COSTCO batteries

[Rand]

Never had a lead/acid car battery last 15 years? You must live in an extreme climate.

Yes sometimes the BS gets thick around here.

95f day temps during the summer and winter temps below 32f really kill a battery.

Heat is the killer. Cold just shows you the weakness it isnt harmful to the battery.
Humidity does not affect the battery so even though 95 and swamp is miserable.. for a battery its purely the heat..
IE. Phoenix is among the worst climates in the US for a battery.

 

[sky jumper]

I have had lead acid batteries with dead cells on 15 year old batteries. Would still start the car and pass a load test. Only way to show someone the cell was dead would be to put it on charge and watch the one cell not charge. Never had any battery with an intermittant no start issue

huh? dead cells and it would still pass load test and start car? regardless of the15yrs, how do you define "dead cell"? or how do you define load test?

 

[Bottom_Feeder]

As previously stated, I had an issue with intermittent issues. Unless it was acting up, it of course, tested fine. The issue presented itself several times a month and would result in the vehicle being stranded. I explained the situation to the manager and of course, the battery tested fine. Eventually they agreed to replace the battery, but he basically called me a fraud without stating it.

And this is the equivalent of being 'ripped a new one' in your world?

 

[The Critic]

And this is the equivalent of being 'ripped a new one' in your world?

There were some additional details to the exchange that are not worth mentioning.

 

[Bottom_Feeder]

There were some additional details to the exchange that are not worth mentioning.

Fair enough.

 

[Crash Bandicoot]

Is that guy cutting open a battery and touching lead without any eye or hand protection?

Based on the battery brand I’m guessing this was filmed in Pakistan. You can search Pakistani Truck on YouTube, very sketchy safety approach. Of course most of the comments are idiots that say things like “American mechanics are just part changers they won’t do repairs like this” as a guy sloppily welds a frame together in a pair of flip flops with safety squints.

 

[dishdude]

Based on the battery brand I’m guessing this was filmed in Pakistan. You can search Pakistani Truck on YouTube, very sketchy safety approach. Of course most of the comments are idiots that say things like “American mechanics are just part changers they won’t do repairs like this” as a guy sloppily welds a frame together in a pair of flip flops with safety squints.

I was thinking India but I'll take Pakistan.

 

[ccs368]

I have an Interstate battery that is about 6 years old that weathered temperatures mostly in northeast US and 1 year in TX and so far no issues. I would purchase again from Costco without hesitation.

 

[JHZR2]

Costco battery prices have gone up 10-15% in the last few months. The only advantage is their longer warranty and the lack of testing required for a warranty claim.

When my group 51 went, Walmart claimed that stores without an auto center don’t need to test for a warranty claim. FWIW.

 

[Crash Bandicoot]

Two things I really like about Costco batteries. One, I don’t have to go into a Walmart store and deal with the cast of Jerry Springer rejects, and two they seem to keep a copy of your receipt on record tied to your membership.

The likelihood that I’m going to be able to find a Walmart receipt from 2-3 years ago for a measly $100 is slim to none. It seems like I always change batteries at an incredibly busy and inconvenient time, so it’s usually not something I think about using TurboScan to get a copy of the receipt until the battery is toast 3 years down the road. I’ve also had better luck with Costco batteries lasting a few years longer than Everstart batteries, totally anecdotal and a tiny sample size but at the same price I don’t know why I’d go elsewhere.

 

[wdn]

Costco batteries are good and their warranty is decent but I have had to replace them under warranty before. Since I switched to Sam’s Club for batteries, Duracell made by East Penn, I have not had to replace one yet but one is already six months out of warranty.

 

[hk24]

My current battery is old - I left the lights on and it went dead - I had to boost it twice this summer. I doubt, it goes all winter. I hope to buy a battery before Winter starts. My relative has a Costco membership and my local Walmart is nearby. The Walmart Everstart Maxx batteries are a bit more.

I don't know what batteries are at Costco - online, it shows Kirkland (I believe it's Interstate in the U.S.) and Energizer AGM (more expensive than Walmart's Maxx batteries) - this is in Canada, so we don't have the Interstate ones. I would need to go in the store to confirm, though.

Any advice? Also, this is for an Accord and I really don't want the group 51R battery. I was thinking of doing the 'upgrade' - the 24F or Group 35 - the Group 35 is in V6 Accords. Buying the battery parts is probably expensive here - there's a bracket/holder and tie-down bolts.

Costco supposedly has a lawsuit against them, too - for a refund/exchange controversy. No one else mentioned it here. Maybe, it was only a problem in certain regions of the US? Anyway, I am wondering which store to use and also which group of battery to get.

 

[silversport]

I've bought both Interstate Costco and Walmart EverStart Maxx batteries over the last couple years for vehicles I take care of...I've found that in ChicagoLand anyway, the batteries were both made by the same manufacturer (it was JCI/Clarios here) and so I went with the best CA/CCA/RC as well as warranty and then price...

