Car Battery

RyanB

RyanB

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After work yesterday I go out to the car to head home. Hit the start button on the car and she barely wanted to turn over. Figure it must be a battery issue, but of course I start thinking about a possible bad alternator. I make the short trek home (10 minute drive) and shut the car off. I immediately tried to start it again in the driveway and this time - no joy. So I pop the hood and grabbed the load tester from the tool box. Sure enough, it’s only putting out 11.4V and the tester is saying CB (charge battery). I’m still thinking either one of two things. It’s just a bad battery, or the charging system isn’t functioning properly.

After removing the battery from the car, I tossed it into the Chevy and ran up to Pep Boys, because they are the only place in town that sells the Bosch brand battery that I could find, which was supposed to have a free four year replacement. Of course, after I get there, they ask if I have the original purchase receipt. I tell them no, the car was purchased pre-owned and so they say the warranty doesn’t carry over to new owners - figures. Left there and went over to Advance and had them put a load test on it to confirm my results found at home. Ended up only having 110 CCA’s out of its rated 760, so the battery was toast. Surprised me since the date on the battery was 5/17, so it was barely 2 years old.

Bought an AutoCraft Gold 730 CCA. Installed it in the car and all is well. Alternator is charging it nicely <thankfully> so evidently the battery just decided to go tits up and wasn’t accepting a charge from the alternator. Still, for just over two years old, I’m surprised the Bosch went bad that quickly. Anybody else have short life spans out of these brand batteries?
 
Ryanb said:
Anybody else have short life spans out of these brand batteries?
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Check to make sure you don't have a parasitic drain on the battery. These will kill any name brand battery over time. Plenty of youtube videos showing how.
 
I don't know anything about Bosch.

Batteries and why they fail are a mystery to me. I can put a mid-priced battery in my old Chevy, abuse it by never charging it and only occasionally driving it and it will last well beyond the warranty. Put one in my boat that gets the same abuse and I have to replace it every year.

I haven't had to put a battery in my daily driver since I don't know when. I usually end up selling or trading before I kill those batteries.
 
Most of the batteries come from the same couple of factories, some in scenic places like Saudi Arabia. The different price points mostly reflect the replacement plan.

I have had a good payback on Optima yellow-top AGM batteries. If I plan on keeping a car, I put in an optima. If I plan on selling it, I get the cheapest version AutoZone offers.
 
With the newer cars, don’t leave the key fob in or near your car because they are constantly trying to “talk” which will wear down the battery.
 
They - the battery companies cut back warranties a few years ago. Even Costco - which had a a better warranty than the other a cut theirs down to 4 years, i think. I'm not buying batteries there anymore (that's a different and longer story) so I now get mine at Napa.
 
Honestly, I’ve had pretty good luck with the Wally World Everstart brand. I normally get 6-7 years out of them with no maintenance. I could go AGM, but the price doubles and the life span generally doesn’t double so it’s not worth it to me. Even on my boats/tractors/jet ski I run the Eversrarts and keep them on a trickle charger. No problems usually for 4-5 years.
 
SoonerAviator said:
Honestly, I’ve had pretty good luck with the Wally World Everstart brand.
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I checked Walmart after I left Pep Boys yesterday and surprisingly, the EverStarts were higher priced for fewer CCA’s than what I found at Pep Boys and Advance.
 
Ryanb said:
I checked Walmart after I left Pep Boys yesterday and surprisingly, the EverStarts were higher priced for fewer CCA’s than what I found at Pep Boys and Advance.
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Yeah, I’m sure they don’t win the pricing battle as much as they used to. However, my main concern is just lifespan, so I don’t care too much about $10-20 and 50CCA. I guess I should qualify that I usually get the Everstart MAXX version, which is generally higher in CCA (and price) than the regular model.
 
Might want to check the starting system. Small chance but the starter could be on its way out. Also keep an eye out on the charging system. Sometimes a weak battery can tax the starter and charging system.

