Best place to buy car battery?

KEW

KEW

Audioholic Overlord
Usually I end up buying a battery at the spur of the moment, but this time, I have some forewarning.
Looking for advice on best place to buy and best brand if there is really any difference!
 
speakerman39

speakerman39

Audioholic Overlord
Kurt, this time I went cheap. Got a brand new battery form my vehicle at Rural King. It was ONLY $58 and some change w/tax! It has worked like a charm. Everybody else wanted at least $120 plus tax. Being an elcheapo I opted for the Rural King battery instead. Many here locally prefer the Sears Die-Hard series of batteries. No telling what those cost though. :):):)


Cheers,

Phil
 
KEW

KEW

Audioholic Overlord
If Rural King is a store, they don't have them around here. If it's the name of a battery where do you buy it?
 
speakerman39

speakerman39

Audioholic Overlord
If Rural King is a store, they don't have them around here. If it's the name of a battery where do you buy it?
Rural King is the name of the store. The battery is also Rural King.....LOL!!! My older brother only buys batteries from them. He is even a bigger elcheapo than me. :p:p:p


Cheers,

Phil
 
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mtrycrafts

mtrycrafts

Seriously, I have no life.
I would think it depends on yopur needs. Winter conditions needs a better battery.
Check Consumer Reports for your size then see who carries it in your area.
 
Irvrobinson

Irvrobinson

Audioholic Spartan
There are two basic types of automotive batteries, flooded and Absorbent Glass Mat (AGM). I like AGM only because they're resistant to acid spilling. My advice is not to skimp on a battery; guaranteed it'll fail at the most inconvenient time possible. Autozone, Interstate, and Sears have good choices. Many are actually manufactured by Johnson Controls in various countries. I'm currently running an AutoZone Duralast Platinum AGM battery in my 12 year-old daily driver. I've also used Intersates in some sports cars.

(Technically, a third type is Lithium Ion, but these are lightweight batteries mostly for sports cars, and they're very expensive. I'd ignore them.)
 
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TLS Guy

TLS Guy

Seriously, I have no life.
Replacing a battery on a car is no longer a simple matter. Just like replacing coolant and motor oil is now also a complex matter.

Lead acid batteries come in three types.

The standard acid poor battery that we are all familiar with. These come in varying degrees of quality. There are a lot of junk Far Eastern batteries of this type around.

Then there are the non pour lead acid batteries. These are of two types.

The Gel battery.

The absorbent glass mat battery (AGM).

I have three tractors, four vehicles, a stand by generator and a boat. All having different requirements for batteries.

Now lets take the AGM battery first. Good quality AGM batteries should last 4 to 8 years or so.
The vehicle must have a temperature compensated charging system, and also be able to sense the low internal resistance of these batteries. Since the internal resistance is lower they require a lower charging voltage. Also the internal resistance drops with temperature and so the charging voltage must decrease with ambient temperature. The big advantage of these batteries is that they can provide very high instantaneous current on a repetitive basis. They are less prone to sulfonation in a low battery state and have a low rate of internal discharge.
If they are over charged their hydrogen is released and the battery becomes instantly useless. If the battery is inside the car, these batteries must have a vent for hydrogen to the outside.
They are expensive. If you charge these batteries you must use a charger with an AGM setting or you will ruin the battery.


On vehicles that stop the engine when the vehicle is stationary, and many do now, AGM battereis must be used.
So my Toyota Camry Hybrid uses an AGM starting battery. It has a temperature probe, and a hydrogen vent as it is in the trunk. It can only be supplied by Toyota and cost $350. I have just replaced it at 9 years.

If your vehicle has electric power steering, and most do now, then I strongly advise using an AGM battery for your safety and those you share the road with. I recommend that even if the vehicle was not supplied with one, as long as the charging system is temp compensated. I think pretty much all vehicles with high frequency digital voltage regulation are.

Four years ago I got a classic customer letter from GM about the steering on my Chevy Equinox. The letter stated that the power steering could suddenly fail for a period of time and cause the vehicle to potentially wander into oncoming traffic. The letter gave no explanation for the problem and told me not to contact the dealer unless I had the problem. I contacted the dealer who told me customers had experienced the problem, but they had been unable to rectify the issue even after replacing the whole steering system.

