Car battery question

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: LargeCarManX2
I honestly am not joking, I have two 825 or 800 cca Interstate batteries in my old 84 Ford 6.9 diesel. They are 17 years old and still fine. I bet I put a gallon of distilled water through each one over the years.


My mother still has the original battery in her 97 Plymouth Breeze! Charging system all original at 160k.

 

[Kruse]

Originally Posted By: stevejones

...what does your mechanic recommend?


Even a lot of good mechanics are clueless when it comes to oil and they will only push a battery that they have on the shelf or whatever will fit in the battery tray. (No offense to the good ones on this forum) I'd take battery advice from a mechanic with a grain of salt.

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: CivicLX
what my local mechanic told me that it is around $95. It is more expensive on their website


My point was that you stated that there were two. The higher CCA unit had a longer warranty.

Most folks dont use the warranty IME, and it is prorated after a few years anyway, so it makes less and less of a difference.

So where I was going with it is that if the higher CCA number sells, and so they put a higher price on it, they can almost "self insure", knowing that there will seldom be a claim and that the cost difference will make up for it. Higher cost + less lead is a good deal for the Mfr.

 

[crazy8]

We sell Interstate and AC Delco, I personally perfer Interstate. Johnson builds most of the batteries sold in the states, however they build them to the specs. of each particlar brand, ie AC Declo and Interstate are not the same exact build.

As far as pro rated replacements, most if not all are going away on new sales due to a lawsuit about the cost of the pro rate being based on MSRP, not the price that the battery was sold at. In Jan of this year our Interstate rep brought in the new warranty information and AC Delco followed a few months ago. I am at home now so I don't have the information here, however I believe that most are now offering a three year free replacement. I personally felt the the whole pro rated deal was a ripoff due to a four year pro rate exceeded the current sale price of a replacement battery.

 

[CivicLX]

I ended up getting lower CCA Interstate battery. Here are the specs;
Product ID: I-51
Amps: 530
Cranking Amps: 530
Cold Cranking Amps: 425
Voltage: 12
Termination: A

The other one MT-51 which is higher end and high CCA;

Product ID: MT-51
Amps: 625
Cranking Amps: 625
Cold Cranking Amps: 500
Voltage: 12