Car batteries

[Cascadian]

Like most I have purchased many over the years. What I have learned is the different brands all come from only a few factories. To me what has been more important is the warranty. Let's face it no matter how long it is 24 or 84 months it craps out right after that.

So we needed a battery for our Tacoma. I was getting prices of around $200 for 24 to 36 months. Just on a goof I asked a friend to price them and his Toyota dealership . Without his discount it was $150 for 84 months (Toyota brand) Holy cow that is a big difference. So the moral of my story is don't always assume the dealer is more.

 

[Weedygarden]

That is great. I have had several experiences where the Toyota dealership was way more expensive. It is also quite a distance for me, versus my excellent neighborhood shop that is 6 blocks from home.

 

[Weedygarden]

I have a question. Are car batteries interchangeable between different kinds of vehicles? I'm wanting to sell my Camry and had to replace the battery in it. I would love to put that new battery into my Acura, and put the older Acura battery into the Camry, since the Camry is going to go away soon.

 

[The Lazy L]

I have a question. Are car batteries interchangeable between different kinds of vehicles?

I’d say yes as long as it fits the battery compartment and is the same voltage. Saying that don’t put a tiny lawn mower battery in your car and expect it you have enough amperage to turn the car engine over.

 

[backlash]

The battery in my truck went bad.
It was cheaper to take it to the Ford dealer and have them test the charging system and replace the batter than what a battery form Costco cost.
$125 total.

 

[rice paddy daddy]

I have a question. Are car batteries interchangeable between different kinds of vehicles? I'm wanting to sell my Camry and had to replace the battery in it. I would love to put that new battery into my Acura, and put the older Acura battery into the Camry, since the Camry is going to go away soon.

Absolutely they are, with just a couple of caveats.
As Lazy L pointed out, make sure it fits in the battery tray. Battery smaller than the tray is OK, but not the other way around.
Most vehicles use top post batteries, but some (General Motors mainly) use side posts. There are adapters available for less than $10 that will allow you to interchange battery post types. Advance Auto Parts and O'Reilly sells them, probably all auto parts stores do.

 

[Weedygarden]

I’d say yes as long as it fits the battery compartment and is the same voltage. Saying that don’t put a tiny lawn mower battery in your car and expect it you have enough amperage to turn the car engine over.

Absolutely they are, with just a couple of caveats.
As Lazy L pointed out, make sure it fits in the battery tray. Battery smaller than the tray is OK, but not the other way around.
Most vehicles use top post batteries, but some (General Motors mainly) use side posts. There are adapters available for less than $10 that will allow you to interchange battery post types. Advance Auto Parts and O'Reilly sells them, probably all auto parts stores do.

Thank you both!

 

[Tootsie]

There may be a battery center near you. Interstate Batteries has an outlet nearby in Rochester (NY) where they sell ‘seconds’. The label may not have been put on straight. These batteries come with a 1 year guarantee and cost 1/3 of Walmart and other places.
Another thing on batteries. If they’re bad, weak, they can start throwing codes for things that really aren’t bad. The Volvo’s battery (from the dealer, but not their fault) was just a year and the mechanic didn’t figure it out. 3 sensors plus odds and ends before it was figured out. The battery was on warranty, so it was replaced at the price that was paid. Price for the same battery less than a year later was like $100 more.

 

[Tirediron]

car and truck batteries often fail due to not being fully charged, especially in "nanny" vehicles, here in the part of the world where it gets cold in winter we were taught to turn off the heater fan and all but the head lights a mile of so from home, letting the battery take a bit more charge before shut down. I get long life from my batteries, and often up to 10 years, so there is something to this. and as vehicles get older they tend to develop small parisetic draws which cause pre mature failures. Also don't buy the highest cranking amp rated battery if you don't need it, if the case is the same size, the plates are more crowded and will fail from short out sooner

 

[Wingnut]

An observation: with my Camry, I usually have 2 or 3 choices of battery as long as basic parameters or requirements are met. Here in the high desert, the "top shelf" battery will last the longest, hands down. Similar to buying tires: you can get the cheapest Chinese tires for your rig, or you can step up and buy "Tier 2" or "Tier 3" tires, better in overall quality. I've found that the difference in price is worth it, because the cheapest batteries & tires don't last anywhere near as long, lol. I bought a new battery for the Camry last year, and it's going strong... I think I paid around $160 at the time, and I bought it at O'Reilly Auto Parts. We also have a NAPA and an AutoZone here, possibly some other car parts stores, but O'Reilly is closest to my home, and I've always found their prices reasonable. The guys who work there are cool too, totally down-to-earth and friendly, not uptight or condescending in any way...

