battery options
Super Moderator
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 29,380
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From: Central Coast of CA
Not to be confused with taking the fifth or consuming a fifth.
Stewart
Laughing Gas
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 882
Likes: 11
From: Eastern CT
I just picked up a set on interstates for my 350. They have a 30 month free replacement warranty. I bought a set of duralast gold's for my Ex and they have a 3 year free replacement warranty. I think the duralast's were about $10 cheaper. The motorcrafts, duralasts, everstart's, interstates, kirkland's and autocraft's are all made by Johnson Controls. Like said before go for the best warranty and price. Just my $0.02
Red
Red
Hotshot
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 11,288
Likes: 269
From: North of Greenville
Interstates have always been good for me, but can't find them anywhere locally.
Have now purchased a set of Duralast Golds for my Excursion, out the door for about $235 (if you simply ask, you'll get a 10% discount). 3 year full replacement warranty, and 5 ADDITIONAL years prorated after the first 3 years have expired.
I LOVE the Red Tops on my F250, and they have been 100% trouble free for about 4 years now. As I look for their replacements, I doubt I'll go with the Optimas again, though, simply due to cost... especially given the tremendous warranty on the DG's.
More Turbo
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 533
Likes: 9
From: santa rosa, ca
batt'trees
my votes are as follows: advanced auto parts Next Generation Xtremes, advanced auto parts heavy duties, and OEM motorcrafts.
as others have mentioned, make sure you replace both at the same time. i would recommend your battery choice has at least 750CCA.
i would go interstates and optimas if money wasn't a concern.
as others have mentioned, make sure you replace both at the same time. i would recommend your battery choice has at least 750CCA.
i would go interstates and optimas if money wasn't a concern.
FTE Legend
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 37,887
Likes: 20
From: North Central Rural Sask.
Never thought I would say this, but I have been having great luck with batteries I bought from NAPA. I cant remember how long ago I bought em, but its getting up there, and they havent failed... yet!
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Elder User
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 765
Likes: 1
From: Eastern Ohio
I've had good luck with all JC brand batteries except Optima. I and most people I know will never buy another Optima. Every I wheel went tried them and all but one went back to conventional batteries. Most after 4 or 5 replacements, a few fried alternators and one battery that caught fire.
Here are their private label batteries. Leading Brands
I also have a Napa battery that 4-5 years old in F-150.
East-Penn have also been decent for me but my set in the SD only made it 2 years so I am off them until I see good from them again. I just replaced one of their batteries in a tractor in 2011 that made it 9-10 years it was bought around 01. I used to see this alot from them but not lately.
Senior User
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 119
Likes: 0
From: Lansing, KS
I am running red top Optimas in my truck, If these ever go bad I plan on getting a set of yellow tops. I am a die-hard fan of Optima batteries. I ran the same one in my jeep for about 15+ years, this was with a winch and off road lights...I know what you are thinking but I'm serious, it is that old and as far as I know the guy that purchased my jeep is still running it.
Post Fiend
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 15,505
Likes: 18
From: Livoina,La
You do know that you need to replace BOTH batteries when you need a new one, right?
Interstates have always been good for me, but can't find them anywhere locally.
Have now purchased a set of Duralast Golds for my Excursion, out the door for about $235 (if you simply ask, you'll get a 10% discount). 3 year full replacement warranty, and 5 ADDITIONAL years prorated after the first 3 years have expired.
I LOVE the Red Tops on my F250, and they have been 100% trouble free for about 4 years now. As I look for their replacements, I doubt I'll go with the Optimas again, though, simply due to cost... especially given the tremendous warranty on the DG's.
Interstates have always been good for me, but can't find them anywhere locally.
Have now purchased a set of Duralast Golds for my Excursion, out the door for about $235 (if you simply ask, you'll get a 10% discount). 3 year full replacement warranty, and 5 ADDITIONAL years prorated after the first 3 years have expired.
I LOVE the Red Tops on my F250, and they have been 100% trouble free for about 4 years now. As I look for their replacements, I doubt I'll go with the Optimas again, though, simply due to cost... especially given the tremendous warranty on the DG's.
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,852
Likes: 39
Because when you are talking about hundreds of amps of cranking current, there is plenty of resistance in those big cables to balance out the load between a brand-new battery and a weaker older one. Will the new one be doing more of the work? Yes. But that doesn't mean the old one just stops contributing.
I don't have any actual data to back that up, just a really good understanding of Ohm's Law and Kirchhoff's Law from years and years of applying them in my daily work.
I have one brand-new battery, and one that is a couple years old. OF COURSE the dealer refused to replace them both when one went bad. Can't say that I blame them.
I will repeat though, if someone can prove me wrong with facts and figures, or just sound reasoning, I will admit it.
I don't have any actual data to back that up, just a really good understanding of Ohm's Law and Kirchhoff's Law from years and years of applying them in my daily work.
I have one brand-new battery, and one that is a couple years old. OF COURSE the dealer refused to replace them both when one went bad. Can't say that I blame them.
I will repeat though, if someone can prove me wrong with facts and figures, or just sound reasoning, I will admit it.
