2012 Accord battery recommendations.

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Dec 30, 2006
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2012 Accord EX-L coupe,2.4 (car in sig). It's started cranking slower and slower the past week, looks like it's time for a new battery. Here's what's in it now,it's the battery it came with when I bought it:

Honda oem
500cca
85RC
Group size 51R

Has a round sticker attached to the top that says "4/17".

I see Advance sells Die Hard Gold now. I always got 7 years like clockwork out of those in my 300ZX. What's everyone here recommend?
 
Advance shows two Die Hard Golds that say "Exact fit for your 2012 Accord". One is a size 35 640 CCA. The other is a size 51R 500 CCA. Price is $159 on both of these. Are these still as good as they were when they were sold by Sears?
 
Costco is your friend.
As michaelluscher pointed out, the V6 is a direct fit if you can source the tray from a junk yard.
 
Costco is your friend.
As michaelluscher pointed out, the V6 is a direct fit if you can source the tray from a junk yard.
I'd definitely love to do that, but I can't have any downtime with my car with ordering and/or sourcing the V6 parts unfortunately. Don't have a Costco membership either. Luckily it's coming up on the weekend and I don't work weekends. So if it starts ok in the morning,I'll likely have to grab a battery sometime tomorrow.
 
Another question. I live near a Honda dealership. Is another OEM battery a good choice? Google search says it's a Johnson Controls battery.
 
There are only a handful of batter manufactures in the US. Johnson controls covers a large majority, east penn, deka as mentioned. I've sold numerous Interstate batteries which carry one of the best if not the best warranty on its batteries which can be redeemed at any interstate dealer. most of their batteries are 2 or 3 year free replacement and after that you get a prorated cost for replacement within 5 or 6 years. the OEM one should be fine, check walmart for an everstart, many of those are johnson controls products.
 
If yo
I'd definitely love to do that, but I can't have any downtime with my car with ordering and/or sourcing the V6 parts unfortunately. Don't have a Costco membership either. Luckily it's coming up on the weekend and I don't work weekends. So if it starts ok in the morning,I'll likely have to grab a battery sometime tomorrow.
If you have a friend with a Costco membership, you can pay about $80 for an Interstate battery that is at least $120 at a parts store.
Heck, that savings would just about pay for a membership, right?
I brought one back with about a month left on the warranty; they gave me a fresh one, no charge.
Good luck.
 
When I replaced the battery in my 2012, I put a group 35 in.
Only modification needed was to bend the tabs out of the way on the bracket that held the inferior group 51 in.
I put the top of the line NAPA (East Penn) in. It was $110. at the time.
 
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When I replaced the battery in my 2012, I put a group 35 in.
Only modification needed was to bend the tabs out of the way on the bracket that held the inferior group 51 in.
I put the top of the line NAPA (East Penn) in. It was $110. at the time.


This is a good way to go in my opinion ^^^^^^

Upsize to a group 35. . And go with a East Penn battery.
 
All my online searches list both group 51 and group 35 as "perfect fit" for my car. Is the group 35 basically a "stronger" battery over the 51? I do see the higher cold cranking amps. Sorry,I'm not too up to date on battery tech.
 
I see this one on Walmart's site. Price is $98.76. Says it's made by Exide.

EverStart Maxx Lead Acid Automotive Battery, Group Size 35N (12 Volt/640 CCA)
 
When I replaced the battery in my 2012, I put a group 35 in.
Only modification needed was to bend the tabs out of the way on the bracket that held the inferior group 51 in.
I put the top of the line NAPA (East Penn) in. It was $110. at the time.
Looks like on the Accord forums everyone also recommends the group 35.
 
Just me... Not sure I'd buy a Exide battery from anyone. Walmart included. I wonder about their quality in the long term.



A group 35 battery from East Penn that us their "highest" tier offering the 735fmf battery weighs 37 pounds has 95 minutes of reserve capacity and 640 CCA.

The lower tier East Penn battery the 535fmf battery weighs 34 pounds, has 90 minutes of reserve capacity and has 550 CCA.

In your area... The lower tier battery makes the most sense. You don't need the max CCA unless you plan on going where it's going to be -30°F or colder. It only takes anywhere from 150-175 cranking amps to start a lot of vehicles. The high CCA at 0°F like 640 for a top tier group 35 battery would extrapolate downwards to give you just enough cranking amps if it was well below zero.

I would look at Napa in your area and hopefully they have East Penn made batteries there under their Legend name.

Batteries Plus has East Penn batteries too at reasonable enough prices.

And if there is a Federated Auto parts in your area... They use East Penn has their battery supplier. I know a group 24f costs like $124 and gas a 3 yr free replacement warranty from there.
 
FYI if you get one at AAP there's coupon LABORDAY2020 for 25% off works on the Optima but not DieHard, for DieHard battery use DH20 for 20% off.
 
Thanks everyone for all the replies! I'll reply back once I end up with whichever I get.
 
Looks like on the Accord forums everyone also recommends the group 35.

It might not be as critical for you in a warmer climate, but I can tell you that in a colder one there is all the difference in the world.
My car sits out all the time. Even when new, when cold, I needed to hope the car started on the first attempt, because if it didn't, there probably wouldn't be a second without cables or a jump box.
The 51 in that car was a cost and weight cutting move IMO. There is plenty of room for a larger battery, I was told by the dealer that the V6 version used the 35.
Actually omitting the 51 gives greater options in choice and price of battery. IMO in that application, the 51 battery is a joke.
 
Just me... Not sure I'd buy a Exide battery from anyone. Walmart included. I wonder about their quality in the long term.



A group 35 battery from East Penn that us their "highest" tier offering the 735fmf battery weighs 37 pounds has 95 minutes of reserve capacity and 640 CCA.

The lower tier East Penn battery the 535fmf battery weighs 34 pounds, has 90 minutes of reserve capacity and has 550 CCA.

In your area... The lower tier battery makes the most sense. You don't need the max CCA unless you plan on going where it's going to be -30°F or colder. It only takes anywhere from 150-175 cranking amps to start a lot of vehicles. The high CCA at 0°F like 640 for a top tier group 35 battery would extrapolate downwards to give you just enough cranking amps if it was well below zero.

I would look at Napa in your area and hopefully they have East Penn made batteries there under their Legend name.

Batteries Plus has East Penn batteries too at reasonable enough prices.

And if there is a Federated Auto parts in your area... They use East Penn has their battery supplier. I know a group 24f costs like $124 and gas a 3 yr free replacement warranty from there.

Sams Club also handle East Penn.
This may or may not be a regional thing.
 
Thank you wkcars for the discount code. I went with the Diehard Gold for $120 (excluding core,which I’ll bring them tomorrow).
 
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