Scoobywagon Posted January 5, 2009 Share Posted January 5, 2009 There are essentially three batteries in the US. They are made by Johnson Control, Exide and Interstate. Most Die Hard batteries (Sears) are Exides as well as Napa and Parts Plus. Wal-Mart's batteries are mostly Johnson Control as are Autozone's and (I think) Schuck's. Interstate largely makes batteries for its own purposes, though there are some places that rebadge them. Napa's "Orbital" batteries are rebadged Optimas, for example. If you want to find one, talk to a car stereo shop. Lots of them are INterstate dealers so that they can get the Optima's that are so popular with the stereo crowd. They may not carry the regular Interstate batteries, but they can get them. Just might take a week. They'll probably also want you to pay up front since, for them, its a special order item. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subyfreak Posted January 5, 2009 Share Posted January 5, 2009 I have been running a duralast gold dual terminal battery for about 6 years now with no problems even with the cold upper Michigan winters. It came with a now expired roadside assistance card for free jump starts and cost about 60 dollars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edrach Posted January 5, 2009 Share Posted January 5, 2009 I have Interstates in my both my 96 OBW and my travel trailer - good batteries, but when I recently priced one for the 05 OBW and found them to be selling at almost $100, I got turned off on the brand. So I'm searching also. I haven't found the issue yet but I believe Consumer Reports rated one of the NAPA batteries at the top, just not sure which model/series. Anyone? Consumer Reports always favors lower price over better quality (easier to quantify). Cost of lead has gone up because of shortages (think Iraq war) and as a result the cost of batteries for your car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quidam Posted January 5, 2009 Share Posted January 5, 2009 (edited) "The salesman I spoke to at the direct store stated that prices on the "lead" in the batteries are going up due to shortages:rolleyes:" That was the case a few months ago. Price has dropped like a rock. Clean lead "was", about a dollar a pound. If you weigh different brand batteries of the same size, you can get a feel for how much lead is in them. Got to go. Later Edit: Had a friend with two gel NAPA batteries, wanted me to check them out. Slightly over a year old. I couldn't find a country of origin on them anywhere. I call NAPA, these are Deka brand, he didn't know. He looked in the book, the book said made in the U.S. . I wonder. Edited January 5, 2009 by Quidam Add text. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted January 5, 2009 Author Share Posted January 5, 2009 Got to throw a tester on the car today, battery is borderline so above freezing the car starts (started fine this morning but sounded a little "odd"), below no start. Alt is fine, but i knew that. A car with a dead battery in the morning is usually a dome light left on or a tired battery. What ticks me off is that i thought i paid for a 5 year battery and it has a three year in it. So the three year interstate battery lasted a little over three years, about par for the course. I guess i'll hit Autozone as they have a free install (i cant bend with heavy wieghts). I have a napa around the block from me but ts on a second floor with grumpy old men and doubt they would help me with the battery. nipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edrach Posted January 5, 2009 Share Posted January 5, 2009 Alt is fine, but i knew that. A car with a dead battery in the morning is usually a dome light left on or a tired battery. What ticks me off is that i thought i paid for a 5 year battery and it has a three year in it. So the three year interstate battery lasted a little over three years, about par for the course. Two pieces of advice for getting the maximum life out of your battery: Make sure you don't leave it in a partially discharged condition for any length of time. Lead sulfate can coat the lead surfaces when in a partially (or fully:eek:) discharged state. Keeping up the charge will prevent this non-reversible situation. How to do that: Make sure your alternator is always putting out properly. If you make many short trips (each start takes out more charge than you can put back in 15 minutes of driving), use a trickle charger overnight to bring the charge back up. If you have a battery that still allows you to add water, check it often and top up with distilled water only. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted January 5, 2009 Author Share Posted January 5, 2009 Even with a trickle charger on over night its just borderline. I'm not one to run down my battery by using the car as a gaint boom box nipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted January 5, 2009 Author Share Posted January 5, 2009 PS Advance sells excide batteries, and i'm not hearing good things about them. i'm shocked no one has said go out and get a 200.00 gel battery (overkill for me). nipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RallyKeith Posted January 5, 2009 Share Posted January 5, 2009 I like to think I live in a Battery Mecha... I live 2 blocks away from an Exide Battery plant, and 15 minutes away from a Decka Battery Plant. I wouldn't touch an exide battery and that's not cause I want them to close the plant in my neighborhood. They had an issue a few years ago with selling what they called refurbished