Originally Posted by Jim in Idaho
Turns out the battery was indeed bad. Took it to Les Schwab for their free battery test and their little computer said it was "bad". The guy didn't give any detailed explanation of what exactly was wrong with it, just "sometimes it happens". Anyway, they gave me a new one under warranty, in and out in 25 minutes.

I'll monitor the engine starting response for a while but it seems that all's well that ends well, plus I learned a couple of new things about car batteries from this thread so thanks for everybody's contributions.
Les Schwab's reputation is taking a beating but my partner bought a set of new E tires from them this spring. It's an off brand name but they said they're US made Coopers. Where he lives, they're still the best for service and warranty. The tires look pretty good and he says they're very quiet. He said he ended up spending about $100 more for them but figures it's worth it for the service.


“In a time of deceit telling the truth is a revolutionary act.”
― George Orwell

It's not over when you lose. It's over when you quit.