Because of this common symptom, but simple fix, I wonder how many Pep Boys, Sears or other garages less honest would have performed the "simple" repair instead of selling the owner a new battery (assuming the old one was still okay)? That's why you see so many used batteries for sale at the battery shops. They were yanked and replaced. All they needed was a charge or a new cable or a thorough cleaning of the connections. Does everyone have a battery post cleaning tool in their tool box?
The lesson here for others is to not assume something is wrong until it's fully diagnosed and verified. Replacing parts is always easier than proper diagnosis though more costly (to the consumer).
Sherwood Lee
http://members/rennlist.org/911pcars