Originally Posted By: zzyzzx
These batteries are too new for anyone to say for sure if they are any good. When I needed a new battery for my 1995 Escort a couple of months ago, I got the Interstate from Costco, and it was $80 (after core and taxes) vs $50 + tax for the 1 year battery from WalMart. Generally speaking cheap auto parts are often the most expensive ones you can buy since they fail so quickly.
Depends on the situation. One time I was looking for a replacement battery to replace a Costco battery (we got the full refund) that my wife kept on draining with the map lights on. It was toast after less than 3 years.
Looked on the Sears website and saw a DieHard Weatherhandler North available for pickup for about $50. It was cheaper than any other place. I don't even recall we could find a 51R at Costco any more. I got there and they said there was no North or south version like on the website, just one which they handed to me. It's gone through more than six years of maps lights and at least once where I was waiting with the lights on, but didn't hear a warning since I didn't open the door.
OTOH, the one thing I did have more recently was a few battery chargers, and I made a habit of hooking them up after the battery was jumped or sometimes just randomly because I thought it should be charged after only short trips. Heck, it was sitting in a body shop for over a month once. I did replace the map and dome lights with LEDs.