So I researched this, and found an excellent paper from BMW on the matter. The problem is latency in digital voltage regulators coupled with standard lead acid batteries being unable to provide the peak currents required during the charging ramp up latency, particularly with aging batteries. They had recorded voltages as low as 7 volts at the steering control unit, making it inoperative. In Europe VW/Audi and BMW did a recall to install AGM batteries.

I immediately installed an AGM battery in my Chevy Equinox. I would STRONGLY advise any of you that have vehicles with electric power steering to replace your battery with an AGM as long as your charging system is temperature compensated. Interestingly GM could not tell me whether my charging system was temperature compensated or not. So I had to devise a test to see if it was or not. It was.

Now the Gel batteries like the Optima series.



I really like these batteries. Although expensive you come out money ahead by miles every time.

They are light, can be placed in any position, and are very long lasting. They do have a higher rate of internal discharge and so need a battery maintainer for intermittent use.
They can be used for any application were an acid poor battery is used, as long as one the right size is available. They will release their hydrogen if overcharged, but do not need a special battery charger.

I have had two of these in my diesel Suburban for 15 years at least now and still going strong. I keep them on a maintainer in the winter.
I have had one in my Willys jeep since 2002 and still going strong.

I have had one on the house generator that has a maintainer on it for 16 years now and still going strong.

I use a marine Gel battery on the boat. The last one lasted 14 years and that is a severe environment. Before these batteries you were lucky to get four years of use under marine conditions. The Gel batteries take the severe pounding of marine use. Their long life easily justifies their higher cost. I reckon they last at least three to four time as long as standard lead acid batteries.

The JD Model A uses two 6 volt batteries in series, and the JD 420 uses one six volt battery.
There are a lot of junk batteries out there now.

For some time now I have only used lead acid and AGM batteries from Penn State, under their DEKA brand. These are long lasting batteries with good cold weather performance and made in America. The 1958 JD 420 is a two cylinder high compression engine, and only DEKA batteries give good reliable starting performance. They are all made in the USA. There is no foreign junk from that quarter.
 
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Irvrobinson

Irvrobinson

Audioholic Spartan
BTW, Kurt, what is the make, model, and year of the vehicle? It occurred to me that on some vehicles the battery isn't user replaceable unless you have special software that communicates over the OBD2 interface. Our 2017 BMW X3 is like that, for example.
 
KEW

KEW

Audioholic Overlord
BTW, Kurt, what is the make, model, and year of the vehicle? It occurred to me that on some vehicles the battery isn't user replaceable unless you have special software that communicates over the OBD2 interface. Our 2017 BMW X3 is like that, for example.
That seems a bit nasty!

Mine is a 2012 Chevy Sonic turbo LTZ. Hopefully it is compatible with plain-jane vanilla stuff, but I have been a little disappointed with some of the replacement parts costs (when I replaced the clutch, it has a specially designed clutch plate which has a shock absorption system built-in and OEM parts were not available).
 
everettT

everettT

Audioholic Spartan
BTW, Kurt, what is the make, model, and year of the vehicle? It occurred to me that on some vehicles the battery isn't user replaceable unless you have special software that communicates over the OBD2 interface. Our 2017 BMW X3 is like that, for example.
You can get the obd reader and code clearing for dirt cheap now. Also, if you don't mind loosing all your memory settings, you can just touch the battery cables together before installing the new battery and it will reset the ECU and recognize the new battery.
 
Pogre

Pogre

Audioholic Slumlord
I always just went to auto zone or walmart. Most batteries have a 2 year warranty and they often don't last that long out here with the desert heat.
 
