What's your favorite battery?

[groucho]

NO OPTIMA. What batery do you like for price...and ability to hold a charge in cars we leave parked for a while sometimes?

[milner351]

I have been very impressed with motorcrafts. The one in my ranger I bought used from the junkyard for $35 - that truck can sit for months - and fire right up - it's been in there since I first got it running with the clevo in it - sat over an entire winter - and fired right up again in the spring without putting it on the charger.

I recently got one for the F350 at oreilley - it was priced competitively with the other brands they carry.

[SuperBuickGuy]

Costco because I've never had a hassle returning a product to them. Also, the batteries seem to last forever (although, they change manufacturers pretty often so dunno about the current crop).

[nesabo]

My neighbor just became an Exide dealer, so I will put that in my wifes car. The Original Motorcraft has been in there for 8 yrs now.
I have used them all, Interstate, Napa, Exide, Diehard, all seem pretty equal to me.

[TheSilverBuick]

I got Duralast Golds in all my cars. Supposibly made by the same company as Sears Die Hards, iirc. I get them for the fact that autozones are relatively common and I don't have to screw around with holding reciepts in my glove box or something if I have a problem. I recently swapped out the one in the Skylark, completely hassel free. Drove to Salt Lake, tested once, passed because I just drove it for four hours, immediately tested it again, failed, walked in, phone number, walked out with a new battery. I think the winter cold got to it.

The 3 years I worked for Autozone I didn't swap that many Gold batteries, they were usually good for at least five years, often much longer.

[daved931]

Since, apparently, I can't say Optima, I'll say Delco. I've had two of those last 5+ years in horrible Maine winters. Both eventually froze and split, but well past the 5 year mark. That's when I switched the yellow top, which I'm not supposed to talk about.

[HillbillySailor2]

Like Randall, I'm a Duralast fan. I've never had a problem out of them.

[mustang13]

Same as John, I've personally had great luck with the Motorcraft brand, as well as Interstate. The OEM Motorcraft in my truck was 11 years old when it gave me issues. I had a Champion brand (like the spark plugs) once I bought at WalMart late on a Sunday night that turned out to be a great battery also.

The guy that does all of my starter and altenator rebuilding sells Interstate, and Interstate only but, or 30 years in the biz has sold all the major brands, he says Interstate is the best out there. He showed he an old Sun Electronic Corp. book that showed how reserve capacity and cold cranking ratings are calulated in lead acid batteries, and if you apply that info to most modern batteries, the numbers don't add up accept for Interstate, they're right on the money. Food for thought.

On an Optima note, the Pacecar sat all winter in cold storage here in the northeast and had no issues with it's Optima.

[64falconsix]

I have had good luck with the Everstart Maxx batteries from Wal Mart

[antmnte]

Duralast seems to be very good I have 2. I used to like Delco 's I had them for years and the lasted and lasted but I dont know if that is still the case. There is a Deka dealer here in town that a few guy I know have bought and no problems as well. My Dad says he had
them in a truck in Italy years ago and they were very good (Deka) when a lot of others weren't,but who knows

[oldsman496]

I had two Exide 1100 CCA "NASCAR" batteries break the internal plate mounts...so no Exide ( although they do make a good UPS system!) I use a Duralast because they are close to the house. I also regularly take my batteries back to the store after a yr or so telling them they won't hold a charge any more (usually true - offshore sh!t) and get a fresh one and a fresh warranty... So I never have a battery in my ride that's older than a yr or two. They usually work well for those short time frames...

I drive my vehicles though. Can't afford a garage queen. so maybe I shoulda not commented....

[Barry Donovan]

Since, apparently, I can't say Optima, I'll say Delco. I've had two of those last 5+ years in horrible Maine winters. Both eventually froze and split, but well past the 5 year mark. That's when I switched the yellow top, which I'm not supposed to talk about.

I go five on the cheap stuff. I think my brand name now is "economy" written on the top.

a good battery leaves the white powder out of distributors pegs. This cheap one is doing better than the previous.. but both go 5 years.
of course I only ned 420 CCA according to the book.. that is like motorcycle for a car. so stepping up to 550 or whatever the smallest car battery is lasts as long as the design. 5 years is a common number.

I just wanna go hand crank, to hell with the battery.

[Stich496]

rc truck multi brands "2nds"
very cheap, and new.. but might have a scratch.etc

[BluLightning]

My favorite battery! Sorry to piss on your parade Grouch.

[Gary 351C]

I used to buy DieHards every time but in the last few years I've gotten cheap and get the least expensive one I can find. The battery in the Crown Vic is a Mexican made no-name with a mfg date of June 2004 and it's still going strong.