So, looks like I'm on my 3rd replacement battery of the year. I haven't been driving my MKZ(my normal daily) a ton lately. I went to drive it Tuesday morning, and it was a bit reluctant to crank but did start. It had been sitting since Sunday I think, and I know it's gone a lot longer in the past without being driven. In any case, I pretty much immediately hopped on the interstate and drove it ~60 miles(I stopped ~15 miles in for gas, and didn't notice anything when I restarted it), then parked it and it has sat since then.
I got in it this morning and all the power functions/radio/etc work but it didn't have enough power to crank. I'm headed out of town tomorrow afternoon and need to drive it, so don't have a ton of time to mess around with trying to revive the battery. The current one on it is a Duralast-I think it's the economy line(my dad bought the car from my grandfather in 2014, and doesn't remember putting a battery on it. I know I haven't in the 2 1/2 years I've owned it), and I guess the freakishly hot temperatures we've had the past month finally did it in.
The last Duralast I bought a few weeks ago(It was a Gold, but was right at 1 year after manufacture so was sold to me cheap without a warranty) was an Exide, and I know enough from reading here that Exides are generally to be avoided.
My inclination would be to buy an Interstate, but with everything that I have to get done I don't know if I can find time to make it to one of the dealers in town. I'd also prefer to visit a full blown auto parts store with the car(I should be able to jump it and get it there, especially given that the battery isn't all the way down) and have them check the alternator on the off chance that it's bad.
My easily available local options, aside from Autozone, are NAPA and O'Reillys. I can probably get to an Advance also.
Of the house brands from those places, what would you all pick? Alternatively, is it really worth my effort to try and get an Interstate, which I assume is still JC.
Thanks.
I got in it this morning and all the power functions/radio/etc work but it didn't have enough power to crank. I'm headed out of town tomorrow afternoon and need to drive it, so don't have a ton of time to mess around with trying to revive the battery. The current one on it is a Duralast-I think it's the economy line(my dad bought the car from my grandfather in 2014, and doesn't remember putting a battery on it. I know I haven't in the 2 1/2 years I've owned it), and I guess the freakishly hot temperatures we've had the past month finally did it in.
The last Duralast I bought a few weeks ago(It was a Gold, but was right at 1 year after manufacture so was sold to me cheap without a warranty) was an Exide, and I know enough from reading here that Exides are generally to be avoided.
My inclination would be to buy an Interstate, but with everything that I have to get done I don't know if I can find time to make it to one of the dealers in town. I'd also prefer to visit a full blown auto parts store with the car(I should be able to jump it and get it there, especially given that the battery isn't all the way down) and have them check the alternator on the off chance that it's bad.
My easily available local options, aside from Autozone, are NAPA and O'Reillys. I can probably get to an Advance also.
Of the house brands from those places, what would you all pick? Alternatively, is it really worth my effort to try and get an Interstate, which I assume is still JC.
Thanks.