8 Year Old Car Battery + 20 Degrees F = No Go

Yesterday I had a need to go the bank.  Get my son in the car, strap him in, sit down, put the key in the ignition and turn the key.

Nothing.  Turn the key again, and I finally get a ve-e-e-e-ery slow crank, but the car starts.  Once Big Red gets moving of her own accord, she’s happy!  We drive, handle the bank (drive through), get back home, and the red-headed lady is still raring to go.

This morning was a different story.  She wanted nothing to do with starting.  I tried using the 12V power adaptor jumper my parents got for me a few years back.  It fits, but doesn’t seem to charge the car from my wife’s still-strong PT Cruiser.  I finally break down and do a standard jump from the battery using proper connections to Red: nothing directly attached to the battery, as it says to in the owner’s manual.  Let her charge for a few minutes and we’ll be good, right?

Rerr…  Dead… 

I give up and do a direct Terminal-to-Terminal link.  I know, cringe in fear for improper connections.  But, it started the car.  Yay!