Interstate or Wallmart replacement battery?

My dealer replaced my Toyota battery with an Interstate when it failed under warrenty.

 

I just purchased the Interstate 24F, 700 CCA for $95. For anyone in the upper Midwest you get an additional 12 months "Free Replacement Warranty" making it a total of 42 months at Mills Fleet Farm stores, in store purchase only. Dealership wanted $160 for the True Start. My only reason for being at the dealership was the 180,000 mile maintenance. I only take it in every 60,000 miles to have all the fluids changed, the rest I do at home.

 

The Duralast Gold 24f in my truck is 8 years and 5 months old and still starts in sub-zero temps. I would think this is the last winter for it, but I thought that was the case the last 2 years.

 

I've had good luck with Duralast batteries as well.

 

Duralast (AutoZone), EverStart (Walmart), TrueStart (Toyota dealers) and Interstate are all made by Johnson Controls, but can have different specs and free replacement warranties. Costco also sells Interstate. I use weight as a tie breaker because that means more lead. Freshness matters!

 

Yeah, there’s only something like 3 battery manufacturers. Everyone just puts their name on them.

 

Chris, you are correct in that there are three major car battery manufacturers in the US--Johnson Controls, Exide and East Penn ("Deka"). There is a list of most of the manufacturers of the private labeled car batteries on batteryfaq.org.

 

My truck is a 05 Tacoma. I replaced the original Toyota Battery in 2014 with a Duralast Gold from Autozone.

 

I am 1.5 years into an interstate 27f and am more than happy.

 

OP here, still have my Interstate battery from 5 years ago.

 

Use walmarts everstart batterys in my tacoma and girlfriends 4runner. Work great in negitive temps, good warranty, walmarts are everywhere, good price, made by johnson controls. Ill always stick with them

 

After the last cold snap, my Interstate 24F died. It was rated for 6 years, and got probably exactly 6 years out of it. Replaced it with a Interstate 27F. Original OEM battery went 7 years. Died with no warning whatsoever though. The last crank was as strong as ever, and the next wouldn't even click.

 

Same thing my wife's RAV battery did. Seeing it was 10 yrs old I just replaced it

 

Surprisingly the Home Depot sells Exide batteries reasonably priced.Bought one and was cheaper than Walmart.

 

My dealer had a deal the 27f oem for 119 swapped so i took it. Identical spec (same, rebranded battery) to the interstate one at 160$

 

Good intel. Never would have thought HD would sell automotive batteries.

 

Can't complain about the lifespan, that's for sure, but a little warning would be nice as well. When my original died I had my (then) 2 year old out at Childrens Museum in the middle of winter, when it decided not to start anymore. Had jumpers, but not many willing to jump me. Have a little battery pack the size of a VCR tape in there now for such occasions. Love that little thing. It saved me a few times now.

 

After much research/consideration, I found nothing to convince me that any battery at any price lasts any longer than any other. I'm sticking with the OEM 27F. I've had very good luck with them over many years. It has plenty of CCA's and reserve capacity, 7 year warranty, fits perfect (my gen 2 came with a 24F w/option for a 27F). $139 dealer installed.

 

Interesting. Was Home Depot just selling them off the shelf or also offering installation? What was their free replacement warranty period? and were these wet Exide batteries with removal caps or wet sealed batteries?

 

Yup at least she was at work in the middle of the day.

Interested if you can show me that pack . been wanting something I can keep in my single cab