Value start Walmart battery dead at 23 months

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It cost $49 I thought it would last longer being a Johnson's controls battery. I do a lot of short trips maybe that's the root cause.
 
I used to have horrible problems with Exide batteries so I switched to Interstate then they started having issues so I moved to Johnson controls from Walmart (not the value line) and they had problems so I went back to Exide and they seem to be lasting again.

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I found a place around the corner from me that carries Odyssey batteries that use virgin lead and are guaranteed for 10 years I think I might do that next or buy their AGM battery.
 
Sounds good to me. A $150 parts store battery would have to have lived for 6 years to break even, which I doubt it would. I've got one in my Camry and one in the grandparent's Trailblazer. Batteries in the Trailblazer seem to last only 2 years and the $49 Walmart one is 14 months old. It's already paid for itself at this point
 
You mean ValuePower? Those are the same awful batteries the auto parts store I work at sells with 1-year warranty. They're just not reliable. That said, to be as cheap as possible I put a size 65 of those in my 05 Ram 4.7 since I'm going to flip it soon anyway. It'll be interesting to see if it survives until I sell that truck. In the mean time, however, it seems to be cranking over the engine just fine. Funny thing is that battery retails at $109.99, cost me just under $50, that's a lot of profit for the parts store. And when customers bring those in for charge&tests, they're almost always bad past 2 years.
 
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The short trips could be it, along with something in the car that continually draws power. Batteries like to be charged up.
 
Originally Posted By: mclasser
Can't expect much from a $49 battery.
I've had one in an infrequently used Camry for more than two years. Still cranking fine.
 
$49 you get what you pay for. The last batteries I bought at Sears both DieHards lasted over 8 years. My current batteries well who knows but they've already made it more than a year. More time will tell. But I've paid good money for good batteries on sale and they have out lasted their warranty everyone of them.
 
I have one of them in my truck (bought it in July this year). If I get 2 years, I will be happy.
AutoZone Gold lasted me 4 years (it was a pro-rated replacement, the other one lasted 2 years, but sat for 1 year).

It was $50 with 12 month warranty. The Maxx was $99 with 5 year (3 year replace, 2 year pro-rata). I figure 2 years will be the break even point.
I am doing monthly overnight charges (2 amp setting) and making sure my fluid stays filled. Figure that will get me at least 2 years, and maybe more.

I probably will not use one in my wife's car (hers was replaced in December last year, I got a Gold battery from Advance), or any other family members unless they were getting rid of the vehicle in a year or so.
 
Recommend a float charger if you have a garage. I'm in the habit ( no particular reason, I just am) of using it every night. Battery only deteriorates by about 10 CCA per year.
It would be interesting to know how little you could use the float charger and get a significant beneficial effect.
For a short haul driver like me, I'm guessing once a week would give me a 'normal' battery life.
 
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I gave one these a shot 24F on a Tacoma when Autocraft Gold quit early summer. Currently it's only driven 5-6k miles a year and sits outside. Think heat a factor in previous battery life. So, time will tell how long it lasts. I have occasionally put a battery maintainer on it to charge it up. No idea if that will make a difference.

~2years, not awful imo for a one year warrantied battery.
 
Corollaman, what's your plan for replacement? If you go with another Value one, maybe you can periodically put it on a charger to top off and see if it lasts longer? Might be a fun test.

The 24F from Costco in my Honda is coming up on 4 years now, still going strong. I top it off occasionally so that might help.
 
Originally Posted By: Corollaman
It cost $49 I thought it would last longer being a Johnson's controls battery. I do a lot of short trips maybe that's the root cause.


Why would you think that? You did buy from Walmart, which puts severe stress on companies to hit price point.

Anyone can produce junk.

That said, for $49, don't think you can complain much.
 
I'll probably try another value power one for $49. I've noticed that on this one and the stock one there has been fluid on the top, maybe a leak its not water I know that.
 
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Originally Posted By: Corollaman
I'll probably try another value power one for $49. I've noticed that on this one and the stock one there has been fluid on the top, maybe a leak its not water I know that.


Get the battery corrosion protection package or NOCO battery treatment service done at Walmart for $3.50. Completely stopped corrosion and leaks on the top of a JCI and Exide battery.
 
I finally had to replace my battery last week. It had been in there for 12 years. On my Buick the battery lives in a compartment under the back seat. Battery stays cool back there and never ages on the outside. Still looked new after 12 years. I have to buy a special kind that has provisions for ventilation hoses to hook to it.
 
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
I finally had to replace my battery last week. It had been in there for 12 years. On my Buick the battery lives in a compartment under the back seat. Battery stays cool back there and never ages on the outside. Still looked new after 12 years. I have to buy a special kind that has provisions for ventilation hoses to hook to it.

If you buy an AGM battery you don't need to worry about venting and the battery will probably last forever.
 
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