Car Battery Recommendations?

CiTY

Enlightened
Joined
May 2, 2002
Messages
362
Location
Connecticut, USA
Guys/Gals,
My car battery is on it's last legs, I had trouble starting last week in cold weather(32f) after a week and half of sitting around. After some research I have found these brands that fit (group size 48):

Motorcraft, Energizer, Power Connection, DieHard, Duralast, Autocraft

Whats your recommendations?
Thanks.
 

Flashlightboy

Enlightened
Joined
Mar 28, 2001
Messages
856
Whew... This is a tough one.

If you're a disciple of Consumer Reports, they continue to like DieHard on a consistent basis. Last time around they liked Motorcraft although I don't recall in which battery size.

Currently I'm using an Optima. It has terrific CCA and more importantly, it contains spiral wound elements contained in a gel. The battery is very vibration proof and it can be mounted in a variety of positions.

Gel batteries may not have all of the CCAs of other batteries but it is pretty close. Where they shine is in their durability and longevity. They will provide almost double the start cycles of a typical battery. 4000 cycles is about the limit for most of them and if you make numerous and frequent trips, it's a good battery for your application.

You might also want to check out Interstate batteries. They have the Optima technology on license at a price that's usually cheaper than Optima. An Optima will set you back about $120 and the Interstate about $110.
 

Minjin

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Sep 21, 2002
Messages
1,237
Location
Central PA
I opened this thread ready to recommend the Optima but it seems as though someone has already beaten me to it...

I've had the same Optima Red Top battery in three different vehicles now and I think its been around 6 or 7 years. During that time, the battery has been much abused, left idle for months on end, and once managed to get my car home 20miles away after the alternator died.

The only bad points are that they won't necessarily fit every car. They're fairly expensive. And they're fairly heavy (which is a concern if you're trying to lighten your car for performance reasons).

If one will fit in your car, I'd highly recommend it.

Mark
 

Tomas

Banned
Joined
Jun 19, 2002
Messages
2,128
Location
Seattle, WA area
Basic solid reputation and retailer backup: Sears DieHard.

More expensive and better in some apps: Interstate.

In my car now: DieHard ...

tomsig03.gif


-= MICROSOFT FREE ZONE =-
 

eluminator

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Mar 7, 2002
Messages
1,750
Location
New Jersey
No, I don't know that much about the current technology, except they seem to be getting better. I just wanted to mention that I bought an interstate battery about 16 years ago and it lasted for 11 years. Of course the rocket 350 in my 72 cutlass always starts on the first crank. That may help battery life.
 

Albany Tom

Enlightened
Joined
Aug 18, 2002
Messages
769
Location
Albany, NY
Best thing I ever did for my battery was switch to synthetic motor oil in the winter. 6 below zero F, and it just starts, first try.

The next thing I do is just buy the biggest one that will fit in the car. "Oh, you have a XYZ model? You need a 300 CCA battery." "Great, now which one is the biggest one that will fit in there." /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 

PlayboyJoeShmoe

Flashaholic
Joined
Sep 4, 2002
Messages
11,041
Location
Shepherd, TX (where dat?)
I'm getting pretty good service out of Champion Brand BABs (2ea.) in my F-350 Diesel. One is better than 2 years old with LOTS of cycles, the other perhaps 6 months younger.

The Optimas sound like a pretty good choice however!
 

CiTY

Enlightened
Joined
May 2, 2002
Messages
362
Location
Connecticut, USA
My Costco sell's Optima batteries. I'll see if I can shoe-horn one in... I thought about it last week, but was not sure if it would fit. I had a Diehard 5 years ago, and did not notice any difference in performance from any other battery. Thanks for the input.
 

tkl

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Aug 24, 2002
Messages
2,332
Location
Tx
just go to wal mart and get the cheapest one. i've always done that with my vehicles and boat and never been disappointed. don't waste your cash.

the optima's look cool and if not much more, i wouldn't mind checking one of those out.
 

snakebite

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Mar 17, 2001
Messages
2,721
Location
dayton oh
get the highest reserve capacity with cca rating equal or slightly higher than the stock batt.
get the largest case size that will fit the tray.
i tend to use deep cycle if they will fit.
the extra rc will be nice the next time you leave the lights on or lose the alternater on a trip.
forget the cheap walmart ect universal types.
a tow bill will offset any savings.
 

