Oh, the battery choices...

[daves87rs]

Time to replace the 75 series 7.5 year old JC AC Delco battery in my Cavalier. And look at the choices! It doesn't help that I know too much, but still can't make up my mind...

Some choices..

Everstart Value(JC) 47 bucks
Everstart Plus(JC) 67
Everstart Maxx(JC) 80 bucks


NAPA power 65 (exide) 75 w/ 5 buck MIR
NAPA legend 75(exide) 83 w/ 10 buck MIR


Autocraft silver 87/Gold 97 (JC)- best used with codes...

Super Start Prim 84/Extreme 97 (East Penn)

Duralast reg 84/Gold 94 (JC)

Meijer silver 67/ Duracell 99 (both East Penn)

Diehard- current issues because many local Sears/ Kmarts don't have them in stock....

I think I'm missing a few here...


Wife currently has a NAPA power 65, which is doing well....


Based on what you see, your thoughts? (and no, being nuts is not one of them

)

 

[JHZR2]

I'd go with the maxx. While I hate getting stuff from WM, it seems like the best option for readily available batteries...

 

[JimPghPA]

Go to Forums, then go to Question of the day, then go to third page Best car and light truck batteries.

Duralast Gold at AutoZone is a very good battery at a low price for what you get.

 

[wallyuwl]

The best value is probably the Meijer Silver. My next value choice would be the Napa Legend 75. Then the Autocraft Silver. Everstart Maxx is a good battery for the price, too, but they don't have a prorated warranty period anymore.

 

[HTSS_TR]

Interstate Mega-Tron Plus is $100 at Firestone and they have $10 off online coupon now, it has 30-month free replacement and 85-month pro-rate warranty. The cold cranking amps is 700.

 

[The_Eric]

Super Start Prim 84/Extreme 97 (East Penn)

I'd avoid an Exide battery like the plague.

The East Penn batter should have a 3yr free replacement.

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: wallyuwl
Everstart Maxx is a good battery for the price, too, but they don't have a prorated warranty period anymore.


So how does it work? Did they extend the free replacement period, or did they just limit everything?

 

[MetalSlug]

I have a energizer battery, I do not know who made it, I check the date and it been 6 year still crank my camaro every morning. But I would ether go with AC delco ( I know some last 10 years, and your is last 7+ years, get AC delco if u have moneys, my second pick cause of the warranty, is walmart battery, since every corner down the street no matter where u are in the country, there alway a walmart down the road ^^ btw u can order AAP online and use discount code. I bought a optima red top battery last week cause I though my battery is die, anyway its 150 dollar, after discount code its 100 dollar, but Im end up return it couple day later for starter, since it was the bad starter that made my car not crank, I put back the old energizer battery and it test show up good.

 

[motorguy222]

It seems that battery makers are going with a regular warranty,2-3 years,some more but after that,nothing.No pro-rating,nothing.

The warranty is for free replacement but many batteries last longer than this.

This may be a way to increase the amount of batteries sold,if you dont have any type of warranty after 2-3 years,many will by a new battery for this reason.

Most batteries are made by just a few companies.It might be best to try and see who makes what and then choose by price.Brand 'X' may be the exact same battery under brand 'Y's name and may be cheaper.

This site is supposed to have been updated recently,it tells who makes what.

Who Makes What Battery

 

[Oregoonian]

If you have a Costco (and you are a member)....their Kirkland Brand was highly rated by Consumers Reports recently.

I purchased mine about six months ago for under $70. It has a 3 year (36 month) free replacement.....and a 96 month pro-rated warranty.

Hard to beat for cost and warranty!

 

[musicmanbass]

Very happy with both of my Duralast Gold batteries. 3yrs free replacement, 8 yr prorated warranty with a national database. (You can get it replaced at ANY AZ in the country) The Gold in my LS died in it's second year (car sat for a long while) was replaced free, and I have a new battery with a brand new 3/8yr warranty.

 

[HTSS_TR]

Problem with buying battery from membership warehouses is, you must be a member few years later when you claim warranty.

Walmart just drops the pro-rate warranty about a year ago without extend the free replacement period. This is the main reason I bought Motorcraft battery BXT-49 a couple months ago for my E430 from a Ford dealer, it has 3 years free replacement and 100 months pro-rate.

 

[mrsilv04]

Originally Posted By: daves87rs

NAPA power 65 (exide) 75 w/ 5 buck MIR
NAPA legend 75(exide) 83 w/ 10 buck MIR


NAPA ditched Exide several months ago (finally!) and is now selling East Penn/Deka.

 

[ltslimjim]

An employee at Costco told me today that they believed the Kirkland Signature batteries at Costco were equivalent to Interstate Batteries. ??? Either way, both are labels from Johnson Controls, right?

I'm going to be looking for a battery by this winter probably. I'm considering getting Interstate Battery's "Mega-Tron".

For about $60 I can get the Kirkland battery that supposedly has all of the same ratings(CCA etc), saving anywhere from $30-$40 up front and getting the 36 month free replacement plus the insanely long pro-rated coverage.

 

[brianl703]

The Kirkland Signature batteries have the same specs as Interstate's top of the line batteries, at least for the ones I've looked at. And they are made by the same company.

 

[ltslimjim]

Originally Posted By: brianl703
The Kirkland Signature batteries have the same specs as Interstate's top of the line batteries, at least for the ones I've looked at. And they are made by the same company.


...but what if I want the one that says Mega-Tron for more money.

Interesting. I will probably go with the Kirkland Signature brand route in that case. The free replacement is 3 years(instead of 2 from Interstate) and the prorated goes nearly another 2 years than the 75 month prorated Interstate.

I currently have a die hard that I personally helped kill by leaving the headlights on for 2-3 hours a few months back. My Civic doesn't have a buzzer to remind you and it was daylight with a brief rain shower, ugh!!!

It still works, though...slow charging it tonight. This winter will be the decision, though.

 

[eljefino]

Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
Problem with buying battery from membership warehouses is, you must be a member few years later when you claim warranty.


This was not true at Sam's when I went in for road hazard service on a tire after my membership lapsed.

I'm not sure they *could* hold you to this, after all a warranty is a contract signed on a day you were a member. Read the fine print.

OP: Advance has an "economy" battery with 1 yr warranty that matches walmart's cheapest-- both are JC batteries. $65 minus whatever coupon you can throw at it. Though, note, perhaps a fluke, I have one with 2/11 manufacture date and a shorted cell.

 

[daves87rs]

Originally Posted By: mrsilv04
Originally Posted By: daves87rs

NAPA power 65 (exide) 75 w/ 5 buck MIR
NAPA legend 75(exide) 83 w/ 10 buck MIR


NAPA ditched Exide several months ago (finally!) and is now selling East Penn/Deka.


Hmmm..wonder if they switched here...

 

[06jds377]

Advance will price match to a competitor's battery with the same warranty.

I'd go with an Autocraft Gold.

 

[Oregoonian]

Originally Posted By: ltslimjim
An employee at Costco told me today that they believed the Kirkland Signature batteries at Costco were equivalent to Interstate Batteries. ??? Either way, both are labels from Johnson Controls, right?

I'm going to be looking for a battery by this winter probably. I'm considering getting Interstate Battery's "Mega-Tron".

For about $60 I can get the Kirkland battery that supposedly has all of the same ratings(CCA etc), saving anywhere from $30-$40 up front and getting the 36 month free replacement plus the insanely long pro-rated coverage.

+!
Originally Posted By: brianl703
The Kirkland Signature batteries have the same specs as Interstate's top of the line batteries, at least for the ones I've looked at. And they are made by the same company.