@@HerbOMatic yeah they always give me a hard time , just today at 3years my 5 year. " warranty went out " . last time did the same thing 3 years , the guy at the auto center supposedly tested and the prorate wasnt even worth it
Can't remember the last time batteries were $55. I used to remember when Advance Auto parts used to have significant coupons where you could get $25 off of $100. But now it seems to me that batteries have doubled in price and are at minimum $200 now. None of these places have decent coupons anymore, they are always filled with exclusions for the higher priced stuff (the stuff where a coupon would make the biggest difference.) Don't believe me, see Harbor Freight coupons of 2022 lol.
Good point. The low CCA batteries like for my Neon were formerly $50, now about $75. That car would gobble the Wally World battery in 3 to 3.5 years. The high end battery would last 3.5 to 4.5 years. Basically about $20 vs $40 per year.
I found out that most car batteries are made by like only three different companies (aside from specialty batteries like lithium or gel), so what might cost you $200 at the parts store will only cost you $100 at Walmart, they're almost all the same thing (I'm being very generous with those prices, though, your mileage will vary).
Here we go again. While many batteries are made in the same facility but labeled different, they are not always the same battery. There are completely different internal parts that can and are used to manufacturer the different types of batteries. Typically, the higher priced batteries are going to have thinner plates, which allows them to install more lead plates. More materials means a better charge/life cycle as well as a longer life or interval between reconditioning cycles. So, if my car/truck battery ever actually needs to be replaced due to major damage, then I'm going ot buy a better quality battery, but then I'll maintain and recondition the battery and it will also last several decades like a majority of my batteries have.
@@jmackinjersey1Do you have any specific info about internal differences between different tiers of Walmart batteries? How do you know which battery is better quality at the time of purchase? Thanks
@@jmackinjersey1 "going to have thinner plates, which allows them to install more lead plates" - doen't this mean that thinner plates will be destroyed sooner than thicker plates?
If you want thicker plates, you run marine deep cycle. The reason we dont use MDC batteries for cranking is because the smaller surface area is better for long discharge, not cranking. If he wants to be pedantic, yes, marine and cranking are built different. But those aren't brands. Those are literally 2 different battery types.
I only buy from Wal-Mart. Been doing so for over 20 years. I have never had a problem returning a battery under warranty, even without the receipt, as long as the date sticker is still on the battery.
You are correct. Other auto stores have baterries with longer warrants, but you are paying 2-3 times more. You are just pre-paying for the next batery that you may or not receice with the longer warranty.
The reason I go with the Auto Parts batteries is the convenience. There have been a few times when we needed to replace a Wal Mart battery but the auto dept closes at 5:30 pm so we had to wait until the next day. At the orange auto parts store we were in and out in 10 min with a new battery.
I bought the diehard top of the line for my diesel truck, I had to buy 2 because it has 2. I spent about $500 on those suckers. So far they've lasted 10 years. No signs of slowing. Sometimes the good battery is worth it. Diesels are hard to start compared to gas engines and I do live where it gets cold. I agree with your solution, but it's not the right one for everyone.
Same here, I have two Sears Die Hard Gold Batteries (Flooded Acid Type) 850 CCA (Group Size 65) in different vehicles, bought them 12 years ago, ($105 each) and are still going strong. I have lost some of the 850 CCA, they last tested at 655 CCA and internal resistance has gone up to 5.71mΩ about a year ago, but they still start my 8 & 6 cylinder engines when it was 5º f. just a few days ago with plenty of enthusiasm and no sign whatsoever of any weakness or slow cranking. Only tip for longevity I can give you is Lead Acid batteries need to be stored at 100% for longevity, mine are on routinely on maintenance chargers when not in use for extended periods of time.
car batteries last a long time if car is used regularly, and the batteries stay charged mine don't stay charged now with not driving them much usually wind-up charging battery every 2 weeks or so to keep them full also seems to make a big difference if the battery is freshly made.
The biggest battery scam these days is if you don't have a receipt, you're screwed. Buy a used car and someone just replaced the battery? If it dies 6 months later and you take it back to Walmart, Sears or Interstate, they say no receipt no warranty. Even though the date sticker shows its 6 months old or the date is molded on the case.
I'm starting to move away from warranties in different areas of my life. All the money I save from skipping the warranties will cover the one or two things that do go wrong.