batteries as new under the sears diehard name! The other place I mentioned is Decka, also know as east penn manufacturing. They mainly make batteries to be relabeled for other companies. Long story short I can get a 530CCA manufacturing 2nd (some minor blemish in the case) for $37 (with bringing in the old battery)from the Decka plant. They are located in Lyons Station PA, just outside of Kutztown PA. They don't come with any kind of warrenty however, but we've been using them in our family cars for years and have never had one go bad before 3-4 years, which makes them cost econimical over an $80-100 5-7 year battery. In a pinch once I bought a battery from Autozone. It was the Yellow top 7 year battery. No problems so far and it's been a few years. In fact that car/battery sat for about 4 months once and the battery was still fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted January 5, 2009 Share Posted January 5, 2009 (edited) i'm shocked no one has said go out and get a 200.00 gel battery (overkill for me).i've got those, they're nice. i bought mine just before the prices went through the roof. considering i pay so little for my vehicles i don't mind spending money on good parts. my input considering i've bought tons of batteries for the few dozen subaru's that have gone through my hands. the Advanced Auto Batteries do excellent if you follow Ed's earlier suggestions: keep them properly charged up and full of water keep the charging system in excellent repair - no corrossion, tight and clean battery terminals, and clean alt plug. i'm around college kids who think i'm a car guru (poor gullible students). so i get to see all sorts of different cars and batteries. the correlation between failed batteries and some other problem (bad alt, corroded plug, frayed wires, loose terminals) is REALLY high, much higher than brand. so those things are far more important than brand in my opinion. i've had great luck with the titanium (i think they're called) batteries from AAP. but i also make sure all those items are addressed above. i tend to think most batteries will hold up well if properly sized and taken care of. though i've had zero percent failure for the most part - the AAP batteries don't hold up well when they sit for extended periods (which happens often when you have as many subaru's as i do). i have almost a 100% failure rate for vehicles that set for awhile. even a recharge doesn't bring them back. but luckily they replace them all under warranty. and of course batteries aren't intended to stay that dead for that long. but sometimes the extremes show the quality of something too. man this thread blew up for batteries! wow! guess they're like oil, everyone has an opinion. Edited January 5, 2009 by grossgary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bgambino Posted January 5, 2009 Share Posted January 5, 2009 I was recently looking for a new battery...I have two Champion batteries..one in my 96 OB and one in my 77 Dodge plow truck. Both have 2001 dates on them so they have been in use for at least 6 years now. THey are 975 CCA which I like. They are both still good but I can sense some weakness at extreme cold temps. I bought them at Sams but cannot find anything on the internet that shows they still deal with batteries...I would have bought 2 more Can't seem to find high CCA's like that any more.... Hey Nip...I appreciate all your contributions here but you need a little thicker skin...stay cool man... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted January 5, 2009 Author Share Posted January 5, 2009 I was recently looking for a new battery...I have two Champion batteries..one in my 96 OB and one in my 77 Dodge plow truck. Both have 2001 dates on them so they have been in use for at least 6 years now. THey are 975 CCA which I like. They are both still good but I can sense some weakness at extreme cold temps.I bought them at Sams but cannot find anything on the internet that shows they still deal with batteries...I would have bought 2 more Can't seem to find high CCA's like that any more.... ... So its not just me. I remember the last time i bought a battery it seemed like the minimum cold cranking amps on a 6 year battery was over 600. Now i see them as low as 425. That seems too low for anyone who doesnt consider cold to be 65 degrees. I guess that goes back to cost/vs weight and using the rule that after one year most people throw out reciepts. nipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted January 5, 2009 Share Posted January 5, 2009 i haven't paid much attention recently, but back when i was commuting between GA and MD a few times a year there was a regional difference. i was told they sell higher CCA batteries the further north you go. back when i was told this, that was what i experienced as well. i couldn't get the higher rated CCA batteries in GA that i could in maryland. at auto parts stores, SEARS, etc. that was 5+ years ago, not sure if that's still the case at all. i would always buy my batteries in MD to get the higher CCA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted January 5, 2009 Author Share Posted January 5, 2009 Went to my non-napa napa store (hes napa but really pissed off at them). Got the proper battery for Blu (70.00), and of course, dead. That hasnt happened to me in eons. Have the charger on it now. Not a biggie, but i aint yanking it out to take it back, as my back is already mad at me. interestingly the interstate in there was huge cpompared to the one that is supposed to be in there. But