I'm a retired Automotive Engineer from a major OEM with 42 years of experience (BSME and MSME). This is an excellent video and you are to be commended for your research and key points! Johnson Controls and Exide were both bought out by new corporate entities but these firms still make most of the batteries using the same process, materials and quality control systems as before. And you're right if one doesn't have the stop/start feature, AGM technology isn't needed. I may have to replace my battery soon on my 5 year old vehicle. But for now it's fine and I'm going to stay with it until it starts to die. Then I'll go to Walmart to buy an Everstart battery. I will install it and be on my way with some extra $$ in my pocket. Lastly, for maintenance, it's important to keep the posts and battery clamps clean and tight for good connection. Also the top of the battery needs to stay clean to avoid discharge between the posts. Thanks for a great video and kind regards.
a good video but i would mention the biggest thing to look for in a car battery is the sticker with the manufacturing date the minute they put the acid in the battery it begins to slowly discharge sitting on the shelf and I have actually seen a big difference in how long battery lasts when a battery is a few months old when you buy it . If you can find one with the current month and year it will last longer then an older one
Also, if you live in a winter area (like WI) is there is any options, get the highest CCA - cold cranking amps. My F250 I plow with is 800 CCA plus I have 2 jump starters and a 100 amp on wheels. But that’s cause of my business.
My dealer wanted to sell me an Optima Yellow Top Battery, which was going for 400 dollars. I walked out, and went to Sam's Club and bought a 99 dollar group 51 Battery. That was 2 years ago still going strong.
Something to consider if you travel, Walmarts are everywhere, not so with Costco, Sam’s,and some auto parts stores. Having a problem with a battery when away from home makes Walmart a good choice.
Some Home Depot stores are completive with Walmart. I had a battery from Walmart. At 29 months the battery failed. Walmart honored the warranty and charged me just 9 dollars for the core charge.
@@olwe1000 Why would they charge you a core charge if they honored the warranty and gave you a new battery? How did they honor the warranty if you did not give them the old battery?
I guess I was very lucky because my battery went out in the Walmart parking lot. Removed it, through the old one in the cart, went in and got a new one. That was it.
ALWAYS HAVE TOOLS! (Dad said) Fire extinguisher, first aid kit, some rope and baling type wire, hatchet or small axe, shovel and a 0:14 good flashlight. Amber flasher if super cautious like me AND a towing plan. Extra keys and small empty gas can, maybe extra oil and windshield washer fluid. Hide your jumper cables, “no sorry” don’t go looking for trouble. Dad said don’t lead with ur chin!
You didn't mention cold cranking amps (CCA). That can vary widely between batteries and can affect battery life. Just make sure you're comparing similar CCA or you may not be getting such a good deal. Also AGM batteries are substantially better than lead acid and will last a lot longer - worth the extra cost if you're keeping your car for a while. My last AGM battery lasted 17 years - yes you read that right! To be fair it was in my garage queen which stays connected to a battery tender but a lead acid battery would never last that long
I had a standard Interstate battery I bought in 2003 for an old Plymouth I use to have that lasted 12 years without the tender and was still going when I got rid of the car. New owner said he would replace it regardless. Car went to Australia.
Higher CCA have a larger number of plates which are thinner and less free space and electrolyte capacity. This results in quicker shorting from active material shedding, more plate bucking, more plate breakage and increased acid stratification. All else being equal the higher the CCA the shorter the battery life. AGM batteries last longer than traditional construction. To optimize their life you need a charging system optimized for them as they prefer a slightly different charged state. My recommendation is to match the standard OEM battery specs as close as possible in type and rating. It's usually optimized for a -20C to +40C and the charging system to it (modern computer controlled voltage regulator algorithms are pretty sophisticated). If you live in climate that's significantly colder you can bump the CCA a little, but I wouldn't get extreme unless going to a physically larger battery.
Very true most people are told to get the higher CCA but with that you are giving up time on the life span If you live in a very cold climate then yes get a higher CCA but But if you live in a normal four season climate you don’t need the higher CCA but You will save money and your battery will last longer.
@@gk5891 Very true. High CCA batteries typically have the plates reaching the bottom of the case, there is often a space is lower CCA batteries. This space allows the plate crud to drop to the bottom without shorting the plates. "Everyone" and the industry tells us that we need high CCA in both cold and hot climate. Horse pucky. Cold, yes, hot, no. Low CCA batteries do just fine on the entire west coast except in the mountains, and all the way east across the lower several hundred miles, to Florida and Georgia. Save your money.
@@mikejohnson9118 Sure, you want the freshest battery, but you said you get the most from the warranty by getting the newest one. You don't. BTW, batteries older than a year get sent back.
@@mikejohnson9118 I've literally tested hundreds of batteries from new to 12 months old. I have found one or two that weren't fully charged with voltage and CCAs.
I've been driving and replacing batteries since 1965. For the last 20 years I've been very, very pleased w/ WalMart batteries in our two cars. They have all outlasted their warranty period. Most have gone 5 years.
You may wish to revisit this topic as since 2021, Johnson Controls who distributed the majority of the Batteries in the USA sold their Automotive Battery Business to a company named Calisco and since then, the quality of car batteries has gone down and the prices have jumped considerably. There is also a new factor to consider which is, Batteries at one time were manufactured in the USA and then for the most part it was moved to Mexico due in that country they have much more lax environmental laws and the Labor was considerably cheaper. Costco who's Batteries are distributed by Interstate are still made in Mexico but the quality (down) and price (up) have changed dramatically. WalMart's Batteries distributed by Calisco are have creeped up in price and they are now made in South Korea and lately they've had a lot of quality control problems where there is a percentage that are DOA so it's wise to see if the store will load check the Battery and check it's voltage prior to purchase. Nothing against South Korea but there is a noticeable difference in quality of the majority of items they export when compared to American or Japanese made products.
You don’t really have alot of choice but what they are selling, I have learned that you kind get what you pay for with batteries, the bargain store brands are ok and warranties etc, I grew tired of always having battery issues and taking them for testing and replacing them again every year or two. I went out and bought a midline interstate battery and zero issues since.
I use AGM batteries in my cars, travel trailer and boats simply because there is really no maintenance to do. Yes, they are more expensive but as in my travel trailer, which doesn't get daily use, the battery is on a 1.5 amp charger when stored. That 3 year battery is now 7 years old. I forget how old the boat batteries were (3 of them) but they went with the boat when I sold it 4 years ago.
just bought two batteries from Advance. They price matched Walmart's on-line price just by asking. Installed them myself, saved $150 on the two batteries.
Rural King stores are your best bet. They have a couple of universal 12 volt batteries that are $49.95 and $59.95. Just measure your battery box, note whether you need a top post or side post battery, and which side the positive and negative terminals are on. Easy.
@@bobbear4437 Hi Bob! The trick is try to use the $49.95 battery (Now $53.99 here) if it will fit into your battery box. I use one in a 98 Mustang and it fits fine, the "correct" battery would be around $100 but the cheaper battery fits and works fine.
Be sure to ask if the retailer will install the battery before you purchase it. Some batteries in these newer cars are a real pain to install, so they may install in one car but not another. They are located in weird places with all kinds of brackets and stuff in the way. I don't care where you buy your battery, I don't buy anything from wal mart for my cars personally. I have never seen anyone at wal mart who knows anything about a car, your experiences may be different.
Good start, but it's incomplete: 1) Assuming that you are going on price and price alone, the best battery to buy is the one that is cheapest per month in cost. To get that, you divide the total cost by the number of months of warranty coverage. The one that comes out the cheapest is the best...assuming it has the same specs. 2) As others have noted, you need to compare specs. The battery you buy should have the same BCI (Battery Council International) group size, voltage, CCA (Cold Cranking Amps), Cranking Amps (CA) and Reserve Capacity (RC) and be the same type or an upgrade to the one being replaced. So, if your vehicle has an AGM battery (which is stated on the old battery's label), then it should be replaced with another AGM. If you have a lead acid battery, an AGM would be an upgrade. Buying a cheaper battery that doesn't have the same specs is like comparing a steak sandwich at a fast food restaurant to a steak house. 3) Ease of warranty, which you touched on can be a factor. Also, not everyone belongs to Costco or knows someone that does. That is an option that isn't available to everyone. 4) You alluded to batteries being made by a few manufacturers and that is correct. The main supplier to most companies that most people know is Johnson Controls which is now renamed Clarios. They supply (as of this writing in May 2023) Interstate batteries for Costco, Champion batteries for Pep Boys, some Walmart batteries, among many other brands out there. Exide and East Penn are two other well-known manufacturers. It was a good start, but it needed to go a bit further.
We shop at Costco all the time except for batteries. There is another youtuber who claimed he was rip off at costco concerning a defective battery that was within the free replacement window and still had to pay the difference. Aside from that good info from the video.