This happened to me recently, if you ask the store manager they might work with you, the local O'Reilly's gave me a new one at cost for a replacement on a 2021 battery that needed to be warrantied with no receipt from a used car I had just bought.
Warranty is on the original owner of the cars account, you keep his phone number they can look it up. Big surprise but no warranty anywhere transfers to a new owner
Here’s a PRO tip. Every month or so put your battery on an overnight charge. You’ll be shocked how much longer it will last. Remember: Alternators ARE NOT chargers, they are maintainers.
Actually alternators are very good chargers. You have a bad alternator, slipping belt, or bad battery connection. You never need to put a charger on a battery unless there are issues.
@@user-tb7rn1il3q If you want to wear out the brushes and burn a diode. They are maintainers. Ask any alternator company. People who build and dyno these. They are designed to maintain a charger period.
@@nordicpride9708 Modern alternators are absolutely designed to quick charge the battery without hurting anything. Most cars today have start stop systems and high electrical demands.
@UCTvDVIaTqea3t2KxdIH589Q That engineer needs to be fired. Alternators are designed to charge low or dead batteries. They are designed for the worst case scenario. Someone leaves their lights on, drains the battery, and then gets a jump. They drive 20 minutes and the battery fully recharges.
@@user-tb7rn1il3q Now you know more than countless engineers…. You can’t accept a established fact. Using an alternator in this fashion WILL damage it. That’s understood by industry experts. Keep saying the sky is purple, doesn’t make it so. I will trust the experts and not some RU-vid moron
The batteries for my vehicles cost around one hundred bucks at Costco. I hate getting stranded with a dead battery, so I replace them every three years or so. I consider it cheap insurance. I haven't had one fail early yet.
The problem with Costco is convenience. I waited in line 40 minutes to warranty a battery. I was pissed. Also, if you road trip a lot and have a battery issue you're 10x more likely to find a Walmart or Autozone if you need a warranty swap
@@DJR5280 That wasn't my experience. It took about ten minutes and was pain free. It helps that I am retired and mostly drive around town. They were even nice enough to start the warranty over for the replacement battery, so I got three more years of free replacement coverage.
I bought a car in 2010, and still have it. The service history showed the battery was replaced in 2009. The battery was a reconditioned Econo Start brand. It lasted 14 years, and just started to show a weak cranking amperage on a load test. I never had any battery last 14 years, and it was not a new battery when it was installed. It was reconditioned.
I put the Everstart Value on my dad's Camry and it's still working okay at year 4. Occasionally, he would left the lights on, so I had to put a charger on it. Still, we replaced it today for peace of mind. After doing some comparisons, I decided to buy the Everstart Value once again. I picked it for the same reasons this guy did. On group size 24F batteries, the Everstart Value has 585 CCA and came with 1 year warranty while the Everstart Plus has 600 CCA and came with 2 years warranty. So, basically, you pay 50% more for one more year of warranty. Lead Acid battery technology is old. For a given size battery, you can only pack so much in there. You either pack this, or you pack that. The differences are small, so just buy the cheapest battery and replace them ahead of time. The most important is how you use your battery that will decide how long they last.
My brothers Maxx Ever Start is over 5 years. When he bought it it was a heat of the moment thing, and even joked saying I’ll be lucky if I get 2 years out of it lol. Once in a while things work in your favor and you’re shocked. Project farm did an extensive test on batteries and the Walmart brand came out on top like 2nd or 1st place if I recall.
I have worked in the battery industry for 7 years. Actually it will be 7 year tomorrow. Wow. Anyways there are differences in the tiers. I'm not sure about walmart but at other places yes. The build quality and amount of lead is different. In oklahoma I bought a 3 year warranty battery from my store and it lasted till this past fall/winter and I only swapped it because it was old. It was still outputting above its rated cca but winter was coming. I know from experience 2 year warranty batteries do die faster than our 3 year ones. But that doesn't always ring true. There are a lot of factors in this. Environment, how often its driven, alternator output, etc... But one thing I will say batteries made in 2020 and 2021 are lesser quality due to shortages. Hopefully quality returns but it probably wont. The other thing to look at is the type of warranty. Some places are full replacement like how my store is others are a pro rate. That is why you see batteries with 86 month warranties. Those are almost always pro rated which sucks. But look into fine print on warranties. Most of them don't cover if the owner lets the battery completely die. Car batteries don't just suddenly drop to 4 volts and not recover. They call that owner misuse and wont cover it. Then you can get into AGM/Gel batteries which are way higher quality but on older cars generally not worth it unless you have a specific need. But with all that said walmart batteries are fine. Especially if you plan on getting rid of the car in a year. But if its a daily driver and you have different seasons of weather I'd look into better batteries. Also never buy batteries on amazon/ebay. There are some situations where thats fine but if you have to order any battery online read reviews on it first. Check the specs. Weight is generally a sign on quality. The more weight the better the battery, sort of.
