Which wears battery down faster: car sitting for 4 days, or driving 2 miles twice per week?

Asked by GuruBPFC9 Jan 14, 2019 at 04:38 PM about the 1990 Acura Integra RS Coupe FWD

Question type: General

Does driving a car only a few miles, twice a week cause more wear on the
battery than letting the car sit for 4 days in a row?

4 Answers

Many factors can affect the life of a car battery. To answer your question correctly - If you drive your car 2xs a week for an avg trip of 1.5 hours you can be rest assured that the battery is being well maintained by the alternator barring any negative factors. Negative factors can include extreme heat, extreme cold, faulty charging system, a bad cell, or a draw on the battery when vehicle not in use just to name a few. As a CSA for a National Auto Center, I always recommend using a battery tender when your not going to use your car frequently. A good battery tender costs on avg $45.00 (with automatic features) and will maintain your battery at optimal performance while the vehicle is not in use, and essentially will extend the life of the battery.

Neither is significant unless the battery is drained from sitting for 4 days.

Thank you. I was just wondering if there's a bigger drain on the battery from a very short drive (2 miles) twice a week vs. letting the car sit for 4 days (and then driving it for a few miles). Or is a 10-mile drive once per week better than a 2-mile drive twice per week?

Your Answer:

Integra

Looking for a Used Integra in your area?

CarGurus has 174 nationwide Integra listings starting at $32,993.

Postal Code:

CarGurus Experts

  • #1
    Logan Saunders
    Reputation
    400
  • #2
    MichaelTK
    Reputation
    320
  • #3
    Felicia Allen
    Reputation
    290
View All

Find great deals from top-rated dealers

Search

Related Models For Sale

Used Honda Civic
199 Great Deals out of 4,076 listings starting at $2,995
Used Honda Accord
47 Great Deals out of 986 listings starting at $1,995
Used BMW 3 Series
67 Great Deals out of 1,239 listings starting at $2,950
Used Toyota Camry
68 Great Deals out of 1,090 listings starting at $3,500
Used Chevrolet Corvette
26 Great Deals out of 1,084 listings starting at $15,000
Used Toyota Supra
4 Great Deals out of 75 listings starting at $49,777
Used BMW M3
4 Great Deals out of 93 listings starting at $15,995

Content submitted by Users is not endorsed by CarGurus, does not express the opinions of CarGurus, and should not be considered reviewed, screened, or approved by CarGurus. Please refer to CarGurus Terms of Use. Content will be removed if CarGurus becomes aware that it violates our policies.