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

Your original thesis is flawed. Modern batteries don't last long in some modern cars because they cheap out on charging voltage to save on gas.

As said above in the thread, WM batteries have different makers in different areas. And there are repliers in the thread who don't list a location. Bedlam!

I have several of these in service, made by East Penn. I top them off with a manual charger. I intend to keep buying them until I get disappointed by a dud. Whatever battery you get will likely benefit from periodic charging.
 
This Walmart one went 9 years. Still was starting just fine but making us nervous. Went with Costco Interstate replacement.. $119. Have a similar Costco in the RV about 4 years old. I know the OP doesn't have a membership though.. unfortunately the cheapest you can get.

1FB5C04F-E589-474F-8630-0FB4D00E8A9C.jpeg
 
If available I normally buy the Plus (2 year free replacement) for $99, Tend to get about 4 years out of them, terrible heat here in Alabama summers. The Value 24F is the exception. I'm a Wal-Mart Service Manager and rarely have to exchange that group size Value Line for whatever reason. Ours used to be all Johnson Controls, now owned by Clarios. Same manufacturer for Interstate batteries. Our battery delivery guy always has assorted Everstart and Insterstate pallets on his truck. OP mentioned wanting one made in US... most ours oddly are coming in with Made in Mexico, Columbia, and Saudi Arabia stickers.
 
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Bill7 said:
Thanks - good to know only 3 battery manufacturers in the US. Will check that link for how to read the date codes.
Click to expand...
The serial number will spill the beans, AFAIK for who supplied the battery:
JCI - Clarios, fka Johnson Controls, Inc
EPM - East Penn Manufacuring
These are Korean made;
HSW - Hyundai Songwoo
ATL - Hankook Atlas
DTR - DN Automotive, fka Dong-An Tire & Rubber
 
Bill7 said:
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
Click to expand...
batteries that need frequent replacement are indicative of a different problem than the battery being bad.
 
Had good experience with the Max and Platinum (AGM) Walmart batteries. My starting point when shopping. Have not found better pricing for the comparable sizes on either. Life has been similar to OEM, but I take care to correctly commission and maintain them.
 
I've always had good luck with the OEM AC Delco batteries that come installed in new GM vehicles. I usually get at least 6 years from them. I don't know if the GM dealer installed replacements are the same as OEM but I will find out when the original battery in my 2017 GMC Canyon needs replacing (still going strong so far.)

I can't say the same for OEM Honda batteries. They seem to go bad a month after the warranty expires.
 
MParr said:
I won’t be buying anymore Ever Start Maxx batteries. My experience was from the Johnson Controls era. 13 months on the first. Warranty claim and replaced with another. It lasted 16 months. I had no expectations of another lasting much longer and replaced with a Motorcraft.
Click to expand...
Thanks MParr for that feedback. This mirrors the reviews on Walmart's website for the EverStart Maxx's.
Some people's batteries last 5+ years, others last less than 1 year.
It's unknown, but perhaps its a quality assurance issue where some EverStart Maxx's are lemons.
 
jhs914 said:
I've always had good luck with the OEM AC Delco batteries that come installed in new GM vehicles. I usually get at least 6 years from them. I don't know if the GM dealer installed replacements are the same as OEM but I will find out when the original battery in my 2017 GMC Canyon needs replacing (still going strong so far.)

I can't say the same for OEM Honda batteries. They seem to go bad a month after the warranty expires.
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Are you referring to the 100 Month Honda batteries. 100 month = 8.3 years.
How many years did yours last, and what year was the battery purchased?
 
eljefino said:
Your original thesis is flawed. Modern batteries don't last long in some modern cars because they cheap out on charging voltage to save on gas.

As said above in the thread, WM batteries have different makers in different areas. And there are repliers in the thread who don't list a location. Bedlam!

I have several of these in service, made by East Penn. I top them off with a manual charger. I intend to keep buying them until I get disappointed by a dud. Whatever battery you get will likely benefit from periodic charging.
Click to expand...
Thanks eljefino: Very interesting point you made:
"Modern batteries don't last long in some modern cars because they cheap out on charging voltage to save on gas."

Wonder if that could be a possible reason why the reviews for Walmart Everstart Maxx are on both extremes, some last 6+ years, some fail in less than a year. It's unknown, but just a theory - Maybe it could be due to how new the car was - Maybe the newer cars with lower charging could be causing the early failure rates in the batteries.
 
nthach said:
The serial number will spill the beans, AFAIK for who supplied the battery:
JCI - Clarios, fka Johnson Controls, Inc
EPM - East Penn Manufacuring
These are Korean made;
HSW - Hyundai Songwoo
ATL - Hankook Atlas
DTR - DN Automotive, fka Dong-An Tire & Rubber
Click to expand...
Good post nthach, that small list really simplifies it. Would you care to rate those 5 manufacturers from best to worst...
 
RaymondP said:
Had good experience with the Max and Platinum (AGM) Walmart batteries. My starting point when shopping. Have not found better pricing for the comparable sizes on either. Life has been similar to OEM, but I take care to correctly commission and maintain them.
Click to expand...
Do you notice the Walmart Platinum AGM batteries lasting considerably longer than the Maxx?
 
I’m not a battery expert, but I’ve yet to see any correlation between brands and models of batteries lasting one way or another. Seems like a crapshoot either way. I’ve had decent luck with even Exide batteries. My longest lasting battery was the $50 Walmart one for the Camry. Made it 45 months on that one which is a miracle in Phoenix.
 
Bill7 said:
Would you care to rate those 5 manufacturers from best to worst...
Click to expand...
No offense to ntach (or anyone), but if someone hasn't used all (5) in side-by-side comparisons, any ranking won't mean much.

East Penn batteries do have a good reputation here and elsewhere though.
 
Bill7 said:
Are you referring to the 100 Month Honda batteries. 100 month = 8.3 years.
How many years did yours last, and what year was the battery purchased?
Click to expand...
I'm referring to whatever the battery was that was installed at the factory. The ones that failed me had a 36 month warranty and were done by the 37th month.
 
Well, in my case, a battery with a 36 month warranty is better when it dies at the end of that warranty, and is replaced with another 3 year battery. I can theoretically get 6+ years out of these for the price of 1.

My last 2 Walmart Everstart Maxx with 3 year warranties, were replaced free under said warranty at the end of the warranty period. So theoretically, minus some hassles, I'll get around 6 years on 2 batteries, for the price of 1 battery and some minor hassle.

I've never as an adult had a car battery last more than say 5 years. Generally closer to 4. When 4 hits (or a day after whatever the warranty is), you're on the hook for the entire replacement.
 
Haven’t had enough Walmart batteries to know, but, I’ve bought a few and they get the job done for me it seems. I’m ok with 5 years and am starting to just replace at that point, proactively, instead of waiting for them to actually fail. Walmarts are all over the place, easy to get a battery when I need one, and the price seems right. I usually swap in the parking lot. :)

I wish Honda wasn’t so stingy, IMO trying to save 0.01mpg by not charging the battery properly is lousy method of saving money for me. I’ve never owned a car that I had to periodically charge up, but our CRV seems to need topping off every 2-3 months with a charger.
 
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