"Interstate Are Now Garbage"

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Originally Posted By: CDX825
JCI ran the quality of Optima batteries into the ground. Seems to me they probably did the same with interstate.


The two are not the same. Optima is a brand of JCI. JCI can do whatever they want with it. Interstate is a totally separate company that is privately owned. They contract with JCI to make Interstate batteries and one would assume they can tell JCI the specs, quality of all Interstate batteries.
 
Personally, I avoid Exide and JCI batteries whenever possible. It's either Odyssey, Northstar or East Penn (Deka and others) for me, as those seem to be better built than JCI or Exide and I've seen many East Penn batteries give consistently good service and last.
 
Johnson Controls seems to be suffering from 'big company cost-cutting' syndrome. I no longer consider them desirable batteries, regardless of the name that appears on the outside.

Things change over time, but as of April 2016, if I want a battery for a long-life, reliable application its going to be one of these three manufacturers, in no order of preference:

East Penn (Deka)
Enersys (Odyssey, Diehard Platinum, others)
Northstar (Northstar, X2Power, others)
 
Originally Posted By: wrcsixeight
New business model:

Maximum profit is the name of the game.
Rely on marketing to sell.
Cheapen product as much as possible, for maximum profit. Thinner few plates, cheaper paste material, cheaper manufacturing process. make shinier sticker, printed with more lies.

When marketing no longer works, fire CEO with huge severance bonus, hire new guy to harass the marketers. Make no/minimal concessions to quality, unless bean counters and marketers fear for their long term jobs.

Seek maximum executive bonus.

Laugh at consumer.

Lather rinse repeat.


It's mind boggling.

Absolutely mind boggling.

Over the past year I was appalled at the poor quality of some Craftsmen tools. You can't "hide" poor quality when the product is directly used by the end user.

It boggles the mind that a company would be so short sighted, as to increase quarterly profits at the expense of *visibly* driving the product line into the ground.
 
Originally Posted By: wrcsixeight
I think it is actually starting to back fire since the consumer has the internet and can get plenty of information about products.
Many consumers now know that the quality of so many products today is such poop, that they have slowed their purchases of "new" items and this trend will likely accelerate in the future along with the decline of the economy and stagnant wages.


Glad to know I am not alone.

I'm seeing a trend across the board, and it's troubling
 
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
I've found that folks who use battery power for radio, Windows, lights, etc, after the vehicle is turned off, seem to get lower battery life. Use, maintenance at full state of charge, year-round ambient temperature, and lots more come into play here.


The above speaks to Dad's usage: he's a snowbird, so his Sonata sits for several months during cold NY winters.

I knew that his usage would shorten battery life. But in past experience, the longevity of Interstate (in spite of adverse conditions), made the product stand out in front.
 
Originally Posted By: 440Magnum
Johnson Controls seems to be suffering from 'big company cost-cutting' syndrome. I no longer consider them desirable batteries, regardless of the name that appears on the outside.

Things change over time, but as of April 2016, if I want a battery for a long-life, reliable application its going to be one of these three manufacturers, in no order of preference:

East Penn (Deka)
Enersys (Odyssey, Diehard Platinum, others)
Northstar (Northstar, X2Power, others)


Thanks. I've heard a lot of good things about Deka, and will look to them next time around.

Sucks that I have two nearly new green tops in my Impala, and in my truck. Wonder what their service life will be
 
I've had dozens of batteries over the years and cannot recall any ever failing before 3-5 years. I replaced 2 in 2015 because of age....neither actually failed to start the car. I was going to go with the Sears Diehold golds again. After all, they lasted 5-6 years this time around. And one of those failed after 3 years just shortly after I bought that vehicle. Turns out the battery cells were uncovered and heavily sulfated. The previous owner probably never looked at them once in 3 years. After adding a couple cups of water I charged the [censored] out of that battery.... and got 3 more years on it for a total of 6. Too bad when I went to Sears last year they had no batteries with caps to service the cells. They were all "maintenance free." I don't want a sealed battery.

Ended up buying a pair of AC Delco Professional Golds. They were 10-20% cheaper than all the other "gold" level batteries available at the auto stores in my area. And the warranty was longer at 42 months. For the most part, I think car batteries are like motor oils. You'd be hard pressed to tell one from the other with a blind "taste test" in your vehicle.
 
No, JCI does not produce all interstate batteries.

I don't know which ones are which but I know for a fact that enersys (odyssey) makes 1 line of batteries for interstate.

It really doesn't get any better than Enersys (odyssey) but the prices just aren't worth it.
 
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Originally Posted By: TiredTrucker
I was under the impression that there really are only 3 true battery manufacturers... JC, Exide, and East Penn/Deka.


Also Enersys and NorthStar which focus on AGM batteries.
 
It's all about the next quarterly report and the stock price...

I wouldn't make any assumptions without laying eyes on the battery in question on the shelf.