 

[Supervisor42]

Like most I have purchased many over the years. What I have learned is the different brands all come from only a few factories. To me what has been more important is the warranty. Let's face it no matter how long it is 24 or 84 months it craps out right after that.
So we needed a battery for our Tacoma. I was getting prices of around $200 for 24 to 36 months. Just on a goof I asked a friend to price them and his Toyota dealership . Without his discount it was $150 for 84 months (Toyota brand) Holy cow that is a big difference. So the moral of my story is don't always assume the dealer is more.

I have to be careful with this thread because it is one of my 'soapbox' issues

.
Being an incurable tightwad and penny-pincher from the beginning, I learned my lesson the hard way.
The same but cheaper is not the same.
Ignore the months of warranty.
If you are stranded in a parking lot and need to be jumped off or towed, it means nothing.
Don't just go by brand names either. Every manufacturer also makes a 'cheap' version of their 'good' batteries. Read the label for this info:
Today I buy one with the most CCA (cold cranking amps) in a given series size.
The CCA tells you how much 'guts' are inside it and not plastic.
We found that out in my occupation where we destroyed hundreds in brutal conditions.
The company changed battery vendors because 'some people' got taken out to a lobster dinner.
The pile of 'dead bodies' was chest-high in just a few months.
They switched back pretty damquick.

 

[rice paddy daddy]

Interstate brand batteries are the best.
My wife’s Silverado 2500 Heavy Duty diesel pickup got six years out of the last pair.
But, being a part time O’Reilly employee we got her the best of our three grades at my discount.

 

[Bacpacker]

I try and save money everywhere I can. But with our transportation I try not to cut corners. We depend on them almost daily and at times are hundreds of miles from home and in Cold north winter weather. Tires and batteries are the last place to try and save a buck IMO

 

[HippoTwilight]

I only trust batteries made by east Penn anymore. Our Mazda's battery failed at the 7 year mark. I picked up a NAPA-branded battery which they specifically say is manufactured by East Penn.

Group Size (physical size and terminal layout) is really the only thing to care about. Used to be CCA was important but now marketing tends to use theoretical short circuit current instead of "starting the car" current. Group sizes get you about 80% of the way there. Throw out the junk brands, and the "high performance" brands and you're left with a very short list of capable batteries with similar specs and price points.

The list of junk brands is known to vary by Group Size. Example: some Walmart Everstart sizes are worse than junk, another size is (was) a consistent 7 year battery. One decent way of determining quality is by the weight. Usually heavier = more lead = better mfr quality.

I narrowed it down to East Penn after countless hours of research. When I need a battery, I just double check what store-brands they make, double check reviews, and settle on what ever I'm comfortable with.

 

[Spikedriver]

I have typically had very good luck with Walmart batteries. Actually, I've had good luck with every battery I've ever had to buy. That includes a walmart "value" battery that I bought for a 2001 Buick Century back in 2014. It had nearly 200k on it, and was getting rough so I didn't want to spend much when the interstate battery in it died. That cheapo Walmart battery was going strong 2 years later and kept on chugging for at least a few months after.

Normally I buy farm store batteries. The ones around me carry "Roadrunner" brand and if you buy the higher end ones, they work great. I don't care about brand too much...

 

[FarmOR]

I had one Wal-Mart battery that constantly leaked from the top. What a corrosive mess? Turned me off, though it was probably one in a million thing?

My go to has been Bi Mart. Had at least a dozen of those with all the farm equipment and vehicles I've had a not a single lemon battery...

 

[Caribou]

Whatever b battery you wind up with, wash it with soapy water, since with clean water, and let it dry. Then tape the terminals and get yourself a rattle can of clear lacquer and put two or three coats on. You will get about twice the life expectancy of the original battery. Yep, I didn't believe it either but I believed the guy that told me so I tried it. It has worked for me every time.

 

[backlash]

Good to see you here @Caribou
Folks are worried about you over on the missing member thread.

 

[FarmOR]

We used to spray clear lacquer on the back sides of every printed circuit board that we expected to keep working in the wet part of the potato processing plant.

 

[Pearl]

Whatever b battery you wind up with, wash it with soapy water, since with clean water, and let it dry. Then tape the terminals and get yourself a rattle can of clear lacquer and put two or three coats on. You will get about twice the life expectancy of the original battery. Yep, I didn't believe it either but I believed the guy that told me so I tried it. It has worked for me every time.

YOU ARE BACK!!