What Automotive Battery does everyone like
- Thread starter crazyoildude
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JC batteries, AcDelco, Kirklands all I have used.
If you don't mind spending up to $200 for a battery then Sears Diehard Platinum is the one, otherwise Walmart's Everstart Maxx at $7x is a good choice for easy return/exchange.
i would have to say diehard is good i have the regular one in my gmc jimmy it has a date of october 99 its 11 years old still works had the gold in my last ford van put that in when i first bought it in 2001 never a problem until i got rid of it last year seems like diehards are pretty long lasting
First off- there are only three battery manufacturers in the U.S. Second, the various parts store batteries are made by different manufacturers, depending on region.
IMO
#1 East Penn
#2 Johnson Controls Incorporated (JCI)
#3 Exide
Exides have squared off cell caps, JCI's have 45* corners on their caps and East Penns typically don't have any caps. They are usually sealed with a small vent on either side of it.
In my opinion and experience, both Exide and JCI batteries are messy (more than from leaking post seals) and are underpowered compared to an East Penn. I have also seen greater life from East Penn.
IMO
#1 East Penn
#2 Johnson Controls Incorporated (JCI)
#3 Exide
Exides have squared off cell caps, JCI's have 45* corners on their caps and East Penns typically don't have any caps. They are usually sealed with a small vent on either side of it.
In my opinion and experience, both Exide and JCI batteries are messy (more than from leaking post seals) and are underpowered compared to an East Penn. I have also seen greater life from East Penn.
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Anything but interstate. I have never seen so many battery trays rotted by acid except under interstates. They seem to puss everywhere
I have tried many , many brands. I now have ALL Interstates and love them. They will last a decade easy! No puss or rotting as far as I can tell....and if so, a plastic battery tray will fix that problem. I use vasoline on all terminals and posts and have had excellent corrosion resistance from this technique.
Honda (Panasonic) or AutoZone made by JC
walmart brand, best warranty, best price, and if it ever die, no matter where you are, I bet their a walmart down the street lol.
I buy the Costco Kirkland batteries. They have a 36 month full exchange warranty and up to 100 months pro-rated at a fair price. The Arizona heat is tough on batteries and they typically only last 2 to 3 years anyways, so I can usually make good use of the warranty.
Solite 
Mine is over 5 years old and still going strong.
Mine is over 5 years old and still going strong.Originally Posted By: crazyoildude
ALso what is everyones favorite way of cleaning off the battery terminals? And what does everyone use on the terminals so it wont get caked up?
If the terminals are corroded, I'll use a solution of baking soda and water with a brush and remove/neutralize as much of the corrosion as possible. Wear gloves and goggles as the gunk on the terminals is corrosive. I also have a battery terminal brush that I bought at Sears for cleaning the battery posts and cable terminals. CRC makes a spray-on battery terminal protector; I tried it, but don't really know how effective it is.
ALso what is everyones favorite way of cleaning off the battery terminals? And what does everyone use on the terminals so it wont get caked up?
If the terminals are corroded, I'll use a solution of baking soda and water with a brush and remove/neutralize as much of the corrosion as possible. Wear gloves and goggles as the gunk on the terminals is corrosive. I also have a battery terminal brush that I bought at Sears for cleaning the battery posts and cable terminals. CRC makes a spray-on battery terminal protector; I tried it, but don't really know how effective it is.
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Originally Posted By: The_Eric
First off- there are only three battery manufacturers in the U.S. Second, the various parts store batteries are made by different manufacturers, depending on region.
IMO
#1 East Penn
#2 Johnson Controls Incorporated (JCI)
#3 Exide
Exides have squared off cell caps, JCI's have 45* corners on their caps and East Penns typically don't have any caps. They are usually sealed with a small vent on either side of it.
In my opinion and experience, both Exide and JCI batteries are messy (more than from leaking post seals) and are underpowered compared to an East Penn. I have also seen greater life from East Penn.