another click bait video trying to claim something without facts or knowledge, no the batteries aren't the same. sure you might get a cheap battery that last a well. the higher price batteries are built to higher specs,
If you have a LKQ junkyard they have a program for $50 for lifetime replacement battery. Bit of a gamble finding the exact one you need but most batteries are pretty close... if it ever goes bad go swap for another.
This guy lives in desert climate so there's no way he's going to get 10 yrs out of a battery living in Pheonix. If you drive a lot, you can probably get 4 yrs but the average battery life in desert climate is 28-32 months. The consistent triple digit heat accelerates battery corrosion internally so they eat themselves away 2-3 times faster than if you lived outside of the desert.
Higher cold cranking amp batteries have thicker lead plates. They usually last longer and of course cost more. In many vehicles these days you will find it difficult to install a battery. In my wife’s Ford the battery is up toward the firewall. It required removing cowling and wiper blade arms to remove additional plastic coverings. Total pain in the arse. Could not even connect to the negative battery terminal to jump start. It has a separate bolt stud mounted to the frame and connected with a dedicated cable to that stud. If you do not want to deal with all this or pay someone else to do it, it then makes more sense to just put in the longest lasting battery in your group size.
Higher cranking amps (CCA) means there are more plates in each cell which equates to more surface area and lower internal resistance. It's easier to make the plates thinner and throw in a few extra thinner plates to get the CCA rather than use thicker plates which makes the battery bigger and heavier and requires more materials. You can almost tell a good battery by how heavy it is; the heavier the better. Thick plates last longer too.
I experienced the same as you with multiple batteries here in vegas. None of them lasted much more then a year. First with a $380 battery, then a $150 battery, and then I got fed up and got the $50 battery in 2018 (group 65, same one you got) and that one is still going strong to this day.
Consider yourself lucky if you can get your battery more than 3 years in Vegas heat. My only lasted about 2 - 2.5 years at the most before I have to replace it with top of the line battery.
I only partially agree with the video. If price is an issue there is nothing wrong with getting the cheapest battery to keep you on the road. The issue I have noticed is that not all stores carry the battery that you need, not even an alternative sometimes, and if they do they might not have all three price options so you end up buying the max even if you only wanted to buy the cheap one because you have to and that is all they have but it's still cheaper than actual auto parts stores most of the time. I've been working on multiple vehicles over the many years and that has been my experience.
Walmart has now removed the strap on all Everstart batteries. Makes it nearly impossible to install it as most batteries sit low in a holder. now you cannot lower it in or remove it. Horrible choice to save 15 cents!!!
I noticed that last one I bought and agree, very annoying and ridiculous. I ended up making some strap handles for it out of some yellow nylon cord (jumping rope), only took me a few minutes to make and works just fine.
I can vouch for the Walmart battery for $55. I used it in my 96 4runner for 4 years with no issue. I made the mistake of swapping the battery out for an autozone Valuecraft. 6 months after the install it died on me. Luckily still under warranty but could have left me stranded if I was out in the desert or mountains. If I could have gotten a Walmart one again I would have. Lesson learned.
If you have an aftermarket sound system or offroad lights etc then a more expensive battery might be a good idea but for everyday drivers they're just not nessesary
Just found your channel man, I absolutely love it. On your battery issue- I grew up in 29 palms CA before the advent of "sealed" lead acide battery. When we bought new batteries they were "dry charged", we took the supplied bottle of sulphuric acid and filled the battery at home. Then since it was hot and dry in the desert there we topped the battery up with deionized water once or twice a year. Perhaps the answer to replacing batteries so often would be to pry the caps off and top up with distilled water every so often. Another tip I heard many years ago was to buy the heaviest battery you could fit in the battery tray and forget about the warranty like you said. Can't go wrong with an over sized battery and heavier means more lead inside. Anyway, love the channel!
