Who makes Rural King batteries?

[Elkins45]

Rural King has a group size 35 battery with 550 CCA on sale for $49 right now. I'm tempted to pick one up as preemptive maintenance for my 2016 Mazda that is still running on the OEM unit. The RK battery is unfortunately a maintenance-free model but if it gives me 2-3 years it will be worth the low cost, assuming it doesn't die prematurely.

Anybody know who makes them? I've not seen it in person but my fear is that it's imported from someplace not known for quality goods. The cheapest Walmart group 35 is $20 more but it has filler caps and I think they are US made.

Rural King Classic Automotive Battery - 35-60

** Please Note ** The price of the battery does NOT include the core charge. To avoid additional core charge fee, please return your old battery when picking up a new one. The core charge fee will apply if the old battery is not returned at the time of the sale of the new battery.

www.ruralking.com

 

[blufeb95]

Generally Exide

 

[dlundblad]

Not sure on the manufacturer, but I’ve had one in my truck for almost 2 years. No problems whatsoever.

My truck has the annoying GM 8mm bolt/ side post terminals. I ended up getting a battery with top posts as well and it was actually $10 or so cheaper too.

 

[Tdbo]

It has been Exide for years, and generally this fact has been clearly stated on the sticker.
However, it no longer is.
The one I saw gave the name of some merchandising or distributing company.
Therefore, I would guess that it is a potpourri of low/best bid.
It is still a good value, and last time I checked, had a decent warranty on it as well.

 

[Hall]

I've not seen it in person

You really need to go to a store and look. Batteries could be sourced from different manufacturers based on availability, location, etc.

 

[atikovi]

For $49 it could come from Cuba for all I care.

 

[Escape08]

The cheapest Walmart group 35 is $20 more but it has filler caps and I think they are US made.

Rural King Classic Automotive Battery - 35-60

** Please Note ** The price of the battery does NOT include the core charge. To avoid additional core charge fee, please return your old battery when picking up a new one. The core charge fee will apply if the old battery is not returned at the time of the sale of the new battery.

www.ruralking.com

In my experience, the batteries with filler caps outlasts the sealed ones, hands down. I just pop open every OCI and observe if the battery needs a refill (distilled). Over the life of the battery, maybe once or twice for a re-fill but it doesn't bother me.

 

[Elkins45]

In my experience, the batteries with filler caps outlasts the sealed ones, hands down. I just pop open every OCI and observe if the battery needs a refill (distilled). Over the life of the battery, maybe once or twice for a re-fill but it doesn't bother me.

That’s been my experience as well, and probably my only reservation about trying one of them.

 

[Tdbo]

That’s been my experience as well, and probably my only reservation about trying one of them.

It has a 12 month free replacement, and a 60 month prorate for $49.
What do you have to lose?
Take one for the BITOG team.
Go out, get one, use it, and review it for us.
Odds are if it goes bad outside of its normal lifespan, it is going to do so in the first 12.
You can't be any worse off than going to WallyWorld, and paying $20 more.
Besides, with the 12 month warranty, you would get the same as you would paying more money for the value battery at WW.
It's not like we are talking about a $200. AGM here, or a career decision.
Go for it.

 

[Nukeman7]

If the Rural King battery case looks like the photos on the webpage, they are still sourced from EXIDE. Newer EXIDE batteries have that unique arch-shaped carrying handle that folds down to the front edge of the battery case as depicted below near the +/- terminals.

 

[mrsilv04]

It has a 12 month free replacement, and a 60 month prorate for $49.
What do you have to lose?
Take one for the BITOG team.
Go out, get one, use it, and review it for us.

I can already do that. I buy them whenever I can. $50-$55 for a battery is a bargain. They look like Exide batteries to me. I run them 5-6 years, and then pull them... even if it is starting fine... and then replace it with another one. When it costs around 75 cents a month, that's cheap enough for me.

 

[Tdbo]

I can already do that. I buy them whenever I can. $50-$55 for a battery is a bargain. They look like Exide batteries to me. I run them 5-6 years, and then pull them... even if it is starting fine... and then replace it with another one. When it costs around 75 cents a month, that's cheap enough for me.

Even though I'm generally not a fan of Exide products, I think that it is hard to beat RK if one wants a budget battery.

 

[Elkins45]

It has a 12 month free replacement, and a 60 month prorate for $49.
What do you have to lose?
Take one for the BITOG team.
Go out, get one, use it, and review it for us.
Odds are if it goes bad outside of its normal lifespan, it is going to do so in the first 12.
You can't be any worse off than going to WallyWorld, and paying $20 more.
Besides, with the 12 month warranty, you would get the same as you would paying more money for the value battery at WW.
It's not like we are talking about a $200. AGM here, or a career decision.
Go for it.

I picked one up today. It has the arched handle like in the photo above so I guess it’s an Exide. They had a whole new pallet of them with May stickers so it’s a fresh one.

The original battery has lasted seven years and still starts with gusto. I figure it doesn’t owe me anything at this point, but the cheapskate in me hates to remove a functional battery only to see it waste away sitting in the garage waiting to become the core for my next one. The core I took in for this one was the factory Kubota labeled one from my 2013 tractor that I also proactively replaced after seven years. It also was perfectly good when I removed it.

 

[SatinSilver]

I was able to get 5 years out of an Exide Rural King battery in the 05 Matrix. Still worked fine when I replaced it. But saw a $55 Walmart East Penn battery to replace it with.

 

[f355spider]

I picked one up today. It has the arched handle like in the photo above so I guess it’s an Exide. They had a whole new pallet of them with May stickers so it’s a fresh one.

The original battery has lasted seven years and still starts with gusto. I figure it doesn’t owe me anything at this point, but the cheapskate in me hates to remove a functional battery only to see it waste away sitting in the garage waiting to become the core for my next one. The core I took in for this one was the factory Kubota labeled one from my 2013 tractor that I also proactively replaced after seven years. It also was perfectly good when I removed it.

That is the reason I bought a battery load tester about 10 years ago. It takes me less than 30 seconds to test my car battery, and I do it on each car when I do the oil change. Until I get the indication the battery is weak or not holding a charge, I drive on. I went 14 years with the original Toyota battery in my Tundra. Depending on which car and how often the oil is changed, they get checked anywhere from every three monthts to once a year.

No more roulette wondering if I might get a "click" unexpectedly when starting the car.

 

[vwmaniaman]

Last month I bought a group 65 RK battery for my 07 Ram. The battery case is identical to the Interstate in my other truck except it is black and not white. Got it on sale at $59.95. Has 670CCA. I always buy their batteries anymore since there store is closer to me than WAl-Mart and I enjoy the popcorn and coffe when I shop. They also have a real gun and camping department.

 

[Elkins45]

That is the reason I bought a battery load tester about 10 years ago. It takes me less than 30 seconds to test my car battery, and I do it on each car when I do the oil change. Until I get the indication the battery is weak or not holding a charge, I drive on. I went 14 years with the original Toyota battery in my Tundra. Depending on which car and how often the oil is changed, they get checked anywhere from every three monthts to once a year.

No more roulette wondering if I might get a "click" unexpectedly when starting the car.

In the couple of weeks since I had last opened the hood one of the cells had overflowed and I had to clean up a good bit of crusty stuff from the battery tray. I think it was telling me its time was nearly up. The load tester said <400 CCA so it was beginning to slide.

 

[Elkins45]

I just happened to glance at the side of the battery I removed. It was made by Panasonic. Wonder how much one of those would cost if they were available here?