Group 34 Flooded - Interstate vs Extreme Start

[Carlostrece]

My Park Ave battery cables were converted to use G34 battery with top posts.

I need to buy a new G34 battery for my 97 Buick Park Ave this week.

I'm probably going to to get either a Interstate MTP-34 or Superstart Extreme 34EXT because those are the best/strongest flooded batteries locally available that I know of. The only other brand locally available is Deka, which I don't like.

I had bad past experience with a new Deka flooded being weak sauce, which soured me on Deka and United Battery. After 1 month Deka wouldn't start my car and they wouldn't accept a return. Middle finger.

I had excellent past results with Interstate.

I never heard of Extreme Start until today. I know nothing about Extreme Start.

I'm going to buy either Interstate MTP-34 or Superstart Extreme 34EXT. Those are the strongest flooded G34 batteries made by Interstate and Superstart. They're also the strongest locally available flooded G34 batteries.

Which should I get? I know Interstate are good. How good are Superstart batteries? I need max grunt for cold days and longevity would be nice too.

I want flooded so I know it's compatible with my old 97 charging system. Please don't recommend AGM.

 

[Escape08]

Interstate, Extreme Start and Superstart batteries are all good batteries. For me price and warranty comes first. But if I were you I'll buy Walmart's Everstart battery

 

[CarbonToast]

Interstate, Extreme Start and Superstart batteries are all good batteries. For me price and warranty comes first. And the winner of the 3 batteries you've mentioned is Walmart's Superstart battery

Looks like the walmart battery is ~$100 less. Walmart Batteries are also my reccomendation.

 

[Escape08]

Looks like the walmart battery is ~$100 less. Walmart Batteries are also my reccomendation.

MY opologies, Superstart is by O'Rielly's and Everrstart is by Walmart. I'd go with Walmart and their eveywhere within several blocks in cities across the USA

 

[SC Maintenance]

Your quoting battery brands. Exide brands may not actually be made by Exide anymore - they were broken up and sold off. Most battery brands at this point are made by Johnson Controls -- now Clarios - or East Penn/Deka - same company.

I would figure that part out before paying more for one or the other.

I agree walmart seems to be by far the easiest to deal with.

 

[JayhawkRoy]

I have had reasonably good luck with Superstart batteries. Have not used the Superstart Extreme line. They tend to have higher prices today, though. Have also had good performance with Deka batteries. Overall best performance in my trucks have been with Walmart Ever start batteries by JCI. More than one got nearly nine years out of the battery.

Worst performance was with an Interstate Megatron battery for an F350 V10. It was replaced under warranty with a lesser Interstate battery and barely made it through the warranty period. I have never purchased another Interstate battery again.

 

[Randy_R]

East Penn US made, IA and PA. Too bad you had bad warranty experience. I bought Deka from local shop last year and two EP made from Farm & Fleet this year. Time will tell but all performing well right now.

 

[shortyb]

Interstate and Super Start are both Clarios or East Penn, so price, warranty, and customer service are gonna be your differences. Interstates are available at Costco and Super Start is O'Reillys. Both are going to easily honor returns/warranty. Toss up. Have you looked at Walmart's Everstart line?

 

[bullwinkle]

Interstate isn’t what they used to be-they’re slapping their name on any old battery now. I had a Megatron Plus MTP-78 go THIRTEEN YEARS before it finally died-those days are OVER! Until recently I’ve had good luck with East Penn, although I have one NAPA Proformer 65 that is self discharging in my MGM for some weird reason, just out of the 18 month warranty, so I guess nobody’s perfect. Shopping on price & warranty length for this one, nothing under 3 year free replacement this time…

 

[zrxkawboy]

Until recently I’ve had good luck with East Penn, although I have one NAPA Proformer 65 that is self discharging in my MGM for some weird reason, just out of the 18 month warranty, so I guess nobody’s perfect.

I'm curious, do you know this is an EP battery? They used to make all of NAPA's batteries, but not anymore. I bought a NAPA battery in Jan. '22 that was marked Made in Turkey.

 

[Carlostrece]

I have had reasonably good luck with Superstart batteries. Have not used the Superstart Extreme line. They tend to have higher prices today, though. Have also had good performance with Deka batteries. Overall best performance in my trucks have been with Walmart Ever start batteries by JCI. More than one got nearly nine years out of the battery.

