OK, this is not new, but today I saw first-hand for the first time how much the price of car batteries has increased. The AC Delco that came with my Corolla almost two years ago tested "bad" twice, plus winter came early this year, so I decided to replace it.
Best deal I found, after much shopping around, was an Autocraft Silver from AAP, 35 series with 500 CCA and two-year warranty. Standard mid-level battery for a common application. It cost $104.66, with a 25% off code applied and after the core charge refund. Full retail would have been close to $140.
Yikes. Last car battery I bought was a Deka for my beater Saturn in early 2012. Paid about $80 to a guy I trusted at a garage that kept that car going. Could have got a cheaper battery elsewhere, but wanted to give him the business. The past 6.5 years battery prices have soared outta sight....I've read about it but now I 'get' it.
Is it all about the cost of lead, or some sorta conspiracy?
High cost of car batteries
- Thread starter faramir9
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It's the cost of lead, there is more and more demand every year as more vehicles get added to the road and other uses for lead and then there is inflation. It's really not that bad of a price if it lasts 5 years. $20/year. We spend more on gasoline etc. Every extra penny paid out sucks though. 
This is part of the reason why:
Financial International Recycling News Nonferrous
Ireland-based Johnson Controls International plc, which has its United States headquarters in Glendale, Wisconsin, has announced a definitive agreement to sell its Power Solutions business to Toronto-based Brookfield Business Partners LP. The Power Solutions business unit includes lead acid battery manufacturing and recycling operations, including a large smelting and recycling plant in Florence, South Carolina.
Plus environmental laws both JCI and Exide getting fined by the EPA.
Walmart sells a group 35 Everstart Plus battery for $74.88. If you paid $80 for a Deka battery last year at a garage, you got pricing dating back to the 90's.
Since you're in PA, I would've tried to score a deal on another Deka or another East Penn brand.
Walmart sells half a dozen different size batteries under the Value Power line for $49.88. Bought 2 side post 78's for GM cars the last few months and they seem fine.
I just paid $276 for a group 35. It's a Northstar agm though. Starter cranks so quick you'd think it would fly away.
I'm kinda spoiled since I get stuff at our shop cost. The deka intimidator cost me $112. The champion batteries we stock cost me $69. I don't know who makes those. But if it makes everyone happy I trickle charger each one every month.
Originally Posted by CT8
conspiracy conspiracy conspiracy conspiracy conspiracy conspiracy conspiracy conspiracy conspiracy conspiracy conspiracy conspiracy conspiracy conspiracy conspiracy conspiracy conspiracy conspiracy
The worlds economy drives commodity prices, and lead tends to fluctuate a bit. If you go back a few years- around 2015, you will find that average battery prices declined quite bit. I have not checked recently, but I would not be surprised that they have recovered due to lead price increases. There are also a few countries that have jumped into battery manufacture in the last 5 years, and have put price pressure on low-end batteries. Surprisingly quite a few batteries used in small applications are coming from Vietnam. The 12 v 7 amp batteries I got about 2 years ago were about $12 each, but now run about $18.
Originally Posted by CT8
conspiracy conspiracy conspiracy conspiracy conspiracy conspiracy conspiracy conspiracy conspiracy conspiracy conspiracy conspiracy conspiracy conspiracy conspiracy conspiracy conspiracy conspiracy
Originally Posted by E150GT
I just paid $276 for a group 35. It's a Northstar agm though. Starter cranks so quick you'd think it would fly away.
Originally Posted by skyactiv
Walmart sells a group 35 Everstart Plus battery for $74.88. If you paid $80 for a Deka battery last year at a garage, you got pricing dating back to the 90's.
Thanks to all for the education and advice. I should add there was a 10/18 date code on the battery, which made me happy, and it said Made in Korea, which at least is an improvement over Saudi Arabia. On a semi-related note, are there any 30% off AAP coupon codes these days?
My dealership has a coupon for a $99.00 battery. My 2017 Elantra has one made in Korea. It is two years old and has not skipped a beat. Your comment about your beater Saturn made me laugh. Shortly before selling mine my Sister-in-Law said my 99 Saturn was a beater. I protested until getting my Elantra. Now I realize it was a beater the 13 years I owned it.
IF you had an extra inch of width you could run a size 24, available in the $50 valu-power. Sizes: https://www.jegs.com/Sizecharts/bcigroup.html
Recently got 78 version of the Korean batteries (with the rounded off edges) for 140CDN a couple months ago. Did the research found the company name, discovered they use cast plates doped with carbon to control sulfation and something else to prevent positive plate corrosion... and I now cant remember any of it off-hand....
Anyway Princess Auto had a lone 2017 model from a previous supplier (JCI?) and this Korean one from 2018. I was tempted to get the old JCI but then put the two side by side and "felt" the weight of each. Korean battery won.
ATLAS BX that's the name they make a few batts for diff markets under diff names. Owned by Hankook. If the case looks like that one (color irrelevant) then it's probably from Atlas
http://www.atlasbx.com/
Originally Posted by Chris142
I'm kinda spoiled since I get stuff at our shop cost. The deka intimidator cost me $112. The champion batteries we stock cost me $69. I don't know who makes those. But if it makes everyone happy I trickle charger each one every month.
Costco has an interstate battery for your car for $75.00 with a 42 month 100% free replacement.
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