Many years ago I had a '47 Chevy 5 window pick up. I converted it to a 12 volt system and put in a less expensive battery in it from Sears. That winter I went to start the old truck and nothing. I popped the battery cover on the floor board to discover the battery was frozen solid. Well, that battery is toast,... I think to myself.

A couple weeks later when it warmed up, I got in the truck, put the key in, stepped on the starter pedal and it fired right up.!!

Well beat me. That battery lasted another 5 years on a 48 month battery....
 
Biggest thing that kills a battery is sitting for months without being used or getting discharged to nothing or nearly nothing.

I’ve had cheap brands last 10 years and good ones crap out in 1. Seems to have more to do with use than anything but these days I figure any battery more than 3 years old is automatically suspect.
 
I've had really good luck with the Walmart batteries as well and their replacement policy is one of the best.
 
In my experience, and several friends. Batteries in newer vehicles seem to last about 5 years. Period. End of story. They will stutter start one time. The next time, nothin, nada, zip.

This is true in Iowa, and likewise here in the South.

If it's different for you, good on ya.

Last 4 new batteries for me have proven this to be my new rule of thumb. Do, when it stutter starts, I go to the nearest parts store and have 'em put one in.

I used to work on my own vehicles... Buying oil and a filter for my truck, at a discount, is more than an oil change at the dealer.
 
I bought an AGM battery for my last motorcycle. First battery lasted about four years. The AGM lasted about one. Phooey. Other than that, yeah, five years is about right.
 
Check the grounds. Bad grounds are the cause of all manner of electrical problems in cars (and aircraft). Fortunately, they're easy to check, and then to either rule out or fix.

As for batteries, I buy the Duracell batteries at Sam's Club. 3-year non-prorated replacement warranty, but I've never had to use it. They appear to be excellent batteries. Even when the temps went down to the -15 F neighborhood last winter, I had no problems at all.

Rich
 
CharlieD3 said:
In my experience, and several friends. Batteries in newer vehicles seem to last about 5 years. Period. End of story. They will stutter start one time. The next time, nothin, nada, zip.

This is true in Iowa, and likewise here in the South.

If it's different for you, good on ya.

Last 4 new batteries for me have proven this to be my new rule of thumb. Do, when it stutter starts, I go to the nearest parts store and have 'em put one in.

I used to work on my own vehicles... Buying oil and a filter for my truck, at a discount, is more than an oil change at the dealer.
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Unless you’re still using conventional oil instead of synthetic, I doubt the dealer does it cheaper. 6qts of Mobile 1 synthetic and a filter is $40. I don’t know if any dealers doing that change for $50 or less. If you want to say it’s not worth the cost for you to do it, I can certainly entertain that. If you drive something that just uses 4-5 qts of conventional and a Fram filter, then dealership/Wally World can probably come close to your cost.
 
SoonerAviator said:
Unless you’re still using conventional oil instead of synthetic, I doubt the dealer does it cheaper. 6qts of Mobile 1 synthetic and a filter is $40. I don’t know if any dealers doing that change for $50 or less. If you want to say it’s not worth the cost for you to do it, I can certainly entertain that. If you drive something that just uses 4-5 qts of conventional and a Fram filter, then dealership/Wally World can probably come close to your cost.
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I drive a Sierra. 8.5 quarts synthetic. 33.95x2. +1qt filter included. 67.90+ 1qt. +Tax

Dealer: 49.95+tax
 
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My Go-To brand for car batteries is Die Hard from Sears. They always go well past the warranty period for me. YMMV.
 
CharlieD3 said:
I drive a Sierra. 8.5 quarts synthetic. 33.95x2. +1qt filter included. 67.90+ 1qt. +Tax

Dealer: 49.95+tax
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I buy the oil by the case and stock up when it's on sale. With memberships in Sam's Club, BJ's, and Costco, it's always on sale at one or the other.

Rich
 
RJM62 said:
I buy the oil by the case and stock up when it's on sale. With memberships in Sam's Club, BJ's, and Costco, it's always on sale at one or the other.