Worst performance was with an Interstate Megatron battery for an F350 V10. It was replaced under warranty with a lesser Interstate battery and barely made it through the warranty period. I have never purchased another Interstate battery again.

You say you like Walmart Everstart and you said Everstart is made by Johnson Controls Inc (JCI). You said you don't like Interstate, but AFAIK Intertstate is made by Johnson controls.

I read somewhere online that Walmart Everstart are made by East Penn. If so, that'd mean Everstart is same as Deka. I got burned by United Battery on a weak model of Deka in the past, but in hindsight that was a United Battery issue. I'm willing to give East Penn another chance as long as it's a strong model and United Battery isn't involved.

So I conclude from recommendations in this thread that Walmart Everstart is good and a good price regardless of who makes it. However, none of that is relevant because there is no Walmart nearby and Walmart isn't going to deliver and install onsite.

One advantage of Interstate is there's many tire stores and 1 towing company that will deliver on site and install if requested. Sometimes the tire stores don't charge for delivery and install, sometimes they do. Delivery and install is helpful when I'm stranded. That was why I started using Interstate in the past.

One advantage of Superstart is (at least one) of the local Oreilly managers will deliver for free. In my case (being handicapped) he'll even install it free. I've recently learned that Superstart is made by East Penn. I also have learned that Superstart has a good reputation.

I could be well served by Interstate or Superstart.

 

[Nukeman7]

One advantage of Interstate is there's many tire stores and 1 towing company that will deliver on site and install if requested. Sometimes the tire stores don't charge for delivery and install, sometimes they do. Delivery and install is helpful when I'm stranded. That was why I started using Interstate in the past.

One advantage of Superstart is (at least one) of the local Oreilly managers will deliver for free. In my case (being handicapped) he'll even install it free. I've recently learned that Superstart is made by East Penn. I also have learned that Superstart has a good reputation.

I could be well served by Interstate or Superstart.

Things have changed as to the quality of batteries over the past decade due to corporate acquisition of certain brands/labels, significant use of reclaimed/recycled lead, and the outsourcing of manufacturing outside of the U.S.A. As of recent years, the East Penn batteries have the best reputation for flooded lead acid batteries, followed closely by Clarios (formerly known as Johnson Controls). The Clarios batteries have a bad reputation of acid fume leakage around the base of the top terminals after a few years of age. Unless there is a great price advantage for the Clarios made battery, you will be better off with a SuperStart labeled battery made by East Penn.

More info on batteries can be found on BITOG by using the search function, including this thread from May 2024:

Automotive Batteries

 

[Carlostrece]

East Penn US made, IA and PA. Too bad you had bad warranty experience. I bought Deka from local shop last year and two EP made from Farm & Fleet this year. Time will tell but all performing well right now.

In hindsight my problems weren't caused by Deka or East Penn. Problems were the battery seller, which was United Battery. They sold me a weaker model of Deka while telling me it was the strongest model of Deka available. It was rated for few CCA. It was inadequate on a moderate winter day within weeks after buying it. United wouldn't accept a return.

I just learned yesterday that East Penn does make a stronger version of flooded G34 with 800 CCA. It's the Superstart Extreme 34EXT that I asked about in OP. I now know that it has a good rep online and so does Oreilly.

I think a G34 Deka battery with same specs would be the same battery as the Superstart Extreme 34EXT.

The Walmart Everstart is made by either Johnson or East Penn. I keep hearing both of those from people online. Regardless of who makes it, everyone likes the Everstart. However, there's no Walmart near me.

Since the general consensus is good for Johnson and East Penn batteries, I think it comes down to who do you want to buy from, price and service. Since I'm handicapped, service counts for a lot with me.

 

[bullwinkle]

I'm curious, do you know this is an EP battery? They used to make all of NAPA's batteries, but not anymore. I bought a NAPA battery in Jan. '22 that was marked Made in Turkey.

It does have an EP serial number. It did a little better with the battery disconnected the last couple days-the Battery Minder Plus is attempting to work it's magic on it now. The last Proformer I bought, the NAPA had the option of EP made or some weird design I've never seen before-I took the EP one (of course).

 

[bullwinkle]

You say you like Walmart Everstart and you said Everstart is made by Johnson Controls Inc (JCI). You said you don't like Interstate, but AFAIK Intertstate is made by Johnson controls.

