@@HerbOMatic yeah they always give me a hard time , just today at 3years my 5 year. " warranty went out " . last time did the same thing 3 years , the guy at the auto center supposedly tested and the prorate wasnt even worth it
I only buy from Wal-Mart. Been doing so for over 20 years. I have never had a problem returning a battery under warranty, even without the receipt, as long as the date sticker is still on the battery.
Can't remember the last time batteries were $55. I used to remember when Advance Auto parts used to have significant coupons where you could get $25 off of $100. But now it seems to me that batteries have doubled in price and are at minimum $200 now. None of these places have decent coupons anymore, they are always filled with exclusions for the higher priced stuff (the stuff where a coupon would make the biggest difference.) Don't believe me, see Harbor Freight coupons of 2022 lol.
Good point. The low CCA batteries like for my Neon were formerly $50, now about $75. That car would gobble the Wally World battery in 3 to 3.5 years. The high end battery would last 3.5 to 4.5 years. Basically about $20 vs $40 per year.
You are correct. Other auto stores have baterries with longer warrants, but you are paying 2-3 times more. You are just pre-paying for the next batery that you may or not receice with the longer warranty.
The reason I go with the Auto Parts batteries is the convenience. There have been a few times when we needed to replace a Wal Mart battery but the auto dept closes at 5:30 pm so we had to wait until the next day. At the orange auto parts store we were in and out in 10 min with a new battery.
I found out that most car batteries are made by like only three different companies (aside from specialty batteries like lithium or gel), so what might cost you $200 at the parts store will only cost you $100 at Walmart, they're almost all the same thing (I'm being very generous with those prices, though, your mileage will vary).
Here we go again. While many batteries are made in the same facility but labeled different, they are not always the same battery. There are completely different internal parts that can and are used to manufacturer the different types of batteries. Typically, the higher priced batteries are going to have thinner plates, which allows them to install more lead plates. More materials means a better charge/life cycle as well as a longer life or interval between reconditioning cycles. So, if my car/truck battery ever actually needs to be replaced due to major damage, then I'm going ot buy a better quality battery, but then I'll maintain and recondition the battery and it will also last several decades like a majority of my batteries have.
@@jmackinjersey1Do you have any specific info about internal differences between different tiers of Walmart batteries? How do you know which battery is better quality at the time of purchase? Thanks
@@jmackinjersey1 "going to have thinner plates, which allows them to install more lead plates" - doen't this mean that thinner plates will be destroyed sooner than thicker plates?
If you want thicker plates, you run marine deep cycle. The reason we dont use MDC batteries for cranking is because the smaller surface area is better for long discharge, not cranking. If he wants to be pedantic, yes, marine and cranking are built different. But those aren't brands. Those are literally 2 different battery types.
I bought a car in 2010, and still have it. The service history showed the battery was replaced in 2009. The battery was a reconditioned Econo Start brand. It lasted 14 years, and just started to show a weak cranking amperage on a load test. I never had any battery last 14 years, and it was not a new battery when it was installed. It was reconditioned.
My brothers Maxx Ever Start is over 5 years. When he bought it it was a heat of the moment thing, and even joked saying I’ll be lucky if I get 2 years out of it lol. Once in a while things work in your favor and you’re shocked. Project farm did an extensive test on batteries and the Walmart brand came out on top like 2nd or 1st place if I recall.
Most batteries are pretty much made by one of 3 guys. Clarios (Johnson Controls), Exide, or East Penn Mfg. So yeah, it's just the branding. I just buy whatever's cheapest and has the CCA I want.
The biggest battery scam these days is if you don't have a receipt, you're screwed. Buy a used car and someone just replaced the battery? If it dies 6 months later and you take it back to Walmart, Sears or Interstate, they say no receipt no warranty. Even though the date sticker shows its 6 months old or the date is molded on the case.
I'm starting to move away from warranties in different areas of my life. All the money I save from skipping the warranties will cover the one or two things that do go wrong.
This happened to me recently, if you ask the store manager they might work with you, the local O'Reilly's gave me a new one at cost for a replacement on a 2021 battery that needed to be warrantied with no receipt from a used car I had just bought.
Warranty is on the original owner of the cars account, you keep his phone number they can look it up. Big surprise but no warranty anywhere transfers to a new owner
I bought the diehard top of the line for my diesel truck, I had to buy 2 because it has 2. I spent about $500 on those suckers. So far they've lasted 10 years. No signs of slowing. Sometimes the good battery is worth it. Diesels are hard to start compared to gas engines and I do live where it gets cold. I agree with your solution, but it's not the right one for everyone.