Thanks for confirming what I was thinking. I can’t imagine a battery really only lasting a year. The guy at Walmart did tell me I should ‘at least get the middle of the road battery” for a 60% price increase for 2 year warranty vs 1. I’m going to gamble with that one year, boys.
The battery in my truck is going on 11 years old, and still strong. It's an Exide Classic. I know all batteries are the same, but vehicles can matter a ton too. It's in an 05 Ranger, 3.0 Vulcan, in the central midwest. The truck is an 05, this is the 2nd battery installed in it, put in April 2012. It's the only battery that has never needed jumped or had an issue, sitting outside all winter. Only vehicle that started in negative degree weather for the past decade with the same battery. Bought the truck out of Florida with the battery being 5 years old. Drove it up to the central midwest, and here it is at 11 years old and going strong. May be the sweet spot of charging systems in the truck rather than the battery. I'm not concerned of jinxing it by bragging, i've done it for so many years. A 2012 Exide Classic going strong in Illinois summers and cold winters. That thing's gonna have a funeral service when it goes
I bought a used Ford Freestar in 2010. The service history showed the battery was replaced in 2009 with a reconditioned Econo Start brand battery. The battery lasted for 14 years, and was just replaced because it just started to show there were only 302 cranking amps left, and it tested weak. The Freestar has also been on many trips to and from Minnesota, to California. Never had a battery last that long, and it wasn't new when installed. It was reconditioned. Reconditioned batteries are also cheap to buy.
You are exactly right about the warranty maneuvers at Walmart that they did to me in South Carolina. Spent half a day getting a battery while under warranty. Will get the cheaper one the next time.
BIG warning, if you live in a climate that experiences big swings of intense heat and cold, they will kill your battery faster. I buy the 3 year batteries and get a free battery on the 2nd or 3rd year. Does it save me a lot, not really but I know I will get 4 to 6 years worth of battery from my original purchase date.
I always buy the 3 year and always get to use the warranty. I have a sound system and lots of other electronics that burn through batteries. I have never had a problem with getting a replacement.
Just got Neverstart gold replaced for free 2 years and 9 months. Most autoparts stores will ratchet down the replacement and make you pay $ for the difference. $98.76 3 years ago is now $139. Would have had to dish out $69.74 if I bough the $55 cheap battery. That’s how to hedge inflation. BJ’s clubs used to sell interstate with 7 year warranty for $39.99 with coupon. Ah the good old days! The cold weather kills battery’s here in New England.
*I bought an $80 Walmart battery in Ontario (Canada) in 2018, moved to colder central BC, still have it. Also, I think that a lot of battery warranties are PRO-RATED for number of years left on warranty (5 years into 6-year warranty? You pay 5/6th of the price).* *On REALLY cold overnights (-30, -40 or worse), I bring the battery inside. Never an issue with CCAs as the battery is not cold. Also plug car in for an hour.*
@@raccoon874 Probably, I haven't bought a battery for anyone in awhile. September 2020 I believe was the last time I installed a battery for a relative.
I bought a $50 Walmart Value Power battery like yours in 2018 and it's still in my car today. So I have gotten nearly 4 years out of mine. My understanding is that these batteries are made by Johnson Controls, the same company that makes the higher priced batteries.
@@HerbOMatic I know what you mean... I used to live in Phoenix for over 15 years. I have been living in the Cottonwood and Prescott areas while I've had the battery.
@@HerbOMatic Yes, I liked it a lot better living in northern AZ. Especially in the summer. It does still get hot but it cools down at night. I actually just moved to San Diego where I grew up. It's beautiful here and nice and cool. 😎..but the price of gas is out of this world though at $6 a gallon!
Same thing I just did and always do, cheaper batteries last just as long as any other battery.They all are plastic,water and acid, they all store volts the same.
I’ve never had a problem getting a warranty on a battery. Check the date before you buy. They don’t last here in Florida if you buy cheap. Can’t speak to Walmart, I don’t buy their battery. I’ve never seen a battery that’s 55 bucks. Mine usually last 6-7 years.
