Who makes the best car batteries

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Originally Posted By: been40
Basically, all batteries in the US are made by three companies: Johnson Controls, Exide, and Delphi. Delphi makes some EverStart (Walmart) and AC Delco. Johnson Controls makes Duralast (Autozone), Diehard (Sears), Kirkland (Costco), Motorcraft (Ford), Interstate, and some of the EverStarts. Exide makes Exide, Champion, NAPA, and some EverStart batteries. My experience is that the Johnson Controls batteries get the best overall ratings.
 
I like Panasonic and Yuasa batteries. North American made ones typically exhibit terminal gas sealing issues that would lead to terminal connector corrosion due to gas leaking past the seals.

felt washers worked really well with Pana and Yuasa and I never had any corrosion issues throughout the life of these batteries.

Q.
 
OPTIMA red top ,it's on a whole different level.Manufact.3 year free replacement no matter what you do to it..Top and side pole (great for accy or add-ons) high vibration and heat resistance can be mounted in any posistion.Expensive? yes. worth it? every penny.
 
If money isn't an object and you want the best, then that would have to be Braille lithium 12v batteries. They weigh 8 lbs each but you'd need two in parallel to start a V6 or larger engine. They're lighter than lead acid batteries and do not have the same issues with self-discharge or deep discharge, and they can operate in wider temperature ranges
 
The best battery is the one that you can exchange at 10pm on a Sunday Night.

That would be a Walmart battery.

I buy them for that reason alone. Around here they are Johnson Controls batteries.

They offer two different levels of replacement warranties. This time around I bought the one with the 1 year replacement, since the last one went about 5 years with no problems.

Not bad for a $35 dollar battery for a Pontiac.

My saturn takes a vented trunk battery, so I had to shoe out $85 to the Chevy dealer.
 
Sounds all the typical store bought brands are good.

IMO, Optima's are junk. I've read way to many complaints about them. They don't hold a charge, and if they do go dead, you're not suppose to charge them with a typical charger.

It seems some like to spend more money for more hassle.

And they're now made in Mexico.
 
Costco, good price, 3 year free waranty and prorated after three years. Made by JC, some in the states some from mexico. I have also had good luck with AcDelco (JC) 7 year batteries but they are pricey.
 
Originally Posted By: CDX825
Yup all Optima batteries are now made in mexico using cheaper lead.

You can say thanks to Johnson Controls for that!

I got mine about 3 years ago ,I guess thats when they were still well made????
 
Originally Posted By: FL_Rob
Originally Posted By: CDX825
Yup all Optima batteries are now made in mexico using cheaper lead.

You can say thanks to Johnson Controls for that!

I got mine about 3 years ago ,I guess thats when they were still well made????

If it says made in USA on the top its a good battery. They did not switch the whole line to mexico at first. I'm almost positive the red tops were the first to be made in mexico while they were still producing yellow tops in Colorado.

The yellow top I have that I bought back in 05 says "made in Aurora, Colorado USA" on the top of the battery.

Here is what I found on another site
Quote:
Its official now. I have worked at Optima Batteries for 11 years. In 2000, Johnson controls bought Optima and immediatly began construction of a plant in mexico. We were told that our U.S. plant could not produce enough product so the plant in mexico would be to supply Europe. Slowly but surely, our product lines began being transferred to mexico. Then the week before Thanksgiving, we were told that the U.S. plant will be closed Jan.24 2009. Just thought you all would like to know.

Thats why I don't support Johnson Controls!
 
Here ya go for you JC guys

Quote:
When the Swedes owned optima, they paid us well and quality was foremost of all at all cost. JCI is the company that KILLED optima batteries, we always had 99.99% pure lead until JCI bought optima. The first thing they did was: fired all of the on staff scientists, then fired all of the PHD's, then fired the chemists, then dismantled the chemistry lab, then dismantled the prototype lab, then got rid of the pure lead and replaced it with lead with higher tin content, then JCI brought in their genius engineers and re formulated the lead acid paste, then replaced the AGM paper with lower grade paper, ex cetera, ex cetera. All of this was done within the first 2 years of their ownership! We had to fight like [censored] to prove that what we had when they purchased us was superior to what they had done.
we finally convinced them to begin returning to some of the successful methods Gates had originally designed, but only after making them think that it was their idea. When the U.S. plant shut down, we were using pure lead, similar to original paper and similar paste formula, however, there were many, many other changes they had made in the manufacturing process that negatively affected the optima but produced higher volumes. I am aware of some of the mfg practices being used specifically on the optima in mexico, and they are not conducive to quality!
 
Nothing from Walmart, even if Johnson Control makes them.

The Super Start Extreme from O'Reilly's Auto is holding up very well in my friend's Daewoo despite infrequent use.
 
Originally Posted By: crazyoildude
Who makes the best car batteries??
I heard Johnson Controls makes a good product but which ones are made by them..


Most auto batteries are made by just three manufacturers: Delphi, Exide, and Johnson Controls Industries.

Delphi makes ACDelco and some EverStart (Wal-Mart) models.

Exide makes Champion, Exide, Napa, and some EverStart batteries.

Johnson Controls makes Diehard (Sears), Duralast (AutoZone), Interstate, Kirkland (Costco), Motorcraft (Ford), and some EverStarts.

East Penn - a much smaller company- makes Carquest, DEKA, Daimler Trucks North America, Deere & Company, Harley-Davidson and several private labels.

There are some other companies (e.g, Enersys) that make industrial batteries but avoid the automotive market.

Personally I have used batteries from all four companies and find them to be of about equal quality.

Each makes some junk, and each makes some premium batties.
 
Enersys does not "avoid" the automotive battery market, in fact they OWN it at the highest end, as Consumers Reports has named their AGM battery the best ever tested for 3-4 years in a row!!!! Their batteries are marketed under both the Odyssey and Diehard Platinum brands {both are identical,and made by Enersys right here in the USA}
 
Originally Posted By: Wilhelm_D

Most auto batteries are made by just three manufacturers: Delphi, Exide, and Johnson Controls Industries.



Delphi no longer makes batteries. They sold that part of their business to Johnson Controls about 3 years ago.

Since that, the largest manufacturers are now Johnson Controls, Exide, and East Penn.
 
Originally Posted By: ACK2001
Enersys does not "avoid" the automotive battery market, in fact they OWN it at the highest end, as Consumers Reports has named their AGM battery the best ever tested for 3-4 years in a row!!!! Their batteries are marketed under both the Odyssey and Diehard Platinum brands {both are identical,and made by Enersys right here in the USA}


There are no Enersys batteries listed in the Consumer Reports ratings.

You may be thinking of EverStart, which is the Walmart brand.

And that proves my point, EverStarts are made by three different manufacturers.
 
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