How do you choose which car battery to get?

[gayler]

Sams club has this one for $119, and it has a three year warenty.




Specifications
Battery electrolyte composition: Acid
Battery purpose: Starting lighting instrumentation
BCI group size: 34/78
CA at 32 degrees F: 985
CCA at 0 degrees F: 800
Freight class: 65
Polarity: DT
Reserve capacity: 115
Terminal type: DIN
Volts: 12
Posted core charge may apply—amount varies by state
For 3-year free replacement: Retail differences, disposal fees and taxes may apply

Warranty
Free Replacement 36 months

You need to match the group size to your vehicle. Judging by your previous post of 24F group I’m guessing you have a 70’s Ford.

 

[gayler]

This couldnt be further from the truth. SOME companies will just ask for a battery with their name on it. Others, like Motorcraft in this instance are built to Ford's specifications. The Motorcraft battery is a VERY good battery. Just because they are made by the same company doesnt mean they are all the same.

Bingo

 

[Blind1]

How do I choose? I check to make sure Costco has my size and I buy it

I see my diabolical strategy has already been posted.

27F at Costco. Easy button.

 

[bczygan]

Just get the biggest Walmart battery with the most CCA that fits in your vehicle.

Done!

Bill

 

[mikegt4]

1Garageman, look at your price quotes, you will get a credit for your old battery trade-in (core charge returned) so it can be recycled. There may be a wide range of core charge $ between suppliers, just something to watch.

 

[Ilikeike]

whatever fit's, but I like blue ones,
as long as they're AGM and not an Optima. so right now an Exide AGM marine
Blue is my favorite color

 

[rayra]

How do I choose? I check to make sure Costco has my size and I buy it

This. Their warranty is good and you could spend a good deal mor efor a battery that won't likely last any longer.


CCA - cold cranking amps. You need enough to turn your engine over. Diesels usually need more.
Group Size / 24F, the size and shape of your battery. Has to fit in a tight place, usually, rarely will more than one size fit in the spot.
F designations are usually side posts. No F, posts on the top.

That any male reaches adulthood without learning these things is one of the 1000 things broken in our society.

 

[SARG]

Don't buy an everstart from walmart unless you want it to neverstart

Hurtful.......... I have Walmart batteries in our three vehicles and 6 tractors .... No unexpected issues yet.

 

[InsanePyro]

OEM Battery.

Yeah I like getting the shittiest available warranty too!

 

[TTMotorsports]

Hurtful.......... I have Walmart batteries in our three vehicles and 6 tractors .... No unexpected issues yet.

I bought a new battery for my Toyota Tercel. Doesn't need much to start it and has a stereo BUT no other power items. Battery was dead and couldn't start vehicle 8 months after purchasing and it was driven atleast once a week too. BUT i agree as I have had walmart batteries in 3 or 4 other vehicles and never an issue until the last one I got last april

 

[InsanePyro]

I bought a new battery for my Toyota Tercel. Doesn't need much to start it and has a stereo BUT no other power items. Battery was dead and couldn't start vehicle 8 months after purchasing and it was driven atleast once a week too. BUT i agree as I have had walmart batteries in 3 or 4 other vehicles and never an issue until the last one I got last april

I think Walmart buys up like the "scraps" so to speak. I heard that same story a million times. The first one I got was junk and then I warrantied it and it was great!

 

[TTMotorsports]

Yeah atleast I held onto my receipt since walmart won't warranty these things without it. Happy they told me that when I bought it so folded it up and put in the registration envelope in the car.

 

[4xdog]

...F designations are usually side posts. No F, posts on the top...

F refers to the orientation of the right and left orientation of the terminals. F and non-F in the same BCI group size will have their terminals reversed (on the top.)

 

[HMCFab9]

Several years ago i was told that there are only a couple battery manufacturers.
1 Was Johnson controls & i believe the other one was Deka.

I'm not sure if that's 100% accurate as of today, but i am sure that there are way more battery brands than battery manufacturers.

 

[like2wheel]

F designations are usually side posts. No F, posts on the top.

That any male reaches adulthood without learning these things is one of the 1000 things broken in our society.

Congratulations, it seems you are one of the 1000 things broken in our society !



.

 

[Doug]

Also, for those worried about warranty, the free replacement is the only thing that matters. After that is a prorated warranty, but once it's out of the free replacement period, it's basically at the cost to replace. For instance, if your battery is 100 bucks, with a 36 month free replacement warranty, I dont recall the value but its essentially aroundc3 bucks a month you'd pay for replacement. In otherworldly if your battery died in month 37, you'd have 37 months times 3 dollars a month, so its $111 to replace a $100 battery. Again, not actual numbers used as I've been out of the battery game for 12 years, but ask about that. It's not what you think it is

As a major Interstate retailer of over 30 years, this is absolutely correct. Also, when comparing batteries, don't confuse 'CA' with 'CCA' or you'll be comparing apples to oranges.

 

[Doug]

I have used Walmart MAXX for many years and never a problem . Not the Never Start but the MAXX !

For some reason, and not trying to start an argument, I have a problem buying auto parts from a store that sells bath towels.

 

[Doug]

F refers to the orientation of the right and left orientation of the terminals. F and non-F in the same BCI group size will have their terminals reversed (on the top.)

'F' usually denotes fitment in a Ford. Other batteries with reversed terminals are usually labeled with a 'R' after the group size, such as '26R'.

 

[4xdog]

'F' usually denotes fitment in a Ford. Other batteries with reversed terminals are usually labeled with a 'R' after the group size, such as '26R'.

Yup -- I'm a dummy it seems. My Toyota Tacomas use a BCI group 27F/right hand positive, compared to the standard group 27/left hand positive. There are a number of BCI groups where "F" corresponds to right-hand positive, but it's not always the case. The BCI groups with "R" designation are consistently right-hand positive.