Master retired mechanic here. Your advice is CORRECT SIR. I just had delivered for free from walmart the size group 65 ever start battery from walmart with one year warranty for 69.85 for my back up truck 98 dodge ram. I also possess the same intelligence and law of averages as you do
I'm "still" running my crv on the cheep-cheep value battery that was $49.99 "originally" upon first release approx. 6 years ago... daily intense driving & no issues, crazy value 👍"key would be; don't be lazy but top it off once in a while"
If you really walk into any store and ask for a test a applaud you for be an honest person. In reality the interaction goes "this battery's is junk and it's under warranty and I want a new one. I had it on MY charger for 3 days it's junk". Every customer is "a mechanic" and no-one realizes how many times you hear the same story or realizes there's other factors to the electrical system.
They don't need to charge it for hours. They have machines that can simply test the battery and see how much life is left in it and if it is bad. You can even buy a battery tester yourself that will test all sorts of things including your alternator for $50.
I dunno, got a brand new battery after 3 years from a Costco Kirkland battery, no questions asked. If it was within 5 years they also prorate and offer you a discount.
With the exception of the JC Penny battery from circa 1977. They finally stopped selling them because they were advertised as "The last battery you'll ever buy. I went through 3 of them before the ended the program.
Class 8 truck batteries are Group 31 and have CCA ratings of 750 to 925 . Same dimension in size but the plates in the battery are separated further apart, a 750 CCA battery will not sulfate as quickly and last longer . Constantly jumping a battery instead of repairing the charging system is extremely hard on it and will shorten the battery’s life cycle significantly . 6/4/23
Very good video! All one has to remember is to top off their car battery once every two years with a gallon of distilled water you can get at Walmart for $2. Over time the water within a car's battery evaporates and if the water is not replenished the battery will eventually expose the lead plates inside the car battery. This is why a car battery needs to be topped off with distilled water every 2 ~ 3 years and the battery Pos (+) and Neg (-) terminals cleaned with a wire brush or sandpaper as well. A car battery should last around 6~7 years if properly maintained. My EverStart Walmart battery lasted +6 years before giving up. The EverStart car battery would have lasted longer if I had remembered to top it off with distilled water sooner.
@@IAmGabe777 Don't know that the heck a spark cleaning kit is but any cheap Dollar store wire brush or sandpaper will do the trick. Use baking soda as well if you have handy.....
@@happycat0411 I meant spray* not spark. Sorry about that. There’s some kits I’ve seen online that sell the cleaning hole brush and spray bottles to get rid of any corrosion on top of the battery etc.
The last battery I bought cost me $150, claiming it was a special size battery for my make and model. I learned the first time it was discharged that no matter what, unless there was deposits in the bottom shorting out the plates, you can make that battery brand new again and I made that happen every time since. No more new batteries. You need at least a 200 Amp charger and make sure the battery is full of distilled water and ser it for 200 to 220 Amp charge with a timer for 15 minutes. Let set for 1 hour and then run it through 3 more 15 minute 200 Amp charges with the 1 hour off times in between and you have like a brand new battery again. It works perfect. I have never bought another battery! Oh yeah, and if there are deposits? Dump the fluids and fill with baking soda and water and let the electrolysis dissolve and break the deposits up and keep flushing the crap out until you can get all the crap out. you need the acid them but can buy it at a Auto Part store or a Battery Recycle center.
I change mine every 2 years. I'm like you. I keep accurate records on everything. I buy the cheapest one I can find. I've been around awhile. For less than a $100.00 bucks every 2 years I never have to worry. I put a 200amp alternator in my F-250. I run a 13000 lb winch. Why screw around. I always keep the old batteries and add them to my harbor freight solar panel system. It saved my butt many times when the power goes out. Great video. Have fun. .
I figured this out YEARS ago. Went to buy a garden tractor battery, Walmartbattery $60, Interstate battery $150, Walmart battery 6 month warranty, Interstate battery 6 month warranty
Battery manufacturing is unchanged in many years. The reason to buy Walmart battery is you can get a warranty replacement 7 days a week if the store is open. Keep your receipt clean and neat.
