New Battery: Costco or Wal-Mart?

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Wow I'm either lucky or you guys (or your cars) are abusing your batteries because I always buy some el-cheapo Kragens battery (like Exide) and never had a problem. I live in a climate thats typically 35F to 95F with an occasional 100F day. I always replace the battery around 5-6 years regardless; I don't even bother testing it. They're only $55-65.
 
I have a friend who has been a battery wholesaler for over 30 years. He is an exide dealer along with other brands. I asked him who makes the best batteries, and he replied: "the charging system on the vehicle has much more to do with battery life, than the construction of the battery. The more lead in the plates the better. Cheap batteries will weight less. Take your scale with you next time you buy.

One of his batteries lasted 12 years in my BMW 735.

Delco batteries are now made in Korea
 
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Our Dodge Caravan would blow Exide batteries every couple years, we then put in an Interstate without modifying the charging system and it lasted over 10 years.
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Maybe you got Lucky,..or unlucky

If you think Exide are [censored], well that's just not true. Your experience is of a very small sample size. My friend sells over 12,000 per year and very few problems. In fact he chose to sell Exide over Johnson Controls (Interstate)
 
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??? Dunno, never had good luck with them. Always had great luck with Interstate so that's what we stuck with, and where we get ours they are the same price as an Exide.
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Originally Posted By: Bluestream

Delco batteries are now made in Korea


The cheap Delcos are. I've never seen them for sale anywhere. The ones at Pep Boys are made by Johnson Controls.
 
Depends on your local Walmart. I went to one that insist I must have the original receipt to get replacement by the Jass Ack manager, and great no-question-ask replacement by another.

Depends on which one you live close to, and how comfortable you feel. I'd say Walmart may be a good choice.
 
Originally Posted By: StevieC
??? Dunno, never had good luck with them. Always had great luck with Interstate so that's what we stuck with, and where we get ours they are the same price as an Exide.
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Interstate has a consignment system. Their staff goes to the dealers, check regularly for batteries that have been on the shelf past a certain period, and replace them with good batteries. While the manufacturing date may be a while ago, they supposedly make sure that no battery has been left on the shelf for more than a few months. Supposedly they can sulfate (and permanently lose capacity) if left too long without being used or charged. They'll reintroduce batteries into their system once they've been recharged. The batteries themselves are made by Johnson Controls.

For most other battery brands, the usual recommendation is to just buy a battery that has been recently manufactured. There used to be some code (like "B-5") that wasn't that hard to understand but now they have an easy to read date like "6/09". I just bought a new battery at Costco, and that's what's on the attached date label.
 
Just picked up an Exide made WalMart Maxx the other day. Very fresh made this month so hopefully it will last.
 
Originally Posted By: brianl703
...seeing as how neither WalMart nor Costco stock group 48 batteries anymore. (I'd get a Costco if they did, but they don't).


When did they stop?

Kirkland Signature item #989227, fitment code 10.

Last time I cruised the battery rack, it was less than $70.
 
They stopped about two years ago. Put the group 48 on sale for $49.99 and then it hasn't been seen since. Just called Costco and gave them that number and was told that no Costco on the east coast has it.
 
Originally Posted By: brianl703
They stopped about two years ago. Put the group 48 on sale for $49.99 and then it hasn't been seen since. Just called Costco and gave them that number and was told that no Costco on the east coast has it.



There are some battery types which Costco has never carried. Try finding a Group 51R for any 1994 or later Acura Integra. They list the car in their catalog, but then have a couple of dashes indicating that they don't carry it. They've got plenty of Group 51, but not the reversed terminal version. I ended up buying a Sears DieHard (made by Exide before they had the exclusive JCI contract). It didn't go bad per se, but eventually I found an ACDelco dealer that had it in Group 51R. It was really cheap although I couldn't test how long it would last after my car was stolen, recovered, and declared a total loss.

I even remember back when the standard auto batteries Costco carried were Energizer brand, made by Johnson Controls. I think at the time that was exclusive to Costco; Target Stores had (JCI made) Eveready brand batteries as an exclusive. Then they had JCI make a house brand (Kirkland Signature). It's all changed , and I think Energizer/Eveready is a non-exclusive brand now.
 
Comsumes, at least here, rates duralast batteries from auto zone.
We don't have a Costco here in tn. just walmart.

We have gotten walmart batteries, and are just fine.
They usually last 5-7 years.
 
Originally Posted By: brianl703
They stopped about two years ago. Put the group 48 on sale for $49.99 and then it hasn't been seen since. Just called Costco and gave them that number and was told that no Costco on the east coast has it.


I checked with my Costco, and it appears they have discontinued the 48, but it must have occurred more recently, because I have seen them on the shelf in the past year. That probably explains why their price was reduced compared to when I last shopped for a new battery at the end of '07. Prior to that, they didn't stock a 48, so I was surprised when I saw it. Must not have been a big seller for them.

Sears and Interstate always carry the 48, made by JCI, albeit at the higher end of the price scale. (Even more so for the Interstate-imported DIN-standard Hx batteries if one wants true originality) Autozone charges less for their version. Pep Boys' version was sold as an Energizer before changing to Bosch labeling. The supplier switched from JCI to Exide within the past couple years, however.

NAPA's 48 is an Exide. Oddly enough, CSK's Delco was, too, but now their site now pictures a house brand that appears to be made by JCI.

It's definitely a fluid market and things are subject to change.
 
Originally Posted By: tripleM
So what is the best value consumer battery brand for a daily driver?
I haven't heard Sears mentioned here?

I'd say Kirkland Signature sold at Costco warehouses. I just paid $54.99 for a Group 35 battery with a 36 month full replacement warranty and a 100 month prorated warranty. You have to keep the receipt though if you want to take advantage of the warranty.

Sears isn't bad. They switched over to 100% supplied by Johnson Controls in 1999. Their prices are typically high, but I believe they include installation. It does a bit confusion with their different levels (North, South, Platinum, Gold, but some of the selections are based on the individual location. I guess there are the "Plus Start" line sold at Sears, but any kind of bargain line worries me. I have noticed that the "Gold North" line is (for each type) heavier than the "North" line. I'd think the difference would be with heavier plates that mean more power and time before the electrodes give out.
 
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