Best battery deal?

92saturnsl2

92saturnsl2

Joined
Mar 2, 2004
Messages
4,102
Location
Kentucky
What do you folks consider the best battery deal?

I need a group 65, Sam's Club has them for about $107. Last time I was in their battery section they were East Penn. Walmart has their Everstart Maxx for around $90. Any reason to choose one over the other? Any others I should be considering? I've been buying Rural King (Exide) batteries but I can't seem to get more than 2-3 years out of them. The last Everstart Maxx I bought lasted 7 years, so it seems that's a safe pick.

The vehicle this is for ('07 Chrysler Pacifica) gets driven infrequently, maybe once or twice a week. Should I consider an AGM battery for this usage scenario?
 
In these parts the Everstart Maxx batteries have been JC, now Clarios, though I've had good luck with them in the past. I last bought one when they were made in the US though, pretty sure they're made south of the border now.
 
I think the WM deal is good (I bought them when they had a 3 year free replacement+ 2 more years prorate, although now they are only 3 year warranty), although the AAA battery deal is better for me. They will drive out and install the battery in my driveway, and for $150, give me a 3 year free replacement+ 3 more year prorate. And I don't have to drive anywhere.
 
I’ve had extremely good luck with Rural King batteries a family member has had one in her car almost 4 years. Made by Exide. I’ve also had good luck with the Sam’s Club Duracell too they have lasted awhile. My preferred battery is Interstate though they are expensive but we have one from 2007 that is still going strong I think Johnson Controls makes them if I remember correctly. The Everstart batteries I haven’t had last past 3 years so we are done with those.
 
For group 65 you can get the wal mart value battery for $49.

Its made in Mexico just like the Maxx, at least around here. I have two cranking my 96 Ram Cummins, and they do fine with the 200A grid heater continuous load.
 
Knowing you want group 65, take a look at each brand, see if it’s maintenance free or if it has caps, and where it was manufactured and by whom. Then apply price and the free replacement guarantee and decide if any of the first items where important to you at all.
 
92saturnsl2 said:
What do you folks consider the best battery deal?

I need a group 65, Sam's Club has them for about $107. Last time I was in their battery section they were East Penn. Walmart has their Everstart Maxx for around $90. Any reason to choose one over the other? Any others I should be considering? I've been buying Rural King (Exide) batteries but I can't seem to get more than 2-3 years out of them. The last Everstart Maxx I bought lasted 7 years, so it seems that's a safe pick.

The vehicle this is for ('07 Chrysler Pacifica) gets driven infrequently, maybe once or twice a week. Should I consider an AGM battery for this usage scenario?
Click to expand...

Which brand you get or where you get it probably does not matter as much as how you are using it. It’s likely having to start the engine each time without being fully charged as a result of sitting so long in between starts. That’s a good way to get a shorter life from the battery.

Get a battery tender/float charger to go along with your new battery purchase, and use it to keep the battery charged up and ready to go regardless of how long it sits before being started again.
 
Advance is off my battery list since discount codes can no longer be used on batteries. Pep Boys has 25 % off batteries pretty frequently.
 
I decided to splurge and go for a Duracell AGM from Sam's Club for $170.

I haven't ever used an AGM battery before so this will be a nice experiment to see if they work well as a standard flooded replacement. I've seen a lot of conflicting info as to whether a standard flooded charging system is appropriate for an AGM, some say yes, some no.

The Rural King (Exide) battery this replaces was about $60 and was put in service in April '17. I consider a 3 year service life substandard, but when considering cost / year it's really not that bad. I figure this new AGM battery will need to last at least 6-7 years for the math to work in its favor. I have my doubts that it will be more cost effective.

On the flip side, it may delay the phone calls at work with the wife nagging "the car won't start!" by a couple years. If I can halve that occurrence to once every 5 years or so instead of 2-3, maybe it's worth the extra cost...
 
Duracell AGM batteries are typically made by East Penn. Should be a very good battery.

If a battery is in the engine compartment the heat certainly will affect it's life to a degree. Then typical running conditions which is seen have an effect too. Stop and go driving will increase temperature in the engine compartment. Whereas running down the road at least will drop the temperature in there.
 
bbhero said:
Duracell AGM batteries are typically made by East Penn. Should be a very good battery.

If a battery is in the engine compartment the heat certainly will affect it's life to a degree. Then typical running conditions which is seen have an effect too. Stop and go driving will increase temperature in the engine compartment. Whereas running down the road at least will drop the temperature in there.
Click to expand...
It is made by East Penn in the US. Battery is located in the engine compartment so it'll see its fair amount of heat in the summer. Fortunately I live in a rural area and this vehicle is either used for short trips or long highway drives, very rarely do we experience stop and go traffic.

I've always been curious how these AGM batteries perform long term compared to a standard flooded battery. I've always gotten 5 years or more out of the premium JCI (now Clarios) flooded batteries (Everstart Maxx, Duralast Gold, etc.) so that's my benchmark. If I get a solid 5+ years with no trouble, I'll be happy.
 
92saturnsl2 said:
It is made by East Penn in the US. Battery is located in the engine compartment so it'll see its fair amount of heat in the summer. Fortunately I live in a rural area and this vehicle is either used for short trips or long highway drives, very rarely do we experience stop and go traffic.

I've always been curious how these AGM batteries perform long term compared to a standard flooded battery. I've always gotten 5 years or more out of the premium JCI (now Clarios) flooded batteries (Everstart Maxx, Duralast Gold, etc.) so that's my benchmark. If I get a solid 5+ years with no trouble, I'll be happy.
Click to expand...


Yeah man that's a good deal...

I drive in usual open highway driving too.

I like East Penn batteries. I have one in my car. I did put a Clarios AGM battery in the lady's 98 Camry. It's a year and a half old now. I'm like you wondering how long it will hold up for. I like her having a good battery in that car.
 
92saturnsl2 said:
It is made by East Penn in the US. Battery is located in the engine compartment so it'll see its fair amount of heat in the summer. Fortunately I live in a rural area and this vehicle is either used for short trips or long highway drives, very rarely do we experience stop and go traffic.

I've always been curious how these AGM batteries perform long term compared to a standard flooded battery. I've always gotten 5 years or more out of the premium JCI (now Clarios) flooded batteries (Everstart Maxx, Duralast Gold, etc.) so that's my benchmark. If I get a solid 5+ years with no trouble, I'll be happy.
Click to expand...
I have an AGM in my Jeep that’ll be 8 this spring. 950 CCA. Zero issues. Didn’t realize it was an AGM until recently.

That said, our Sams club has AGM’s for around $150. Not sure on the model numbers though.

We don’t have a membership though. The father in law took us there for the wife’s new glasses. “My” dog broke her old pair.
 
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