100% correct on everything you said. A couple of things, the parts stores won't install in some vehicles due to the location of the battery or difficulty in installing because of interference by brackets etc. Installing a battery is generally easy, but it's important to follow safety guidelines, knowing which cable to remove and install first, etc.
@@SmartFamilyMoney I've seen that before, and the customer was mad because we wouldn't do the repair of the clamps! There were several good repair shops we would refer them to.
Thank you for a no nonsense evaluation of the batteries themselves, and of the price discrepancy among all of them, and the companies that sell them all. Great video and important information that everyone needs to know. Thank you !!!
Yuo Tube channel Project Farm tested different types of batteries 3 years ago. The battery that came out on top was Ever Start sold at Walmart. It beat out Napa, Interstate, Diehard, Autozone and O'Reilly batteries.
The only thing that matters to me is customer service when I need to return the battery! The quality of car batteries and the warranties are complete crap now, so I am most interested in how easy it is to return the battery. Well done review and it was so refreshing to see and hear an actual person! So many channels now are all AI generated with robot voices, I just click of as soon as I here the bot!
Another plus in buying from Walmart, besides free installation and lower price, is that they have a fast turn-over and get new shipments every couple weeks or so. So their batteries seldom stay on the shelf as long as they may at other stores. Even so, check the manufacture date on the battery, because the closer it is to the purchase date, the less dedegration has occurred in the battery from just sitting, and the longer it will last.
The company is called Johnson Control. I have picked up several semi truck loads from the Tampa Fl. location. One day I asked what company battery was the best. Employee told me that Walmart had the highest quality control out of all the others. So that’s why I buy mine from Walmart.
Several years ago (and it still may be the case) the main manufacturer of ALL batteries in the U.S. was 'Exide'. If you pass a railroad crossing, there's usually a big silver box next to it. That's where they hide the batteries for the crossing arms that go up and down to block traffic (and run the blinking red lights).
@@checkyoursix5623 And that has what to do with Exide? Nothing. The crossing arms and lights use regular power unless it is out, then they use backup batteries.
Another suggestion is to check if in your city a battery conditioner exists. For example I have a 2006 Toyota Sequia Autozone quoted me $170 plus tax for their battery. The local battery conditioner charged me $35.00 for the reconditioned battery and no sales tax. Yes either one needs to be installed but the work is the same. I have several cars and have been able to save a lot of money buying there.
Doesn't sound any different than a junk yard, and batteries cannot by "reconditioned." People have been trying this for 100 years to no real avail. Replace the acid, deep discharge, super slow charge, ultimately nothing works due to irreversible plate degradation.
@@frequentlycynical642 Not true, at least in my experience it isn't true. We do heavy construction involving pickup trucks, company cars, heavy tractors, cranes and the like. As soon as the original battery fails we install a reconditioned unit. Perhaps we are lucky, perhaps its where you are purchasing your batteries.
Good advice. I would like to add something. All car batteries are coming from same factory. The price is different because depending where you buying from and what’s the CCA ( cold cranking amps) make sure you put right battery on your car,sometimes people to be less expensive they buy wrong group battery and less CCA. Yes if you buy from Walmart it will be less expensive from small parts stores because Walmart receives 4 pallets a week and small parts stores 1 pallet every 3 months.what you expecting who is buying chipper from factory? Just remember very important what size battery and CCA
The bad about AGM & Gel batteries is they cannot tolerate heat like here in Florida. They also maybe permanently damaged if they have lower than a 50% charge. A flooded battery can easily tolerate up to a 80% discharge. BTW: Just because an equivalent size and capacity battery is made by Johnson Controls for example, does not mean those batteries are equal in capability and longevity. Check Farm Project to see how batteries actually compare. BTW2: Yes, America has only three battery manufacturers, but there are many more around the world...Not just the three in the US.
You kind of touched on a little known fact, which I based on a LOT of experience, sixty years of dealing with batteries. The old batteries that required maintenance could handle a full discharge without problems. The newer maintenance free batteries will have SIGNIFICANTLY reduced amp/hour capacity if fully, or almost fully discharged even once. This is separate from "deep cycle" batteries used in fork lifts, golf carts, etc. They generally lack the high discharge rates of the modern high CCA batteries. And some lines like Orbit have a "marine" service batteries, which are a combination. Seldom freezing cold out on the water.
From years of personal experiences, I have correctly determined that WalMart's (N)everstart are THE worst quality....Never had one last the full 3 years free replacement. 'FREE" or not, who wants to consistently jump start then replace a battery every couple of years between even more jump starts in between in the freezing cold weather ? Best experience ? Auto Zone's 'Duralast' for sure....
I bought a battery from Sam’s because Costco didn’t have it, but it did not last long, replaced with a dealer battery. Bought another battery for other car from Costco, it failed within 3 years, took it back to Costco and got a replacement for like $1.50 or $2.50, I forget.
As per a YT vid. Gonna try taking two garden tractor batteries. Place them in parallel. Yes, there is some wiring to do and adaptation. None of which is difficult. Both batteries fit into the car battery placement nicely. Last time I took a quick look....Bartery 30 -35$ each. 300CCA/each. Parallel hook up..... ya still have 12v. And 600 CCA.
@frequentlycynical642 on a quick look 300 CCA. Parallel will be 600 CCA. Use on a 4cyl would be great. I wouldn't recommend for a v8 or a diesel. There os a YT vid pf a guy doing the dual garden batteries.
The core charge is because the lead is worth $$ and they want it for that. It really isn't about encouraging recycling. Depending on market prices for lead, a scrap yard might pay more than the core charge. Different size batteries have different amounts of lead, payment is dependent on how much it weighs. Local scrap prices might be found online for your area, it might be worth the effort.
Thank you for the information you provided it was very helpful. Again, thank you please do a video on alternators. Also, it does not really matter about if a store installs the battery it is very simple to do usually it takes only two nuts and maybe a holding bracket to loosen and replace. Keep in mind, if it fails during warranty, you will have to either tow it to the store or replace the battery your self, and then take it to the store to be exchanged.
Don't leave out checking at your dealerships! I did price checking and the last two times, the dealership was the cheapest in my case and had the longest battery warranty. Now even between dealerships of same makers were price different so call around! The Honda dealer at one was cheaper then the other! Worth that extra call.
Brilliant address young lady ! THEY might not like it at all ? Thanks ! I have been a victim myself of one of these so called " CONVINIENT ? " auto stores , this charged me $ 260 dollars for a battery with a 2 years partial warranty and since I had no choice but to buy it
It’s my understanding that about 80% of all lead acid batteries for internal combustion vehicles are made by one US manufacturer. Therefore, consumers are paying for the label on the battery. The $180 AutoZone battery is identical to the Walmart $120 battery expect for the label.
I "think" Johnson Controls makes a lot of car batteries, regardless of the brand. Walmrt is a great place to buy them now. Home Depot used to sell Exide batteries which are excellent but Im not sure if they do anymore and they may have sat on the shelf for a longer period of time as most people didn't realise that they sold them!
I bought a used car with an oversized Interstate battery about a year old. A nice bonus. Dead in six months and the warranty is non-transferable to another owner. Sticking with Wart Mart now. They have even honored a warranty on used cars that my brother bought, no questions asked about who purchased it.
Costco and Sams do not carry many sizes for even the most popular models. The last three times I tried to buy a battery at Costco or Sams they did not carry my size. The cars were Chevy Equinox, Acura TL and Buick Verano. I believe the battery size was the same for all three H6(48). They would have had a much better price if they carried it.
@@CatScratch244 Hey! Are you calling granny a ho? :) I can assure you from experience that grannies do own vibrators and other toys. Some women lose interest in sex with age, some do not. At all. Looking at you Janee. Thanks for the good times!
A friend in Florida had a dead battery near home and as a member , called AAA . It wouldn't jump start . They were local and charged him $ 350.00 installed !!!! $ 250.00 for " a AAA battery " ( even though " member price " was about $ 200.00 ) and $ 100.00 installation on a 2013 Honda Accord , about 15 to 20 minutes . He could have gotten a ride to Walmart and either bought basic tools ( likely a 10 MM wrench and whatever else or Harbor Freight ) and saved $ 200.00 !!! The premium batteries at Walmart have a 3 year replacement warranty . This is a con to buy a " AAA battery " at Rolls Royce prices !!!!!!!
About warrantees: just because there is a warranty does not mean it will be honored. You also may end up having to go through a lot of hassle to get the warranty honored. I have heard quite a few people having a tough time with WalMart when it came to car batteries. Costco's no questions asked return policy is just that: you return it, they don't ask why. As for Costco not installing batteries, just buy it and take it to a mechanic you trust next time you service your car if you don't want to or don't know how to install it.
What I've seen is car companies keep rearranging the connection configuration. E.g. My 1969 Plymouth has top posts. My 1981 Cadillac and 1998 Yukon have side posts. My 2017 Sierra has top posts but in opposite polarity of my 1969 Plymouth. When the Sierra batt died the one that fits was $172 because of the reverse polarity so I bought a $79 battery and cut the plastic connector to make it fit. The factory jump post is still there but the actual battery positive post is now exposed. My only worry is of someone else goes to jump start it they may connect their booster cables backward. I need to paint the terminal Red and write a giant + on it.
