Which battery?

[alkalinetaupehat]

It's that magical time in every car's life where you, as its owner, need to spend lotsa money to fix it, or sell it and get another car. I want to keep my car, so now I must decide which new battery to get for it.

Option #1 - Diehard Platinum (4yr free replacement):
http://tiny.cc/4m2nc

Option #2 - Autocraft Gold (3yr free replacement):
http://tiny.cc/g23bo

I look at it like this: With the newly-upgraded subs and amp in the car, the battery is seeing heavy use. I'm also looking at moving down South next year.

Would the Diehard Platinum be worth the extra $100 over the regular Autocraft part? Is the difference between North and South batteries that big? Is it likely that I'll be able to kill either battery within the the free replacement period?

Thanks ATG.

 

[BUTCH1]

First, all car owners eventually wind up replacing the battery unless it gets traded in before the original one goes bad, I wouldn't call replacing a batt. "lotso money". Second A die hard is a die hard weather you buy it in beaver falls Minnesota or key west. Third, hopefully you understand that high-powered stereo will drain any battery quickly if the car is not running. Fourth, batteries seem to not last as long in hotter climates..

 

[Bartman39]

If its a $100 more for the Die hard then why spend that extra $$$ for just 1 more year of warranty...? Average life of a battery in most cars/trucks is about 3 possibly 4 years but after that point they are getting weak and can go bad in a snap...! If your running lots of high draw stereo stuff you might consider a second alternator and or second battery...? Even upgrading your alternator to a higher amp style would help with the life of the battery...

The question is "how much do you want to spend...?"

 

[HarryLui]

Costco Battery

 

[alkalinetaupehat]

My car rolled over the 100k mark recently, and I've been putting a couple hundred in each month for repairs ranging from brake lines to head gaskets. Most of the stuff replaced was factory, so I figure it's expected for a 17 year old vehicle.

I also have to replace the suspension soon, which is looking to be about $500 for good quality parts, I want to replace the two driver's side doors before this winter, the front end needs to get looked at because it's chewing up a tire even though the alignment and tie rod are good, and the front two tires are going to need replacing. So I'm looking at a large bill for replacement parts, plus time and labor on my part.

I'm looking at adding in a capacitor to the system to help level out the draw spikes, and if things permit I am leaning towards the better battery for the extra year of free replacement and better design.

 

[Zenmervolt]

If its a $100 more for the Die hard then why spend that extra $$$ for just 1 more year of warranty...? Average life of a battery in most cars/trucks is about 3 possibly 4 years but after that point they are getting weak and can go bad in a snap...!

Maybe it's a TX heat thing, but when I was living in Ohio we'd average 7 or more years on a battery easy. Hell, I had the original Ford Motorcraft battery last 9 years in the Mark VIII I used to drive. If a battery in one of my cars only lasted 3 years, I'd be looking for wiring faults or something causing an abnormally excessive parasitic draw.

ZV

 

[BUTCH1]

Maybe it's a TX heat thing, but when I was living in Ohio we'd average 7 or more years on a battery easy. Hell, I had the original Ford Motorcraft battery last 9 years in the Mark VIII I used to drive. If a battery in one of my cars only lasted 3 years, I'd be looking for wiring faults or something causing an abnormally excessive parasitic draw.

ZV

It is, here in FL my personal max out of a battery was 4.5 years, usually after 3 they start to crank slow, one just croaked on me with no warning at all, heat is a bastard on battery life it seems..

 

[Bartman39]

Yep ZV its da heat...! I`ve seen batteries in vans which have some of the highest underhood heat only last 1.5-2 years and with Interstate only offering a 1 year warranty on commercial use I went with Orielly`s and have had much better luck...

In the summer here and pretty sure all down the Gulf coast you see tons of "gators" as we call them... Big rig tires come apart like crazy and you end up with more of Nascar road course than a nice straight interstate... Heat plays a factor in everything that is automotive in the south...