I'm also a fan of Deka (East Penn) batteries for the same reasons. They have a very good reputation, but are discussed less often than other brands since they aren't carried at as many places as Johnson Controls. As far as I know, they are made in the USA. Just bought one last month for my Optima.
Johnson Controls still makes a good regular lead acid battery though. It isn't unusual to see them live for 5 years, which is pretty good with the summer heat in NC. The more expensive Optima AGM batteries seem to get mixed reviews.
I haven't personally had experience with Exide recently so I can't say much about those... but I seem to hear more negative comments about Exide than others. The only Exide batteries around here that I know of are some of the current Bosch batteries at Pep Boys.
Deka makes CarQuest batteries, and I have heard reports that NAPA batteries are now being made by Deka as well. This may vary by region. As said above, look for the sealed design. Also, I have noticed that Deka batteries have oval shaped vents on the sides.
With any of them, if you get corrosion, baking soda and water is the perfect way to clean it up. I use the felt anti-corrosion pads between the posts and the cable terminals, and a small amount of the red anti corrosion spray. This seems to help prevent the corrosion from happening.
The most important thing is that you get a fresh battery, or at least one that has been maintained with a full charge. There's a Wal-Mart near me that has batteries dated nearly two years ago with a layer of dust on the top. Those probably won't last as long as fresher batteries. When a brand gets a bad reputation, it is often due to improper handling at the store such as not rotating stock properly.
First off- there are only three battery manufacturers in the U.S. Second, the various parts store batteries are made by different manufacturers, depending on region.
IMO
#1 East Penn
#2 Johnson Controls Incorporated (JCI)
#3 Exide
Exides have squared off cell caps, JCI's have 45* corners on their caps and East Penns typically don't have any caps. They are usually sealed with a small vent on either side of it.
In my opinion and experience, both Exide and JCI batteries are messy (more than from leaking post seals) and are underpowered compared to an East Penn. I have also seen greater life from East Penn.
I'm also a fan of Deka (East Penn) batteries for the same reasons. They have a very good reputation, but are discussed less often than other brands since they aren't carried at as many places as Johnson Controls. As far as I know, they are made in the USA. Just bought one last month for my Optima.
Johnson Controls still makes a good regular lead acid battery though. It isn't unusual to see them live for 5 years, which is pretty good with the summer heat in NC. The more expensive Optima AGM batteries seem to get mixed reviews.
I haven't personally had experience with Exide recently so I can't say much about those... but I seem to hear more negative comments about Exide than others. The only Exide batteries around here that I know of are some of the current Bosch batteries at Pep Boys.
Deka makes CarQuest batteries, and I have heard reports that NAPA batteries are now being made by Deka as well. This may vary by region. As said above, look for the sealed design. Also, I have noticed that Deka batteries have oval shaped vents on the sides.
With any of them, if you get corrosion, baking soda and water is the perfect way to clean it up. I use the felt anti-corrosion pads between the posts and the cable terminals, and a small amount of the red anti corrosion spray. This seems to help prevent the corrosion from happening.
The most important thing is that you get a fresh battery, or at least one that has been maintained with a full charge. There's a Wal-Mart near me that has batteries dated nearly two years ago with a layer of dust on the top. Those probably won't last as long as fresher batteries. When a brand gets a bad reputation, it is often due to improper handling at the store such as not rotating stock properly.
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every die hard i ever had within the last 15 years were junk...I grew up on die hards they used to be good last time i had one and had a problem sears gave me nothing but problems...I finally got a new battery for free but not until they got a letter from my Lawyer which is now my wife
Interstate, oem? Or odyssey, debating whether I should get a optima or odyssey
Diehard Platinum is the same as Odyssey but cost a little less.
Deka/East Penn are ALL JUNK!!! Get anything made by Johnson Controls-AZ, AAP, Costco, Wal-Mart, Interstate-they have a good chance of outlasting the vehicle they were bought for! Exide isn't great either, and for as much as an Optima costs-they seem to have a lot of weaknesses (mainly reserve capacity & inability to fully recharge when fully discharged).
I vote Diehard Platinum/Odyssey
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