Irvrobinson

Irvrobinson

Audioholic Spartan
You can get the obd reader a code clearing for dirt cheap now. Also, if you don't mind loosing all your memory settings, you can just touch the battery cables together before installing the new battery and it will reset the ECU and recognize the new battery.
Oh no, Grasshopper, if only it was that simple. These are vendor-specific commands that you need special software for. Since vehicle manufacturers don't make such software available it takes some independent software provider a while to reverse-engineer things. BMW seems to be one of the worst offenders. For example, you're not supposed to change the fluid in anything with a clutch (like the AWD center differential) without telling the vehicle control system. The battery got in this category due to tighter voltage regulation and that batteries aren't continually charged on some of the latest vehicles to save fuel. I'm guessing regenerative braking will similarly make problems for user-replaceable brake pads. ;-)
 
Irvrobinson

Irvrobinson

Audioholic Spartan
That seems a bit nasty!

Mine is a 2012 Chevy Sonic turbo LTZ. Hopefully it is compatible with plain-jane vanilla stuff, but I have been a little disappointed with some of the replacement parts costs (when I replaced the clutch, it has a specially designed clutch plate which has a shock absorption system built-in and OEM parts were not available).
I'd check with the dealer parts department for the latest battery information. A simple search shows a bunch of issues with Sonic charging and some updated parts. The parts guys can also tell you if the Sonic is one of those cars that needs to know if the battery is changed.
 
everettT

everettT

Audioholic Spartan
Oh no, Grasshopper, if only it was that simple. These are vendor-specific commands that you need special software for. Since vehicle manufacturers don't make such software available it takes some independent software provider a while to reverse-engineer things. BMW seems to be one of the worst offenders. For example, you're not supposed to change the fluid in anything with a clutch (like the AWD center differential) without telling the vehicle control system. The battery got in this category due to tighter voltage regulation and that batteries aren't continually charged on some of the latest vehicles to save fuel. I'm guessing regenerative braking will similarly make problems for user-replaceable brake pads. ;-)
I understand what your saying. My best friend retired from BMW NA as a VP, and still runs their out sourced dealer training. While the software is very difficult to get, the battery cables trick will work as far as I've be told by him, confirmed by regional Service director. Now don't go a screw your car up on my friends word :D
 
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TLS Guy

TLS Guy

Seriously, I have no life.
That seems a bit nasty!

Mine is a 2012 Chevy Sonic turbo LTZ. Hopefully it is compatible with plain-jane vanilla stuff, but I have been a little disappointed with some of the replacement parts costs (when I replaced the clutch, it has a specially designed clutch plate which has a shock absorption system built-in and OEM parts were not available).
That vehicle has electric power steering. I bet it has a lot of similarity with the Cruz, which has been a top offender for accidents caused by the steering. I would definitely put in an AGM battery and change it well before the sell buy date.

I have made a little power supply that retains all the settings while changing a battery. So far so good. It worked like a charm when I changed the Toyota battery.
 
speakerman39

speakerman39

Audioholic Overlord
I always just went to auto zone or walmart. Most batteries have a 2 year warranty and they often don't last that long out here with the desert heat.
That is what I usually do, but Rural King had a new battery for about half the price and less than 4- blocks from where I live. Even has a 2-year warranty. I thought why not? It has worked like a charm so far. Of course, Winter is right around the corner too. Sure hope it holds up......LOL!!!! :eek::p:eek:


Cheers,

Phil
 
its phillip

its phillip

Audioholic Ninja
I buy interstate batteries from costco. If not available, Optima yellow top or similar (significant increase in cost over costco interstate battery).
 
Pogre

Pogre

Audioholic Slumlord
That is what I usually do, but Rural King had a new battery for about half the price and less than 4- blocks from where I live. Even has a 2-year warranty. I thought why not? It has worked like a charm so far. Of course, Winter is right around the corner too. Sure hope it holds up......LOL!!!! :eek::p:eek:


Cheers,

Phil
If it wasn't winter back home, it's summer here in the Phoenix area. I was surprised how harsh the sun is out here when I first moved.
 
speakerman39

speakerman39

Audioholic Overlord
If it wasn't winter back home, it's summer here in the Phoenix area. I was surprised how harsh the sun is out here when I first moved.
Oh you are not from Arizona originally? Guess, I missed that. So, where is back home if you don't mind me asking? Just curious is all. No pressure my friend! :):):)


Cheers,

Phil
 
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