Battery replacement

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The old battery gave me 5 full winter and this morning was a labored and difficult start in freezing temperatures. I am going to replace the battery.

I called around looking for a group 35 battery at Autozone and found a Duralast Gold for $136. I called Costco and found an Interstate for $73 with the identical specs.

The Costco Interstate battery has a 42 month 100% warranty. The warranty on the Duralast I believe to be 5 year 100% warranty.

I generally get 5-6 years from a battery. I don't see the value of spending nearly double the price for a longer warranty.

I never had an Interstate battery to my knowledge but in limited research I have not found them to be inferior to other standard battery.

Opinions on Interstate batteries?
 
Originally Posted By: deoxy4
The old battery gave me 5 full winter and this morning was a labored and difficult start in freezing temperatures. I am going to replace the battery.

I called around looking for a group 35 battery at Autozone and found a Duralast Gold for $136. I called Costco and found an Interstate for $73 with the identical specs.

The Costco Interstate battery has a 42 month 100% warranty. The warranty on the Duralast I believe to be 5 year 100% warranty.

I generally get 5-6 years from a battery. I don't see the value of spending nearly double the price for a longer warranty.

I never had an Interstate battery to my knowledge but in limited research I have not found them to be inferior to other standard battery.

Opinions on Interstate batteries?




According to Autozone website the Gold has a 3 year free replacement warranty. I think the choice is obvious.....
 
If you have one local, Advance Auto Parts is worth a look as well. They have some decent promo codes that'll drop the price considerably.
 
I just checked Advanced Auto Parts and a comparable group 35 battery with coupon code is $128.
 
Don't know where I got a 5 year warranty on the Autozone Gold. Apparently I need to wear my glasses when I am online.
 
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I have never run anything except Interstate batteries.

Always had good service. One of the best things GM ever did was relocate the battery from under the hood to under the back seat.

Mechanic told me that they are not subjected to the heat of the engine compartment, nor the cold of being exterior.

My last three Interstate batteries have lasted 6+ years each, and I have maintenance records dating 10+ years on three cars.
 
I've been using Interstate batteries since the mid-1980's. I've never had to worry about the warranty-I've never had one fail. Every single Interstate battery that I've had has outlasted the warranty time frame.
 
There are only a couple of battery manufactures left in the US. Interstate is one of them. There are dozens of battery brands being sold that all come from the same two manufactures. These brands are mostly clever marketing hype and a label glued onto the battery case. Ignore the hype and buy the battery that has best combination of longest FULL replacement warranty for the lowest price. Sounds like the Costco battery was the best deal. Walmart also has 3 year FULL replacement warranties on their batteries. Most uninformed consumers buy hyped up branded batteries that are sold with puffed-up super long prorated warranties - these prorated warranties are nothing more than an over priced pre-paid extended warranty, in short they are 100% worthless.
 
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Johnson controls makes
Interstate
Autozone duralast
Oreilly superstart
Costcos kirkland
Walmarts everstart

Go with whoever is best with handling warranties
 
Originally Posted By: deoxy4
I just checked Advanced Auto Parts and a comparable group 35 battery with coupon code is $128.

$137.99 here for comparable Grp. 35 Autocraft Gold here with 3 year full replacement, using online code TRT41 $40 off $100+ makes it ~$98 with returned core. Often have a $50 off 125+ code, just not one at the moment.

Afaik and according to Bitog information, AAP Autocraft also made by Johnson Controls.
 
went otthe local HD and noticed they sell car batteries now. Exide brand. the grp 35 with the same 42 month warranty was only a couple of dollars more.
 
I usually have my current battery load tested(FREE) at AAP. If it's still good, keep it! OR, get a new battery as "sayjac" mentions with an AAP Code# and do what I do. Sell the old battery(if it test well) on Craig's List for anything more than the core charge. I usually ask $50 and negotiate from there! Keep the Load Test Printout for the new customer.
 
Bosch, Varta, Exide and Optima are generally regarded as the toughest batteries, having said that my brother drives a vw 1.9 tdi which has been on the same cheapo eBAy battery for the last 3 years..

I think alternator output and average charge levels have more impact on cell life than the brand
 
If there are only two manufacturers and Johnson Controls is one of them, who is the other? Who makes Exide? Sears? What is the current opinion on Odyssey?
 
Exide is Exide.They have only filed chapter 11 twice.Their warranty is a flat 20 months or a flat 30 months.
 
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