Diehard platinum now has a 4 year warranty

[SC Maintenance]

From Pennsylvania up into the northeast most Walmart batteries are sourced from East Penn, although in the OPs case since they live in NYC, I'm not sure if Walmart is the best place to get a battery since they're not in the city and I could imagine the ones closest to the city probably get hit up pretty hard during a cold snap where you may have to travel a good distance into NJ to find a Walmart with a replacement in stock.

Yes, so I have been told. I have never seen and East Penn here in South Carolina. Apparently they might be in Virginia and since I go there for work, I may look next trip. I have a $55.00 JCI 24F thats coming up towards 2 years in my Xterra I might replace pre-emptively.

 

[Tdbo]

Going back into the time machine here, but JCPenney also sold a battery with a lifetime warranty. This was back in the day when JCPenney also sold a lot of hardware parts, including good quality plumbing supplies.
Anyway, my uncle had a JCPenney battery in his car. He had it in a '55 Chevy, was diligent about saving the receipt and had it replaced 3-4 times under warranty before they stopped selling automotive parts and eventually gave him his money back. The original cost was $49.95, quite the price for a battery back in the late '70s. Like today, the increased cost was because they expected to give you 2-3 batteries under warranty and you paid for it when you paid for the initial battery

I had a relative who was diligent, to the point of turning it into an art form, the concept of "Playing the system."
He purchased one of these, and for years after JCP sold out their auto business to Firestone somehow managed to go in and walk out with a free battery every couple of years.
I'm still not sure how he managed to pull it off, other than he was a major irritant, and they just gave the battery up to get him out.

 

[Badgerstate]

View attachment 165238
While I was raiding several AAPs for clearance Total oil, I noticed new longer warranties on Diehard Platinum batteries

... about time

As someone who was a loyal Diehard fan when Sears owned them, I love to see it.

 

[Kira]

Add a zero.... $200 MILLION.

WOAH! I guess my poor old brain couldn't fathom such a number.....a number we'll all be paying!

ps While out today I couldn't remember if it was AZ or AAP which has the Die Hard name. I walked into an AZ as I was across the street. Their DuraLast Gold 3 year H6 is $209.
Tomorrow I'll see what the DH H6 4 year at AAP goes for.

 

[hank2]

The problem is that door swings back with more force than it opens. Many older carbureted vehicles at that time were notoriously difficult to start.

Most all of them required far more cranking to fire than today's modern electronic fuel injected vehicles, with computerized ignition systems that start on the first few revolutions.... All the time, everytime. Regardless of the temperature, humidity, or atmospheric conditions.

They were also far easier to flood in hot weather. (Requiring even more cranking). And the alternators they were equipped with had nowhere near the output of today's vehicles.

No matter how you look at it, batteries back then were pushed a lot more. Yeah, today they have "parasitic drain". But it's not an issue if the car is driven daily. Also remember that big, high compression, 400+ cubic inch V-8's were the norm back then in A LOT of cars.

They were notoriously difficult to crank in cold weather. Especially with a crankcase full of 10W-40. Compare that to these tiny little 4 bangers today, with 4 quarts of water thin 0W-16 in them.

The fact is there is really no comparison. Batteries were taxed to the max back then...... Which is why most everyone bought the Die Hard when it was first introduced. There was nothing that compared.

I'd also add that many of the starter motors back then were especially high amp draw models that were doing all of that. Yet auto manufacturers often spec'd about 425 CCA batteries for mid size V-8's.

I bought an original Die Hard or two and recall having long service life from them in the North. My father solely bought them for his two cars and he kept them for years. I'm pretty sure he got a couple free replacements for his cars on the lifetime warranty.

I learned the hard way, not to buy "blem" batteries from Deka or "blem" tires from Sears. It wasn't about cosmetics, but items that were rejected for real important reasons.

 

[bbhero]

Yes, so I have been told. I have never seen and East Penn here in South Carolina. Apparently they might be in Virginia and since I go there for work, I may look next trip. I have a $55.00 JCI 24F thats coming up towards 2 years in my Xterra I might replace pre-emptively.

Hey man…. Last I saw at Walmart in my area in Williamsburg… we had East Penn batteries at our Walmart.

Richmond area did too of course.

 

[Kira]

Tomorrow I'll see what the DH H6 4 year at AAP goes for.

"Tomorrow" is now today and I went to my favorite AAP and they did have my size.
DH 4 year H6 = $230......for the win!

ps: Be aware that AAP uses the term "Platinum" for their AGM batteries too.

 

[billt460]

I just bought an H-6 for my Toyota about 8 months ago at Wal-Mart. I think it was around $135.00. It was flooded lead acid, not AGM.

 

[John105]

Back in 1967, (when they were first introduced), every Sears Die Hard battery sold came with a LIFETIME warranty. (Just like their Craftsman Tools). Now they advertise a 4 year warranty, and people get excited. We're getting groomed to become used to crap.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DieHa...years, the,The policy later was discontinued.

"In its earliest years, the brand was guaranteed to last, "forever." That is, as long as the original owner still owned the car in which it was originally installed."