I absolutely agree with this, and I'd like to take it a step further, not only Walmart but all the auto stores will try to tell you that it's important to use the OEM battery, they will actually lie to you and tell you that it is needed for the control module to operate correctly, that is a lie. 12 volts is 12 volts period, and you can go online and check out what batteries are compatible with your car, you need to make sure the battery will fit in the battery compartment. I use the cheapest Walmart battery, I'm in Florida, I'm not worried about CCA, also, my batteries from Walmart last over 4 years, last one lasted 4 years and 9 months, please don't be fooled but these ja's just trying to make money for the company, just to make themselves look good. they lie.
I looked at group 65 battery prices. There was the cheap battery for maybe $149. It weighed 44 lbs. Then every more expensive "heavy duty" or Excel version of that battery size was $10 more and only 1/2 lb heavier. So they are selling lead for $20 / lb. for each "up grade" to the battery. I settled on the Walmart AGM. It was $30 less expensive than the identical Champion battery.
@@ricebike I had an Optima Red Top fail after too many discharges (doing mods while leaving doors open on my Jeep drained the battery) and it would not recover. This was back in 2008. I expected better out of it but was told that the quality of Optima suffered even more throughout the last 17 years.
@@Guillotines_For_Globalists yeah, that term "they don't make them like they used to" seems true for everything, not just batteries. This is my first AGM battery because I had an online discount that put it with the same price as a standard flooded lead acid battery Pep boys looks like a sinking ship since they shut down their parts sales division and only focusing on service and tires now😕 so the 3 year replacement warranty may be void
@@ricebike I noticed that. One of the local Pep Boys has reduced the size of the inside of their store to about 1/4 and has a false wall diverting guests to their service department only.
I took my Everstart battery that wouldn't charge, 2 1/2 year old with 3 year warranty into the Auto Center- walked in the service door with battery - no questions from me, they INSTALLY pulled their battery tester up, said place battery here, 30 second test and I Got to watch- tester said "REPLACE"- lady went over and grabbed same battery off shelve- scanned it and said "Warranty is good till December" walked out with new battery in less than 5 minutes.
Finally a good video on walmart batteries. This videos experience was mine. I tooked the charged battery back home and it didnt last a day. Good advise, instead of fighting with Walmart and being denied by the cheapest battery!😂
Usually in hot climates (example: Florida) you’re really going to realistically get 3 years out of a battery. Somewhere around 36months. Most battery warranties are for like 1 year free replacement then pro rated after that. The only reason you’d really want to spend more is for a heavier more amperage battery. Usually you can tell the quality of the battery by picking it up. If it’s “light” it’s not that great, if it feels like lifting a lawnmower engine then you know that’s prob gonna last and will have good cca. I’ve worked 4 years at a battery company and 85% of the batteries no matter the brand were being replaced on their third year. Only exception would be cars that have batteries in the trunk or somewhere away from the engine.
My Everstart Value has 5 years/95k miles, still works great! That was around 50 bucks back in 2019, I would say it's the most cost-effective car battery you can get!
In Vegas, I turned in 2 faulty batteries in the past 5 years and they replaced it right there and then… probably depends on who you deal with and which store you went to… but yes it makes sense to just buy the basic batteries if the cheapest one will do just fine…
I bought 3 years warrant batteries from Walmart: There is no one battery which was working for 3 years. Use on F350 Diesel, Mercedes S 500, Mercedes SL 500 and a 2 more cars. The cars when sear for 2 weeks they are fine, but from one day to the next they are dead.... have about 3-5 Volt. Charger tells dead battery. My last one was good for 3 month. So far I got already about 15 batteries. I live in San Antonio, TX. (70 % working less than 1 year. )
We have a local interstate batteries facility where you can get blem batteries for just $50! It’s just batteries w/o the stickers and warranty. Work the same for a fraction of the price. Find a local interstate battery near you and stop overpaying for batteries!
I buy my batteries at Autozone. If I have a battery fail I take it in and they give me a brand new one, no questions asked. About 100% of the time the battery will fail before the listed warranty period so I almost always get two batteries for the price of one.
Remember back in the day (70s-90s) when a battery would last around 7 years or more? I used to buy 5 year Walmart batteries (early 2000's) and guess what? They'd last almost exactly 5 years. As far as I know, you can't get a 5 year Walmart battery anymore. Now batteries are typically 3 years or less on their warranties, and they last almost exactly that long. The whole thing is a planned obsolescence consumer nightmare. On top of that, the pricing is obscene for a plastic box with lead in it. If you go far enough back in time, it was expected that one would *rebuild* their battery (early 1900s) and there were manuals on how to do it (I know cause I've seen them). Now, you're expected to throw batteries, brake rotors away and buy new things. Things are very bad now.