Flashlightboy

Enlightened
Joined
Mar 28, 2001
Messages
856
City,

With Optima you need to find the adapters that fit your battery so it will fit in your battery box. Any Optima dealer will have them and they only cost a few dollars. That's why there are so few Optima sizes!
 

2dogs

Enlightened
Joined
Oct 21, 2002
Messages
384
Location
Santa Cruz CA
The red top Optimas in our Dodge TD work great, very resistant to vibration and shock. If you don't go that way I like Interstate and as stated stuff in the biggest you can fit. Clean your connections and reseal them in the fall and whenever you buy a new battery. Check ALL the grounds and reseat if needed. If you need high CCA (diesel or the like) make sure your cables are large enough.
 

CanadianGuy

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Jan 31, 2002
Messages
134
Location
Canada
Just an important note, regarding PlayboyJoeSchmoe's comments on using two batteries. They have to be the same strength/age or else the weaker one will draw from the better one, prematurely hurting the good one.
 

Lurker

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Nov 6, 2002
Messages
1,457
Location
The South
I normally go to Sears or an auto parts store, buy the premium model and then keep track of it's age closely. When it gets near the end of the warranty period, usually 5 years, I change it at the first hint of weakness or when the warranty expires, especially if the season is turning cold. I find that they rarely outlast the warranty by much and can let you down unexpectedly. Squeezing out a little more time from an old battery isn't worth the hassle and possible danger of your car not starting when you need it.
 

PlayboyJoeShmoe

Flashaholic
Joined
Sep 4, 2002
Messages
11,041
Location
Shepherd, TX (where dat?)
[ QUOTE ]
CanadianGuy said:
Just an important note, regarding PlayboyJoeSchmoe's comments on using two batteries. They have to be the same strength/age or else the weaker one will draw from the better one, prematurely hurting the good one.

[/ QUOTE ]

MAY be true, but when I had one battery go dead cell, I got no start, even when I isolated it from the other.

They both gotta have 12V plus or my truck is no go.

The way they are wired makes them sorta balanced anyway.
 

BuddTX

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Nov 27, 2001
Messages
2,521
Location
Houston, TX
I was going to say something similar to what Lurker said. I was going to start just changing my battery every 3 years, and buy a Die Hard, because it seems that after 3 years, they die anyway, so I woiuld like to controll when I buy a new battery, not have fate decide it for me.

These new Optima/Interstate batteries look interesting, however...
 

Skyline

Enlightened
Joined
Aug 17, 2000
Messages
755
Location
New Jersey
Just a minor correction: Optima's are not gel cell batteries. Optimas are spiral cell and completely sealed.
 
D

**DONOTDELETE**

Guest
Optimas are sealed batteries but the technology I believe is AGM, or Absorbed Glass Mat; (the material used as a 'cushion' between the lead plates which are wound in a spiral shape in the Optima -- maybe the inner core of this winding stays warmer in cold weather than separated lead plates in other batteries, accounting for the better cold weather performance of Optimas?) The one caution about AGM batteries is to not charge them at 15 volts or above, stay down around 14.8 volts, but they can handle a larger amount of amps, so they are capable of being charged much faster than lead-acid or gel batteries, if you have a high amp charger that works below 15 volts..
 

Flashlightboy

Enlightened
Joined
Mar 28, 2001
Messages
856
Jeez... You guys are tough. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif I'm a big enough flashaholic to admit I was wrong in describing the Optima as a gel cell. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif

In my haste to spew a recommendation I thought gel cell was mentioned several times on their site. It is but it describes their cell technology vs. gel cell.

I went back to their site and discovered that my mind doesn't remember things like I'd like it too. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
Top