Never go to Advance Auto. Older stock, pushing AGM batteries for any car/truck,any year. Any level battery is expensive. They install it and you have to buy the anti-corrosion felt washers or no warranty, pushing extended battery warranties. Never again. Walmart batteries are great at any level.
Had the same idea when I bought a new battery for my daughters car. Autozone was around $160 and Walmart was around $75. Bought battery online for her and she swung by to get it installed.
It’s funny. These batteries from Autozone, Napa, Walmart, Costco. All made by 2 supplies. I choose Costco due to their warranty and return policy! They don’t test car batteries or give you issues when you need a new one.
It's interesting that you would use the Ford Escape as your example because in order to replace the battery in that vehicle, the front cowling must be removed. Many shops who sell the battery for $160 will install for free. Otherwise, expect to pay for a 1 hour labor charge plus the price of the battery. There are many videos showing how to DIY in order to save the 1 hour labor charge. 😊
Most Junk Yards / U Pull It. They sell Refurbished Batteries for around 50 Bucks 1 year warranty. That's the only place to go unless you like to be took to the cleaners, AZ ,O'reilly Advanced.
Get an electronic battery tester, use it in spring and fall to check the condition of battery. You will have an educated idea on how long it will last, and when to replace before it dies.
You get what you pay for. Own a repair shop for 40 years the best battery for long haul thus cheaper for long haul were ac deacons ,motercraft, interstate and one time die hards. The discount retail battery’s average life was around two year while the top shelf was over 7 years. So what’s cheaper ?
I'd recommend checking your local dealer prices as well. I got a 5/7 yr warranty battery for my Camry from the dealer and it was $20 cheaper than Auto Zone. I did the installation myself. Not rocket science. And check the Date of Manufacture sticker for the freshest.
If you really, really want a good deal, go to a salvage yard. They pull good batteries out of wrecked cars, test them, and give you a full 30 day return. You know it has been used, but just learning to read the date code on top, will give you a clue on how long it will last. For $5, most will install it. For $30, I have gotten replacements for 35 years, and never got a bad one. Almost every other battery purchased at Sears and Montgomery Ward, needed replaced within 6 months.
Cars that drive short distances wear out fastest. Basically you don't allow the alternator enough time to charge up the battery, thereby wearing it down on short running.
I've been using the ~$50 Value batteries from Wal*Mart. They offer a shorter warranty, only a year, but I've consistently seen similar life out of them compared to the $100 top of the line battery. If I get 3 years from the $50 battery and 4 from the $100, I'm money ahead. I think I got over 4 years from the last one I purchased. I pro-actively replaced it before this winter as it was testing just on the edge of good/marginal. Of course, both of our cars are Asian brands. I drive an 11 year old Mazda and my wife a 6 year old Toyota. No AGM or battery encoding needed.
I install AGM batteries in both my wife and daughter Toyotas. I buy them from Costco. I have never gotten a call that the car won’t start. I was informed that Tesla engineered the AGM. I think they know something about batteries and electric.
@@prosay the AGM battery existed long before Tesla was making cars. It wasn't Nikola Tesla either as the AGM battery was invented in the 1980s for aviation use.
A good place to get quality batteries is farm implement stores. My local one has batteries with a seven year warranty. The first three years are 100% and prorated after that. I have had two of the seven year batteries last 8 years. One is in my garden tractor at 9 years. Before they had the seven year battery, their five year batteries lasted 6-7.
I’ve owned about 45 cars and have bought a number of wal mart batteries over the years and have had more trouble with wal mart batteries than all the other brands I have bought combined.
I figured this all out last nite before I saw this video. I need a 24 F. 120.00 at Walmart but they r out of my way. 130.00 at Sams where I was going to go for meat anyway. And 209.00 at advance which I would pass on my way to Sams. So Sams is my choice of course.
Like to add one thing. My sons new Honda POS battery only later two years and both of new Honda SUV batteries only lasted two years. You would think after spending $25 to 30 grand on a new vehicle that you could get three years out of the battery. Each of the three were cared for by cleaning with Baking soda and given two coats of battery protection. First 25 degree day they failed.
The auto-parts stores don't "install it for tree"....they GOUGE you to the tune of 40%. But if you take your old junk battery to Advance Auto Trinkets....they'll give you a battery-core "store credit" You can use it to buy some air fresheners or steering wheel covers (they don't stock the parts you need)
Unless you own a Cadillac or some other such mechanic special car that make it ridiculous to access your battery, change it yourself, it's incredibly easy and will build your skills. Whatever car you have, there's multiple videos for how to do it step by step right here on YT.
AGM batteries are Lead/Acid batteries. The difference between an AGM battery & a Flooded battery... is that the sulfuric acid solution is absorbed in a fiberglass matrix as opposed to being suspended in a flooded cell. This allows AGM batteries to withstand Deep Cycle charging, temperature extremes, & recover more of its total charge capacity after discharge... because AGM batteries do not suffer from settling. Settling is a phenomenon in Flooded batteries where the electrolyte in solution tends to settle at the base of the lead plates, where they form sulfides that are very difficult to remove during recharge. AGM batteries do not suffer settling because the acidic solution remains more evenly dispersed, as it is absorbed into that fiberglass matrix, & greatly reduces the amount of permanent sulfication that will occur. 2nd... you are wrong that there is no difference between the $100 Walmart battery & the $170 auto part store equivolent. The primary means of saving money to sell batteries cheaper... is to reduce the amount of lead used in manufacturing, as lead is the most expensive element of the battery. This brings us back to sulfication of the the lead plates in batteries. Every car battery suffers sulfication of the lead plates during discharge. AGM batteries just suffer it less, so they inherently last longer. Sulfication also corrodes those lead plates slowing turning them into swiss cheese. The thicker the lead plates, the longer the battery will last & the more durable it will be. The auto part store equivolent of the same type of battery & same group size, as the Walmart version... is about 20% heavier. This is because the lead plates are thicker, than in the Walmart versions. Because Walmart batteries use thinner lead plates to save that money to sell a cheaper battery... cell degradation happens faster, creating resistance in the circuit, which results in higher internal temperatures during recharge. This makes Walmart batteries more prone to Boil Over, which often times causes ruptures in the battery casing, usually around the terminals, & the result is corroded battery cables, from the acid out gasing.
I don't enjoy even being in a Walmart. Having said that, for the price, a good strategy would be just buy a new battery at Walmart every 3 years whether you need it or not. Free replacement in the unlikely event something happens along the way. You are doing it on your terms and convenience and it will be highly unlikely you'll ever be stranded.
If your battery is smaller and you can buy from Costco, do that as they have higher quality products. Do not buy smaller batteries at Walmart, they die too quickly. I went through 3 of their batteries in only 2 years on my Honda Odyssey minivan and they did refuse to honor the warrenty. Bought the next one at Costco and no problems.
I recently bought a never start battery from Walmart and I failed within 90 days. I live over a hundred miles from the nearest Walmart so its not like I walk across the road and return it. Plus these is the cost of installing the battery which is not covered by Walmart. I replaced my Never Start from Walmart with an Interstate battery. The interstate battery has been installed for six months during cold winter temperatures and has not let me down.
I drive for my now almost retired business. I don’t think any battery is really maintenance free. As water warms, it evaporates. Those battery caps are vented due to gas produced during charging. Water-same same. First, I hate those with no removable caps. They still have the filler holes and plastic plugs. Grrrr! Second, may not be necessary but any battery in my charger will have, if possible the caps loose and a fairly heavy towel on it (thanks dad.) safety GOGGLES, gloves and being CAREFUL! Remember - neg post first, then pos. Clean terminals with baking soda paste, rinse off and thin coat of dielectric grease or at least Vaseline or a light grease, anything to keep corrosion in check. I ALWAYS mark the area by the pos with some type of permanent red - Red liquid elect tape goo has a nice brush. Spray can of white lithium grease works okay for the connector and post. Can’t remember last time I reattached the hold downs. Drive moderately and if I were to roll over, battery is least of my troubles.
Pay a little more time for tech. upgrade, if you need a new battery get a capacitor battery. Compared with the start when the super capacitor is connected in parallel with the battery, the instantaneous voltage drop at start is increased from 3.2V to 7.2V when only the battery is used; the starting current is increased from 560A to 1200A; the instantaneous power output power is increased from 2kW to 8.7kW; the steady voltage during the starting process is increased from 7V to 9.4V; the steady current during the starting process is increased from 280A to 440A; the steady output power of the power supply during the starting process is increased from 2.44kW to 4.12kW.
I had my battery changed at Auto Zone. Prior to disconnecting my bad battery, they hooked up an auxiliary battery device and removed my old battery then installed the new one. They told me they did this to preserve various electronic settings in my truck, probably like clock and radio, but possibly other settings on a fairly new truck. Anyone know about this?
