Replacing the Battery

I just bought a 2006 Tacoma V6 and noticed that it is still running the original battery, from mid 2006, and 100k miles. Should I bother replacing it before it goes bad or not bother until it goes?

 

Just carry jumper cables with you and once your battery dies then go buy a new one. It could last 5 more years or 5 more minutes, who knows?

 

Please see Section 7 on the Car and Deep Cycle Battery FAQ on www.batteryfaq.org for information on battery replacement. Depending on where you live, you are near or at the end of the average life expectancy. If I had to depend on my truck starting, especially in bad weather or unsafe conditions, I would replace my battery.

 

i keep one of these with me
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Schumacher-XP500-Jump-Starter/15140203
for all those times when.. ya know.. the battery dies after sitting for 14 days at the dock with the interior light on...

 

Did this when I was still a commercial fisherman. Coming back to a dead truck was so irritating.

 

I've made it my practice to replace batteries at the 4 year mark. While I may be giving up some useful battery life, I don't want my vehicles stranded for trying to milk out another $10-$15 of use out of an old battery. I don't know why, but the past several years I've seen many batteries die a sudden death instead of gradually getting weaker. Those that weaken can be jump started, the others couldn't be jump started.