Same here, I have two Sears Die Hard Gold Batteries (Flooded Acid Type) 850 CCA (Group Size 65) in different vehicles, bought them 12 years ago, ($105 each) and are still going strong. I have lost some of the 850 CCA, they last tested at 655 CCA and internal resistance has gone up to 5.71mΩ about a year ago, but they still start my 8 & 6 cylinder engines when it was 5º f. just a few days ago with plenty of enthusiasm and no sign whatsoever of any weakness or slow cranking. Only tip for longevity I can give you is Lead Acid batteries need to be stored at 100% for longevity, mine are on routinely on maintenance chargers when not in use for extended periods of time.
car batteries last a long time if car is used regularly, and the batteries stay charged mine don't stay charged now with not driving them much usually wind-up charging battery every 2 weeks or so to keep them full also seems to make a big difference if the battery is freshly made.
I bought the Ever strat battery from Walmart in the early 2000s, and it has outlasted 3 vehicles. I'm still using it in my father's car today.he left his lights on yesterday, and it had 5.8v .slow charged it overnight with my victron charger.tested, and it 💯 %passed 😊
BIG warning, if you live in a climate that experiences big swings of intense heat and cold, they will kill your battery faster. I buy the 3 year batteries and get a free battery on the 2nd or 3rd year. Does it save me a lot, not really but I know I will get 4 to 6 years worth of battery from my original purchase date.
Just got Neverstart gold replaced for free 2 years and 9 months. Most autoparts stores will ratchet down the replacement and make you pay $ for the difference. $98.76 3 years ago is now $139. Would have had to dish out $69.74 if I bough the $55 cheap battery. That’s how to hedge inflation. BJ’s clubs used to sell interstate with 7 year warranty for $39.99 with coupon. Ah the good old days! The cold weather kills battery’s here in New England.
I put the Everstart Value on my dad's Camry and it's still working okay at year 4. Occasionally, he would left the lights on, so I had to put a charger on it. Still, we replaced it today for peace of mind. After doing some comparisons, I decided to buy the Everstart Value once again. I picked it for the same reasons this guy did. On group size 24F batteries, the Everstart Value has 585 CCA and came with 1 year warranty while the Everstart Plus has 600 CCA and came with 2 years warranty. So, basically, you pay 50% more for one more year of warranty. Lead Acid battery technology is old. For a given size battery, you can only pack so much in there. You either pack this, or you pack that. The differences are small, so just buy the cheapest battery and replace them ahead of time. The most important is how you use your battery that will decide how long they last.
This is the realest. I know about batteries. This situation is all about losing time and money in a semi emergency situation. On point with the commentary. Really enjoyed it.
I only partially agree with the video. If price is an issue there is nothing wrong with getting the cheapest battery to keep you on the road. The issue I have noticed is that not all stores carry the battery that you need, not even an alternative sometimes, and if they do they might not have all three price options so you end up buying the max even if you only wanted to buy the cheap one because you have to and that is all they have but it's still cheaper than actual auto parts stores most of the time. I've been working on multiple vehicles over the many years and that has been my experience.
Higher cold cranking amp batteries have thicker lead plates. They usually last longer and of course cost more. In many vehicles these days you will find it difficult to install a battery. In my wife’s Ford the battery is up toward the firewall. It required removing cowling and wiper blade arms to remove additional plastic coverings. Total pain in the arse. Could not even connect to the negative battery terminal to jump start. It has a separate bolt stud mounted to the frame and connected with a dedicated cable to that stud. If you do not want to deal with all this or pay someone else to do it, it then makes more sense to just put in the longest lasting battery in your group size.
Higher cranking amps (CCA) means there are more plates in each cell which equates to more surface area and lower internal resistance. It's easier to make the plates thinner and throw in a few extra thinner plates to get the CCA rather than use thicker plates which makes the battery bigger and heavier and requires more materials. You can almost tell a good battery by how heavy it is; the heavier the better. Thick plates last longer too.
The batteries for my vehicles cost around one hundred bucks at Costco. I hate getting stranded with a dead battery, so I replace them every three years or so. I consider it cheap insurance. I haven't had one fail early yet.
The problem with Costco is convenience. I waited in line 40 minutes to warranty a battery. I was pissed. Also, if you road trip a lot and have a battery issue you're 10x more likely to find a Walmart or Autozone if you need a warranty swap
@@DJR5280 That wasn't my experience. It took about ten minutes and was pain free. It helps that I am retired and mostly drive around town. They were even nice enough to start the warranty over for the replacement battery, so I got three more years of free replacement coverage.