@@danc2014 So if you change a battery without the back up there isn't any chance of losing any programing on the operational actions of the onboard computer.
@@donaldwalstead1709 The Engine Control Module (ECM) has adaptive values it learns as the car is operated. If you just pull the battery, those values MAY be lost. Not really a big deal as the ECM will re-learn them. The ECM needs to learn because while mass produced, there is always variation from the factory, not to mention things change as you drive your vehicle. Things wear, get dirty, leak, etc. An over-simplification, but hopefully, you get the idea. Things like fuel trim values, shifting strategies for the automatic transmission. If you just disconnect the battery, the car may not idle as smoothly at prior to the replacement. The emissions monitors will need to run again, so don't go for an emissions test immediately after replacing the battery as the car will not be "ready" for testing. (It has to complete the monitors to be deemed in compliance. Testing things like catalytic converter efficiency and evaporative emissions usually takes a few trips to complete those monitors.) Other things like radio pre-sets, window auto-close functions may be disrupted if the battery is replaced. Most are just annoyances, as they can be re-learned. But if you have the means to keep power with one of those battery devices, it avoids losing any learned data. I just use a jump pack I have to keep power on my cars while I swap the battery.
I have used many Batteries over the years even before Walmart was around. I have had my battery to break down Because I was not paying attention, your car battery has only about 5 years of life in it. I have walk pass every parts house to get to AutoZone batteries. Because they have not yet let me down. But to be fair I have been told that Walmart batteries do good as well, but you do get what you pay for... Just giving you a shade tree knuckle busting mechanic experience here... And yes, checking to date on the battery does make a difference. In the old days they did not activate the battery with Acid until you bought it. Not anymore...
I found out the dealership isnt so great on batteries either, battery in my car was 3 years and 2 months old , and was warrantied for 42 month , turns out battery was found to be weak , dealership put new one in , but never gave me a new warranty, what a rip off
I buy my AGM battery from Costco and install it myself ( Costco does not install). During my youth, I work at a gas station. I own a Lexus, Benz and RAV4 (v6).
Great information. New cars now a days are harder on batteries than the older one. Some much electronics running in the background and although most of that goes to sleep when not in use, a small amount of energy is being used. Especially for people who don't drive every day, issues can happen. I buy my the best deal with the best warranty. Check around! Thanks for this video. You are going to be saving some people a good chuck of money!
The Auto Club (Triple A) now can sell you and install a battery when you call for a jump start. They test your battery first. It is a little expensive, $155.00 for my Corolla. But the battery failed in a hospital parking lot on a Saturday night when it was 4 years and 8 months old (on a 5 year warranty) and a AAA battery service truck came out and replaced it under warranty, no charge. You need to consider the convenience and service factor. (This was just last month, March 2023). I don't know if their current battery sales have the same 5 year warranty. And of course you need to be a AAA member.
Advance Auto and Autozone are more expensive. Autozone trys to sell a extended warranty. No warranty if they install it without buying the battery posts anti-corrosion pads. Nope! Scam!
East Penn/Deka batteries have lasted the longest for my cars and boats. No other manufacturer has come close. 'Get what you pay for..' Quality, or a lot less quality... The cheaper batteries are manufactured that way, cutting corners to save cost. They fail quicker... I don't comment much but, when there's misinformation, commenting is the right thing to do.
@Joe F. Sometimes you do not "get what you paid for." Sometimes you get ripped off. Sometimes the same exact battery is $60 more at a different store. Thank you for not commenting often.
@@LABoyko Well you trolled me to answer you truthfully (as always). You may think you are an expert but, you are wrong. Research pays off... Think before replying.
I just started watching the video so I don’t know if she gets to this later on. But there are separate battery stores. Interstate Batteries has their own chain of stores. Last time I needed a battery I went in and asked if they had a used or reconditioned battery. I got what would ordinarily be a $200 battery for $45. My thought was, all cars run on used parts……
One thing you didn't mention is the intended use of the battery which can affect its life and price. I needed a new battery for my Ford Explorer. Checked to see the size battery case it used and looked for a replacement. I needed one quick, so I bought one from NAPA. They had two batteries available, one more expensive than the other. The costlier one had a significant higher cranking power which explained the price. But the expensive battery only had a one-year warranty whereas the cheaper one was like 3 years. That is because the expensive battery with higher cranking power had more plates inside (closer together) and the plates were longer and were closer to the bottom of the case. A battery like this can more easily have a cell go bad or short out since the natural sulfation that occurs inside can short some plates together and cause a weak battery. The cheaper battery doesn't have to larger plates, so it is less likely to fail and therefore has a lomger warranty. The expensive battery is fine if you have very cold winter conditions, and you need the extra cranking power to start your car under very cold conditions. But if your winters are not so severe, you can easily get by with the lower cranking cheaper battery with the longer warranty.
If Walmart's Ever Start batteries are made by the same Co that makes AutoZone's "Duralast" Batteries, why are Auto Zone's batts so way much better ? Personal experience....
But is it true that a Walmart 5 year warranty battery only gets fully replaced for free within the first 3 years, then after that it's pro rated? They also dont have very good reviews on their site.
Walmart is my favorite battery, I have heard Costco is good. Walmart has decent prices and are long lasting, I install my own, so the job is done correctly. Returning a core might require that you contact the manager of the auto department to get your core charge returned.
Check out the Walmart car battery finder to check prices and order online: bit.ly/3m0B0fP
Walmart+ get free delivery but you still get charged the $12 dollar core charge, so make sure you take it back.
I'm a retired Automotive Engineer from a major OEM with 42 years of experience (BSME and MSME). This is an excellent video and you are to be commended for your research and key points! Johnson Controls and Exide were both bought out by new corporate entities but these firms still make most of the batteries using the same process, materials and quality control systems as before. And you're right if one doesn't have the stop/start feature, AGM technology isn't needed. I may have to replace my battery soon on my 5 year old vehicle. But for now it's fine and I'm going to stay with it until it starts to die. Then I'll go to Walmart to buy an Everstart battery. I will install it and be on my way with some extra $$ in my pocket. Lastly, for maintenance, it's important to keep the posts and battery clamps clean and tight for good connection. Also the top of the battery needs to stay clean to avoid discharge between the posts. Thanks for a great video and kind regards.
Thanks for the helpful comment!
I could not pass 2d sem Calc so out of engineering school and into the Army. I fully agree from an Army Multi-functional Logistician perspective!
a good video but i would mention the biggest thing to look for in a car battery is the sticker with the manufacturing date the minute they put the acid in the battery it begins to slowly discharge sitting on the shelf and I have actually seen a big difference in how long battery lasts when a battery is a few months old when you buy it . If you can find one with the current month and year it will last longer then an older one
That's a great tip! Thanks, Greg.
Also, if you live in a winter area (like WI) is there is any options, get the highest CCA - cold cranking amps. My F250 I plow with is 800 CCA plus I have 2 jump starters and a 100 amp on wheels. But that’s cause of my business.
My dealer wanted to sell me an Optima Yellow Top Battery, which was going for 400 dollars. I walked out, and went to Sam's Club and bought a 99 dollar group 51 Battery. That was 2 years ago still going strong.
Optima most over-hyped, over priced battery.
Average battery life is 2.2-3 years, if it lasts somewhere along 5 years it’ll be impressive. The optima battery is a scam tho
Something to consider if you travel, Walmarts are everywhere, not so with Costco, Sam’s,and some auto parts stores. Having a problem with a battery when away from home makes Walmart a good choice.
That's a good point!
Same advice for tire purchases!
Walmart batteries were the shortest life of all batteries I have bought
Some Home Depot stores are completive with Walmart. I had a battery from Walmart. At 29 months the battery failed. Walmart honored the warranty and charged me just 9 dollars for the core charge.
@@olwe1000 Why would they charge you a core charge if they honored the warranty and gave you a new battery? How did they honor the warranty if you did not give them the old battery?
I guess I was very lucky because my battery went out in the Walmart parking lot.
Removed it, through the old one in the cart, went in and got a new one.
That was it.
Wow, that was lucky!
ALWAYS HAVE TOOLS! (Dad said) Fire extinguisher, first aid kit, some rope and baling type wire, hatchet or small axe, shovel and a 0:14 good flashlight. Amber flasher if super cautious like me AND a towing plan. Extra keys and small empty gas can, maybe extra oil and windshield washer fluid. Hide your jumper cables, “no sorry” don’t go looking for trouble. Dad said don’t lead with ur chin!
You didn't mention cold cranking amps (CCA). That can vary widely between batteries and can affect battery life. Just make sure you're comparing similar CCA or you may not be getting such a good deal. Also AGM batteries are substantially better than lead acid and will last a lot longer - worth the extra cost if you're keeping your car for a while. My last AGM battery lasted 17 years - yes you read that right! To be fair it was in my garage queen which stays connected to a battery tender but a lead acid battery would never last that long
I had a standard Interstate battery I bought in 2003 for an old Plymouth I use to have that lasted 12 years without the tender and was still going when I got rid of the car. New owner said he would replace it regardless. Car went to Australia.
