Quick Question About Car Battery Quality And Price

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I have a question about Car batteries for years we always bought Auto Zone Gold Batteries because they seemed to be good Batteries at a good Wholesale price.. I could get cheaper Batteries but i always like the Gold from Auto Zone.. Does anyone know how their quality is these days and who makes them? It is for my 2011 Hyundai Santa Fe v6 my daughter is going to be using for school so i want a good battery..The Santa fe has about 20,000 miles on it.. I think its time to replace it because of the age almost 5 years what does everyone here think and what batteries seem to last the longest now?
Thank you for your opinions..
 
While she may get 2 more years out of the OEM battery, I am with you, I would replace it.
I tend to get AutoCraft Gold (Advance Auto) Batteries, mainly because you can get some great deals with the online coupons. My last bettery for my truck (Group 65) retails for $147. With the $40 off $100 and a $20 speed perks discount it cost me $96.

From what I have read, both Advance and AZ batteries are made by Johnson Control (as well as WM EverStart batteries). I read here somewhere that someone toured the Johnson Control plant and the batteries came off the same line and stickers from each store were stuck on them.

I would go by price and also whatever store is near your daughters school just in case.

Originally Posted By: Chris142
Agm batteries here.never have to clean the terminals again

I have debated getting one for my wife's car soon. The battery is almost 4 years old, but still is going strong. It is around $160 on Amazon for an Exide AGM.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: blupupher
While she may get 2 more years out of the OEM battery, I am with you, I would replace it.
I tend to get AutoCraft Gold (Advance Auto) Batteries, mainly because you can get some great deals with the online coupons. My last bettery for my truck (Group 65) retails for $147. With the $40 off $100 and a $20 speed perks discount it cost me $96.

From what I have read, both Advance and AZ batteries are made by Johnson Control (as well as WM EverStart batteries). I read here somewhere that someone toured the Johnson Control plant and the batteries came off the same line and stickers from each store were stuck on them.

I would go by price and also whatever store is near your daughters school just in case.


+1
 
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Originally Posted By: blupupher
While she may get 2 more years out of the OEM battery, I am with you, I would replace it.
I tend to get AutoCraft Gold (Advance Auto) Batteries, mainly because you can get some great deals with the online coupons. My last bettery for my truck (Group 65) retails for $147. With the $40 off $100 and a $20 speed perks discount it cost me $96.

From what I have read, both Advance and AZ batteries are made by Johnson Control (as well as WM EverStart batteries). I read here somewhere that someone toured the Johnson Control plant and the batteries came off the same line and stickers from each store were stuck on them.

I would go by price and also whatever store is near your daughters school just in case.


I've had great luck with WM EverStart. I agree, if you can find out what cheapest store brand is a Johnson Control, I'd go with that. I'm not sure if there is a way to find that out for sure. Maybe someone can tell us here.
 
My last battery lasted me 8 years. Hoping the one I had replaced last me another 8 on this jeep. Cant remember either of the two brands.

The biggest thing for me is cold cranking amps.

Batteries sure are getting expensive these days.
 
Nothing wrong with Autozone's batteries, probably made by JCI and similar to AAP's Autocraft batteries which are also made by Johnson Controls.

I like Napa batteries. Made by Deka/East Penn. They make great stuff, can't go wrong with Deka.
 
i think its cheap insurance ...My Moms 05 Mercury Grand Marquis original battery lasted 10 years but she only drives around town and i did not have to worry. The battery always checked out good. My daughter on the other hand will be away from home so i want reliability and a new battery will make me feel good it will also be easier on the alternator. Any other opinions would be appreciated.
 
Im still on my original battery, a battery is so easy to have done at any auto store that i dont see the point of doing it this soon. Just test the battery and see if it tests good.
 
Originally Posted By: Rolla07
Im still on my original battery, a battery is so easy to have done at any auto store that i dont see the point of doing it this soon. Just test the battery and see if it tests good.

Until your daughter calls you with a dead battery at 11 at night, 20°F and snowing, all while 300 miles away. $100 is cheap insurance. Usually batteries give you a warning, but not always.
 
I like oreilly's Super Start Extreme. I believe they are made by East Penn. I've only had it about 8 months, but it charges faster than my other batteries. I've used Everstart and got a dud in the first year or so replaced under Warranty. I top off with a smart charger. I haven't had acid leak out near the posts on the Superstart either. The Deka battery was about $10 more but so far am pleased.
 
Here is my pecking order for buying batteries:

1. National Chain. I want the option to get warranty service in any major city.

2. Warranty. Find the best in terms of free exchange period and then length of pro rata period.

3. Capacity. I live in a warm area so I purposely don't buy the "extra CCA" battery since that extra mass doesn't handle heat as well. Stick to whichever rating covers your needs.

I used to work for JCI so I tend to stick with their batteries. AutoZone house brand batteries are good and seem to have a good warranty. The only thing is their receipts tend to fade over time.
 
To the OP. You live in Jersey and see about the same yearly temperatures that I see here in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. 5 years is about all you can reliably get from a battery with the temperatures we get.

If your daughter goes to school in a very hot area like Arizona she can expect that a good battery would only last 2 years.

Battery life is directly tied to the temperature the battery is exposed to.
 
Originally Posted By: JeepWJ19
My last battery lasted me 8 years. Hoping the one I had replaced last me another 8 on this jeep. Cant remember either of the two brands.

The biggest thing for me is cold cranking amps.

Batteries sure are getting expensive these days.

Very expensive.

I remember few year ago Walmart Everstart Max was around $40-50 for popular sizes, now nothing under $100.

When I changed OEM battery of my 2004 S2000 around 2011 with Interstate I paid $50-55 for it and it is more than $100 last year. I bought Optima Yellow top from Pep Boys for a little over $100 after couple rebates.
 
I replace the batteries in both of our vehicles when they get to 4 and 3/4 years old. It is cheap insurance against getting stranded. I would rather spend some money on reliability instead of spending money on being a member of AAA to get low cost towing.

I also get the starters and alternators rebuilt at 60K miles on the originals and then every 50K miles after that. And I do the serpentine belts and tensioner often enough to prevent them from ever being a problem.
 
Originally Posted By: JimPghPA
I also get the starters and alternators rebuilt at 60K miles on the originals and then every 50K miles after that.


Wow, that's some over the top preventative maintenance there Jim! First time I've ever heard of anyone doing that. I'm more of a "if it ain't broke, don't try to fix it" kind of person
smile.gif
 
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