Replacement battery-> Get lowest, mid, or highest Cold Cranking Amps (CCA)?

[JEDI]

my 2005 mazda3i has 65k miles, and it's getting hard to start the car in cold weather.
So it might be time to get a new battery.

Weather in the DC area ranges from 0F in winter to 100F in summer.

At Walmart, there are 3 types of batteries:
600cca $46 1yr warrenty
720cca $62 2yr warrenty
900cca $72 2yr(?) warrenty

Is CCA just marketing? or higher = better?

which one to get? Best bang for the buck?

 

[Vette73]

Higher can be better but I always found the mid-level battery the best bang for the buck. The only time I told someone to get a high end battery is if they had a lot of extra things on their car/truck (like wenches, lights, etc...) and/or the car has VERY low miles and they plan on keeping for another 5 years.

So if you are like most people and don;t plan on keeping the car over 5years. Then get the mid-level and save the reciept for the warranty.

Also get AZ/Advance to test it first to make sure it is not a starter starting to go as well. I have seen them drag on a lot of cars that came to my shop and they wanted me to install a battery without testing. I caught it and told them the REAL problem. But most of the time it was the battery.

<-- Now lives in N.VA.

 

[bruceb]

Personal choice for me is always the battery with the Highest CCA and also highest Reserve Amps, depending on physical space available in the engine bay, along with what choices are offered as far as Top or Side terminals. Also battery height needs to be checked especially if top post.
The bigger the better, especially in cold weather or you have a high power stereo or run stuff like in a police car. They may even have 2 batteries in addition to a much higher output alternator. I would not buy it from Walmart. I prefer AC Delco, Optima, then Diehard

 

[Jeff7181]

In a climate like D.C. I wouldn't get less than 600 CCA for a 4 banger... 850+ would be desirable for a V8.

You want to look at numbers... forget the low, medium or high labels. They're too subjective. If you ask for a high CCA battery in Miama, you might get a 650 CCA battery... if you ask for a high CCA battery in Anchorage, you might get a 1000 CCA battery.

 

[BassBomb]

OPTIMA RED TOP

 

[StageLeft]

I wouldn't go crazy on it. Your bat is probably suffering a good deal from age, but I am sure a typical one would get your car starting at those temps if it wasn't so old. I've noticed my MPV's 72k battery chugs a bit when it's cold in the garage. I think it would have a hard time starting at 0f right now.

 

[SoulAssassin]

How much longer are you going to keep it for? Generally speaking, I would go for mid. Also, many places will test the battery for free to see what you are putting out.

 

[JEDI]

Updated w/battery prices for each tier:

At Walmart, there are 3 types of batteries:
600cca $46 1yr warrenty
720cca $62 2yr warrenty
900cca $72 2yr(?) warrenty

seems like $46 is the best bang for the buck?

 

[JEDI]

Originally posted by: BassBomb
OPTIMA RED TOP

$150!??!!

WTFH2O r u smoking bud?

 

[StageLeft]

Originally posted by: JEDI
Updated w/battery prices for each tier:

At Walmart, there are 3 types of batteries:
600cca $46 1yr warrenty
720cca $62 2yr warrenty
900cca $72 2yr(?) warrenty

seems like $46 is the best bang for the buck?

I'd do $46 personally :0

 

[Fenixgoon]

get the 720 or 900. standard draw (on my car) at starting is ~300 amps. you definitely don't want your battery doing dead.

 

[Jeff7181]

Originally posted by: JEDI
Updated w/battery prices for each tier:

At Walmart, there are 3 types of batteries:
600cca $46 1yr warrenty
720cca $62 2yr warrenty
900cca $72 2yr(?) warrenty

seems like $46 is the best bang for the buck?

You'd be saving $30 at most. In my opinion, it's worth that extra $30 to have a battery that'll start your car in the worst weather conditions even if it's been sitting for a week.

 

[BassBomb]

Originally posted by: JEDI

Originally posted by: BassBomb
OPTIMA RED TOP

$150!??!!

WTFH2O r u smoking bud?

Thats odd, I can get it for 140CDN up here.

 

[Jeff7181]

Originally posted by: BassBomb

Originally posted by: JEDI

Originally posted by: BassBomb
OPTIMA RED TOP

$150!??!!

WTFH2O r u smoking bud?

Thats odd, I can get it for 140CDN up here.

If the application warrants it, it's definitely worth the money.

 

[BassBomb]

Originally posted by: Jeff7181

Originally posted by: BassBomb

Originally posted by: JEDI

Originally posted by: BassBomb
OPTIMA RED TOP

$150!??!!

WTFH2O r u smoking bud?

Thats odd, I can get it for 140CDN up here.

If the application warrants it, it's definitely worth the money.

I plan on getting one, mostly because of how long I plan on keeping the car and possible audio upgrades in the near future.

Accord i4 battery is pitifully weak

 

[sdifox]

just buy the biggest one that can fit in your car. The amount of time you save by not getting stuck is well worth the extra x dollars.

 

[Budmantom]

I'm not sure why people are saying spend extra and you won't get stuck.... you will get stuck but it will take a year longer.

