What Automotive Battery does everyone like

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I checked at my local Walmart yesterday and all of their batteries seem to be made by Exide, even the cheap ones. The guy that worked in the automotive section confirmed that the new batteries only have the three year replacement and no pro rate anymore. If I would have known that, I would have went to Autozone.

Talking about Deka batteries, The local O'reillys sells their branded Deka batteries and I'm on my third one in not quite three years in my 98 K3500 so I don't consider them very high quality. I've had the truck checked out and nothing seems out of whack so I don't know what is going on.

The battery that I just replaced in my 98 K1500 was a Delphi and it almost made it five years. I recharged it and it charged right up but I don't trust it anymore and the eye stayed dark. I need to take it to Walmart and get my nine dollar core charge for it.

Wayne
 
Up here in Canada our Walmart sells Energizer car batteries and over the past 15+ years I've used them on many different cars with great results.
 
I took my old Delphi to Walmart to get my core charge back and they told me that since I installed the new battery, they would not take it back so I guess I'm stuck with it until it dies. I'll probably try the Duralast battery next time.

Wayne
 
Originally Posted By: Craig in Canada
The levels are good and, if anything, they're high. I suppose there's a possibility that my dealer overfilled them. I don't think I've ever added distilled water to this battery because it has never needed it.





This is definitely something to focus on.....It makes sense that if the levels are too high that some additional venting might occur....I would definitely double check the levels and make sure they are correct..
Check back with us to let us know....
 
Originally Posted By: wtd
I took my old Delphi to Walmart to get my core charge back and they told me that since I installed the new battery, they would not take it back so I guess I'm stuck with it until it dies. I'll probably try the Duralast battery next time.

Wayne


*deletes post* Sorry, I get it now.
 
Originally Posted By: Vizzy


This is definitely something to focus on.....It makes sense that if the levels are too high that some additional venting might occur....I would definitely double check the levels and make sure they are correct..
Check back with us to let us know....


Well, if I was a little crazier, I'd probably pop the caps and put the battery on a quick charger outdoors and let the H2O gas off through electrolysis since the system charging voltage is clearly in check so that isn't happening in the car. I don't want to simply drain it off because I'll be removing electrolyte, not just water, thus including all of the S04- and other ions required for proper health.

The thing is that this is the second Interstate which seems "leaky" and they weren't from the same dealer. The first one cost me several hundred dollars in repairs to my battery tray and spare tire well. The second has only been a little messy.
 
"What Automotive Battery does everyone like"

That's a tough question....
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Originally Posted By: wtd
I checked at my local Walmart yesterday and all of their batteries seem to be made by Exide, even the cheap ones. The guy that worked in the automotive section confirmed that the new batteries only have the three year replacement and no pro rate anymore. If I would have known that, I would have went to Autozone.

Talking about Deka batteries, The local O'reillys sells their branded Deka batteries and I'm on my third one in not quite three years in my 98 K3500 so I don't consider them very high quality. I've had the truck checked out and nothing seems out of whack so I don't know what is going on.

The battery that I just replaced in my 98 K1500 was a Delphi and it almost made it five years. I recharged it and it charged right up but I don't trust it anymore and the eye stayed dark. I need to take it to Walmart and get my nine dollar core charge for it.

Wayne


Do you know what line it was? I've talked with one of their reps before and even he admitted that they've got a bottom of the line battery that he said he'd only put in something he wanted to get rid of.

Overall I feel they make an excellent product. I've had great luck with them so far.
 
Originally Posted By: wtd

Talking about Deka batteries, The local O'reillys sells their branded Deka batteries and I'm on my third one in not quite three years in my 98 K3500 so I don't consider them very high quality. I've had the truck checked out and nothing seems out of whack so I don't know what is going on.

The battery that I just replaced in my 98 K1500 was a Delphi and it almost made it five years. I recharged it and it charged right up but I don't trust it anymore and the eye stayed dark. I need to take it to Walmart and get my nine dollar core charge for it.

Wayne


3 batteries in 3 years seems unusual for any brand, unless you've just had very bad luck. As said earlier, they (along with most other companies) have a cheaper line that isn't as good. Or, there could still be a un-diagnosed problem with your truck that causes the drain. A family member's Chevy Silverado kept killing the Advance JCI batteries, and it turned out to be a parasitic drain issue caused by a bad switch letting a small amount of current through to some lights. It wouldn't happen all the time, and the system would always test as good.

