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I have vw golf 2004 that needs its battery replaced. The battery is four years old. The battery the car got when it was new lasted 8 years. My dad said as the car gets older it ruins the battery faster. I am wondering is this incorrect?
If it is not surely it is a matter of a new alternator or something. I am not sure why else this would be the case.
My car had it's original battery for 12 years, the next, an aftermarket one, lasted 4 years. But it lives outside now and the first owner kept it in a garage.
I know that the quiescent drain has not changed and I don't leave the interior light on etc but aftermarket batteries, especially the cheaper ones, don't seem to have the life of the OEM ones.
My opinion based on my experience.
The age of the car usually should not influence the lifespan of the battery. Battery failure is normally related to sulfate deposits on the cell plates within the battery. This can be affected by a number of factors, most of which have to do with the design of the battery's components. Higher-tier batteries tend to have better plate design with corrugations and/or meshing to achieve higher surface area presentation and minimize points where deposits might accrue.
That being said, battery performance could be affected if your car's electrical system has a poor ground (typically due to corrosion in the battery cables or at the terminal ends) or a parasitic drain from some component not shutting off properly.
Check both battery cables and their terminals, including the ring lugs where they connect to the power distribution block, chassis or engine block. Clean and tighten those as necessary. If it looks like corrosion has spread down the cable underneath the insulation, replace the cables as required. You can also take your car to an auto parts store or mechanic's shop and ask them to perform an electrical system test (auto parts stores often do a basic test for free) to determine if there is a parasitic drain or charging problem.
