What has been your "goto" battery brand?

[big-blue]

It's that time to change out a crappy, short lived battery. With that, what has been everyones preferred goto battery? I don't have a lot of run-time electronics - but looking at adding some lights to help with camping in the future. Also, since I live in the South, I am not 100% sure if paying more for the cranking amps at 0F is going to be worth it. But if all that is wrapped into a better quality battery that I am just not changing out every 2 years, it maybe something to consider I guess. Thoughts?

TIA,

-graham

 

[rebelgregory]

AC Delco or Interstate. But I'm not firm about em. No wal-mart bateries. I went high-end Optima once, but had to have it warrantied twice. I found out I'm not the only one. So I just get a decent name brand these days.

 

[max 02]

AC Delco or Interstate. But I'm not firm about em. No wal-mart bateries. I went high-end Optima once, but had to have it warrantied twice. I found out I'm not the only one. So I just get a decent name brand these days.

x2 on the AC delco and Interstate! Heard that the batteries from Cosco are very good too.

 

[ryoken]

we run sportsman and interstates at the marina with good success... we've also had good luck with Lee and Deka in the past...

high end marine stuff is Lifeline, Rolls-Surrette, etc...

 

[Deuling]

My die hard gold is dead after a year. Won't hold a charge after sitting unhooked for a week.

I can't the damn receipt either

 

[badmix]

Im one of the rare ppl that actually have good luck with Optimas. Ive got dual batt setup and use a RedTop for primary and Yellow top as auxiliary. Ive had these batteries for 5-6 years or more, never a problem, even when I had a parasitic draw one time and killed my battery, I was able to jump from the other battery and drove it for an hour to charge it and it has been fine ever since.

(the draw was actually my autometer tach that was wired HOT, I moved that wire to Key On and no more draw)

 

[big dan]

I like interstate batteries, or refurbished ones depending on how much money I have to spend

 

[Babaganoosh]

When I drove my truck it had a duralast yellow top, still have the battery it will be crazy to see if it sti holds a charge after all this time.

 

[Fordum]

I put Odysseys in everything I can afford to.
Got one in my truck to stop battery box rot when I drive it hard, and just put one in my brand new tractor because I was starting to see corrosion after a week of bouncing over plowed ground.

Should outlast most regular batteries if even slightly cared for. But they are not cheap....

http://www.odysseybattery.com/

From what I can tell, they are what Optima batteries used to be, and are trying to become again.
Only with more plate area.

 

[nvrenuf]

Interstate.

 

[4X4HIGH]

Been running Interstate for 20+ years now and will NEVER look back at any other brand.

 

[modernbeat]

I put Odysseys in everything I can afford to.
Got one in my truck to stop battery box rot when I drive it hard, and just put one in my brand new tractor because I was starting to see corrosion after a week of bouncing over plowed ground.

Should outlast most regular batteries if even slightly cared for. But they are not cheap....

http://www.odysseybattery.com/

From what I can tell, they are what Optima batteries used to be, and are trying to become again.
Only with more plate area.

This.

I put them in every race car our shop builds and I run them in my daily drivers and trucks. They are expensive to buy, but the longevity and performance is worth it.

 

[Slickburban]

More than anything I would look at the warranty I work at AutoZone and our Duralast Gold Batteries have a 3 year free replacement on them even before I started working for a AZ that's all I've ever used starting last month or so the warranty changed thou I don't think it comes with the 2 year prorate on them I've heard Interstate batteries are good also

 

[Blazooki]

This.

I put them in every race car our shop builds and I run them in my daily drivers and trucks. They are expensive to buy, but the longevity and performance is worth it.

Top of the line Sears Diehard Platinum is a re-packaged Odyssey....Same insides, different cover and a lot cheaper..I got a thread on it somewhere lemmi see if I can find it..put one in my JK awhile back..worked great


heres one : http://continuouswave.com/ubb/Forum6/HTML/002907.html

 

[big-blue]

Thanks everyone for their input! Much appreciated.

 

[snowdriver]

I have a optima red top in my boat that has been outstanding,and in the blazer,the toyota pickup,and the wife's dodge magnum they all have Napa batteries, I have had great success out of them

 

[diesel4me]

I've had good luck with Duralast batteries,used ones I got from boneyards--two in my truck are 11 years old and still crank it right over --they are plain black cases ,one is a Duralast Gold.the other is not--also bought a pair of red top Duralast batteries from a boneyard out of a 94 4wd Chevy diesel they were just over a year old,both went 6+ years in the vehicles I used them in until I sold them with the vehicle...probably still going I bet!..

I have a friend who buys up a lot of used "newer" batteries from his friends junkyard,he grabs all the interstates and duralasts first,then any other brands that have recent dates on the cases...his experience is its really not so much who makes the battery,its if it ever sat too long either on the store shelf,or in the vehicle at the junkyard dead,that determines if it'll come back anywhere near 100% after being re-charged..he's had just as many

Interstates be junk as "Ever Start" Walmart ones...he's had success getting a new Ever-Start at Walmart by returning the used battery that was less than one year old too,at the customer service desk,without a sales slip...he's bought other batteries there so they probably just "warranteed" it under one of them..

The newer the batteries are,the less weight and lead is in them now,picking one up you can definately tell the difference between a 2 year and a 5+ year battery too..new ones only seem to withstand being fully discharged a few times,and they are "done"...

 

[6.2Blazer]

I've had good luck with the Duralast batteries from Autozone. Put a regular red top in my daily driver beater car 5-6 years ago and it is still going strong. My off-road diesel K5 had a pair of the Golds that lasted 6-7 years under a really hard life. It would sit for weeks on end without being started and were drained countless times (went through a several periods of starting issues because of glow plugs and fuel lift pumps), including starting in the winter and several winching episodes on the trail. My 6.0L 2500HD had one put in it about 3-4 years ago.

 

[blazer74]

Autozones high end batteries are fine.

Unless the dealer has a good price. I'll let them change it if it's convenient. My last 2 for my f150 and fusion were motorcraft because of the price. My ranger and k5 are autozones

The more cranking amps the more plates and are closer together inside the battery and will short out quicker so bigger and badder is not always better. They can work great for a shorter life span.

Especially when they get bounced around in hard core 4 wheeling

 

[72gmck5]

I used to have the NAPA Orbital batteries but warrantied a few within a couple of years. Ended up paying the $15.00 difference and got an Optima Yellow top and have enjoyed that for about 6 years now without any issues.