I just went through the battery purchase decision yesterday. There was a 5 page thread here on this several months back that had the same conclusions as this one. CostCo was not an option for me, but Wally-World was, along with Sears and an Interstate dealer. I went with Advance AutoCraft Golds. Although that previous thread mentioned that Advance will meet competitor's prices, this is not the case on batteries and fluids. Maybe if you escalated up above store manager or something based on the fine print in their circular they would finally cave in to the Wal-Mart price to get you to be quiet, but that would probably take a lot of your time and stress.

I went with the more expensive Autocrafts because that other thread mentioned that Advance has JC make theirs with a higher reserve than the Wally Everstarts. This is becoming important as the guys on my crew use my truck like a substation....there always seems to be two cell phones plugged in to it, sometimes more with a splitter.

The only bad news of the whole deal was when I went to pick up my mail on the way home from Advance and found a new Advance circular with a coupon for $20 off a purchase over $100.

 

I actually prefer these, as I can stick a hydrometer in the cells occasionally to get an idea of their state of charge.

Why would you possibly want something you can't service? How much trouble is it to pop the caps and add distilled water to the cells?

In hot climates, or in the event of a malfunctioning charging system, I believe it is better to have a battery that can be serviced.

Of course, you can use the fill-type ones as "no maintenance", too. Just don't ever pop the caps. Actually, if the charging system is operating properly, you may get about the same life with either type this way.

However, you may be able to extend their effective service life if you have some information you can only get from the serviceable type.

Pop

 

Hey Pop, I got 2 of the Costco batteries today. They are 850 CCA, cost me $75.00 each and Costco takes my old ones. Can't beat their warranty either with 3 years %100 replacement and 100 month prorated. I priced out the same 850 CCA battery at Les Schwab and they were $110.00 each with a shorter 2 year replacement and 84 month pro rate.

We have been getting some colder weather the last few days and my battery voltage has been getting into the 8.8 to 9.5 range while cranking at a much slower rate. When load tested, the passenger battery was at 450 CCA and the driver side at 550 CCA. It was time. My old batteries were Motorcraft 750 CCA. Don't know how old they were as they came with the truck when I bought it. Nice to get a pair in there with a bit more CCA.

 

Notice it spins a little faster, too?

I sure did.

Pop

 

Yep. Much faster start up now. Hardly any turn over time at all. Up until the last few cold days, the batteries were gradually slowing down. I thought maybe one of the two batteries was bad and was suprised both were shot.

 

If your old ones were Motorcraft most likely they were the stock ones, not a bad run if you ask me. Mine lasted about 6 years, got lots of aditional lights and things plugged in over the years. Wally's Everstarts installed November of 09, great warranty.

 

True. Never thought about them possibly being 10+ years old. I wonder how many spring for the Motorcraft original batteries as replacements. I imagine Ford gets a small fortune for the Motorcraft label.

 

Not a bad run at all depending on climate conditions and useage. Believe or not, the Motorcrafts are a bit more but not to crazy. I've heard and seen them advertised from 100.00 each on sale to as high as 115.00-125.00 and they do score high marks for durability. I'd figure I'd try these Wally's Everstarts because the warranty was outstanding, 3 years free replacement, 6 years prorated. 75.00 a piece installed.

 

I bought a pair of WalMart EverStart batteries when I thought mine were dead and I was stuck in Cheyenne, WY with a no start (due to burned up fusible links from a bonehead mistake). 3yrs+ now and about 100,000miles and still seem good, though I should get them checked since winter finally rolled in...

 

I've been using the Costco batteries for years. Just put a second set in my 250 a few months ago. The only complaint I have with them is it seems like the corrision around the cables starts prettey quickly.

 

Of course, the Motorcraft have the fancy round peep window to look for a green color status but the Costo's do not. Both my old Motorcraft batteries showed green even though they were bad

 

I suspect that's because Costco has Johnson Controls over-fill them a bit with electrolyte.

I found the levels high on both of my new ones, and I considered sucking a bit out, but I let it ride as-is. I am now getting some acid build-up on the tops of them.

Paper towels make short work of it, however, and the rate will slow down and eventually stop.

Pop

 

Neither of my old Motorcrafts had a "peep window". They were identical in every way to the new ones I got from Costco, except for the labeling.

Maybe a different vendor to Ford during that time frame??

Pop

 

Peep windows in my old Motorcrafts, one showed green and the other fluctuated from the orange ball to nothing at all, the ball disapeared sometimes.

 

Yeah, probably a vendor change and/or cost change decision. Sounds like some factory Motorcraft had them and some didn't.