Nissan Repair: Best Replacement Battery, nissan maxima se, dee dee

Question
URGENT REQUEST!

A Nissan repair technician recently told me my original car battery for my 2002 nissan maxima se will need to be replaced soon because it only registered 177? instead of 500?when they ran a general diagnostic check-up on the car.  The nissan battery the dealer recommended is suppose to last 84 months and costs $99; the labor cost is about $50.

I have to leave my car in an airport garage for 8 days over the Thanksgiving holiday and don't want to return to a car that will not start.  Should I replace the working battery now? Is the dealer's cost about average or much higher than comparable batteries offered at general auto parts stores?

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

DEE  

Answer
Dee,

$100 bucks is within reason.  I hate to spend $50 on the install though.  But, the dealer would do it right and the dealership will back the battery.  I personally like Interstate Batteries.  But, currently have Nissan batteries in both cars.  So, you are not getting taken and I would replace the battery now.  A car battery looses 1 percent of it's charge, on average, a day due to current draw on various systems like the computer.