If you have a LKQ junkyard they have a program for $50 for lifetime replacement battery. Bit of a gamble finding the exact one you need but most batteries are pretty close... if it ever goes bad go swap for another.
I have worked in the battery industry for 7 years. Actually it will be 7 year tomorrow. Wow. Anyways there are differences in the tiers. I'm not sure about walmart but at other places yes. The build quality and amount of lead is different. In oklahoma I bought a 3 year warranty battery from my store and it lasted till this past fall/winter and I only swapped it because it was old. It was still outputting above its rated cca but winter was coming. I know from experience 2 year warranty batteries do die faster than our 3 year ones. But that doesn't always ring true. There are a lot of factors in this. Environment, how often its driven, alternator output, etc... But one thing I will say batteries made in 2020 and 2021 are lesser quality due to shortages. Hopefully quality returns but it probably wont. The other thing to look at is the type of warranty. Some places are full replacement like how my store is others are a pro rate. That is why you see batteries with 86 month warranties. Those are almost always pro rated which sucks. But look into fine print on warranties. Most of them don't cover if the owner lets the battery completely die. Car batteries don't just suddenly drop to 4 volts and not recover. They call that owner misuse and wont cover it. Then you can get into AGM/Gel batteries which are way higher quality but on older cars generally not worth it unless you have a specific need. But with all that said walmart batteries are fine. Especially if you plan on getting rid of the car in a year. But if its a daily driver and you have different seasons of weather I'd look into better batteries. Also never buy batteries on amazon/ebay. There are some situations where thats fine but if you have to order any battery online read reviews on it first. Check the specs. Weight is generally a sign on quality. The more weight the better the battery, sort of.
another click bait video trying to claim something without facts or knowledge, no the batteries aren't the same. sure you might get a cheap battery that last a well. the higher price batteries are built to higher specs,
I experienced the same as you with multiple batteries here in vegas. None of them lasted much more then a year. First with a $380 battery, then a $150 battery, and then I got fed up and got the $50 battery in 2018 (group 65, same one you got) and that one is still going strong to this day.
Consider yourself lucky if you can get your battery more than 3 years in Vegas heat. My only lasted about 2 - 2.5 years at the most before I have to replace it with top of the line battery.
Thank you for your great information on batteries. I need a new one and I plan to do exactly what you said.Thanks for saving me a lot of money. We need more people like you to help save old people like me from spending too much on unnecessary things.
Here’s a PRO tip. Every month or so put your battery on an overnight charge. You’ll be shocked how much longer it will last. Remember: Alternators ARE NOT chargers, they are maintainers.
Actually alternators are very good chargers. You have a bad alternator, slipping belt, or bad battery connection. You never need to put a charger on a battery unless there are issues.
@@user-tb7rn1il3q If you want to wear out the brushes and burn a diode. They are maintainers. Ask any alternator company. People who build and dyno these. They are designed to maintain a charger period.
@@nordicpride9708 Modern alternators are absolutely designed to quick charge the battery without hurting anything. Most cars today have start stop systems and high electrical demands.
@UCTvDVIaTqea3t2KxdIH589Q That engineer needs to be fired. Alternators are designed to charge low or dead batteries. They are designed for the worst case scenario. Someone leaves their lights on, drains the battery, and then gets a jump. They drive 20 minutes and the battery fully recharges.
@@user-tb7rn1il3q Now you know more than countless engineers…. You can’t accept a established fact. Using an alternator in this fashion WILL damage it. That’s understood by industry experts. Keep saying the sky is purple, doesn’t make it so. I will trust the experts and not some UA-cam moron
You are exactly right about the warranty maneuvers at Walmart that they did to me in South Carolina. Spent half a day getting a battery while under warranty. Will get the cheaper one the next time.
This guy lives in desert climate so there's no way he's going to get 10 yrs out of a battery living in Pheonix. If you drive a lot, you can probably get 4 yrs but the average battery life in desert climate is 28-32 months. The consistent triple digit heat accelerates battery corrosion internally so they eat themselves away 2-3 times faster than if you lived outside of the desert.