 

[Viperoni]

If the Diehard Platinum is an AGM spiral cell, go for it. It's worth it over a regular battery if you have a stereo.

 

[SparkyJJO]

If your battery is getting used by your stereo equipment even with the car running you either have 1) too small an alternator or 2) too much stereo equipment. If your stock alternator cannot handle that equipment, then you have too much in the vehicle, IMO. You're not one of those people that I can hear your crappy loud bass from a mile away, are you?

BTW, on my 98 Camaro, the original battery lasted 10 years. Yes, 10 years.

 

[Meghan54]

Second A die hard is a die hard weather you buy it in beaver falls Minnesota or key west.

Actually, that's incorrect. There are different builds in many battery brands between batteries built for the North vs. the South. Diehards are one brand that are built differently for the different regions.

Most aftermarket car batteries sold in the United States are made by three companies that build them for retailers: Johnson Controls, which supplies more than half of the market, Exide, and East Penn.

If you're using a Group 75 batt, some others to consider that have done very well......

Bosch Premium Power 75-730B

Duralast Gold 75-DLG

And that AutoCraft you listed is also very good, too.

 

[BUTCH1]

Actually, that's incorrect. There are different builds in many battery brands between batteries built for the North vs. the South. Diehards are one brand that are built differently for the different regions.

Most aftermarket car batteries sold in the United States are made by three companies that build them for retailers: Johnson Controls, which supplies more than half of the market, Exide, and East Penn.

If you're using a Group 75 batt, some others to consider that have done very well......

Bosch Premium Power 75-730B

Duralast Gold 75-DLG

And that AutoCraft you listed is also very good, too.

What would a battery manufacturing co. do differently for a "regional" battery?, more/less plates, different case?..

 

[ultimatebob]

The first link takes me to an online dating site called Single Parent Meet. Huh?

 

[BUTCH1]

The first link takes me to an online dating site called Single Parent Meet. Huh?

LOL, maybe OP needs his "juice" drained, not a new Battery..

 

[alkalinetaupehat]

The first link takes me to an online dating site called Single Parent Meet. Huh?

...I really don't know what happened there, but it's fixed now. Lord that's embarrassing.

 

[alkalinetaupehat]

If the Diehard Platinum is an AGM spiral cell, go for it. It's worth it over a regular battery if you have a stereo.

It is an AGM, though I'm not on the up on whether it's a spiral cell.

If your battery is getting used by your stereo equipment even with the car running you either have 1) too small an alternator or 2) too much stereo equipment. If your stock alternator cannot handle that equipment, then you have too much in the vehicle, IMO. You're not one of those people that I can hear your crappy loud bass from a mile away, are you?

BTW, on my 98 Camaro, the original battery lasted 10 years. Yes, 10 years.

The current battery has been good for like 4-5 years, but it's been through a pretty rough life. I noticed today that the bearings on my alternator are whining, so that's likely contributing to the problem. I'm going to get the battery tested tomorrow and find some lithium grease for the bearings.

Actually, that's incorrect. There are different builds in many battery brands between batteries built for the North vs. the South. Diehards are one brand that are built differently for the different regions.

Most aftermarket car batteries sold in the United States are made by three companies that build them for retailers: Johnson Controls, which supplies more than half of the market, Exide, and East Penn.

If you're using a Group 75 batt, some others to consider that have done very well......

Bosch Premium Power 75-730B

Duralast Gold 75-DLG

And that AutoCraft you listed is also very good, too.

Good to know, I infer that the DieHard also does well? Also, what are your sources, since that's the kind of information I like to know.

 

[Throckmorton]

Buy the Die Hard because it's sealed

 

[Vette73]

Get the cheapest one that has at least a 2 year free replacement.
Costco is where I got my last one.

There are not many battery makers anymore so the differance is not as big as it once was.

 

[Viperoni]

It is an AGM, though I'm not on the up on whether it's a spiral cell.

Read up on them, they're better than an Optima, and much more reliable to boot apparently.