Interstate AGM battery made in China

[wavinwayne]

I noticed this when I was installing a new air filter in my son's Jeep Renegade and checking on things under the hood. Look in the lower right part of the picture. Round white sticker says Made in China. Since when are Interstate batteries made in China? Battery bought at Costco January 2024.

 

[Johnny248]

They source them from all over. Mexico, China, etc. BTW, the Costco Interstate batteries are not the same as the MT/MTP non-Costco batteries.

 

[wavinwayne]

...BTW, the Costco Interstate batteries are not the same as the MT/MTP non-Costco batteries.

Tell me more, tell me more.

 

[Johnny248]

They are just a lower tier battery. Many times sourced from third party vendors slapped with a Costco Interstate sticker. If you pick a group size Costco battery to put it next to an actual Interstate, you will see the difference. The warranty return rate on Costco batteries was insane while I worked for them.

 

[Chris142]

They are just a lower tier battery. Many times sourced from third party vendors slapped with a Costco Interstate sticker. If you pick a group size Costco battery to put it next to an actual Interstate, you will see the difference. The warranty return rate on Costco batteries was insane while I worked for them.

And a different retailer won't accept a return on a Costco one

 

[Johnny248]

The "real" Interstate AGM is the MTX-xx line.

https://www.interstatebatteries.com/products/mtx-48/h6

https://costco.interstatebatteries....1&model=2340077&engine=2340080&option=2340081

 

[SC Maintenance]

The world of auto batteries has reached a new all time low. I bought two of the top tier walmart lead acid batteries in January - one for my wife's car and one for my kid's. I tested both before i bought them, and they tested well over the rated CA and 100% health. Now only 11 months later one is 70% and the other about 75% state of health. At 60% State of health its usually recommended replace. I do float charge both of them one a month or so.

 

[Nukeman7]

The "real" Interstate AGM is the MTX-xx line.

https://www.interstatebatteries.com/products/mtx-48/h6

https://costco.interstatebatteries....1&model=2340077&engine=2340080&option=2340081

The case/handles/construction of the so-called "real" MTX version of Interstate's H-6 battery looks identical to the COSTCO H-6 other than the labels and pricing. Some of their other sizes might differ, but I doubt this one is any different. Both have 760 CCA and 950 CA, along with the 36 month warranty.

 

[dogememe]

The world of auto batteries has reached a new all time low. I bought two of the top tier walmart lead acid batteries in January - one for my wife's car and one for my kid's. I tested both before i bought them, and they tested well over the rated CA and 100% health. Now only 11 months later one is 70% and the other about 75% state of health. At 60% State of health its usually recommended replace. I do float charge both of them one a month or so.

On the other hand, I have worked at a parts store for about 10 years now, and I don’t think battery warranty rates have gone up significantly. I don’t have the actual data but I’m just coming to this conclusion based on my daily experience. I think it was worse while cars sat more during Covid shutdowns but after that it seems to have gone back to normal.

I will say, I think less people are DIYing their battery installs (or asking us to do it) as many modern vehicles are difficult to change batteries on and/or require either computer reset like Ford or programming the battery to the computer like BMW. I feel like I used to do a battery install every day and now I can go a week without doing a single one as there are just too many vehicles we can’t do in the parking lot in 5 mins which is a bummer.

Still amazing the amount of batteries we sell. Even though it seems like we stock so many we also go through our inventory and pretty much all of them are always fresh.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Trouble started when JCI spun off Clarios, and Interstate batteries went down in quality

Now the Costco Interstates seem to be even worse than non-Costco versions, the latter still not as good as they used to be.

 

[Hall]

Interstate is just a brand, not a manufacturer. They private-label batteries from a variety of suppliers.

 

[Johnny248]

The case/handles/construction of the so-called "real" MTX version of Interstate's H-6 battery looks identical to the COSTCO H-6 other than the labels and pricing. Some of their other sizes might differ, but I doubt this one is any different. Both have 760 CCA and 950 CA, along with the 36 month warranty.

View attachment 248453

I just went and looked at our Interstate Batteries. The MTX-48/H6 on my self says USA. But looking at some other's I have a mixture of USA, Mexico, Korea, and Vietnam. Global sourcing lol

 

[wavinwayne]

Trouble started when JCI spun off Clarios, and Interstate batteries went down in quality

Now the Costco Interstates seem to be even worse than non-Costco versions, the latter still not as good as they used to be.

It surprises me that Costco would carry a sub-par product. They don't seem to be known for that, at least to me.

 

[97prizm]

It surprises me that Costco would carry a sub-par product. They don't seem to be known for that, at least to me.

My sister worked in jewelry sales for many years. Apparently alot of name brand watches sold at Costco are considered gray market as they buy from various sellers. Super disappointing and sketchy if you ask me. I can't remember the brand but she had a customer bring in a watch purchased at Costco that Helzburg Also sold and Helzburg touch it.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

It surprises me that Costco would carry a sub-par product. They don't seem to be known for that, at least to me.

Also this.

Costco should use East Penn/Deka, since they're known to have the best batteries.

 

[Donald]

I noticed this when I was installing a new air filter in my son's Jeep Renegade and checking on things under the hood. Look in the lower right part of the picture. Round white sticker says Made in China. Since when are Interstate batteries made in China? Battery bought at Costco January 2024.View attachment 248446

Interstate is a marketing brand not a battery manufacturer. They use to get most of their battery from JCI. Maybe now Clarios. But some from Exide. There maybe sizes JCI did not make or did not make in AGM.

Maybe like Walmart they bring all the battery manufacturers into a conf room and say OK who can give me the best price on a 48 month group 65. OK next size. Keeps the battery manufacturers on their toes.

We will never buy all our batteries from just one manufacturer so you better give us your best price on each group size.

 

[wavinwayne]

Anybody want to make bets on how long this Costco Interstate AGM (Chinese) battery will last? It was purchased/installed in January 2024. The Jeep is driven by my son, an 18 year old college student. He does around 10k miles/year, and the Jeep is driven probably 350/365 days in a year.

 

[The Critic]

Anybody want to make bets on how long this Costco Interstate AGM (Chinese) battery will last? It was purchased/installed in January 2024. The Jeep is driven by my son, an 18 year old college student. He does around 10k miles/year, and the Jeep is driven probably 350/365 days in a year.

Does the vehicle have start/stop? And if it does, is there a secondary battery for the start/stop?

 

[wavinwayne]

Does the vehicle have start/stop? And if it does, is there a secondary battery for the start/stop?

No start/stop on this one.

 

[The Critic]

No start/stop on this one.

Then I'd give it 4-5 years.