Paid $60 for a second battery in my work truck and it saved me a $250 tow
Six months ago my truck wouldn't start in a Home Depot lot in Fresno and I had to call a tow. The guy charged me $250 just to jump it and follow me to a shop. He said one dead battery can pull down the other in a truck like mine. So I spent $60 on a second battery and a cheap wrench set, watched a 4 minute video, and did it myself in my driveway. Last Tuesday it was 41 degrees and my truck fired right up while the guy parked next to me was begging for cables. I used to think paying someone was just easier, but now I check both batteries every oil change. Anyone else carry a spare in the truck or is that overkill?
Kept a jump pack in my wife's car for two winters straight and never touched it once. Then my brother in law borrowed it for his boat and I forgot about the whole thing until my car died at a gas pump. Had to beg some dude in a Tacoma for a jump while my $80 pack sat in a garage across town. Point is you can carry all the gear you want but if you don't actually check it or keep it where you need it, it's just junk taking up space. The second battery works because you wired it in and see it every time you pop the hood.