Thanks for the great info. guys. I might go check out Everstart batteries for my Expedition.
I should be getting one within the next few weeks.
~Gage~

Also I forgot to mention that I have white ash on my battery terminals and I was going to clean them using baking soda and water. Should I use "anti-oxidation" felt washers on the posts when I buy the new battery? Any other tricks?
Thanks

Yup, baking soda is fine. My wife keeps a box in the fridge, and when she's done with it, it goes in the garage for battery terminal cleaning.

I put a couple of the felt washers on my van's battery too; they can't hurt (just make sure the clamp goes all the way down on the terminal) and I smear a little vaseline on the terminals for good measure.

George

Last winter I installed a Duralast Gold in my '04 Expy. It was $110 with core trade. It has an 8 year prorated warranty and 850 CCA's and 1000 cranking amps at 32 degrees F.

The good thing about AZ is that they are everywhere and you don't need a receipt. Normally I would go to walmart for my batteries but AZ was more convenient this time.

My dad swore by diehards but I've yet to find anything that sets them that far above the pack.

Well I suppose if it starts vibrating, then the battery is good and you can take your tongue off of it.:eek:

That is a plus, unlike Advance Auto. With AA they only keep records on a store by store basis. Meaning that if you bought something at store A and tried to exchange it 1,500 miles away at store X, they have no record of it. You need to have the receipt.

Many batteries have year/month punchouts that are removed at purchase--I believe Sears used to do this. You could then go to any Sears store and make it good. This may be the case with some other battery brands as well.

I believe that I have also read, in the fine print of some battery warranties somewhere, that if no receipt is produced, the battery will be guaranteed from the production year and month which appears on the labeling. At the Costco/Walmart type places with a lot of stock turnover, batteries are rarely more than a month or two old. So if you buy anywhere that has a national presence, you may do OK if their warranty has this provision.

Come to think of it, I don't have my battery receipts in my cars, so if I was on a trip and had a battery die, I might have to explore some of these options. Likewise, if you ever buy a used car and the battery croaks, you could try this approach as well.

Still, batteries really are cheap. The 850 CCA Walmart battery in my van was $75 (probably identical to the Duralast that Tim bought), which is less than I pay to fill the tank with gas when I run it low. In 1970 when I bought my first car, batteries were $30-40, and with inflation at about 6X since then, that was the equivalent of $180-240. And gas was 25 cents per gallon back then...

George

Edit--I just looked at my $75 Everstart battery. 1000/850 CCA amps like Tim's Duralast for sure. 2 year free replacement. Produced 9/09 and I bought it Sept 10th '09 (talk about fresh), octagon caps...and in the "right under my nose" department, it says "Dist. by Johnson Controls" right on the label...

That is correct, but I was talking about replacement parts in general that were bought from both places. I just couldn't believe it when I learned of this little trick by Advance (from an Advance employee no less) to try and dodge replacing a part under warranty.

That's why Advance sucks more than the rest of them. :rolleyes:

Update...So I went to Walmart to check out the Everstart its $77 and its made by Exide Batteries so is that a good brand? Going to check another Walmart to see if their made by Johnson Controls.
Also I look at different models of Everstart batteries and they are made by Johnson Controls.
Thanks

My van's Everstart is a JC made battery. It seems as though people in recent years have not been speaking as well about Exide as they have about JC, but I can't imagine Exide being *that* bad if the price and warranty are good going in. As per the conversation above, it's likely that the huge chains like Walmart buy from multiple sources depending on who can deliver in the quantities they need.

Do you belong to Costco? I know their batteries have been JC made and are priced virtually identically to Walmart. And as you say, another Walmart store might even have a JC made battery for you.

Good luck...winter is coming so good batteries are a good thing,
George

Exide is who makes Odyssey and the Die Hard batteries. I'd say they're good from what I understand. I'm happy with my Die Hard Platinum thus far.

-rockstate

I have replaced the battery in my Mark VIII and my Navigator with Walmart and Sam's club batteries under warrantee, They both lasted just short of the date label and there was no reciept issues. They checked the battery and gave me a new one.

Ok so this week im going to pick up a battery. I just checked out Farm & Fleet and the have one for about the same price as Walmart, Farm & Fleet has a 84 month warranty. 3 years free replacement. So if I go with Walmart I hope I can get one made by Johnson Controls.
Anyone know who makes the Farm & Fleet battery?
Thanks again

Just like the Wal-Mart branded ones, Farm & Fleet batteries are make by Johnson Controls.