Interstate Batteries?

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Aug 18, 2009
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Location
Ohio
I had never purchased one until March 16th last year. The only experience that I had ever had with one was that one came with a used Chrysler convertible that I owned years ago.
The one that I bought replaced a 10 year old Autocraft Gold that bit the dust shortly after getting the Mustang out in 2020.
Put the Mustang up for the winter last fall, hooked up to the CTEK like I always do. Got it out today, and the 11 month old Interstate was beyond dead. Car would not start with a boost or anything.
So, this resulted in a trip to Costco to return the battery, which was proud if its Mexican heritage, judging not only by the fact that "Made in Mexico" was engraved in the case; but if one missed that, that information could be accessed by the accompanying sticker prominently displayed next to the engraving on the top.
Ended up with another one for an additional $1.13 (tax.) This one seems to be rather subdued about its birthplace, as there is no indication of where it came from whatsoever.
Put it into the Mustang and it started right up. Hoping that this one makes it into years instead of merely months.
 
My worst experience with group size 65 batteries was with Interstate Megatron batteries. Two failed in the course of 38 months (Jan 2009 to Mar 2012.) The AAP replacement lasted five years or longer, when I sold the truck. Oddly enough, Costco and Walmart batteries have done very well in my other vehicles. At the time my understanding was that JCI manufactured all of these brands.

Ten years later, no Interstate labels for me.
 
The interstate battery in my last truck group 65 lasted 8 years even having been fully drained 3 or 4 times. The one in my pickup now is another group 65 is nine years old and still works fine . I guess i have had good luck with them. The garage i do business with sells them and i tend to be loyal to places that take care of there customers .
 
I believe the ones at Costco are specifically for them, not sure as we don’t have a Costco here. Interstate is the only battery I’ll buy besides Rural King or Duralast or Energizer because those are the only ones I’ve ever had luck with. The one in our 1994 Econoline just went out after numerous years probably close to 12 now. And the bad part is the Interstate Battery location here won’t give us that same battery because it’s a bigger battery than what it calls for so we are looking for somewhere else that sells them to be able to get one. We had a shop install that one because I was not old enough to back then lol. Hopefully this one will last you years and years like mine did.
 
I believe the ones at Costco are specifically for them, not sure as we don’t have a Costco here. Interstate is the only battery I’ll buy besides Rural King or Duralast or Energizer because those are the only ones I’ve ever had luck with. The one in our 1994 Econoline just went out after numerous years probably close to 12 now. And the bad part is the Interstate Battery location here won’t give us that same battery because it’s a bigger battery than what it calls for so we are looking for somewhere else that sells them to be able to get one. We had a shop install that one because I was not old enough to back then lol. Hopefully this one will last you years and years like mine did.

So would interstate sell you the battery if you just went into the store and asked to buy the size you want and installed it yourself? You would have the old one for the core .
 
So would interstate sell you the battery if you just went into the store and asked to buy the size you want and installed it yourself? You would have the old one for the core .
We did ask they said they had to know what vehicle for warranty purposes.
 
I believe the ones at Costco are specifically for them, not sure as we don’t have a Costco here. Interstate is the only battery I’ll buy besides Rural King or Duralast or Energizer because those are the only ones I’ve ever had luck with. The one in our 1994 Econoline just went out after numerous years probably close to 12 now. And the bad part is the Interstate Battery location here won’t give us that same battery because it’s a bigger battery than what it calls for so we are looking for somewhere else that sells them to be able to get one. We had a shop install that one because I was not old enough to back then lol. Hopefully this one will last you years and years like mine did.

The ones at Costco are the same battery.
The only difference is that Costco buys them at a discount (without warranty
 
The ones at Costco are the same battery.
The only difference is that Costco buys them at a discount (without warranty

Site just cut me off.
Costco buys them from Interstate without warranty and administers it themselves.
That is why if you buy one from Costco, you have to return it to Costco.
I was told this by an employee at Costco.
 
Costco buys them from Interstate without warranty and administers it themselves.
That is why if you buy one from Costco, you have to return it to Costco.
I was told this by an employee at Costco.

Since Interstate is not a manufacturer, and sources most of its product from Clarios, I doubt that's the case.

Costco also sourced their Kirkland-branded batteries from Clarios, before it re-branded them with Interstate labeling.

Whatever deal they have is more likely to be a licensing agreement for use of the brand, not a supply agreement. Kirkland has its own brand equity, so I do wonder how much benefit was derived from that move, especially when the overwhelming attraction of Costco's batteries is lower pricing, and its customer service, not necessarily the brand label.

As far as the batteries go, I have one that's just shy of five years old. Also had another one that died prematurely, but it was likely killed by a driver who left the lights on once too often. The return and refund process was quick, and painless.
 
Since Interstate is not a manufacturer, and sources most of its product from Clarios, I doubt that's the case.

Costco also sourced their Kirkland-branded batteries from Clarios, before it re-branded them with Interstate labeling.

Whatever deal they have is more likely to be a licensing agreement for use of the brand, not a supply agreement. Kirkland has its own brand equity, so I do wonder how much benefit was derived from that move, especially when the overwhelming attraction of Costco's batteries is lower pricing, and its customer service, not necessarily the brand label.

As far as the batteries go, I have one that's just shy of five years old. Also had another one that died prematurely, but it was likely killed by a driver who left the lights on once too often. The return and refund process was quick, and painless.

Merely reported what I was told by a guy wearing a badge proclaiming that he was the Manager of the tire department at Costco.
Interstate is merely a name of a distribution network, just like what Sears used to be.
They source batteries for service businesses, market them, and provide a network to warranty them. In some areas, they even have storefronts for battery sales.
In regards to Costco, they merely provide a name. Interstate does not handle the warranty for any of their batteries sold in a Costco. Therefore, their participation appears to be merely branding, unless they participate in distributing them to the stores.
Since one cannot access the Interstate network to warranty a battery purchased at Costco, I see no real value of having the Interstate label on their batteries. IMO, the customer would better served by having the Kirkland label on them. Only thing that the Interstate label on it results in is probably a higher transaction price.
 
my take on the Costco swtich from Kirkland branding to Interstate is JCI was losing money on the generous Costco warranty that was of course pushed back onto JCI directly, and JCI balked. So Costco found a new supplier for essentially the same product in Interstate, and they are willing to accept the warranty terms. although the warranty has changed.

regardless, Interstate batts are as good as any other "brand". isolated cases of failure are likely related to stale stock at time of purchase and lack of proper charging while in service.

did the OP take the battery out of the Mustang to overwinter it? can the ctek deal with the parasitic drain of the car? was the car driven regularly during covid lockdown or did it sit for weeks at a time in psoc? what did the ctek show as the condition/soc of the battery during the winter? did you ever check it? if it were dead the ctek should've showed something.
 
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