John Sanborn and his 1985 Volkswagen Westfalia.

One Interstate Batteries® fan doesn’t recommend everyone treat their batteries the way he did – but it was comforting to learn this battery could take what he dished out.

About five years ago, Alaska resident John Sanborn bought an Interstate for his 1985 Volkswagen Westfalia van he calls Gypsy. Since a four-wheel drive truck is John’s go-to car for harsh Alaskan winters, Gypsy the van gets road-time seven months out of the year. Three extreme winters killed Gypsy’s battery three times, and John brought it back three times. That’s some rough treatment – but Gypsy’s Interstate was still ready to come to the rescue.

Just a few weeks ago, John and his wife were driving from Denali National Park – more than 300 miles north of home – when their alternator went out. John reached to a mechanic he knows in Anchorage, 140 miles away from the park.

In Alaska, moose think they're dependable, but Interstate Batteries prove Outrageously Dependable. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

“He agreed the alternator was probably bad and that I should not drive, as the battery would go dead and the vehicle not run,” John said. “I dismissed his directions and drove all 140 miles on just a battery!”

Not only did the Gypsy’s Interstate battery get the Sanborns to Anchorage, but it had enough power to crank the engine – twice. At one stop, John checked the belt on the alternator and then moved Gypsy to the gas pumps. After the engine check and fill up, “Gypsy started right up (thank goodness),” John said, and drove the remaining 110 miles to his mechanic at Estey Auto in Anchorage.

“My mechanic could not believe it when I drove up to his shop that same day. I shut off the engine, and the battery was too low of a charge to even crank the engine,” John said. “The mechanic replaced the alternator, and the battery has been recharged.”

Estey Auto already sells Interstate, but after Gypsy’s incredible trek across Alaska, “To say the very least both the mechanic and I are most impressed with Interstate Batteries!” John said.

Do you have an Outrageously Dependable story? Share it with us! Email it to socialmedia@interstatebatteries.com. If we publish your story, we’ll send you some Interstate gear.

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By Youssef Sleiman (25 Posts)

Youssef Sleiman writes and reports the powerful news at Interstate Batteries.