Car batteries are often overlooked during general maintenance. While this may not be much of an issue with modern-day maintenance-free battery designs, major issues may show up during the colder months when the battery cannot supply enough cold cranking amps to start your engine. Another factor to consider is the amount of power that your accessories (such as a stereo system) require because if the standard battery cannot handle it, you may run into deep-cycling problems that can destroy the battery.
DieHard Gold North Car BatteriesLeave a Question or Comment Log in or Create an Account to submit a comment
35 comments
d h
My experience with the Kirkland brand car battery is they are always undercharged. I've bought eleven batteries from Costco, two just today. All the size 65 batteries on the shelf were 12.46 or 12.48 with the exception of one that tested at 12.51. I was told these batteries had just come off the delivery truck that morning. So now I am waiting for the batteries. Read More to be recharged to their proper voltage (Ctek charger) while my vehicle sits dead in the driveway for another three hours. This just doesn't seem right! Also, I was told that Interstate now makes the Kirkland brand batteries. This seems odd too, considering I've never bought an Interstate battery that was below 12.9 volts. Is the reason Kirkland batteries are less expensive because you have to bring them up to charge yourself? Minimize
Posted on 7/26/2013 3:58 pm | Reply
pat.treudy
Original Equipment Batteries are the best, We have a 2006 Hyundai Sonata with the Original battery in it for 7 Years and starts up everyday even if it's below zero.
Posted on 3/20/2013 2:06 pm | Reply
rebecca.sipe
Hey guys, can we "true" up this comparison by adding your vehicle, year, make, model - along with the battery, CCA, warranty, and maybe a guess on how long you've owned it. Btw, I keep each vehicles receipts in my glove box. The title is the only thing I keep locked up elsewhere. ,)
Posted on 3/12/2013 1:24 am | Reply
- niamhreilly
What about Optima Batteries 8040-218.Gets great reviews everywhere.ibookmarkedit.com/optima-batteries-8040-218-d35-yellowtop-dual-purpose-battery/
Posted on 11/18/2012 12:54 am | Reply
- rebecca.sipe
I think a $200 battery is overkill since the warranty and battery life isn't any better than most other batteries. Sort by price, then look at the CCA (Cold Cranking Amps) and the warranty period. If you're keeping your car for a long time, stay with 5 year warranties or longer. Most 5-yr batteries will last 8-10 years if you keep them clean and charged. Read More If you're trading up soon, get a cheap battery and save your money for something more important. Btw, I've been maintaining cars since I was 15-yrs old until some guys thought to compact crap. blah. I'll be 52 this year. ) Minimize
Posted on 3/12/2013 1:10 am. In reply to niamhreilly | Reply
- dallastexas21
I definitely need to start looking at car batteries online for my truck. The battery is almost dead, but I know the rest of the car still has some years left in it. What's the best kind of battery to get for a Ford Ranger? I'm worried about getting the wrong kind.
Posted on 10/5/2012 2:51 pm | Reply
- rebecca.sipe
Online stores should have "List Your Vehicle To Get The Right Part" or similar, so you can't go wrong - unless your vehicle has a winch or external spot lights or loaded with stereo equipment - then talk to a store Rep about an upgraded battery that will handle the extra current. See my other reply about CCA's and warranties.
Posted on 3/12/2013 1:18 am. In reply to dallastexas21 | Reply
- rcxb
Die Hard Gold batteries are the best on the market right now. Higher electrical specs (CCA, Reserve, etc), longer warranty, and even a few lbs heavier, and all while matching the price of other premium brands. Those idiots saying Die Hards are the SAME as other batteries, haven't actually compared them. Low-end batteries (1yr warranty) have grown much. Read More more expensive, to the point that premium batteries are a far-better value, only
30% more expensive. You get a vastly better warranty, and far better specs, so your car will start when you need it to. Plus, competition on price has driven-down quality in low-priced batteries. I say this after my $70 ValueCraft battery from Autozone didn't make it 2yrs. There are tons of Walmart car battery horror stories as well. Cheap car batteries aren't worth the tiny price difference, anymore. Minimize
Posted on 10/4/2012 5:28 pm | Reply
- GreatestCollectibles.com
Posted on 8/30/2012 6:08 pm | Reply
- rebecca.sipe
Nice site. I didn't find 1986 Buick Electra's listed. I did notice that you might want to add a menu across the top of each page for quick scroll. There's an APP for that.