Higher CCA have a larger number of plates which are thinner and less free space and electrolyte capacity. This results in quicker shorting from active material shedding, more plate bucking, more plate breakage and increased acid stratification. All else being equal the higher the CCA the shorter the battery life.
AGM batteries last longer than traditional construction. To optimize their life you need a charging system optimized for them as they prefer a slightly different charged state.
My recommendation is to match the standard OEM battery specs as close as possible in type and rating. It's usually optimized for a -20C to +40C and the charging system to it (modern computer controlled voltage regulator algorithms are pretty sophisticated). If you live in climate that's significantly colder you can bump the CCA a little, but I wouldn't get extreme unless going to a physically larger battery.
Very true most people are told to get the higher CCA but with that you are giving up time on the life span
If you live in a very cold climate then yes get a higher CCA but
But if you live in a normal four season climate you don’t need the higher CCA but
You will save money and your battery will last longer.
@@gk5891 Very true. High CCA batteries typically have the plates reaching the bottom of the case, there is often a space is lower CCA batteries. This space allows the plate crud to drop to the bottom without shorting the plates.
"Everyone" and the industry tells us that we need high CCA in both cold and hot climate. Horse pucky. Cold, yes, hot, no. Low CCA batteries do just fine on the entire west coast except in the mountains, and all the way east across the lower several hundred miles, to Florida and Georgia. Save your money.
Home Depot also has a great price on car batteries, if you don't mind self installation. Plus they're located almost everywhere.
You forgot to add about checking the "Date of Manufacture". That way you get the freshest battery and the most from the warranty.
Oh yeah, good point!
The warranty starts from the date of sale, not the date of manufacture.
@@chipdayton1625 no shit...but there are definitely old batteries in the rack. Get the freshest one. No?
@@mikejohnson9118 Sure, you want the freshest battery, but you said you get the most from the warranty by getting the newest one. You don't. BTW, batteries older than a year get sent back.
@@mikejohnson9118 I've literally tested hundreds of batteries from new to 12 months old. I have found one or two that weren't fully charged with voltage and CCAs.
*Lesson learned today:* If you are desirous of saving *dinero,* get your car battery from *Costco, Sam's Club or Walmart.*
I have owned multiple Walmart batteries. All of them outperformed their expected life.
RURAL KING HAS THE LOWEST PRICE FOR ALL OF MY CARS, TRUCKS AND TRACTORS. 650 - 700 CCA WORKS FOR ALL MY STUFF & I'VE NEVER PAID OVER $79
I needed a new car battery in the summer of 2023...got my new one from my son's auto/garage shop for $60. Saved a bundle 👍.
Family discount is good too lol
I've been driving and replacing batteries since 1965. For the last 20 years I've been very, very pleased w/ WalMart batteries in our two cars. They have all outlasted their warranty period. Most have gone 5 years.
You may wish to revisit this topic as since 2021, Johnson Controls who distributed the majority of the Batteries in the USA sold their Automotive Battery Business to a company named Calisco and since then, the quality of car batteries has gone down and the prices have jumped considerably. There is also a new factor to consider which is, Batteries at one time were manufactured in the USA and then for the most part it was moved to Mexico due in that country they have much more lax environmental laws and the Labor was considerably cheaper. Costco who's Batteries are distributed by Interstate are still made in Mexico but the quality (down) and price (up) have changed dramatically. WalMart's Batteries distributed by Calisco are have creeped up in price and they are now made in South Korea and lately they've had a lot of quality control problems where there is a percentage that are DOA so it's wise to see if the store will load check the Battery and check it's voltage prior to purchase. Nothing against South Korea but there is a noticeable difference in quality of the majority of items they export when compared to American or Japanese made products.
Wow those are some big changes. So what would you say is the best option now (quality for price)?
Actually the company is named Clarios.
You don’t really have alot of choice but what they are selling, I have learned that you kind get what you pay for with batteries, the bargain store brands are ok and warranties etc, I grew tired of always having battery issues and taking them for testing and replacing them again every year or two. I went out and bought a midline interstate battery and zero issues since.
@@kellismith4329 My interstate died in a year a half. Since I wasn't the original purchaser, SOOL.
As a Auto Tech Fanatic, Best Price for AGM Batteries is Costco and Sams. For Lead Acid Batteries is Walmart(Maxx).
I use AGM batteries in my cars, travel trailer and boats simply because there is really no maintenance to do. Yes, they are more expensive but as in my travel trailer, which doesn't get daily use, the battery is on a 1.5 amp charger when stored. That 3 year battery is now 7 years old. I forget how old the boat batteries were (3 of them) but they went with the boat when I sold it 4 years ago.
12/24. Just bought Walmart AGM for my Forester and it had 4 year replacement. 12.00 for core charge and return.
just bought two batteries from Advance. They price matched Walmart's on-line price just by asking. Installed them myself, saved $150 on the two batteries.
not at our local advance store
Rural King stores are your best bet. They have a couple of universal 12 volt batteries that are $49.95 and $59.95. Just measure your battery box, note whether you need a top post or side post battery, and which side the positive and negative terminals are on. Easy.
Good tip! Thanks!
the size that fit my car costs more at Rural King than Walmart or Sam's!
@@bobbear4437 Hi Bob! The trick is try to use the $49.95 battery (Now $53.99 here) if it will fit into your battery box. I use one in a 98 Mustang and it fits fine, the "correct" battery would be around $100 but the cheaper battery fits and works fine.
Just replaced a Walmart battery that lasted for 5 years. I charge the battery weekly over night with a Schumacher 2-amp batter maintainer charger.
Local Walmart now only installs by appointment. Still free but you have to call ahead and maybe wait a day or two. Don't know about other locations.
Yeah, I think it used to be a bit easier to walk in.
Be sure to ask if the retailer will install the battery before you purchase it. Some batteries in these newer cars are a real pain to install, so they may install in one car but not another. They are located in weird places with all kinds of brackets and stuff in the way. I don't care where you buy your battery, I don't buy anything from wal mart for my cars personally. I have never seen anyone at wal mart who knows anything about a car, your experiences may be different.
Good start, but it's incomplete:
1) Assuming that you are going on price and price alone, the best battery to buy is the one that is cheapest per month in cost. To get that, you divide the total cost by the number of months of warranty coverage. The one that comes out the cheapest is the best...assuming it has the same specs.
2) As others have noted, you need to compare specs. The battery you buy should have the same BCI (Battery Council International) group size, voltage, CCA (Cold Cranking Amps), Cranking Amps (CA) and Reserve Capacity (RC) and be the same type or an upgrade to the one being replaced. So, if your vehicle has an AGM battery (which is stated on the old battery's label), then it should be replaced with another AGM. If you have a lead acid battery, an AGM would be an upgrade. Buying a cheaper battery that doesn't have the same specs is like comparing a steak sandwich at a fast food restaurant to a steak house.
3) Ease of warranty, which you touched on can be a factor. Also, not everyone belongs to Costco or knows someone that does. That is an option that isn't available to everyone.
4) You alluded to batteries being made by a few manufacturers and that is correct. The main supplier to most companies that most people know is Johnson Controls which is now renamed Clarios. They supply (as of this writing in May 2023) Interstate batteries for Costco, Champion batteries for Pep Boys, some Walmart batteries, among many other brands out there. Exide and East Penn are two other well-known manufacturers.
It was a good start, but it needed to go a bit further.
We shop at Costco all the time except for batteries. There is another youtuber who claimed he was rip off at costco concerning a defective battery that was within the free replacement window and still had to pay the difference. Aside from that good info from the video.
Don't make a sweeping generalization from one person's experience.
100% correct on everything you said. A couple of things, the parts stores won't install in some vehicles due to the location of the battery or difficulty in installing because of interference by brackets etc. Installing a battery is generally easy, but it's important to follow safety guidelines, knowing which cable to remove and install first, etc.
Yes that's a good point! I also had one that a parts store wouldn't install because my terminal clamps were all rusted and they couldn't get them off.
@@SmartFamilyMoney I've seen that before, and the customer was mad because we wouldn't do the repair of the clamps! There were several good repair shops we would refer them to.
Thank you for a no nonsense evaluation of the batteries themselves, and of the price discrepancy among all of them, and the companies that sell them all. Great video and important information that everyone needs to know. Thank you !!!
Thanks for the nice comment! I am glad the video was helpful. 😁
Yuo Tube channel Project Farm tested different types of batteries 3 years ago. The battery that came out on top was Ever Start sold at Walmart. It beat out Napa, Interstate, Diehard, Autozone and O'Reilly batteries.
Interesting! We've had zero problems with the Walmart batteries we've bought. Last one we bought is around 4 years old and still going strong.