Live in a cold climate, when I had to change my battery I got one at Walmart, but the cheaper ones that fit in my vehicle don't have the cranking amps the manufacturer recommends. So but a 100 dollar battery is better for me than buying a 50 dollar battery that will most likely give me problems in winter. 6 years, still going good. Not spending the 150 or more the auto part stores want for a battery for my vehicle.
I'm in southern Indiana. The maxx I put in my Dodge Ram 5.8 L lasted 9 years and was still going ( but cranking slower) when I swapped it out. Drove every day to work, full time job, round trip was 6 miles plus some errands around town, sits in the concrete driveway not a garage. I changed it out in Walmart's parking lot in 2021. Walmart dude was freaked when I bought my core back in and had a "12" on the date dot since I started and drove it there. So yeah, I put another maxx back in.
I knew this 20 years ago, when the guy at pep boys said yeah it has a warranty, but its a pro-rated warranty.. so now it's only worth about 10 bucks (from my original $100).. do I wanna buy another one?? HELL NO !!.. I got someone to jump start me, and I drove to BJ's wholesale and bought a 50$ cheapo battery, it lasted til my wife traded that car like 5 years later.. lesson learned, don't bother with battery warranties, they aren't worth the paper they're printed on.
Hmm my batteries keep dying right after 2 years, when the 2 year warranty is up. I buy them at Auto-zone. So this time I bought the 3 year warranty battery. It died in 6 months! I know the heat here in the Valley keeps them from lasting long but I am frustrated. I think I will take your advice and get the Wallyworld cheap one next.
This is 2024 and you can still get the "Value" battery for now $59.00 or $59.99. But they don't make the Value economy battery in every group size. Usually only the most common sizes. And he's absolutely right... I work in automotive, and i have personally replaced some of those "Value" batteries that made it up to 6 years !! Not Joking. Oh, and EVERY Walmart will test your battery, they have testing equip at the service desk. So you dont need to avoid one with an Auto Service Center. There aren't many of them anyway.
There are 3 main manufacturers of aftermarket car batteries. The biggest is Johnson Controls, and it supplies more than half the market. It doesn't matter where you buy your battery, or what brand is on it, it will most likely be the exact same battery. I always get my batteries at Walmart. If I'm paying for a name, I'm going for the cheapest name.
I bought a pair of the 3yr 65N batteries for my 6.9 diesel in Dec 2018 and sold the vehicle in Nov 2023 with the still good batteries. 5 years on them basically and still had life. It needed the 850CCA that the cheaper 65 batteries lacked. I did buy the cheapest, smallest 1yr battery a year ago for my 12v converted 64 VW with a 6v starter still because it barely touches the battery to crank it and it has the best type of alternator so that battery should last a long time.
I've not had great luck with cheap batteries. What i want to know is why stock batteries seem to last a full 5 years. The new and slightly used cars I've owned that still had the original battery all lasted 5+ years.
I don't know much about batteries, but I do know that my son had the Walmart Maxx battery in his first car and he loved it. However, his experience with the Walmart Plus battery in his current car resulted in him yelling at every single employee at the customer service desk and demanding the manager. Granted, this outburst came about after physically carrying a 40 pound battery for more than a mile on a 95 degree day and then being told he couldn't return it, but merely exchange it, and that his size wasn't in stock. He eventually got a refund and has since sworn off of walmart batteries for good. He got an Autozone gold battery after that, which lasted almost 1 year longer than the walmart plus. Now he only uses glass mat batteries.
Worst warranty I ever saw was for a pellet stove, forget most of the details but the key point was that for warranty work you had to ship the (250 lb) stove to the manufacturer at your own expense.
I do agree with you because you live in a warm climate, HEAT kills batteries, period. I live in a cooler climate and I do not buy batteries because of warranties either, but I do want and need 850 CCA. My two current group 65 Die Hard Gold Batteries are over 12 years old and still going strong, started both my trucks up with vigor at 5º f. just a few days ago no problem.
