[T3] Backup Car

[jadney at vwtype3.org]

Our usual car is a 2015 TDI (Diesel) Golf. It's been a great car, but it has a 
cold weather weakness. It has a heater for the DEF (DIesel Emission Fluid) 
tank, because the DEF can freeze if it gets much below 32 F. The car turns 
on its heater at some temp that I don't know, so, each fall, I get surprised by 
a nearly dead battery if it turns cold and we haven't needed the car for a few 
days. This happened last week, when we were headed to an appt. that we 
really needed to make.

Melissa's first response was to call and cancel the appt, but I said, let's see if 
the Square will start. It hadn't been driven more than around the block in 
about a year, but it's got a solar panel that I installed to keep the battery from 
going flat. It's also got one of my priming switch kits installed, so filling the 
fuel ring is straightforward.  

It was tough getting it started, but the battery was good and, with time, our 
'73 Square coughted and started. So our OLD VW saved us when the 
modern one let us down.

Since then, I've installed the battery maintainer on the Golf for the winter, so 
we plug that in whenever it's parked. With that, it should be fine for the rest 
of the winter.


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Jim Adney, jadney at vwtype3.org
Madison, Wisconsin, USA
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