I feel health care is the same. 24 years ago, I had a $10 copay to see the dr, $20 to see a specialist, $100 for a knee surgery. Somehow people were taught this is not sustainable, costs are escalating, you should be happy to be in a high deductible plan because you pay less (and are out 5 figures if anything does happen, which, as long as it doesn't, you're happy).

Then my wife gets a job at the school district end of 2022, and what's our insurance for 2023? $0 deductible, 0% coinsurance. Only difference is $20/$40 copay. And it's 2023. Laughable I punched in hip replacement, your cost, $100.

So much in life is marketing. If someone can be made to feel they get bupkis, then you give them something small, they are appreciative.

 

[billt460]

If someone can be made to feel they get bupkis, then you give them something small, they are appreciative.

Communism has survived for over a century, based on that very principle.

People will stand in a breadline for 8 hours, and be happy to get one loaf.

 

[John105]

Communism has survived for over a century, based on that very principle.

People will stand in a breadline for 8 hours, and be happy to get one loaf.

The one thing that I was thinking about, that I could have been sold upon, is times have changed, no such thing as $0 deductible, 0% coinsurance, 100% covered. I could be sold that it's no longer feasible.

But when I see people working in the public sector have this in 2023, suddenly I realize I was conned.

The other thing is the school district pays 88.25% of the cost. If the cost were infinity, well they'd pay 88.25% of that huge number.

Marketing is way more powerful than I thought it was, when I was sitting in class....

 

[drtyler]

I feel health care is the same. 24 years ago, I had a $10 copay to see the dr, $20 to see a specialist, $100 for a knee surgery. Somehow people were taught this is not sustainable, costs are escalating, you should be happy to be in a high deductible plan because you pay less (and are out 5 figures if anything does happen, which, as long as it doesn't, you're happy).

Then my wife gets a job at the school district end of 2022, and what's our insurance for 2023? $0 deductible, 0% coinsurance. Only difference is $20/$40 copay. And it's 2023. Laughable I punched in hip replacement, your cost, $100.

So much in life is marketing. If someone can be made to feel they get bupkis, then you give them something small, they are appreciative.

Would you accept a substantial pay cut from your employer for such insurance?

 

[John105]

Would you accept a substantial pay cut from your employer for such insurance?

It depends on the expectation. A person entering the workforce knows nothing other than an HSA and that it's a way to avoid expensive premiums. But a person who's been working 20 years, or more, realizes that in the "old" days, the employer bore 90%+ of the premium. Some are not even 50% today. Would I? Haven't I already taken a pay cut if I have to overpay for insurance?

At any rate, these thoughts came about because of what was once offered on the Die Hard. Here's the funny thing. I know that for me, just because I had a lifetime warranty, or I have today $0 deductible, 0% coinsurance, that doesn't mean I run out and make claims. That's another example of selling the sizzle. We can't offer that, there would be too many claims

 

[billt460]

The other thing is the school district pays 88.25% of the cost. If the cost were infinity, well they'd pay 88.25% of that huge number.

This is why so many school systems are in the red. It's NOT the cost of education itself that is expensive. It is supporting all of these overpaid, and over benefited teachers that are bankrupting our public school systems.

It's much the same with many of these colleges. Tuition is going sky high because these professors are all getting Cadillac health care programs and benefits, (not to mention ridiculous pension plans), that very few get any longer in the private sector.

 

[John105]

This is why so many school systems are in the red. It's NOT the cost of education itself that is expensive. It is supporting all of these overpaid, and over benefited teachers that are bankrupting our public school systems.

It's much the same with many of these colleges. Tuition is going sky high because these professors are all getting Cadillac health care programs and benefits, (not to mention ridiculous pension plans), that very few get any longer in the private sector.

I was actually quite surprised the chief of police earned over 600k in 2022. This isn’t a city it’s a suburban town. Suddenly a superintendent at 250-300 isn’t so much

Maybe they don’t need to worry about batteries for their cars

How some overcome it all, just be a boring CPA partner or the other extreme, a pediatrician. Something for everyone. I am merely pointing out what we think is impossible, is not. A lifeguard in Los Angeles County over 500k. It’s up to the individual to go out and get it. No different than choosing a battery

 

[billt460]

I was actually quite surprised the chief of police earned over 600k in 2022.

Insane. I can't believe the people tolerate that. You would think they would be pounding the doors down at city hall, demanding to know why. And if that isn't bad enough, they start whining how the city can't afford this and that.

What the hell can ANY Chief Of Police possibly do, to be worth $1,644.00 a day? Or $205.50 an hour for an 8 hour shift.

 

[John105]

Insane. I can't believe the people tolerate that. You would think they would be pounding the doors down at city hall, demanding to know why. And if that isn't bad enough, they start whining how the city can't afford this and that.

What the hell can ANY Chief Of Police possibly do, to be worth $1,644.00 a day? Or $205.50 an hour for an 8 hour shift.

Well the town is pretty safe

Edit I googled and it said San Francisco is the highest paid chief at $300k+. This makes me wonder then if our chief was paid out benefits to reach that number, which is from a website linked to public records

 

[billt460]

Well the town is pretty safe

Yeah, safe from having any extra money!