Rich
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54.91 for 8.5 quarts on sale right now @ Sam's. + Filter.. then I dispose of. Just not worth the hassle. And, I enjoy doing mx on my cars. Just not worth it. I can spend time on POA arguing about it instead...

 
I went through five batteries in three cars in two months earlier this year.

Two of those batteries were brand new and still died after sitting for only a week.

All good now!
 
Timbeck2 said:
I've had really good luck with the Walmart batteries as well and their replacement policy is one of the best.
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Same here. And they actually honor the warranty and purchase date is recorded in their computer.
 
CharlieD3 said:
I drive a Sierra. 8.5 quarts synthetic. 33.95x2. +1qt filter included. 67.90+ 1qt. +Tax

Dealer: 49.95+tax
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You can buy 2- 5qt mobile 1 for $23/ea @ Walmart. Probably pretty close to break-even after tax at dealership after you buy a filter. Plus you end up with 1.5qts to use on the next oil change . . .
 
Stan Cooper said:
My Go-To brand for car batteries is Die Hard from Sears. They always go well past the warranty period for me. YMMV.
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7qt of a decent synthetic, filter, and changed for $64 today in one of the trucks. Not worth doing it myself for sure. Especially with hands; shoulder, and neck that hurt.

But yes there are dealerships that’ll undercut that. The fast line lube stuff at dealerships is a break even at many of them to get you into the maintenance shop. “We checked your brake pads while you’re here and...”
 
It will cost me a good 200 bucks to service my own truck. 2.5 gallons of engine oil, 1 air filter and 2 fuel filters. And that is if I do it myself. Add more if I do the transmission as well. Then add another hour to lube all 11 lube points. It is an all afternoon affair, but I enjoy servicing my own vehicles.

Batteries, yes, plural, last me about 4 years on 7 year batteries. I have a battery tender that once a month I put it on each vehicle and let it do its thing for 24 hours. But with the 7 year batteries crapping out at 4 years. I do get the new ones pro rated so it actually cost me about the price of one battery to get 2 new ones.

Now the Subaru, 30 minutes if I take a 10 minute break.
 
Here's a question. I have no idea what CCA's my truck is supposed to have, but I'm trading it in soon and wanted the cheapest battery I could find. Wal-Mart had the one at $120...and 1-year battery the same physical dimensions but with only 550 CCAs for $49...so that's the one I bought. It seems to turn the engine over fine. But could it cause other unseen problems with the electrical system?
 
Gerhardt said:
Here's a question. I have no idea what CCA's my truck is supposed to have, but I'm trading it in soon and wanted the cheapest battery I could find. Wal-Mart had the one at $120...and 1-year battery the same physical dimensions but with only 550 CCAs for $49...so that's the one I bought. It seems to turn the engine over fine. But could it cause other unseen problems with the electrical system?
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No. Less CCA just means harder to start when really really cold for the most part.
 
How long is your average trip? It takes ~12-15min after starting the car for the alternator to replace energy drawn from the battery when starting the car. Most of our trips are 4 miles and less, so our batteries just don't last long. Two years tops. Short trips kill batteries (and cause other issues as well)
 
SoonerAviator said:
You can buy 2- 5qt mobile 1 for $23/ea @ Walmart. Probably pretty close to break-even after tax at dealership after you buy a filter. Plus you end up with 1.5qts to use on the next oil change . . .
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Yep, WalMart is my go-to place for motor oil. Nice to have a couple of vehicles (Honda Fit & ND Miata) whose oil capacity is less than 5 quarts, so one jug is good for a change plus a little left over for top-off.
 
On batteries, my last car only had one battery change in its 14 years. But it lived in California for most of that and the one change was right as I moved to Nevada in winter because I was sure it wouldn't work for any length of time up there.

I do my own oil changes, but I'm still not sure if a Dexos2 flavored full synthetic is for sale locally so I mail order my supply. Oil change is easy since the filter is mounted remote and accessible from under the hood with minimal spillage. Of course it's a Diesel, so any I do spill makes a tremendous mess.
 
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