I have spent 30 years automating manufacturing plants (so far). Batteries are assembled in large qty batch. Tires are assembled one at a time on a TAM.
Argue what you want.
Walmart or Costco Batteries
- Thread starter HowAboutThis
- Start date
Argue what you want.
The AGM from Costco on my Grand Caravan, which came with a flooded battery, is 4 years old. I did have to top it off as it started cranking slower than usual when we had a cold snap. We’ll see how long it lasts.
The OEM flooded battery on my 21 Toyota CHR failed last year and was also replaced with a Costco AGM. I expect to get it topped off at some point as well due to Texas heat exposure.
The OEM flooded battery on my 21 Toyota CHR failed last year and was also replaced with a Costco AGM. I expect to get it topped off at some point as well due to Texas heat exposure.
first I have read of anyone getting a pro rated warranty on an Everstart battery from Walmart…at least an Everstart Maxx in my part of the country made by Clarios...
https://clariosdigitallibrary.widencollective.com/assets/share/asset/ftpqlcxdvk
Bill
here is the warranty information from Walmart’s website for Clarios made batteries:
https://clariosdigitallibrary.widencollective.com/assets/share/asset/ftpqlcxdvk
Bill
Walmart Everstart batteries are definitely not pro-rated. You get a 1 through 4 year replacement battery depending on the model, and if it fails the new battery carries only the remaining warranty balance from the first. There is no pro-rating at all.
Hundreds of people here have exchanged Walmart batteries. From current website listing.
I put a Walmart platinum battery in my sons Santa Fe during winter 24. Winter 25 was COLD for South Carolina but no issues. so far so good. He does have the replacement warranty on it. Can't remember if it's 4 or 5 years.
edyvw
$50 site donor 2026
Ok. So you get remaining warranty.
They don’t warrant new battery same as old one with new warranty.
2x, nobody extends the warranty on a warranty replacement. It gets the balance of the original warranty unless its some sort of lifetime deal and even then the fine print comes into play on certain components.
Unsure what your asking. However I think its this:
If I buy a new battery with 3 years warranty at Walmart, and it fails after 2 years, the new battery they give me to replace only has 1 year warranty from the original purchase remaining. 3-2=1. So if that second battery fails after 1 year, there is no more warranty at all.
My warranty expires 3 years from original purchase no matter what. It does not reset to 3 years on replacement.
"Pro Rating" like Costco means you pay for whatever period you used it. So for example I buy a 3 year battery and it fails after 2 years, I would pay 2/3 of the price of the new unit (since I got 2 years of use) - and it would the have another 3 years (pro rated) warranty.
Hopefully this is a clear explanation?
edyvw
$50 site donor 2026
Ok. I never used Costco battery warranty so really not familiar with it.
f355spider
$50 Site Donor 2026
No, I did not misunderstand. When the specifications are identical, the cases are identical and the only difference is the labeling and pricing of $20....its the same product. Yes, manufacturers CAN make products to a spec a retailer requests, but in the case of Interstate/Costco, versus Walmart, Clarios is clearly providing the same product. (Walmart on the east coast sell East Penn batteries, which is another story).
I worked for Duracell many years ago, and when asked of our engineers and manufacturing why the private labeled batteries we made for Costco, Safeway, Ace Hardware where not lower spec'd than the coppertop, we were told it was actually more expensive to stop the line, change over to make a special version, than it was to keep the line running and simply change the plastic jacket material and backer cards.
f355spider
$50 Site Donor 2026
That was where the original Costco USA three year warranty was unique. Rather than giving you a new battery, they would refund you whatever you paid. You then could buy a new battery with a new warranty. The only possible downfall was the new battery might cost a bit more, due to inflation.
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Costco for me, I have both Costco and Walmart stores near by, more than one each.
Costco battery comes with 4 years free replacement warranty and 100 months total while prorated.
Walmart batts come with 3 years warranty.
I replaced 2 Costco batts so far - one within 4 years - they paid full price same new batt costs now and I bought new one.
The other one was outside 4 years free replacement, they gave me 50% of the price I paid, then I bought new batt.
Costco battery comes with 4 years free replacement warranty and 100 months total while prorated.
Walmart batts come with 3 years warranty.
I replaced 2 Costco batts so far - one within 4 years - they paid full price same new batt costs now and I bought new one.
The other one was outside 4 years free replacement, they gave me 50% of the price I paid, then I bought new batt.
f355spider
$50 Site Donor 2026
Different in the USA:
Costco is three year pro-rated warranty, on flooded or AGM.
Walmart varies depending on the battery. Their premium flooded is three years free replacement, and AGM is four years free replacement.
The fact that mainstream replacement batteries utilize such varied supply chains clearly indicates to me that anything beyond the general specs don't matter, and that they're commodities, differentiated in the market by branding and price.
Manufacturers already generally produce specific applications in four grade tiers (basic/good/better/best, which now means AGM). No logical manufacturer is going to split those hairs even finer, and produce custom variations within each grade, even at the behest of a giant like Walmart. They may, or ask their supplier to, load up the injection machine with specified color pellets, to conform to a particular brand identity. But even that practice is fading, as the traditional green/white cases that a brand like Interstate uses as its trademark now sees a lot of their product come in generic black casings.
If the specs did matter, Walmart, etc. wouldn't be selling an Everstart Maxx from Korea on one coast, and a Maxx made by East Penn on the other coast. No doubt it has the size, and power, to tell a manufacturer, or its supplier, to build batteries to their own specs. They could, yet they don't, and the prevailing practice for many brands now seems to be to source and distribute product based on whatever supply chain can best fulfill the basic orders for each region. That's the opposite of bespoke.
And only a minority of their customers are even aware…or care. To most people, the battery is something they notice when the car doesn't start, and they can't get to work, or home. Which also adds a sense of urgency that makes convenience perhaps the biggest factor in purchase decisions. None of this helps justify anything more or different than what the system already practices.
I agree with the above, batteries are a commodity now. Pick one with the best price and warranty.
My opinion is why would I mess with the hassle of a warranty when I can just buy Everstart Value line for $76 and it will last 80%+ as long as the more expensive models?
The value line used to be $55 and the one I had only lasted about 18 months.
If you get almost 3 years then for sure its a good value for you.
Yeah, it’s luck of the draw with batteries these days it seems. I will buy a higher tier model if I have bad luck with the value line or if they are out of stock locally.
My Genesis G80 was made in March 2019, I bought it new in Nov 2019. It still has the original battery. It turns the engine over with authority! I put a Noco 5 battery charger on it overnight about every other month. Has about 37k miles on it.
And the consensus on this thread is?
OP, what have you decided?
OP, what have you decided?