If I remember correctly the biggest difference between the least expensive and most expensive battery was the "warranty", the $42 battery had a 5yr warranty and the $72 had a 6 year pro rated warraty so you spend 50% more for an extra year.

I went with the cheap battery.

 

[Jeff7181]

Originally posted by: Budmantom
I'm not sure why people are saying spend extra and you won't get stuck.... you will get stuck but it will take a year longer.

If I remember correctly the biggest difference between the least expensive and most expensive battery was the "warranty", the $42 battery had a 5yr warranty and the $72 had a 6 year pro rated warraty so you spend 50% more for an extra year.

I went with the cheap battery.

The cold cranking amp specification is the amperage the battery is capable of putting out at zero degrees F for 30 seconds without dropping below something like 7 volts for a 12 volt battery.

A larger capacity battery doesn't necessarily last longer, it just has more "extra" amperage to compensate for things that reduce the output the battery is capable of such as oxidization of the plates, low fluid level or low temperatures.

 

[LTC8K6]

Get the one with the best Reserve Capacity.

 

[sdifox]

Originally posted by: Budmantom
I'm not sure why people are saying spend extra and you won't get stuck.... you will get stuck but it will take a year longer.

If I remember correctly the biggest difference between the least expensive and most expensive battery was the "warranty", the $42 battery had a 5yr warranty and the $72 had a 6 year pro rated warraty so you spend 50% more for an extra year.

I went with the cheap battery.

Not getting stuck in terms of you get more crank cycles with the higher capacity battery. No one said anything about the battery lasting more years.

That warranty is not going to get your car moving

 

[Budmantom]

Originally posted by: Jeff7181

Originally posted by: Budmantom
I'm not sure why people are saying spend extra and you won't get stuck.... you will get stuck but it will take a year longer.

If I remember correctly the biggest difference between the least expensive and most expensive battery was the "warranty", the $42 battery had a 5yr warranty and the $72 had a 6 year pro rated warraty so you spend 50% more for an extra year.

I went with the cheap battery.

The cold cranking amp specification is the amperage the battery is capable of putting out at zero degrees F for 30 seconds without dropping below something like 7 volts for a 12 volt battery.

A larger capacity battery doesn't necessarily last longer, it just has more "extra" amperage to compensate for things that reduce the output the battery is capable of such as oxidization of the plates, low fluid level or low temperatures.

I guess living in Arizona lets me get away with the cheaper batteries.

 

[JEDI]

Originally posted by: LTC8K6
Get the one with the best Reserve Capacity.

whats Reserve Capacity?

 

[sdifox]

Originally posted by: JEDI

Originally posted by: LTC8K6
Get the one with the best Reserve Capacity.

whats Reserve Capacity?

Cold Crank Amp translation, get the 72 dollar one.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Car_battery

The whole point of the battery is to be able to start the car. If it doesn't start because it is too cold and you run out of cranks before the engine is willing to turn over on its own volition, you are going to kick yourself for saving 26 dollars. I am sure just the hassle of ripping out your battery, going to walmart and get anther one cost more than the 26 dollars diff. And I am not even mentioning the being stuck in the freezing cold with no car and waiting for rescue bit.

 

[sdifox]

Originally posted by: Budmantom

Originally posted by: Jeff7181

Originally posted by: Budmantom
I'm not sure why people are saying spend extra and you won't get stuck.... you will get stuck but it will take a year longer.

If I remember correctly the biggest difference between the least expensive and most expensive battery was the "warranty", the $42 battery had a 5yr warranty and the $72 had a 6 year pro rated warraty so you spend 50% more for an extra year.

I went with the cheap battery.

The cold cranking amp specification is the amperage the battery is capable of putting out at zero degrees F for 30 seconds without dropping below something like 7 volts for a 12 volt battery.

A larger capacity battery doesn't necessarily last longer, it just has more "extra" amperage to compensate for things that reduce the output the battery is capable of such as oxidization of the plates, low fluid level or low temperatures.

I guess living in Arizona lets me get away with the cheaper batteries.

if yo don't have to deal with winter like the northeners, you are fine.

 

[Jeff7181]

Originally posted by: sdifox

Originally posted by: Budmantom

Originally posted by: Jeff7181

Originally posted by: Budmantom
I'm not sure why people are saying spend extra and you won't get stuck.... you will get stuck but it will take a year longer.

If I remember correctly the biggest difference between the least expensive and most expensive battery was the "warranty", the $42 battery had a 5yr warranty and the $72 had a 6 year pro rated warraty so you spend 50% more for an extra year.

I went with the cheap battery.

The cold cranking amp specification is the amperage the battery is capable of putting out at zero degrees F for 30 seconds without dropping below something like 7 volts for a 12 volt battery.

A larger capacity battery doesn't necessarily last longer, it just has more "extra" amperage to compensate for things that reduce the output the battery is capable of such as oxidization of the plates, low fluid level or low temperatures.

I guess living in Arizona lets me get away with the cheaper batteries.

if yo don't have to deal with winter like the northeners, you are fine.

Yep... my Grandfather lives in southern Florida and has a 550 CCA battery in his '94 Lincoln Town Car (with a V8). I replaced his battery for him 6 or 7 years ago and it's still working fine.