FreewareWiki.com - free software and website reviews. Clif & I started listing free computer help and programs online for our family and friends, and ClifNotes. Read More went global after Clif added comments and reviews from users. Google us. PbWorks.com (formerly PbWiki.com) caught our high traffic on their servers and visited Clif's FreewareWiki. Then we were hired for website support, customer service and we wrote most of their Help Files during their first 4 years of going global. PbWorks offers collaborating websites (these sites allows many editors and tracks the changes) for businesses and ad-free free-sites for schools. We loved it, and probably would still be working there if we could have relocated. MinimizePosted on 3/12/2013 1:49 am. In reply to GreatestCollectibles.com | Reply
- TX-Techman
Something to note, Walmart has recently dropped the prorated portion of the warranty on all of theiir batteries. The clerks says this was the manufacturer that made the change which is Johnson Controls. Just returned a Everstart Maxx and going elsewhere, same price almost triple the warranty. Sams Club has Ever Ready batteries and still offers 84 months. Read More with 3 years free replacement like the other retailers. Walmart is convenient but I am not paying more for less. Minimize
Posted on 10/15/2011 6:36 pm | Reply
savatage65
i think interstate batterys should be included as one of the best on the market,the last 2 i bought outlasted the 7 yrs the warranty had on it,their not cheap but well worth the extra cost.never left me stranded.
Posted on 3/22/2011 8:04 pm | Reply
WilliamNam
Posted on 3/23/2011 11:46 am. In reply to savatage65 | Reply
- WilliamNam
To everyone who likes to point out that all of the batteries here are made by the same company - that's really missing the point. This happens in any industry.Let's scale things up, and have a look at the Bentley Continental GT. Not my personal favorite, but it's still a nice car by any means. Now, examine how many components it shares with the Volkswagen. Read More Phaeton. That's right - they're pretty much the same car plus or minus equipment, yet in practice they're totally different. Same platform, similar powertrains, and a lot of the switchgear is interchangeable. But one is a big, expensive Volkswagen while the other is a Bentley. To anyone who sees the two cars parked next to each other, they're entirely different.Like that new Ford Taurus you just bought? It's on the same platform as the Volvo S80, not that you'd ever know.Most pharmaceutical drugs are made by a few giant corporations. They all have different effects.Each company has a different philosophy and varying levels of quality control. The batteries that I've identified here fit the needs of the vast majority of drivers out there who want to buy an inexpensive battery and simply forget about it. These are merely recommendations, so you can either ignore them or take them into consideration if you don't want to do your own extensive research.Need a cheap battery that'll last? Do yourself a favor and head over to Costco and buy a Kirkland battery, and just return it for a replacement if anything goes wrong during the warranty period. You'll spend a lot less than other brands, and it works just fine. Why bother arguing? Minimize
Posted on 2/16/2011 12:24 pm | Reply
jim.dandy.5209
They are made on the same production line, same plant, by the same people.
Posted on 4/11/2013 12:39 pm. In reply to WilliamNam | Reply
- 859975555facebook
I have a ride on mower, bat. life 2 yrs. A truck 2004 chev, delco, still goinf. two motorcycles. they last three years if you use a float chager when they are stored. I think I will just use which ever on meets specs. and is the less expensive. Also have a diesel tractor 4 cly. It needs abattery after 4 years. I can not even get to it to check the water. Read More ( in a very tight spot ) Minimize
Posted on 2/15/2011 5:00 pm | Reply
- jack90
First your expert is incorect about the big three. The three largest battery Mfg are #1 Johnson Controls Industries #2 East Penn Mfg #3 Exide in that order. While JCI makes some very good products they also import a great many from Mexico with inconsistant quality production results that show up in early failures. You can find this information on the label. Read More of the battery stating made in Mexico. JCI also produces batteries for Interstate Battery and generally they are a great battery but that also depends on the Interstate Dealer who has to rotate and recharge the batteries periodically for the local repair shops, if they do that to many times or if the dont recharge often enough, this will also sho up in early failure. East Penn Manufacturing, the largest single site mfg in the world does a terrific job and has one of industry lowest defect rates close to 1%.an they produce batteries for AAA, Cat, Harley, Mercedes, GM Volt etc. Excide went from producing 20,000,000 million batteries a year to 5 because th lost several National accounts. Having said all that, there are several factors that can effect battery life, age of the battery when you buy it, stateof charge when its installed, your driving habits, and preventive maintenance on your vehicle.(basic connction cleanliness, belt tension, belt wear, excessive amp draw from accessories, etc) Bottom line any one who tells you that one brand is the best - end of story, is either not completetly informed, or its your great grandfather talking. In todays vehicles there are many factors involved in purchasing a battery, in the past it was a matter of CCA's and group code, More and more OEM's are using AGM flat plate batteries in their vehicles and its another consideration when you purchase a battery. So good luck, find some who knows what they are talking about, not someone who thinks they know what they are talking about. Minimize
Posted on 1/28/2011 6:36 am | Reply
- Smarty
I use 780 AA Rayovacs. These alkaline batteries pack quite a punch, and are rechargeable with the right charging system.Duct tape them together and solder on youy cables and your ready to go!Don't forget - most batteries are made by the same three manufacturers. As with any manufacturer - some manufacturers may use different quality standards and even materials. Read More for each of their lines. For the most part, though, this list is pretty accurate, and if you love your brand, there is no replacement for the piece of mind you have with the brand you trust.P.S. - Don't tape you AA's together. That's just crazy!Use epoxy. ,-P Minimize
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