Car battery advice needed.

[badtlc]

Originally Posted By: Nukeman7
There are only 3 major manufacturers of conventional car batteries sold in the U.S.: Exide, Johnson Controls Industries and East Penn. The Exides are garbage, but JCI and East Penn are good batteries. Costco sells Interstate labeled JCI batteries and Sam's Club carries Duracell labeled East Penn units at a decent everyday price. Otherwise, you can use an Advance Auto discount code to get an Autocraft labeled JCI battery at a reasonable price. JCI makes most of the Sears Die Hard batteries.


Enersys is also a MAJOR battery maker in this country and their thin plate pure lead design is the best in the business but they are not cheap. They make a lot of batteries for other labels. I know Interstate has a line up of enersys batteries. I think they are P7 or something like that.

 

[Donald]

Originally Posted By: Eosyn
My Corolla, which I purchased new, will be 10 yrs old this April and is still using the original battery. During the cold spell we are having here in Michigan, it is taking longer and more cranking to get it started. I am thinking it's time to start researching into a new battery.

The only thing I know about car batteries is how to install them. In the past, I just go to Sears, tell them the vehicle I was buying for and they'd sell me a battery. I take it home, install it and works fine. They've all been Die Hards but this time I'm looking for something better, maybe? Recommendations and advice on what to look for and brands will all be considered and appreciated. Thanks in advance.


Get your battery tested with a Midtronics conductive battery tester.

Look for date codes on new battery. Get the newest in the rack.

Walmart MAXX rates highest on Consumer Reports ratings for almost every group size.

Avoid Exide.

 

[Donald]

Originally Posted By: Eosyn
Oh and another question. Sears takes my old battery and gives me something like a $10.00 off the new battery. Do other places do that or is that just a Sears thing?


This is normally mandated by state laws so batteries and their lead get recycled. It can vary I think. But $5 to $10 is normal. A scrap yard may give you more $$.

 

[bradepb]

Ok, you guys have me thinking about Exide now. We get them from our federated supplier and have been using them for a few years.

I just went out in the shop and checked the pile of batteries we changed this week during the cold snap. Three out of 10 are Exide with a date stamp of Jan. 2012. exactly 3 years which is not terrible for our heavy usage.These are 31 series top post heavy duty and most vehicles take 2 or 3 batteries and it is not unusual to change out 3 year old batteries with our usage.

May have to consider another brand but we get most of our parts now from Napa or federated,. I don't really want to deal with a battery supplier.

 

[RhondaHonda]

I'd go to the Toyota dealer for a battery if the original lasted 10 years.

 

[Eosyn]

Okay, Thank you SayJac for the code. Bought the Gold from AAP with 640 CCA and total price with the core charge refund came to $92.02 due to 6% tax. At least it was under 100!

Now to snow blow the drive way and go and get it installed.

You guys rock!

PS: How often should I replace the battery?

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: sayjac
At AAP Grp 35 Auto Craft Gold, three year full replacement warranty, $137.99 with core ($18) return. Use online code WD51A(expires 1/10 11:59ET), 35% off $50+, final cost with core return $89.69.

Made by Johnson Controls. Silver ~$20 less but only 2 year warranty. Gold worth the extra imo.


The AAP pricing was the best bet for our recent battery replacement.

Costco has "interstate" batteries, but I think the jury may be out on them currently, they are not truly interstate batteries.

Ive personally not had great luck with the WM batteries, which is another factor why we went with AAP.

If you can go to AAP and scout out the batteries first, it is good. The important thing, regardless of vendor you go with, is to try to buy the newest battery you can, and they do typically have date stickers on them now... Then, after installing and getting home, Id put a smart charger on it to properly top it off.

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: Eosyn
Okay, Thank you SayJac for the code. Bought the Gold from AAP with 640 CCA and total price with the core charge refund came to $92.02 due to 6% tax. At least it was under 100!

Now to snow blow the drive way and go and get it installed.

You guys rock!

PS: How often should I replace the battery?




Aaah, I didnt read to the end. Good choice.

How often should you replace? Optimally you would load or conductance test your batteries before the cold season and condemn them based upon that (or leaks, etc). But your powers of observation worked well here...

 

[Rand]

I've had a few exide batteries in used cars and equipment..

They are the only ones that grow fuzzy posts and terminals fast.

A V O I D !


Best deal right now is the AAP gold or silver.

Sometimes you can get the silver for 106-50$ coupon(when its available)
56$

The AAP gold battery is usually around 130-140$ and you can also use a 50$ off or 35% off code.

They are good batteries.

Best batteries around right now are diehard platinum AGM series. but you will pay 220$-250$

so its not worth it IMO.

