Great. That doesn't mean that EP was making Diehard batteries for Sears since the beginning, because they weren't.
Update me please on the battery market/what's reliable, etc.
- Thread starter Oro_O
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Great. That doesn't mean that EP was making Diehard batteries for Sears since the beginning, because they weren't.
1) I had to fetch a 24F for a neighbor's car recently. A bunch of shops didn't have one.
I've concluded battery distributors are pretty good at allowing stock to deplete before restocking.
I'm OK with that as I like fresh batteries.
2) To CB22: Are those battery terminal clamps fairly standard (as in, available)? They look like a potential lifesaver as a corroded, swagged on clamp can be removed and ring terminal added allowing use of the existing cable.
I've concluded battery distributors are pretty good at allowing stock to deplete before restocking.
I'm OK with that as I like fresh batteries.
2) To CB22: Are those battery terminal clamps fairly standard (as in, available)? They look like a potential lifesaver as a corroded, swagged on clamp can be removed and ring terminal added allowing use of the existing cable.
Here is a reminder that Advance Auto Parts bought the Diehard brand name for $200 million. This was in 2019.
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Clarios/Johnson Controls batteries-leaky junk that apparently can’t be warranted for leaking. Avoid at all costs. I don’t think you can go wrong with anything East Penn made.
Die Hard has not been East Penn since Sears/K-Mart went under. AAP has slapped the Die Hard name on the same AAP Gold junk they‘ve been pushing for years, and raised the price-A LOT! That’s how they’re making back their $200 million. They actually sent me a survey on Die Hard everything lately, that was fun to do, there’s still smoke coming off the laptop!
If the timing is right or I can wait a month or two, I’ll get Duracell-branded East Penn/Deka batteries for $20 off the already decent Sam’s Club price. They were also good about an exchange when my ‘77 F250 (24F) battery went bad after a few months (likely due to bad starter and ignition switch). Without the $20 off, Costco Interstate batteries are the best-priced in my area, with the exception of Walmart’s economy line.
Here is some stuff on Walmart battery warranties. So far I have made the 5 years on two Ever Starts and they are still going. However, up here I see Made in USA and made in Mexico on batteries on the shelve depending on the size designation. Not sure if that will figure in my next choice, but the existing two were made in the USA.
The Everstart Maxx ones I’ve had have been OK, but be aware the 5 year prorated starts on purchase date-3 years (or less) gets a new free one, but 3 years + ONE DAY means you pay 60% the cost of a new one, minimum. AFAIK the 7 year Interstate warranty is the same way, get out of free replacement time, feel the pain…
Got them off Ebay back in 2010. They where US made. I'm not sure if the ones in the link are US made.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/254929197678?hash=item3b5af6da6e:g:Gv0AAOSw~XlgalED
It's also because Costco (and Walmart) usually have the best battery prices so they sell a lot of them.
I usually buy the Johnson Controls made Everstart Maxx from Walmart. Never had a problem with one, get about 6 years, 7 if I push it. I did get a bad JC made battery from Autozone once, only lasted a year, but that was over 20 years ago, maybe longer.
This^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Well East Penn obviously made label Diehard batteries for awhile like Trav said in the last year's before Sears and K Mart shut down..
This ^^^^^^^^
You are absolutely right about.
Enerysys made the AGM platinum batteries with the Diehard label.
Amazing you could get a Enerysys battery that was way, way cheaper vs their own batteries.
Yes, probably about the same time they started showing up at Wal-Mart, would be my guess.
The news article I referenced from the early 2000s even stated that Sears might not use Johnson Controls as their sole supplier when the Exide contract ended.
No, the friends and acquittances all worked for Deka. There were two Exide plants as well in the general area.
Obviously I am wrong about Deka being the original Diehard supplier. Wrong info received and likely remembered as well. Deka did indeed make some of the non Diehard batteries sold at Sears, at least in the late 70's/early 80's. I used to cross shop the same battery at Sears vs. the retail outlet that Deka had. Almost always, the same battery was lower priced at Sears.
I still have this DieHard Platinum Automotive Battery - Group Size 35 Sears Item# 02850035000 | Model# P-5 in my 08 Accord installed June 9, 2012. Now 10 years and 82k miles later and still going strong but Sears has been long gone. The best battery I ever had. Paid $153.99 in 2012.
Surprised nobody caught this... moneysmartfamily.com got the CCA values backwards from high to low. I also wonder, does Walmart still have 3 year free replace + 2 yr prorated? I could have sworn that in the last ~2 years or so, I heard of them downgrading their warranty period.
Yes, checking Walmart's site now, for the Maxx I'm seeing 3 year replacement, but now no mention of the addt'l 2 years prorated warranty.
I'll still keep buying what I have been there, it's also nice that the store is open 24/7 with access to the battery rack so can replace one any time of day or night, and leave the old one with a cashier to get the core refund if the automotive dept isn't open at the time.
This is certainly not a definitive answer, but the last WM Maxx battery I bought about 2 years ago, a group 35, is only a 3 year replacement and no mention made of an additional 2 years pro-rated. At least no longer printed on the battery case.
I had a group 24, regular Everstart that failed one week past it's 2 year warranty. That battery was purchased 4 years ago. That was disappointing as I had had great longevity with the somewhat older Johnson Controls WM Everstart batteries and also their supposed twins at the time at AAP.
Here is a screen shot from Walmart.com and yes, the Everstart Max in this size just shows a 3 year free replacement and nothing about the 5 year pro-rated warranty.
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