Pretty plain design. However, given the price and construction, I'm sure it will last for years. My old 1 is vfb Probably still in bnb in Co. The van I was "stuck" in was fine as was the last time I used it and I used it a lot. Oh, and he's way too fast! Yes, you connect the cables to the battery. Although any fuse you can blow is in the cable part. So there are no damn car stories to discover! Excellent unit. Worth the money and I'm a confirmed cynic!