I read somewhere online that Walmart Everstart are made by East Penn. If so, that'd mean Everstart is same as Deka. I got burned by United Battery on a weak model of Deka in the past, but in hindsight that was a United Battery issue. I'm willing to give East Penn another chance as long as it's a strong model and United Battery isn't involved.

So I conclude from recommendations in this thread that Walmart Everstart is good and a good price regardless of who makes it. However, none of that is relevant because there is no Walmart nearby and Walmart isn't going to deliver and install onsite.

One advantage of Interstate is there's many tire stores and 1 towing company that will deliver on site and install if requested. Sometimes the tire stores don't charge for delivery and install, sometimes they do. Delivery and install is helpful when I'm stranded. That was why I started using Interstate in the past.

One advantage of Superstart is (at least one) of the local Oreilly managers will deliver for free. In my case (being handicapped) he'll even install it free. I've recently learned that Superstart is made by East Penn. I also have learned that Superstart has a good reputation.

I could be well served by Interstate or Superstart.

AFAIK Walmart batteries on the West Coast are East Penn, the ones here are Clarios (Johnson Controls) or some weird manufacturer (I had a Value Power one in the xB for a few years that was made in Saudi Arabia!)-so WM would be a good place to get one from. Look for the stamped serial number to start with "EP".

 

[Carlostrece]

Things have changed as to the quality of batteries over the past decade due to corporate acquisition of certain brands/labels, significant use of reclaimed/recycled lead, and the outsourcing of manufacturing outside of the U.S.A. As of recent years, the East Penn batteries have the best reputation for flooded lead acid batteries, followed closely by Clarios (formerly known as Johnson Controls). The Clarios batteries have a bad reputation of acid fume leakage around the base of the top terminals after a few years of age. Unless there is a great price advantage for the Clarios made battery, you will be better off with a SuperStart labeled battery made by East Penn.

More info on batteries can be found on BITOG by using the search function, including this thread from May 2024:

Automotive Batteries

Good to know. Thanks.

My car was stranded. I'm handicapped. It came down to who was willing to deliver and install the soonest and for lowest cost. Though cost was my last priority.

Normally my tire store manager rescues me for no extra charge for delivery and install. He sells Interstate. That's fine because I got good results from Interstate's G34 rated 800 CCA.

However, this time the tire store manager was unavailable. I was closer to an Oreilly's anyway. So I next called Oreilly. The Oreilly store manager volunteered to deliver and install for free. Much thanks!

I doubt most Oreilly managers would do that, but this guy goes above and beyond. Maybe partly he did it because he knows I'm handicapped.

So now I have a new Superstart Extreme 34EXT battery made by East Penn. It has the same strong 800 CCA specs that my last 3 Interstate batteries had.

 

[thastinger]

whichever one weighs the most will be the better battery.

 

[Carlostrece]

As for brand preference, Johnson and East Penn are both good with me. So Interstate, Superstart, Everstart, Deka, Duracell, etc are all good, IMO. I don't know anything about the current Die Hard batteries, but I assume they're good too?

I think half of the battle is who you buy from, price and service. Service being my top priority because I'm handicapped. Another important things is buy a strong spec'd model. Interstate and Johnson offer medium and high spec batteries. East Penn (Deka, Duracell, etc) offer weak, medium, and high spec batteries.

I prefer highest spec flooded batteries by either brand. Just out of curiosity, it there a 3rd big manufacturer?

 

[Carlostrece]

whichever one weighs the most will be the better battery.

LOL. That's probably correct. That is certainly been true with my mobility scooter deep cycle batteries.

 

[Nukeman7]

However, this time the tire store manager was unavailable. I was closer to an Oreilly's anyway. So I next called Oreilly. The Oreilly store manager volunteered to deliver and install for free. Much thanks!

I doubt most Oreilly managers would do that, but this guy goes above and beyond. Maybe partly he did it because he knows I'm handicapped.

In this day and age, it is heartwarming to hear about kindness and consideration from our fellow human beings. The effort your O'Reilly's manager demonstrated is quite commendable.

So now I have a new Superstart Extreme 34EXT battery made by East Penn. It has the same strong 800 CCA specs that my last 3 Interstate batteries had.

I am confident that the new SuperStart Extreme 34EXT battery with 800 CCA will serve you well for years to come. My oldest East Penn manufactured battery is still going strong after 7 years of usage. When new, it was rated at 750 CCA and currently tests at 480 CCA (64% health). I'll be replacing it with another East Penn battery when it dies.