I'm considering buying a Makita combo pack BDF452 drill/driver and BTD142HW impact driver, which come with 18volt 1.5ah lithium-ion batteries.
One issue that I'm concerned about is the 'shelf life' of
rechargeable lithium ion batteries used in power tools, with the criticism from one allegedly authoritative source
being that they lose capacity over time to the point that after several years (three?) replacement is necessary.
http://www.batteryuniversity.com/parttwo-34.htm
...the online user written encylopedia, wikipedia (sp?) says the same thing, but its references on this point are the same above hypertexted source
.... the makita and dewalt website are silent on this point, with dewalt mentioning primarily lower weight/smaller size as advantages.....
.... I believe that some have had several years experience with lithium ion power tools and ask you to share your experience on this point
thanks
michael