prices of batteries

[Slick3914]

AAP used to be competitive. Then some genius at the corporate office decided to buy the Diehard name for big bucks, and all the battery prices went up substantially.
WM FTW as far as I’m concerned.

And they stopped accepting discount codes on batteries at the same time.

 

[kschachn]

They require AGM batteries. But they do last longer than flooded.

They don't require it (my Tiguan was delivered with an EFB), but when I replaced that I used an AGM.

 

[dpalmer1987]

Interesting note........Walmart has different prices on the exact same battery at different locations. Three years ago I traveled 20 miles to get a battery for $30.00 less than my local Walmart. Priced lower in a less affluent area.

Well I hope that you had other tasks or things to do within the general vicinity of this cheaper Walmart location 20 miles away. I would never travel 20 miles just to save only $30. Not the most productive use of my time - I have better things to do.

 

[johnmyster]

AC Delco was the last decent battery. I had some go 8+ years. When GM sold the division in ~2008, it was lost as well. They design batteries to fail like light bulbs.

I am having slightly better satisfaction with East Penn units, generally purchased from Fisher Auto Parts (Federated) with a 3 year warranty. Trouble or not, I take it back at 34 months. I discharge a little and then let it sit in a freezer overnight. I take it to the store, the manager tests, shakes his head, and orders me a new one.

We're paying a ton for shipping and recycling of lead but I'd rather pay the industry to make me a good battery. An economy driven by consumption at its worst.

 

[SammyChevelleTypeS3]

I just recently got skinned good by our local NAPA. I had paid them a lot for the battery that failed in just 28 months. The guy told me their NAPA battery (one we had) was warranted for a free replacement up to 24months. No other credit towards a new one, nothing. Last time I will do business there. NAPA name always meant top quality parts etc... back in my home shop auto repair days. All my parts came from them. Sure is not looking that way anymore? Must be doing like most these days. Having everything they can made in the cheapest labor markets across the globe where apparently cheap junk parts are used to squeeze out even more profits. Quality exists no more, or I simply can not find it lately.

 

[SammyChevelleTypeS3]

AC Delco was the last decent battery. I had some go 8+ years. When GM sold the division in ~2008, it was lost as well. They design batteries to fail like light bulbs.

I am having slightly better satisfaction with East Penn units, generally purchased from Fisher Auto Parts (Federated) with a 3 year warranty. Trouble or not, I take it back at 34 months. I discharge a little and then let it sit in a freezer overnight. I take it to the store, the manager tests, shakes his head, and orders me a new one.

We're paying a ton for shipping and recycling of lead but I'd rather pay the industry to make me a good battery. An economy driven by consumption at its worst.

Sadly it is not just batteries. I have seen a massive drop off in quality of just about anything/everything the last 2-3 years.

 

[f355spider]

AC Delco was the last decent battery. I had some go 8+ years. When GM sold the division in ~2008, it was lost as well. They design batteries to fail like light bulbs.

I am having slightly better satisfaction with East Penn units, generally purchased from Fisher Auto Parts (Federated) with a 3 year warranty. Trouble or not, I take it back at 34 months. I discharge a little and then let it sit in a freezer overnight. I take it to the store, the manager tests, shakes his head, and orders me a new one.

We're paying a ton for shipping and recycling of lead but I'd rather pay the industry to make me a good battery. An economy driven by consumption at its worst.

You'd rather pay an industry to make a good battery, while at the same time you are scamming them on their warranty for a free replacement when the warranty is just about up? No wonder retailers like Costco have gone to a three year pro-rated warranty...

 

[f355spider]

I just recently got skinned good by our local NAPA. I had paid them a lot for the battery that failed in just 28 months. The guy told me their NAPA battery (one we had) was warranted for a free replacement up to 24months. No other credit towards a new one, nothing. Last time I will do business there. NAPA name always meant top quality parts etc... back in my home shop auto repair days. All my parts came from them. Sure is not looking that way anymore? Must be doing like most these days. Having everything they can made in the cheapest labor markets across the globe where apparently cheap junk parts are used to squeeze out even more profits. Quality exists no more, or I simply can not find it lately.

Get a Walmart AGM, they cost a bit more, but four year free replacement. The last four I have needed have come from Walmart in the past two years...I'm done with crappy warranties.

Batteries are fickle products and even the best manufacturers can produced a turd now and then. I had to East Penn flooded fail in less than two years and Batteries Plus was not the easiest to deal with for warranty coverage. I have had three Optima Red Top fail in a row and each lasted barely two years before they started leaking.

 

[johnmyster]

You'd rather pay an industry to make a good battery, while at the same time you are scamming them on their warranty for a free replacement when the warranty is just about up? No wonder retailers like Costco have gone to a three year pro-rated warranty...

Make a battery that doesn’t test bad under cold start conditions in the warranty period and not one that is designed to fail immediately thereafter. When it tests bad on the tester at the store, testing bad in my care is not far behind.

I had to East Penn flooded fail in less than two years and Batteries Plus was not the easiest to deal with for warranty coverage. I have had three Optima Red Top fail in a row and each lasted barely two years before they started leaking.

Oh look, you've noted the same.

 

[4wd]

Get a Walmart AGM, they cost a bit more, but four year free replacement. The last four I have needed have come from Walmart in the past two years...I'm done with crappy warranties.

Batteries are fickle products and even the best manufacturers can produced a turd now and then. I had to East Penn flooded fail in less than two years and Batteries Plus was not the easiest to deal with for warranty coverage. I have had three Optima Red Top fail in a row and each lasted barely two years before they started leaking.

Yep, and if it should fail - odds are high there will be a Walmart nearby …

 

[Spring Break '92]

The issue being is that guy may or may not be credible. But some reason only known to the universe-Youtubers have credibility whether they know whether they know what they are doing or not.

So you're saying NATES INTERACTIVE AUTO channel isn't a viable source of information? I think my car is screwed then

 

[zzyzzx]

I just recently got skinned good by our local NAPA. I had paid them a lot for the battery that failed in just 28 months. The guy told me their NAPA battery (one we had) was warranted for a free replacement up to 24months. No other credit towards a new one, nothing. Last time I will do business there. NAPA name always meant top quality parts etc... back in my home shop auto repair days. All my parts came from them. Sure is not looking that way anymore? Must be doing like most these days. Having everything they can made in the cheapest labor markets across the globe where apparently cheap junk parts are used to squeeze out even more profits. Quality exists no more, or I simply can not find it lately.

Do you recall the manufacturer of this specific battery?
Around here NAPA batteries seem to be mostly Deka / East Penn.

 

[wemay]

Had to replace the AGM in the Palisade about 2 months ago. Went to WMart and bought an EverStart Platinum, H7 AGM Group 850-CCA for $179. No need to reset anything. Very easy and inexpensive.