Walmart Store Brand EverStart batteries - Do they typically last 5 years or do they need frequent replacement?

[Bill7]

I need to buy a battery soon for a 2006 Honda Odyssey (size 24F).
I did some research on other threads on BITOG which discussed that car batteries are lasting less and less time due to the poor quality recycled lead being used in them due to lead availability.

I noticed Walmart has a store brand (Everstart) battery in different price points.
$60: Everstart Value: https://www.walmart.com/ip/EverStar...ize-24F-12-Volt-585-CCA/47308797?athbdg=L1102
$120: Everstart Maxx: https://www.walmart.com/ip/EverStar...-Battery-Group-Size-24F/28275657?athbdg=L1102

The reviews on Walmart's website are mixed, some say they last 6+ years, others say they only lasted a week.
Trying to figure out if the bad reviews were from people who might have had a parasitic drain and blamed it on the battery.

How many years would be a reasonable expectation for a Walmart brand Everstart battery to last?

Has anyone came across an outstanding car battery brand that had exceeded their expectations for the # of years it lasted,
or even point me in the direction of the best brand to buy based on reputation?

I'm looking for a car battery that would last 5+ years without needing to use the warranty.

Thanks,
Bill

 

[blufeb95]

My mom's Value 24F in my mom's 08 Odyssey lasted about 3 years, the Value 75N that's in my 2008 4.2L Trailblazer is over 4 years old and tested about 70% of the original CCA a few months ago. The Maxx battery that I'm too lazy to look up the size of that's in the 2008 Malibu is 4 years old and still going strong, consider that the car mostly gets short tripped and the car does that thing where it turns the fans on to dry out the evaporator a while after you shut it off.

 

[Bill7]

My mom's Value 24F in my mom's 08 Odyssey lasted about 3 years, the Value 75N that's in my 2008 4.2L Trailblazer is over 4 years old and tested about 70% of the original CCA a few months ago. The Maxx battery that I'm too lazy to look up the size of that's in the 2008 Malibu is 4 years old and still going strong, consider that the car mostly gets short tripped and the car does that thing where it turns the fans on to dry out the evaporator a while after you shut it off.

Thanks, that is helpful. The Walmart Value 24F costs $60 with a 1 year warranty. Maybe the Value battery is really a 3 year battery.

 

[Furious]

The Everstart Maxx are good batteries. However the value batteries I find them to last about 1.5-2 years.

I do not recommend you go below the Maxx especially on a vehicle with a lot of electronics such as an Odyssey.

 

[JayhawkRoy]

Just replaced a group 65 Value Walmart battery leaking around terminals. Original purchase date 22 Sept, so I got 6 mos before replacement was needed. Past Everstarts group 65 batteries went 7-9 years before replacement needed. At the time, I took what was on the Walmart shelf, the Value line. Probably won't do that again, despite others doing well with the Value line.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

They're as good as any other batteries made by the same supplier. If they're made by East Penn/Deka, they're as good as any other EP battery of that grade (value/regular/max)

 

[Hall]

There's too many variables (vehicle usage, climate, etc) to really get a decent idea of how long they last.

It's more important to realize that they aren't "Walmart" batteries, they are JCI or East Penn or some other manufacturer (seems to depend on your region). And no, those companies don't make cheaper versions for Walmart. These are the same batteries you get at Autozone, O'Reilly, local parts stores, etc.

 

[nthach]

It think it depends on who made the battery. WM on the West Coast seems to be wholly Korean, East Coast is Clarios or Deka.

 

[Bill7]

The Everstart Maxx are good batteries. However the value batteries I find them to last about 1.5-2 years.

I do not recommend you go below the Maxx especially on a vehicle with a lot of electronics such as an Odyssey.

Good advice.

 

[Bill7]

So the $120 Everstart Maxx are the way to go then.
For the $120 price point, what would be the longest lasting brand/model to go with?
Is there 1 long lasting brand that typically outlasts all other brands?

 

[ripcord]

So the $120 Everstart Maxx are the way to go then.
For the $120 price point, what would be the longest lasting brand/model to go with?
Is there 1 long lasting brand that typically outlasts all other brands?

The OEM Panasonic in my wife's old Sentra lasted for 10 years. I wouldn't know how to reproduce that with an off the shelf consumer battery these days, though.

 

[Imp4]

Rust belt northerner here that lives in a lake effect snow belt.
I've had great success over the years with at least a dozen batteries over a range of a half dozen or so Toyota and Honda vehicles and I've always purchased Everstart Maxx batteries.
I can think of one instance that one failed me and it was 4+ years old. I typically replace after 5 years just so I feel good about family members that are out in the cold weather.
YMMV.

 

[JeffKeryk]

I like the Costco Interstate batteries, because if you bring it in under warranty, they just pull another off the shelf, no questions asked and no pro-rating. About $100 + tax.
If you are willing to spend $120, you can get an AGM at Costco for about $160 I believe.

Good luck.

 

[Tman220]

This past fall I replaced an Everstart Max battery in my 2007 Camry, it had a build date of 09/13.

I replaced it with another Everstart, however, the look and design of sides and top had changed so I would find it unsurprising if the supplier of those batteries had changed over the years.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

IMO battery life in part depends on the time which has elapsed between the initial charge and purchase date. Become familiar with the how manufacturing dates are displayed and aim for 3-6 months old. AGM batteries are better but a little more $$.

 

[Bill7]

Thanks. Since I don't have a Costco subscription, the Walmart Everstart Maxx seems like a good choice based on the consensus of responses above.

 

[Bill7]

IMO battery life in part depends on the time which has elapsed between the initial charge and purchase date. Become familiar with the how manufacturing dates are displayed and aim for 3-6 months old.

Would anyone know how to read the date codes on the Everstart Max batteries?

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

Would anyone know how to read the date codes on the Everstart Max batteries?

How to Read Code on Everstart Batteries

Everstart is the brand name that the Wal Mart Corporation uses on the sealed lead acid (SLA) batteries that it sells for automobile, marine and other motorized vehicles. There are just three major automobile battery manufacturers in the United States, although each of these makers may label...

itstillruns.com

 

[Bill7]

How to Read Code on Everstart Batteries

Everstart is the brand name that the Wal Mart Corporation uses on the sealed lead acid (SLA) batteries that it sells for automobile, marine and other motorized vehicles. There are just three major automobile battery manufacturers in the United States, although each of these makers may label...

itstillruns.com

Thanks - good to know only 3 battery manufacturers in the US. Will check that link for how to read the date codes.

 

[Snagglefoot]

My Everstart Max is 6 years old and I’ve kept it replenished with water with its two removal caps. It sits in the cold down to 0 F frequently. It can stay at 12.2 V when above freezing. I often see Everstart Max batteries that are made in Mexico. Mine was made in the USA.

I also have a 6 year old Everstart Deep Cycle for my outboard that can hold 12.7 volts. It gets topped up with water once a year.