 

[TractorJeff]

OP:
The batteries in #25, #26 and #28 will/should be fine!
Personally, I would buy the Sam's for less than $120.
But that's me!

 

[man-a-fre]

For some reason, and not trying to start an argument, I have a problem buying auto parts from a store that sells bath towels.

It might help to think of them as shop rags.

 

[Jsf721]

If I own the car I put the biggest battery that I can fit in the car with the most CCA.

I also look for the best warranty. Advance Auto Parts near me is usually the best although I have lucked out at the Interstate dealer.

 

[NETexas]

Have bought Walmart batteries over the last 20 years on ~10 vehicles with only one failure just before warranty expired. They gave me a new one no charge. One of the main reasons to use Walmart batteries is because they are in every town and open long hours. Seams that batteries always expires at the most inconvenient time or place. Just like their convenient locations and hours.


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[slowtwitch73]

Biggest that will fit within suggested parameters from car/truck manufacturer. Then the battery with best warranty from a retailer who actually has stores where you will be traveling. For me it's the top of the line from O'Reilly's.

 

[1Garageman]

I am leaning towards going to SAM's tonight.

 

[reader2580]

Why is it that the original battery in a car seems to last longer than any replacement? Is it because the engine is easier to start with low miles on it? I bought my car new almost five years ago. The battery is still working great. My car sat outside with no heat a few weeks ago and started just fine at -20F.

 

[NETexas]

Same reason OEM windshield wipers out last aftermarket ones. LOL.


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[Doug]

F designations are usually side posts. No F, posts on the top.

This is incorrect.

 

[LS6 Tommy]

Same reason OEM windshield wipers out last aftermarket ones. LOL.

Not since about 1987...

Tommy

 

[HenryAZ]

'F' usually denotes fitment in a Ford. Other batteries with reversed terminals are usually labeled with a 'R' after the group size, such as '26R'.

When the US auto industry switch over to 12v from 6v, in the 1950s, BCI group 24 was one of the first 12v batteries. At that time, you could buy 24F or 24C (F for Ford, C for Chevrolet), the only difference being the terminals were reversed. Over time, they have kept the "F" designator and dropped the "C" in favor some other designator.

 

[tez929rr]

How do I choose? I check to make sure Costco has my size and I buy it

Same for me except my local NAPA.

 

[NETexas]

So what happened in 1987???


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[Glemon]

Batteries are **** now, have bought top of the line from Advance Auto and Autozone, cheap ones from Walmart, they all seem to last 3-4 years. In the late 90s and 2000s I had a string of batteries that lasted 7-10 years or more (I usually have 3-4 cars, currently 5 so the short battery life is a real pain) I think they figured out they were making them too good, and have now figured out how to make them last just past warranty.

 

[glend123]

Advanced doesn't let you use coupons on batteries. I bought 3 batteries in the last month and learned that. They will, however, let you apply their club points to batteries. Speed perks or something like that.

that must be new. I bought a battery last June and used the 20% code.
I verified that it doesn't work today.

 

[Falcon67]

Buy for warranty and ease of return - so I use Sam's AGM units and haven't had any issues. I have one that has been in a hard tail dragster for 3 years, I guarantee you'll not put one through the same issues in a car or truck. Ignored for 2~4 weeks at a time, multiple restarts of high compression engine, running backup alternator only puts out 50A max, hit with 40A conventional charger output between rounds to run fan/water pump to cool the engine - not to mention getting the **** beat out of it running down track at 125 MPH. The only "suspension" is 7.5PSI in a pair of 33x15 tires.

 

[TRWham]

I bought a new 94R/H7 battery for my 2015 Silverado yesterday to replace the NAPA AGM that was failing after 33 months. I ended up with the flooded DieHard (Clarios) Platinum from Advance because the wet has a longer replacement warranty (4 years) than the AGM (only 3 years). Given my experience with early failure of an AGM and the longer warranty of the wet cell, it just seems silly to spend even the $20 more for the AGM. The AGM is 850 vs 800 CCA for the flooded, but the OE in the truck was only 720 so either is bigger than the original that only lasted about 30 months in my use.

 

[tez929rr]

Batteries are **** now, have bought top of the line from Advance Auto and Autozone, cheap ones from Walmart, they all seem to last 3-4 years. In the late 90s and 2000s I had a string of batteries that lasted 7-10 years or more (I usually have 3-4 cars, currently 5 so the short battery life is a real pain) I think they figured out they were making them too good, and have now figured out how to make them last just past warranty.

Last NAPA truck battery lasted 7 years (F250 V10). And it was completely discharged twice. Replaced it about a month ago.

 

[CharlestonSCToolMan]

I have good luck with the 3-year Duracells from Sam's Club, but Walmart also gets good reviews. in the end, only a few companies make lead acid auto batteries anymore (Johnson Controls, now Clarios, is/was the biggest)

 

[pima67]

A comment on warranties : A few years ago my Autozone battery dies 2 days before the end of the free replacement period. Got a free new battery but the old battery's remaining warranty was applied to the new one.

 

[dcg9381]

I have good luck with the 3-year Duracells from Sam's Club, but Walmart also gets good reviews. in the end, only a few companies make lead acid auto batteries anymore (Johnson Controls, now Clarios, is/was the biggest)

The Duracell AGMs are actually made by East Penn. Their house brand - and I assume the same battery is Dekka. Last set I had was from Rock Auto and had a heck of a time getting anyone to warranty it. Finally got it done by buying replacements (Duracell) and then claiming with East Penn directly.

Dekka was a pretty good name for diesel AGMs, but I got 2.5 years out of one of them before it crapped out. I replace them in pairs and put the "good" one in my RV.