 

[bubbatime]

Originally Posted By: Eosyn
PS: How often should I replace the battery?


That's a regional thing and personal preference. Down here, practically zero batteries last more than 36 months.

On my wife's car, I don't want her to get stranded, so she gets a new battery about every 3 years no matter what. On my car, I have jumper cables and know how to fix things, so I'll run the battery until it gives up the ghost.

 

[Bgallagher]

I've had good luck with interstate and the duralast gold batteries

 

[4wheeldog]

Originally Posted By: RhondaHonda
I'd go to the Toyota dealer for a battery if the original lasted 10 years.


The OEM battery in my '05 Tacoma lasted until this past spring.....9+ years, and only replaced because it cranked slow after sitting for 6 weeks. It was a Johnson Control, 27F (Big Boy!), which was part of the 110ac outlet upgrade.

I wonder if Toyota just does a better job of getting fresh stock into their vehicles, and maybe actually tops off the charge before putting them in service (Something that is frequently neglected, and I believe has much to do with ultimate longevity.)

 

[RF Overlord]

Going against the convention here, I have an Exide-made battery in the DD in my sig, that came out of the other car in my sig earlier this year...I've had it for at least 5-6 years and it's still going strong, even in the 3° weather we've had in the last couple days.

 

[Nate1979]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Originally Posted By: sayjac
At AAP Grp 35 Auto Craft Gold, three year full replacement warranty, $137.99 with core ($18) return. Use online code WD51A(expires 1/10 11:59ET), 35% off $50+, final cost with core return $89.69.

Made by Johnson Controls. Silver ~$20 less but only 2 year warranty. Gold worth the extra imo.


The AAP pricing was the best bet for our recent battery replacement.

Costco has "interstate" batteries, but I think the jury may be out on them currently, they are not truly interstate batteries.

Ive personally not had great luck with the WM batteries, which is another factor why we went with AAP.

If you can go to AAP and scout out the batteries first, it is good. The important thing, regardless of vendor you go with, is to try to buy the newest battery you can, and they do typically have date stickers on them now... Then, after installing and getting home, Id put a smart charger on it to properly top it off.


Can you explain why people think the Interstate batteries at Costco are not Interstate?

 

[tomcat27]

my toyota came with a Panasonic AGM battery that lasted 11 years. not sure if the one in your corolla is AGM or not. regardless, as others have said, choose one of the Johnson Control batteries: they are well-proven, and will certainly cost under 150. Sears (and the others) can switch suppliers at any time, but the Die Hard, the Walmart Maxx, and the Gold from Autozone, Advanced should all be JC batteries and serve you well.

I worked with a consultant who worked at JC helping to set up their production quality systems; and for me its a local company. no reason to not use them. I tried a Penn battery from Sams (labelled as a Duracell) and I had a weird problem with it after a year. it made my lights flicker constantly. a mechanic friend told me that my flickering propblem was not my alternator or my regulator - rather is was bad capacitance in the battery. I thought he was crazy. but I changed out my Penn battery for a JC and no more light fickering

 

[Kuato]

Replace today, avoid Exide.

 

[HerrStig]

Originally Posted By: Nebroch
Probably they don't sell batteries with Varta or Bosch brand in U.S.
+1

 

[HerrStig]

Originally Posted By: Dufus2
Avoid Exide if possible.. In the past 15 years, I have used the economy series battery from Wal-Mart with no regrets (made by Johnson) and the one in my Toyota is 7-8 years old; its dying but still reliable. There are more expensive options out there, but that is what I use and I've been happy with the product.
The "Neverstart" is actually a pretty good battery for the price.

 

[HerrStig]

Originally Posted By: Chris Meutsch
Originally Posted By: Eosyn
Thank you everyone for your input. I forgot to put in my original post that I'm looking for a battery that can stand in the extreme cold (like right now when the wind chill is in the -10 -20 range) and less than $150.00.



I don't think you can get an AGM battery for under $150. But that would be what fits your desires.

And geez, you're on BITOG and kept the same battery in for 10 years? Applause.
Keep your plugs in good shape and use synthetic oil as well.

 

[HerrStig]

Originally Posted By: Donald
Originally Posted By: Eosyn
Oh and another question. Sears takes my old battery and gives me something like a $10.00 off the new battery. Do other places do that or is that just a Sears thing?


This is normally mandated by state laws so batteries and their lead get recycled. It can vary I think. But $5 to $10 is normal. A scrap yard may give you more $$.
Walmart does it, his 9 year old Everstart began the slide, he bought a new one, replaced in in the Walmart parking lot and brought the old one back in a shopping cart. 10 bucks, on the spot.