The only thing that matters to me is customer service when I need to return the battery! The quality of car batteries and the warranties are complete crap now, so I am most interested in how easy it is to return the battery.
Well done review and it was so refreshing to see and hear an actual person! So many channels now are all AI generated with robot voices, I just click of as soon as I here the bot!
Both types are lead-acid. They are either flooded or AGM.
Another plus in buying from Walmart, besides free installation and lower price, is that they have a fast turn-over and get new shipments every couple weeks or so. So their batteries seldom stay on the shelf as long as they may at other stores. Even so, check the manufacture date on the battery, because the closer it is to the purchase date, the less dedegration has occurred in the battery from just sitting, and the longer it will last.
Good point!
The company is called Johnson Control. I have picked up several semi truck loads from the Tampa Fl. location. One day I asked what company battery was the best. Employee told me that Walmart had the highest quality control out of all the others. So that’s why I buy mine from Walmart.
Several years ago (and it still may be the case) the main manufacturer of ALL batteries in the U.S. was 'Exide'. If you pass a railroad crossing, there's usually a big silver box next to it. That's where they hide the batteries for the crossing arms that go up and down to block traffic (and run the blinking red lights).
@@checkyoursix5623 And that has what to do with Exide? Nothing. The crossing arms and lights use regular power unless it is out, then they use backup batteries.
Tractor Supply also offers batteries for less than the auto parts stores. They don't install though. They stock Exide batteries.
This video was 2 years ago.
5:25 more like $250 Autozone battery now, lol.
Great video! Thank you!
Ha, yeah... prices for everything have changed A LOT.
Another suggestion is to check if in your city a battery conditioner exists. For example I have a 2006 Toyota Sequia Autozone quoted me $170 plus tax for their battery. The local battery conditioner charged me $35.00 for the reconditioned battery and no sales tax. Yes either one needs to be installed but the work is the same. I have several cars and have been able to save a lot of money buying there.
Doesn't sound any different than a junk yard, and batteries cannot by "reconditioned." People have been trying this for 100 years to no real avail. Replace the acid, deep discharge, super slow charge, ultimately nothing works due to irreversible plate degradation.
@@frequentlycynical642 Not true, at least in my experience it isn't true. We do heavy construction involving pickup trucks, company cars, heavy tractors, cranes and the like. As soon as the original battery fails we install a reconditioned unit. Perhaps we are lucky, perhaps its where you are purchasing your batteries.
Good advice. I would like to add something. All car batteries are coming from same factory. The price is different because depending where you buying from and what’s the CCA ( cold cranking amps) make sure you put right battery on your car,sometimes people to be less expensive they buy wrong group battery and less CCA. Yes if you buy from Walmart it will be less expensive from small parts stores because Walmart receives 4 pallets a week and small parts stores 1 pallet every 3 months.what you expecting who is buying chipper from factory? Just remember very important what size battery and CCA
The bad about AGM & Gel batteries is they cannot tolerate heat like here in Florida. They also maybe permanently damaged if they have lower than a 50% charge. A flooded battery can easily tolerate up to a 80% discharge.
BTW: Just because an equivalent size and capacity battery is made by Johnson Controls for example, does not mean those batteries are equal in capability and longevity. Check Farm Project to see how batteries actually compare.
BTW2: Yes, America has only three battery manufacturers, but there are many more around the world...Not just the three in the US.
You kind of touched on a little known fact, which I based on a LOT of experience, sixty years of dealing with batteries. The old batteries that required maintenance could handle a full discharge without problems. The newer maintenance free batteries will have SIGNIFICANTLY reduced amp/hour capacity if fully, or almost fully discharged even once. This is separate from "deep cycle" batteries used in fork lifts, golf carts, etc. They generally lack the high discharge rates of the modern high CCA batteries. And some lines like Orbit have a "marine" service batteries, which are a combination. Seldom freezing cold out on the water.
If you have a Rural king near you, they are much cheaper than Walmart.
Several folks have said that! Good to know! I don't think I have one very close to me unfortunately.
She is absolutely correct. Walmart has the best selection and close to the cheapest price. Can't beat the 2 year free replacement warranty.
Definitely a good deal! And I love that they'll install them too! (at the auto centers)
It is a 3 year not a 2! At least my battery from Walmart has a 3yr replacement warranty and i just bought it last week and they installed it.
From years of personal experiences, I have correctly determined that WalMart's (N)everstart are THE worst quality....Never had one last the full 3 years free replacement. 'FREE" or not, who wants to consistently jump start then replace a battery every couple of years between even more jump starts in between in the freezing cold weather ? Best experience ? Auto Zone's 'Duralast' for sure....
I bought a battery from Sam’s because Costco didn’t have it, but it did not last long, replaced with a dealer battery. Bought another battery for other car from Costco, it failed within 3 years, took it back to Costco and got a replacement for like $1.50 or $2.50, I forget.
I was in the car service business for 25 years. Spot on analysis.
As per a YT vid. Gonna try taking two garden tractor batteries. Place them in parallel. Yes, there is some wiring to do and adaptation. None of which is difficult. Both batteries fit into the car battery placement nicely.
Last time I took a quick look....Bartery 30 -35$ each. 300CCA/each. Parallel hook up..... ya still have 12v. And 600 CCA.
But why? A lot of hassle to make the posts work in an automotive application.
@frequentlycynical642 Well, peeps that save money get creative. And, sometimes there is some minor work involved.
@@mrkevin6354 Each to their own. I save a lot of money by being creative. I sometimes repair the unrepairable. BTW, those batteries are CCA rated?
@frequentlycynical642 on a quick look
300 CCA. Parallel will be 600 CCA. Use on a 4cyl would be great. I wouldn't recommend for a v8 or a diesel. There os a YT vid pf a guy doing the dual garden batteries.
@@mrkevin6354 Have at it.
The core charge is because the lead is worth $$ and they want it for that. It really isn't about encouraging recycling. Depending on market prices for lead, a scrap yard might pay more than the core charge. Different size batteries have different amounts of lead, payment is dependent on how much it weighs. Local scrap prices might be found online for your area, it might be worth the effort.
That's really good to know! Might save folks a few bucks!
Thank you for the information you provided it was very helpful. Again, thank you please do a video on alternators. Also, it does not really matter about if a store installs the battery it is very simple to do usually it takes only two nuts and maybe a holding bracket to loosen and replace. Keep in mind, if it fails during warranty, you will have to either tow it to the store or replace the battery your self, and then take it to the store to be exchanged.
Don't leave out checking at your dealerships! I did price checking and the last two times, the dealership was the cheapest in my case and had the longest battery warranty. Now even between dealerships of same makers were price different so call around! The Honda dealer at one was cheaper then the other! Worth that extra call.
Brilliant address young lady ! THEY might not like it at all ? Thanks ! I have been a victim myself of one of these so called " CONVINIENT ? " auto stores , this charged me $ 260 dollars for a battery with a 2 years partial warranty and since I had no choice but to buy it
It’s my understanding that about 80% of all lead acid batteries for internal combustion vehicles are made by one US manufacturer. Therefore, consumers are paying for the label on the battery. The $180 AutoZone battery is identical to the Walmart $120 battery expect for the label.
I "think" Johnson Controls makes a lot of car batteries, regardless of the brand. Walmrt is a great place to buy them now. Home Depot used to sell Exide batteries which are excellent but Im not sure if they do anymore and they may have sat on the shelf for a longer period of time as most people didn't realise that they sold them!
Interstate Batteries sure have worked great for me for the last 25 years. Sears Gold Die Hards, too.
I bought a used car with an oversized Interstate battery about a year old. A nice bonus. Dead in six months and the warranty is non-transferable to another owner. Sticking with Wart Mart now. They have even honored a warranty on used cars that my brother bought, no questions asked about who purchased it.
@@frequentlycynical642 Good to know. I need a big tractor battery right now.
Costco and Sams do not carry many sizes for even the most popular models. The last three times I tried to buy a battery at Costco or Sams they did not carry my size. The cars were Chevy Equinox, Acura TL and Buick Verano. I believe the battery size was the same for all three H6(48). They would have had a much better price if they carried it.
Oh wow that's surprising! Where did you end up buying one?
@@SmartFamilyMoney Bought Diehard at Advanced Auto Parts. Diehard cost over $200 now.
What batterys do you recommend for a vibrator? My grandmother keeps burning them up! Thank you 😊
Energizers!
I suggest a plug into the wall for maximum HCA. Hot Cranking Action.
@@frequentlycynical642 🤣 That's great! Grandma will appreciate that especially over the holidays! HO HO HO
@@CatScratch244 Hey! Are you calling granny a ho? :) I can assure you from experience that grannies do own vibrators and other toys. Some women lose interest in sex with age, some do not. At all. Looking at you Janee. Thanks for the good times!
