Go to a dealership and get a motorcraft battery. My original battery lasted about eight years, and the motorcraft I bought to replace it is about seven years old. They are expensive though. I think about $100.

 

$100 is not expensive for a battery

 

Well I've bought one battery in the past fifteen years and it seemed expensive compared the $50 one I bought years before it. :)