I've had zero issues with any of these batteries (5 different vehicles) but it's only been 2 years since their installation...

good luck with your choice

Bill

 

[boom10ful]

Well, if I had a battery that I knew had a intermittent internal short, but it wouldn't fail the Midtronics test on command, I might be tempted to hook a 12v draw to it and leave it there for a week or two until it was deader than dead. Then I might put my lab power supply on it and let her rip for another few days. Pretty sure it would fail after that.

If you really want it to fail without leaving a mark, just put it on a paint shaker for a few minutes. There won't be any lead paste left inside after that.

 

[skyactiv]

Why are we as members making such drama about a freaking battery?

 

[hk24]

I've bought both Interstate Costco and Walmart EverStart Maxx batteries over the last couple years for vehicles I take care of...I've found that in ChicagoLand anyway, the batteries were both made by the same manufacturer (it was JCI/Clarios here) and so I went with the best CA/CCA/RC as well as warranty and then price...

I've had zero issues with any of these batteries (5 different vehicles) but it's only been 2 years since their installation...

good luck with your choice

Bill

Interesting, thanks for your thoughts. I don't think JCI makes these batteries anymore - either brand. I believe the Walmart batteries are made by Exide now. At least, in Canada. It might be the same for Costco batteries (at least, Kirkland) but I'm not sure. Kirkland auto batteries are, AFAIK, still sold in Canadian Costco stores but it appears, the Kirkland brand was replaced by Interstate in Costco stores in the USA. I am not sure where the Energizer AGM brand is manufactured or which manufacturer supplies that one - but, they are a bit expensive - I am interested in AGM but probably don't have the $ for that one.

 

[nthach]

Interesting, thanks for your thoughts. I don't think JCI makes these batteries anymore - either brand. I believe the Walmart batteries are made by Exide now. At least, in Canada. It might be the same for Costco batteries (at least, Kirkland) but I'm not sure. Kirkland auto batteries are, AFAIK, still sold in Canadian Costco stores but it appears, the Kirkland brand was replaced by Interstate in Costco stores in the USA. I am not sure where the Energizer AGM brand is manufactured or which manufacturer supplies that one - but, they are a bit expensive - I am interested in AGM but probably don't have the $ for that one.

I’ve been seeing Hyundai Songwoo/Hankook Atlas/Delkor(Clarios Korea) batteries at Walmart, looks like they’re done with Clarios for now. Exide’s now at AutoZone. Costco is still with Clarios.

 

[y_p_w]

I bought at Costco Interstate (group 35) in 2016 when my old Kirkland battery gave out. And I think I had it for 6+ years but it still had a tiny amount of its prorated warranty left and I got that cashed out, although I also got my original core fee back because I never returned my OEM battery to them - even after that amount of time.

It wasn't perfect, but it lasted 4+ years. I probably could have gotten a replacement once it started bubbling out and leaving a crusty mess at the terminals. I know it wasn't ideal, but I didn't really want to return it when it was still working for me. I ended up replacing it with another Costco Interstate. I think I could have gotten a $50 Walmart battery but figured this would be better.

The one thing is that it's not clear who supplies these batteries to Interstate. They used to consistently be supplied by JCI, but now I think they're agnostic about who they get their batteries from. I will say that a bunch of the batteries I saw on the shelf at Costco said that they were assembled in Mexico, with a tiny sticker to that effect near a terminal.

 

[researcher]

Must be a regional thing with Walmart.. Here in Michigan all of the Walmart batteries are Clarios (made in Mexico) and Delkor (made in S. Korea). I couldn't find any made by Exide, this is at multiple Walmarts across Michigan, checked within the last month.

 

[silversport]

Interesting, thanks for your thoughts. I don't think JCI makes these batteries anymore - either brand. I believe the Walmart batteries are made by Exide now. At least, in Canada. It might be the same for Costco batteries (at least, Kirkland) but I'm not sure. Kirkland auto batteries are, AFAIK, still sold in Canadian Costco stores but it appears, the Kirkland brand was replaced by Interstate in Costco stores in the USA. I am not sure where the Energizer AGM brand is manufactured or which manufacturer supplies that one - but, they are a bit expensive - I am interested in AGM but probably don't have the $ for that one.

right...that's why I added Clarios who bought the JCI battery business...you may be right about Canada...last I checked, Walmart EverStart Maxx and Costco Interstate in ChicagoLand are still Clarios...the batteries for the same vehicles have the same CA/CCA/RC and warranty...I have also found that at least here again, the Menard's sold AC Delco is made by the South Korean firm and had different CA/CCA/RC numbers than those sold by Walmart and Costco...I have not seen any car batteries other than Interstate at my area Costco locations...

Good luck with your choice

Bill