A friend in Florida had a dead battery near home and as a member , called AAA . It wouldn't jump start . They were local and charged him $ 350.00 installed !!!! $ 250.00 for " a AAA battery " ( even though " member price " was about $ 200.00 ) and $ 100.00 installation on a 2013 Honda Accord , about 15 to 20 minutes . He could have gotten a ride to Walmart and either bought basic tools ( likely a 10 MM wrench and whatever else or Harbor Freight ) and saved $ 200.00 !!! The premium batteries at Walmart have a 3 year replacement warranty . This is a con to buy a " AAA battery " at Rolls Royce prices !!!!!!!
Ugh, that's expensive!
i get mine from battery remanufacturing places, they sell new and refurbished/remanufactured.
i also buy walmart as second choice.
About warrantees: just because there is a warranty does not mean it will be honored. You also may end up having to go through a lot of hassle to get the warranty honored. I have heard quite a few people having a tough time with WalMart when it came to car batteries. Costco's no questions asked return policy is just that: you return it, they don't ask why. As for Costco not installing batteries, just buy it and take it to a mechanic you trust next time you service your car if you don't want to or don't know how to install it.
Yes, you're right that the Costco warranty is definitely the easiest to deal with!
problem with taking it to your mechanic, is he's gonna charge you
Costco did test the battery
@@checkyoursix5623 oh that's interesting! I didn't know the home improvement stores have them.
What I've seen is car companies keep rearranging the connection configuration. E.g. My 1969 Plymouth has top posts. My 1981 Cadillac and 1998 Yukon have side posts. My 2017 Sierra has top posts but in opposite polarity of my 1969 Plymouth. When the Sierra batt died the one that fits was $172 because of the reverse polarity so I bought a $79 battery and cut the plastic connector to make it fit. The factory jump post is still there but the actual battery positive post is now exposed. My only worry is of someone else goes to jump start it they may connect their booster cables backward. I need to paint the terminal Red and write a giant + on it.
Never go to Advance Auto. Older stock, pushing AGM batteries for any car/truck,any year. Any level battery is expensive. They install it and you have to buy the anti-corrosion felt washers or no warranty, pushing extended battery warranties. Never again. Walmart batteries are great at any level.
Had the same idea when I bought a new battery for my daughters car. Autozone was around $160 and Walmart was around $75. Bought battery online for her and she swung by to get it installed.
It’s funny. These batteries from Autozone, Napa, Walmart, Costco. All made by 2 supplies.
I choose Costco due to their warranty and return policy! They don’t test car batteries or give you issues when you need a new one.
Agreed that Costco has the easiest return policy! Isn't it crazy how different the prices are for such similar batteries?
@@SmartFamilyMoney or the same battery 🤣
The napa battery is junk I had 2 short lived
It's interesting that you would use the Ford Escape as your example because in order to replace the battery in that vehicle, the front cowling must be removed. Many shops who sell the battery for $160 will install for free. Otherwise, expect to pay for a 1 hour labor charge plus the price of the battery. There are many videos showing how to DIY in order to save the 1 hour labor charge. 😊
You're right that the Escape is a bit of a pain to replace. I used it as an example because I have one. 😄
@SmartFamilyMoney Me too. That's why I know about the cowling. Great minds think alike, perhaps? 🤭
Most Junk Yards / U Pull It. They sell Refurbished Batteries for around 50 Bucks 1 year warranty. That's the only place to go unless you like to be took to the cleaners, AZ ,O'reilly Advanced.
Get an electronic battery tester, use it in spring and fall to check the condition of battery. You will have an educated idea on how long it will last, and when to replace before it dies.
Good advice!
You get what you pay for. Own a repair shop for 40 years the best battery for long haul thus cheaper for long haul were ac deacons ,motercraft, interstate and one time die hards. The discount retail battery’s average life was around two year while the top shelf was over 7 years. So what’s cheaper ?
Great video. Thanks. It's not exactly shocking that the car battery industry is a bit of a scam just like many other industries.
It really is crazy. Glad you enjoyed the video.
I'd recommend checking your local dealer prices as well. I got a 5/7 yr warranty battery for my Camry from the dealer and it was $20 cheaper than Auto Zone. I did the installation myself. Not rocket science. And check the Date of Manufacture sticker for the freshest.
If you really, really want a good deal, go to a salvage yard. They pull good batteries out of wrecked cars, test them, and give you a full 30 day return. You know it has been used, but just learning to read the date code on top, will give you a clue on how long it will last. For $5, most will install it. For $30, I have gotten replacements for 35 years, and never got a bad one. Almost every other battery purchased at Sears and Montgomery Ward, needed replaced within 6 months.
Cars that drive short distances wear out fastest. Basically you don't allow the alternator enough time to charge up the battery, thereby wearing it down on short running.
Yep! I've killed many batteries when I was only driving my kids to school and running to the grocery store.
I've been using the ~$50 Value batteries from Wal*Mart. They offer a shorter warranty, only a year, but I've consistently seen similar life out of them compared to the $100 top of the line battery.
If I get 3 years from the $50 battery and 4 from the $100, I'm money ahead.
I think I got over 4 years from the last one I purchased. I pro-actively replaced it before this winter as it was testing just on the edge of good/marginal.
Of course, both of our cars are Asian brands. I drive an 11 year old Mazda and my wife a 6 year old Toyota. No AGM or battery encoding needed.
I install AGM batteries in both my wife and daughter Toyotas. I buy them from Costco. I have never gotten a call that the car won’t start.
I was informed that Tesla engineered the AGM. I think they know something about batteries and electric.
@@prosay the AGM battery existed long before Tesla was making cars.
It wasn't Nikola Tesla either as the AGM battery was invented in the 1980s for aviation use.
A good place to get quality batteries is farm implement stores.
My local one has batteries with a seven year warranty. The first three years are 100% and prorated after that.
I have had two of the seven year batteries last 8 years. One is in my garden tractor at 9 years.
Before they had the seven year battery, their five year batteries lasted 6-7.
I’ve owned about 45 cars and have bought a number of wal mart batteries over the years and have had more trouble with wal mart batteries than all the other brands I have bought combined.
not me, my go to is walmart, best warranty for the money, and you save over the other stores
I figured this all out last nite before I saw this video. I need a 24 F. 120.00 at Walmart but they r out of my way. 130.00 at Sams where I was going to go for meat anyway. And 209.00 at advance which I would pass on my way to Sams. So Sams is my choice of course.
That's a lot of money you saved! Good job!
Like to add one thing. My sons new Honda POS battery only later two years and both of new Honda SUV batteries only lasted two years. You would think after spending $25 to 30 grand on a new vehicle that you could get three years out of the battery. Each of the three were cared for by cleaning with Baking soda and given two coats of battery protection. First 25 degree day they failed.
The auto-parts stores don't "install it for tree"....they GOUGE you to the tune of 40%.
But if you take your old junk battery to Advance Auto Trinkets....they'll give you a battery-core "store credit"
You can use it to buy some air fresheners or steering wheel covers (they don't stock the parts you need)
Doing some 'preventive maintenance ' can make average lead acid batteries last 30-50% further.
Unless you own a Cadillac or some other such mechanic special car that make it ridiculous to access your battery, change it yourself, it's incredibly easy and will build your skills. Whatever car you have, there's multiple videos for how to do it step by step right here on YT.
Thanks for providing this valuable and accurate information.
Thanks for the kind comment!
Thanks. Keep up your good work.!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Aw, thank you! 😍 Thanks so much for watching!
@@SmartFamilyMoney you're welcome!
AGM batteries are Lead/Acid batteries.
The difference between an AGM battery & a Flooded battery... is that the sulfuric acid solution is absorbed in a fiberglass matrix as opposed to being suspended in a flooded cell.
This allows AGM batteries to withstand Deep Cycle charging, temperature extremes, & recover more of its total charge capacity after discharge... because AGM batteries do not suffer from settling.
Settling is a phenomenon in Flooded batteries where the electrolyte in solution tends to settle at the base of the lead plates, where they form sulfides that are very difficult to remove during recharge.
AGM batteries do not suffer settling because the acidic solution remains more evenly dispersed, as it is absorbed into that fiberglass matrix, & greatly reduces the amount of permanent sulfication that will occur.
2nd... you are wrong that there is no difference between the $100 Walmart battery & the $170 auto part store equivolent.
The primary means of saving money to sell batteries cheaper... is to reduce the amount of lead used in manufacturing, as lead is the most expensive element of the battery.
This brings us back to sulfication of the the lead plates in batteries.
Every car battery suffers sulfication of the lead plates during discharge. AGM batteries just suffer it less, so they inherently last longer.
Sulfication also corrodes those lead plates slowing turning them into swiss cheese. The thicker the lead plates, the longer the battery will last & the more durable it will be.
The auto part store equivolent of the same type of battery & same group size, as the Walmart version... is about 20% heavier.
This is because the lead plates are thicker, than in the Walmart versions.
Because Walmart batteries use thinner lead plates to save that money to sell a cheaper battery... cell degradation happens faster, creating resistance in the circuit, which results in higher internal temperatures during recharge. This makes Walmart batteries more prone to Boil Over, which often times causes ruptures in the battery casing, usually around the terminals, & the result is corroded battery cables, from the acid out gasing.
