AGM Battery: Worth it?

[ET16]

I am shopping for a battery for my Saab 9-3 (H6, group 48). Is an AGM battery worth the extra cost for me?

 

[Donald]

I believe if you can get one from Walmart or NAPA on sale then it might be worth it. But paying over $300 for an Odyssey or Northstar or spiral wound does not seem to make financial sense to me at least.

You may have to hunt around on Walmart website to find them. Not every Walmart has them Unsure of your size also.

Most newer car charging systems are flexible enough to handle a normal AGM battery. You can also email East Penn an ask them. They will respond in a day or two.

 

[joekingcorvette]

I just bought one for the Jeep a couple years ago and bought a new one for my Ford F-150 a month and a half ago. I am not sure if they are worth the extra money yet. It was under $200 out the door but probably worth it.

 

[Zee09]

I have bought several from Pep Boys at a deep discount.
What is the extra cost you speak of?

 

[Kawiguy454]

I did a lot of searches a few years back and the spiral wound didn't seem to hold up as well as vanilla sealed AGM at much less cost. If you want a battery to last longer shielding it from under hood heat can help.

 

[Jake_J]

Short answer is no, unless you're using it in some extreme application like racing. They don't really last any longer than regular lead acid batteries or supply more reserve capacity or CCA.

 

[Wolf359]

It's worth it if the factory came with an AGM battery, otherwise I think the charging profile is slightly different for AGM vs regular flooded batteries. For a Saab I probably wouldn't bother.

 

[ET16]

Thanks for replies!