Except for a retailer like Costco, which carries a limited selection, a brand is likely to draw from more than one supplier to cover all their bases.

(And with Costco, it's puzzling why they'd abandon their own Kirkland brand and put Interstate stickers on their batteries, which are only sold and warrantied through their stores. I wonder who's paying whom in that arrangement?)

Interstate may give the bulk of their business to JCI, but their best AGM batteries appear to be made by Enersys (with price tags to match, on top of the normal Interstate premium).

The NAPA version of the battery I shopped last was clearly made by JCI, not East Penn. I prefer my warranties front-loaded on fungible goods, and don't like to be locked into accepting a measly prorated credit, so I took a pass on their 24 month replacement when others typically offer 36.

I heard Sears had switched to EP, but I still see JCI and other batteries in their lineup.

See what's in the store first, then decide. A lot of the time, the pictures and specs online didn't match what was for sale in the store.

And FWIW, I've never had a problem the JCI 48/91/H6 batteries I've used most over the last ~30 so years. But since I haven't had to buy one in about eight years, I don't know what they're like now.
 
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I think the Walmart battery in my Caddy is a JCI...it is 8+ years old. If it passes the load test this weekend, it will go into service for year nine! (If not, I will probably replace it with a $48 Walmart Value Power.)
 
Originally Posted By: Carmudgeon

The NAPA version of the battery I shopped last was clearly made by JCI, not East Penn. I prefer my warranties front-loaded on fungible goods, and don't like to be locked into accepting a measly prorated credit, so I took a pass on their 24 month replacement when others typically offer 36.



A few things to note here: One is sometimes parts houses have regional suppliers. Another is that they will source SOME batteries from a secondary manufacturer to supplement their inventory. Our NAPA stocks East Penn made batteries, but on rare occasions you will see a JCI unit hiding out among their regular stock. If I order a battery and receive a JCI made unit- it goes back and I make sure to get an East Penn unit. Also note that East Penn has two or three part numbers that have a traditional cell cap, unlike all their other sealed batteries. BCI group 27 and 58 come to mind. They look like an Exide cap but differ in that the East Penn will have a sticker on the cap with the traditional warnings where Exide's will be molded in using raised lettering.


Originally Posted By: badtlc
No, JCI does not produce all interstate batteries.

I don't know which ones are which but I know for a fact that enersys (odyssey) makes 1 line of batteries for interstate.

It really doesn't get any better than Enersys (odyssey) but the prices just aren't worth it.


Maybe one or two part numbers for Interstate batteries, but I really doubt Enersys makes one whole line.



Originally Posted By: TiredTrucker
I was under the impression that there really are only 3 true battery manufacturers... JC, Exide, and East Penn/Deka.


3 major manufacturers. That is if you could call the dying Exide a major player anymore.









As for as Interstate/JCI go, my main beef with them is that they more often not barf acid all over everywhere. And don't give me that line about the alternator overcharging either. Drop a East Penn unit in and no issues. I would venture that 80-90 percent of the JCI made batteries I have seen are barfing acid where no more than 5-10 of the East Penn made units do. Of course I do understand that damage during installs happen and no manufacturer can account for that.
 
Originally Posted By: The_Eric


Maybe one or two part numbers for Interstate batteries, but I really doubt Enersys makes one whole line.


I think Enersys makes all of the MT7 line of batteries. Might be MT6.
 
Originally Posted By: 69GTX
I've had dozens of batteries over the years and cannot recall any ever failing before 3-5 years. I replaced 2 in 2015 because of age....neither actually failed to start the car. I was going to go with the Sears Diehold golds again.


You can get more life out of batteries in Connecticut where the temps never get to the triple digits. Batteries often show that they are dead in the cold, but its constant life in *heat* that really kills them, which is why more and more vehicles are putting the battery in air-conditioned space. Wifey's WK2 has the battery (factory AGM) in a well under the passenger's seat, and my Challenger has it in the trunk.
 
Originally Posted By: 440Magnum
You can get more life out of batteries in Connecticut where the temps never get to the triple digits. Batteries often show that they are dead in the cold, but its constant life in *heat* that really kills them, which is why more and more vehicles are putting the battery in air-conditioned space. Wifey's WK2 has the battery (factory AGM) in a well under the passenger's seat, and my Challenger has it in the trunk.

Some manufactures have plastic insulation for battery under the hood. Or you can buy Reflective Insulation from Home Depot and cut to fit the battery, 1 roll can make 8-10 insulation. It reduces the temperature by more than 15-20F after 20-30 minutes of driving in city.

46a88e7d-9105-4e0f-81ca-07de3b9d9011_1000.jpg
 
Originally Posted By: badtlc
Originally Posted By: The_Eric


Maybe one or two part numbers for Interstate batteries, but I really doubt Enersys makes one whole line.


I think Enersys makes all of the MT7 line of batteries. Might be MT6.


I think you may be right. I didn't realize they had those other lines- but I haven't looked through an Interstate catalog in years.
 
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