Excellent video. Comprehensive and to the point. Thanks!
I don't enjoy even being in a Walmart. Having said that, for the price, a good strategy would be just buy a new battery at Walmart every 3 years whether you need it or not. Free replacement in the unlikely event something happens along the way. You are doing it on your terms and convenience and it will be highly unlikely you'll ever be stranded.
If your battery is smaller and you can buy from Costco, do that as they have higher quality products. Do not buy smaller batteries at Walmart, they die too quickly. I went through 3 of their batteries in only 2 years on my Honda Odyssey minivan and they did refuse to honor the warrenty. Bought the next one at Costco and no problems.
All auto parts and fluids are usually less expensive at Walmart. This includes oil, tires, wipers, etc
Great point!
I recently bought a never start battery from Walmart and I failed within 90 days. I live over a hundred miles from the nearest Walmart so its not like I walk across the road and return it. Plus these is the cost of installing the battery which is not covered by Walmart. I replaced my Never Start from Walmart with an Interstate battery. The interstate battery has been installed for six months during cold winter temperatures and has not let me down.
I drive for my now almost retired business. I don’t think any battery is really maintenance free. As water warms, it evaporates. Those battery caps are vented due to gas produced during charging. Water-same same. First, I hate those with no removable caps. They still have the filler holes and plastic plugs. Grrrr! Second, may not be necessary but any battery in my charger will have, if possible the caps loose and a fairly heavy towel on it (thanks dad.) safety GOGGLES, gloves and being CAREFUL! Remember - neg post first, then pos. Clean terminals with baking soda paste, rinse off and thin coat of dielectric grease or at least Vaseline or a light grease, anything to keep corrosion in check. I ALWAYS mark the area by the pos with some type of permanent red - Red liquid elect tape goo has a nice brush. Spray can of white lithium grease works okay for the connector and post. Can’t remember last time I reattached the hold downs. Drive moderately and if I were to roll over, battery is least of my troubles.
Pay a little more time for tech. upgrade, if you need a new battery get a capacitor battery.
Compared with the start when the super capacitor is connected in parallel with the battery, the instantaneous voltage drop at start is increased from 3.2V to 7.2V when only the battery is used; the starting current is increased from 560A to 1200A; the instantaneous power output power is increased from 2kW to 8.7kW; the steady voltage during the starting process is increased from 7V to 9.4V; the steady current during the starting process is increased from 280A to 440A; the steady output power of the power supply during the starting process is increased from 2.44kW to 4.12kW.
I had my battery changed at Auto Zone. Prior to disconnecting my bad battery, they hooked up an auxiliary battery device and removed my old battery then installed the new one. They told me they did this to preserve various electronic settings in my truck, probably like clock and radio, but possibly other settings on a fairly new truck. Anyone know about this?
Yes it is called a back up memory battery. Small but able to provide 12 V to save settings clock radio CPU seats etc..
@@danc2014 So if you change a battery without the back up there isn't any chance of losing any programing on the operational actions of the onboard computer.
@@donaldwalstead1709 The Engine Control Module (ECM) has adaptive values it learns as the car is operated. If you just pull the battery, those values MAY be lost. Not really a big deal as the ECM will re-learn them. The ECM needs to learn because while mass produced, there is always variation from the factory, not to mention things change as you drive your vehicle. Things wear, get dirty, leak, etc. An over-simplification, but hopefully, you get the idea.
Things like fuel trim values, shifting strategies for the automatic transmission.
If you just disconnect the battery, the car may not idle as smoothly at prior to the replacement. The emissions monitors will need to run again, so don't go for an emissions test immediately after replacing the battery as the car will not be "ready" for testing. (It has to complete the monitors to be deemed in compliance. Testing things like catalytic converter efficiency and evaporative emissions usually takes a few trips to complete those monitors.)
Other things like radio pre-sets, window auto-close functions may be disrupted if the battery is replaced.
Most are just annoyances, as they can be re-learned.
But if you have the means to keep power with one of those battery devices, it avoids losing any learned data.
I just use a jump pack I have to keep power on my cars while I swap the battery.
I have used many Batteries over the years even before Walmart was around. I have had my battery to break down Because I was not paying attention, your car battery has only about 5 years of life in it. I have walk pass every parts house to get to AutoZone batteries. Because they have not yet let me down. But to be fair I have been told that Walmart batteries do good as well, but you do get what you pay for... Just giving you a shade tree knuckle busting mechanic experience here... And yes, checking to date on the battery does make a difference. In the old days they did not activate the battery with Acid until you bought it. Not anymore...
There are actually 3 types of Batteries; Lead acid, AGM and Lithium. Also AGM batteries tend to last longer than lead acid.
I found out the dealership isnt so great on batteries either, battery in my car was 3 years and 2 months old , and was warrantied for 42 month , turns out battery was found to be weak , dealership put new one in , but never gave me a new warranty, what a rip off
I buy my AGM battery from Costco and install it myself (
Costco does not install). During my youth, I work at a gas station.
I own a Lexus, Benz and RAV4 (v6).
Great information. New cars now a days are harder on batteries than the older one. Some much electronics running in the background and although most of that goes to sleep when not in use, a small amount of energy is being used. Especially for people who don't drive every day, issues can happen. I buy my the best deal with the best warranty. Check around! Thanks for this video. You are going to be saving some people a good chuck of money!
The Auto Club (Triple A) now can sell you and install a battery when you call for a jump start. They test your battery first. It is a little expensive, $155.00 for my Corolla. But the battery failed in a hospital parking lot on a Saturday night when it was 4 years and 8 months old (on a 5 year warranty) and a AAA battery service truck came out and replaced it under warranty, no charge. You need to consider the convenience and service factor. (This was just last month, March 2023). I don't know if their current battery sales have the same 5 year warranty. And of course you need to be a AAA member.
That seems like a pretty reasonable price for such a convenient service!
Advance Auto and Autozone are more expensive. Autozone trys to sell a extended warranty. No warranty if they install it without buying the battery posts anti-corrosion pads. Nope! Scam!
East Penn/Deka batteries have lasted the longest for my cars and boats. No other manufacturer has come close. 'Get what you pay for..' Quality, or a lot less quality... The cheaper batteries are manufactured that way, cutting corners to save cost. They fail quicker... I don't comment much but, when there's misinformation, commenting is the right thing to do.
@Joe F. Sometimes you do not "get what you paid for." Sometimes you get ripped off. Sometimes the same exact battery is $60 more at a different store. Thank you for not commenting often.
@@LABoyko Well you trolled me to answer you truthfully (as always). You may think you are an expert but, you are wrong. Research pays off... Think before replying.
AAA is reasonable and they come to your location.
I've had good luck with refurbished at the interstate battery retail store. $40 + $10 deposit or $10 install and no deposit.
Oh interesting! I haven't seen any of those stores around here.
I just started watching the video so I don’t know if she gets to this later on. But there are separate battery stores. Interstate Batteries has their own chain of stores. Last time I needed a battery I went in and asked if they had a used or reconditioned battery. I got what would ordinarily be a $200 battery for $45. My thought was, all cars run on used parts……
One thing you didn't mention is the intended use of the battery which can affect its life and price.
I needed a new battery for my Ford Explorer. Checked to see the size battery case it used and looked for a replacement. I needed one quick, so I bought one from NAPA.
They had two batteries available, one more expensive than the other. The costlier one had a significant higher cranking power which explained the price.
But the expensive battery only had a one-year warranty whereas the cheaper one was like 3 years.
That is because the expensive battery with higher cranking power had more plates inside (closer together) and the plates were longer and were closer to the bottom of the case.
A battery like this can more easily have a cell go bad or short out since the natural sulfation that occurs inside can short some plates together and cause a weak battery.
The cheaper battery doesn't have to larger plates, so it is less likely to fail and therefore has a lomger warranty.
The expensive battery is fine if you have very cold winter conditions, and you need the extra cranking power to start your car under very cold conditions. But if your winters are not so severe, you can easily get by with the lower cranking cheaper battery with the longer warranty.
Charlie Berens approves this channel! Oh ya fer shure.
LOL proud Midwesterner here!
If Walmart's Ever Start batteries are made by the same Co that makes AutoZone's "Duralast" Batteries, why are Auto Zone's batts so way much better ? Personal experience....
But is it true that a Walmart 5 year warranty battery only gets fully replaced for free within the first 3 years, then after that it's pro rated? They also dont have very good reviews on their site.
Walmart is my favorite battery, I have heard Costco is good. Walmart has decent prices and are long lasting, I install my own, so the job is done correctly.
Returning a core might require that you contact the manager of the auto department to get your core charge returned.
Buy from Costco or Sam’s. No hassle returns if it goes bad.
Their memberships are so high now, and their prices for many items not even great deals, so I no longer shop there.
@@nabuk3you are correct. The battery prices have gone up.