that doesnt really mean anything except that all my extra neat wiring looms now are accesable nipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bheinen74 Posted January 5, 2009 Share Posted January 5, 2009 so you got a new battery, that is dead. thought that only happens from wal mrat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted January 5, 2009 Author Share Posted January 5, 2009 so you got a new battery, that is dead. thought that only happens from wal mrat. Actually its not an unusual thing, just rare. If the store doesnt sell alot of betteries over time it can happen. Happened alot when i used to work in a shop, just throw the charger on it or boost start the car and let it charge itself. nipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bheinen74 Posted January 5, 2009 Share Posted January 5, 2009 they should have discounted it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edrach Posted January 5, 2009 Share Posted January 5, 2009 Hey Nip...I appreciate all your contributions here but you need a little thicker skin...stay cool man...It's hard to maintain a thick skin with a bad back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted January 5, 2009 Author Share Posted January 5, 2009 It's hard to maintain a thick skin with a bad back. I actually ihave quite a thick skin, i do let a lot of things roll off, but the only thing i have left (for now) is my expertise, and i really take offense when that is put into doubt. Don't get me wrong i am the first to admit i'm wrong, or that i learned something new (life is one big leanring curve). One self pitty moment if i may. I cant lift wieghts like i used to and lost alot of what i gained in the gym. I may never be able to ride a road racing bicycle again (and i loved that). I dont know if i can get back on a motorcycle again (its a goal). I cant walk more then 20 minutes without pain (I used to walk for hours). I am on disability and the only way I make that work is by living with my elderly mother (alot to be said for a paid for roof over ones head). My industry sector is dead, and in this economy I dont know where to look at or to turn next. I am 57 (dont look it so that helps) but am not ready to go back to work yet (though I am extreemly bored and depressed). I can not pull a wrench anymore for a living (my first love). I have nerve damage in my spine that makes it so a bunch of muscles just wont work (but i think time and natured may be helping that as i am feeling new burniing pain in areas, a good thing). I look like a rolled over turtel when I am on back so I dont get under even Blu anymore. So yes sometimes I have to pay people to work on my car. So the only part of my dignity I have left is what i can teach others (and learn form others), so just allow me that. Ok self pity is over And who would have thunk that I dont have jumper cables .... grrr now I have to wait for the charger to charge the car. nipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njdrsubaru Posted January 5, 2009 Share Posted January 5, 2009 Nipper be careful if you let the alternator charge up the battery i may kill your alternator!!!! keep an eye on it for overheating or weird noises, its happened to a few of us before and it can happen again.. alternators are only good to recharge a small amount of load not a full charge... now if u cant take it back to the store call a friend or someone to help ya, its not worth getting a battery that is dead and killing your alternator Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bheinen74 Posted January 5, 2009 Share Posted January 5, 2009 plus an alternator is a quick charger, and you need to trickle charge/slow charge a dead battery-quick charge can damage the cells. how dead was it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted January 5, 2009 Author Share Posted January 5, 2009 plus an alternator is a quick charger, and you need to trickle charge/slow charge a dead battery-quick charge can damage the cells. how dead was it? 6 volts. It took two hours on a 10amp trickle charger. All is well now. I forgot one thing about Blu, so I have perfect confidence all is well For the last few days Blu was putting out 14.1-14.2 volts, which hit me as odd. It was in spec, but Blu always is a 13.5-13.8 kind of guy. I guess the extra output was the alt trying to charge a battery that wouldnt hold a charge. I dont have a fast charge/booster as I only need one once every 5 years or so, and a trickle charge can charge a motorcycle battery in an hour or so. I wish I had the room for a quickcharger/booster but then that would just be another toy...er um tool mipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zyewdall Posted January 6, 2009 Share Posted January 6, 2009 FWIW, I have been using the Kirkland brand batteries from Costco in my vehicles for a few years, and have never had a bad one (except for killing them by leaving the dome lights on for days without driving it.... several times -- not the battery's fault). They have various varieties from around 400CCA to 900CCA -- I generally go with whatever the largest one that will physically fit and has the right terminal type for the vehicle. On those zero degree mornings, it helps Z Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bgambino Posted January 6, 2009 Share Posted January 6, 2009 Hang in there Nipper...it does suck getting older with the corresponding maladies... Keep the experience coming...! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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