Don't buy batteries from Advance!

As I recall my brother got an Interstate battery at costco. That's where I'm getting my next battery. Costco has always been good about warranties.

 

I have heard this my entire life, 3-4. Now none made here.

Since the early '80s, they still last the same to me and my Dad agreed adding on his experience back to the '40s, when he got his first car. That's close enough to say 100 yrs. time to me that batteries last 2-3-4, maybe 5 yrs. if you're lucky. BTW the trend has been to keep cars longer now more than ever. Pops had a '62 Impala when I was born, it had rust holes in the floors in '66 so he bought a Coronet, the engine lost the rings in '70 so he bought a Newport...then '77. Last car was a '88. Died in '96.

I can't speak for Optima as I've never had one. When they came out it was supposed to be a game changer but the 200 dollar price kept most of us at bay. Now that a 3 yr. WallyWorld is over 100......I dunno.
I will say from what I've heard from guys with Hot Rods and race cars is much like the old Interstate "They used to be good". It doesn't really make sense though. Warranty is the same.

 

Only at the parts house. WalMart just scans them. You don;t even use the receipt anymore.

I will say i think ya'll are partially right about the price to guarantee ratio. While I still think the top ones are all the same they get you on the back end at pro rate time.
So really i just think of a battery as what it gets for a free replacement.

 

East Penn is still making batteries they just keep adding more and more lines

Then they make all the assorted hardware as well

It is nice to have a factory store close at hand

 

Who do you guys think make the BEST batteries now ?? . . . . What model and price ? . . . . . . Thanks

 

If you do some googling, there are only a few car battery manufacturers in the US. I just get the AutoZone Duralast Gold, or whatever the Walmart brand is. They've always worked fine for me. The Panasonic battery in our '06 4Runner lasted 9 years before I got nervous and replaced it, but it was still starting and running just fine. The new 4Runner also has a Panasonic. Unfortunately they are hard to find over here.

 

For many things, yes. For cars, I'd disagree; they're way safer, efficient, faster, and last far longer (years and miles) than cars from the 70's.
Car batteries are actually one of the THE most recyclable objects out there; the lead and plastic are easily recycled, leaving the acid, which is mostly water and can be neutralized.

 

I have interstate through costco, I literally just get a new battery every year on warranty. have done so twice now.

 

To me the best battery is the ones sold down the street .

Most times when I need a battery I want it now not a week later

Since I never warrantied a battery A warranty is nice but to me no big deal

My Interstate dealer is a phone call away

 

I agree. As the caretaker of all the vehicles in my extended family...I've never had an issue with Walmart Everstart or Advanced Auto Autocraft batteries....or any warranties related to them.

 

Between about 2006 and 2016, I had good luck with Duralast Gold from Autozone in Camry V-6, GMC V-8, and Dodge with I-6 Cummins. In all three of those vehicles, the Duralast went beyond the 5 yr warranty period. The Dodge lasted 7 yrs and remember there is a glow plug cycle during starting.

Just bought two NAPA Legend Premiums, both 800CCA ($129 ea). I put one in each of my 95's, one 3.4L and the other 2.7L. Price was right and I thought I'd give NAPA a chance to win me over on batteries.

And now, let the Winter time starting begin: so far about 20F (parked outside) is the coldest start and they both turned over very easily with 5W-30 oil.

 

this is the very definition of thread jacking.

We're talking about stupid warranties here, not the "best" battery, for which there are already a million threads full of anecdotal evidence.

 

I refuse to buy an Optima after this happened to one of my buddies

https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/th...m-your-truck-as-you-can.946294/#post-10539080

 

It was in 1961 or 1962 when I first heard that from my Dad...

 

Well, I am old................

 

It happens sometimes if the battery terminals are dirty or not making good contact.
Can happen to any battery
Just like cell phone batteries that explode, doesn’t happen often bu it does happen and sometimes when
jumping another cars battery too because the good battery was connected first instead of connecting the dead battery 1st.

 

The warranties are generally similar, just like the batteries. It's more around who you are dealing with to honor the warranty, apparently. Personally, I have had good luck and haven't had to mess with one for years -- and when I did, it was so close to the end that it didn't help much on the cost.

 

So one bad experience changed your mind?

 

Yep. If that had been in the garage, it would have burned the whole house down. I have no desire to run a Braille after one burned in BBI’s shop too. Fire scares the shit out of me.

 

Gotta get yourself a toaster. Makes load testing batteries much easier, rather than trust the opinion of the kids at Autozone or Advance.