Now if they are failing due to bad cells, that's probably a bad battery.

I say this not in blind defence of any products I like, but because a company could not stay in business with that high of a failure rate... the warranty returns would be unbearable, then everyone would quit buying their products which would finish them off.
 
Originally Posted By: TurboLuver
Originally Posted By: bullwinkle
Deka/East Penn are ALL JUNK!!!


Could you expound that?
Every one, and I mean EVERY ONE of the Dekas I've had, several of which were bought new, died an untimely death at less than 3 years old. I have, in my GMC, an Interstate that I got with a parts truck that sat dead for over a year, charged back up fine, and has been holding z charge & working for me for FOUR YEARS since then. Also have an AAP Titanium by Johnson Controls in my '94 Suburban, since given to my brother, that is SEVEN YEARS old, been run dead several times, still working fine. I believe the NAPA Legend batteries are either East Penn or Exide, had 2 sets of those die prematurely as well. If you buy anything other than Johnson Controls-be prepared to buy more!!
 
My 37 month long nightmare is over.

Just turned the third failing NAPA Legend (made by Exide) over to the folks at the NAPA store, and walked out with a NAPA Legend Premium 85 month unit, made by Deka.

It appears to be a rebadged Deka Ultimate.

I knew that the Exide was to the point where it would fail a load test, and it did.

I've had a Deka battery in the Goldwing for 3 years now and I've been impressed.

We'll see how a Deka performs in the truck.
 
OEM battery went out in Wife's Explorer last night. Auto Zone and Advance right around $110, group 65. Walmart Maxx $77. Just went by Costco. $74.89.Their great warranty 850 CCA. 9/10 manufacture date.
That's the best I could do.
 
batteries are hit and miss, take it from a guy who buys a few every year.

Seems like our best ones are Interstates. We have a friend who runs the truck in our area and the beast model is under a hundred bucks.

Factory Delcos are usually done in 3 years but I have one in service since 2006.

When I have to I run to AZ and buy a top rated one, usually about 100-110 as I try to upgrade. They work well and have a great warranty with a couple of years free replacement.

If I had time to shop I wouldn't care who made it, just get the warranty right and then go by price.
 
Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
batteries are hit and miss, take it from a guy who buys a few every year.

Seems like our best ones are Interstates. We have a friend who runs the truck in our area and the beast model is under a hundred bucks.

Factory Delcos are usually done in 3 years but I have one in service since 2006.

When I have to I run to AZ and buy a top rated one, usually about 100-110 as I try to upgrade. They work well and have a great warranty with a couple of years free replacement.

If I had time to shop I wouldn't care who made it, just get the warranty right and then go by price.


That's basically what I did. The OEM battery (Motorcraft)was 650 CCA. The Costco group 65 is 850 CCA so they bumped it up.Plus they were the cheapest. $74.89. Costco makes the decision easy.
 
Originally Posted By: Samilcar
..........I just bought an Everstart from Wal-Mart (the cheapest one, not the "Maxx") with a manufacture date of August 2010, and it's stamped "Johnson Controls Inc." on the label.


This morning I was at the new Walmart, and stopped to look at the Everstart Maxx batteries. All made by Exide. The Maxx batteries got good reviews in the Nov 2010 issue of CR, but I am going to pass on this battery because it has a sealed top. I like batteries with top access, so that I can check specific gravity in each cell.
 
I happened to talk with the Exide battery guy yesterday. Turns out that was his last time visiting, as we are changing battery vendors to Johnson Controls. So, Im thinking Home Office had to let a contract expire or something before they could change vendors.
 
Originally Posted By: Colt45ws
I happened to talk with the Exide battery guy yesterday. Turns out that was his last time visiting, as we are changing battery vendors to Johnson Controls. So, Im thinking Home Office had to let a contract expire or something before they could change vendors.


Are you with WalMart?
 
a friend has NO power from the power co. every thing runs of of 12 v d.c.. he likes the del-co with the green eye. that helps keep track of condition. but they are very hard to find in Wichita ks. he has solar panels. wichita will not let us put up wind turbines
 
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