Flooded or AGM for 97 Buick Park Ave?

[Carlostrece]

My 97 Buick Park Ave 3800 (series 2 I think?) engine runs great, except for a minor oil leak. I need to buy a new battery. I much don't care what the battery costs. I want it to reliably start my car on cold days and last as many years as possible. I want the best battery for my application.

I drive about 500 miles a year. I put a charger on my battery for 3 days a week.

Should I get a flooded battery, AGM, or LiFePO4? I know my 97 Buick 3800 electrical system charging voltage is compatible with flooded battery. I don't know if it's compatible with AGM? How about LiFePO4?

 

[Devo242]

Since you mention cost is no object an Odyssey battery would be my choice.

I put one in the MGA in my signature and in the 3 years or so it has been in there it has never needed a charge according to my battery tester. It sees around the same miles annually as you mention and I am pleased with its durability so far.

If a 65 year old vehicle can perform flawlessly with an AGM I would be confident in saying it should fit your application well.

 

[Dinoburner]

Using AGM in everything for 7 years now with great results.

 

[Carlostrece]

The reason I asked if AGM would be compatible is (years ago) I bought two Sears Die Hard Platinum AGM batteries (SDHP-AGM) (made for Sears by Odessey). One for my 2007 Jeep Wrangler and another for my 97 Buick Park Ave. Both batteries died young. I got replacements under warranty and they also died young. My cousin bought two for his Ford Superduty and they died young. Around that time Sears stopped selling them - discontinued.

The SDHP-AGM batteries left me leery of using AGM in old cars and leery of Odessey. Has anyone else heard of problems with (the now discontinued) SDHP batteries?

Those SDHP-AGM batteries were made by Odessey for Sears and they were crap, IME.

I've got good results from heavy duty flooded batteries from Interstate with 800 CCA, but am looking to upgrade if possible.

Are Odessey batteries sold under Odessey brandname better than SDHP-AGM?

 

[Carlostrece]

Using AGM in everything for 7 years now with great results.

What brand/model of AGM are you using?

 

[Carlostrece]

My Buick is reluctant to crank on cold days if battery CCA is less than 800. The Interstate heavy duty flooded G34 I've been using is rated at 800 CCA when new, but it's an old battery now. I'd like to get as much above 800 CCA as possible from a G34 battery.

My 97 Park Ave uses a G34 because my cousin changed its wires/connecters to use G34 instead of G78. He did that because it's easier to hookup charger clamps or jumper cable clamps to a G34 setup.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Anything from Deka better than the cheapest line should serve you well

 

[Carlostrece]

Anything from Deka better than the cheapest line should serve you well

Deka's cheapest did not serve me well. I returned it within 1 month. In my town Deka's cheapest are the only Deka available. I'd try a high-end Deka if it was locally available, but it's not.

All the Interstate battery lines are locally available. I've had good experiences with Interstates best flooded battery. Never tried their lesser flooded models. Never tried their AGM either.

Insterstate is well stocked in my area. I can get any of their models from any tirestore locally. Odessey is available at a couple stores. Northstar maybe at one store.

I want a G34 with maximum grunt that will be compatible with my old 97 Buick charging system and last many years.

 

[Lubener]

Using AGM in everything for 7 years now with great results.

That will far outlast the old Buick.

 

[f355spider]

My 97 Buick Park Ave 3800 (series 2 I think?) engine runs great, except for a minor oil leak. I need to buy a new battery. I much don't care what the battery costs. I want it to reliably start my car on cold days and last as many years as possible. I want the best battery for my application.

I drive about 500 miles a year. I put a charger on my battery for 3 days a week.

Should I get a flooded battery, AGM, or LiFePO4? I know my 97 Buick 3800 electrical system charging voltage is compatible with flooded battery. I don't know if it's compatible with AGM? How about LiFePO4?

I'd get an AGM...preferably from WalMart if a store is nearby. Their four year free replacement warranty is hard to beat.
I've had no issue using AGM batteries in older cars. Also if you are using a battery maintainer, then the cars charging system makes that point moot anyway. Odyssey is excellent if money is no object.

What brand of battery charger/maintainer are you using?

 

[Dinoburner]

Whatever AGM Sams Club is selling is what I use except for one Duracell.