There's a lot to say about this video. I understand where he's coming from, but there's a lot of factors to consider. First you need to consider the age of vehicle and climate conditions. *CA for Cranking amps and CCA for Cold Cranking Amps. The starter will start to need more CA the older it gets. This will be from a combination of the internal brushes wearing out, the gear shaft bearing may become dry or worn, corrosion or oil build up on internal brushes. All creating more electrical/physical resistance which will require more cranking amps. Oxidation to connection points can also increase resistance. As he said, bumping up CA once isn't a bad idea. Especially if you live in the rust belt. Same goes for CCA for northern areas that have many months of freezing. But let's take a second look at why you may want to bump your battery up. You will need to consider the physical size of battery for this. Car batteries achieve 12v (more like 12.6v) by using lead plates inside 6 cells. Just think of a cell as a fully sealed off room inside the battery. Each room is designed to create 2.1v. So 6 rooms times 2.1v gives you 12.6v. By now you may wonder what makes one battery have more CA than another. The more lead plates you cram into each cell will increase cranking amps. Basically, more lead plate surface area to generate more amps. Now if you have a small battery, than they may have to make the lead plates thinner so it fits into the small cell (room). But if you have a large battery like the guy in this video (Group size 65) than the extra lead plates may not have to be made thinner. They may just use up some of the empty space. Which for the larger battery would be a good thing. It can help reduce a battery from going bad from vibration. But if they have to make thinner plates because it's a small battery.. well than you can expect a shorter life span. Last thing to think about. Yes, there are only 3 main manufacturers of all car batteries. But that still doesn't mean apples to apples comparison. It's kind of like garage door openers. Same thing as in there's only a few manufacturers. It's a common practice. A company wants to get in on the market. They call these places up and make a custom design. "I want my own brand of garage door opener! Take this model and change these gears to plastic. How much does that lower my cost... Great, ship me 20,000 with my logo on it!" Same thing with batteries. Options for different plate sizes and thickness etc. So, without someone investigating and tearing open a bunch of brands and sizes of each brand to do a physical comparison.. It's not easy to say "Grab a die hard! Grab a Walmart! Grab a Duralast!".. Just consider your environment for CCA, age of vehicle (more specifically starter) for CA and take a wild guess if the CA or CCA is increased by them using thinner plates. Best we can do is by reading reviews of how long batteries have lasted others. AND on that note. Here's something to think about in your experience or from other reviewers. Some people give a battery 1 star and complain "It died in 9 months! I only drive it once a week!". They don't understand that driving once a week is bad for battery. It causes sulfation buildup inside the battery. You may start to notice that people who drive daily will show that their batteries last longer. The trickle charge from alternator will help prevent sulfur from building on cell walls. I'm not telling people to run their car each day. But if you have a pattern where your car sits for like 3+ days at a time or even months.. than look into smart trickle chargers. Maybe even one with a desulfator mode. Don't waste gas. These things will keep your battery healthy and has a chance of even recovering a "bad battery" that went bad because it sat around to often or to long. Oh.. For this guys example of bad warranty experience. Walmart will charge the battery for you to test it for warranty? That's actually great. It sounds like he may not understand that things have to be tested for warranty. And battery that won't crank your car does not mean the battery is bad.. at all. Your alternator may be going bad and not be charging enough. You may have added high power stereo and other equipment which your alternator can't keep up with. You may have a parasitic draw on your electrical system. Your starter may be to old and drawing to much. Corrosion on wires at starter, at battery, at alternator.. etc. You get the point. But a battery has to be charged to test it. If it doesn't charge than cell(s) are bad or sulfated, or acid/distilled water levels are low. If it does charge than they can verify the volts and cranking amps. If these check out than you need your car tested for other problems like the examples I gave. You will save time if you can charge your battery yourself before giving it to them. Back in 70's-90s we used to tell people to run their car for 30 minutes or longer after they would get a jump start from someone. This would usually give the alternator enough time for a semi decent charge on battery so they could start it again later. If you just drove around for like 20 minutes.. odds were you would get stuck again. I think I just used up my posting allotment for the year!
Just found your channel man, I absolutely love it. On your battery issue- I grew up in 29 palms CA before the advent of "sealed" lead acide battery. When we bought new batteries they were "dry charged", we took the supplied bottle of sulphuric acid and filled the battery at home. Then since it was hot and dry in the desert there we topped the battery up with deionized water once or twice a year. Perhaps the answer to replacing batteries so often would be to pry the caps off and top up with distilled water every so often. Another tip I heard many years ago was to buy the heaviest battery you could fit in the battery tray and forget about the warranty like you said. Can't go wrong with an over sized battery and heavier means more lead inside. Anyway, love the channel!
Where I lived in the USA the Wal Mart has no Auto Center, so nobody charges anything, bring in battery, say it sucks, they tell you to go get a new one. The trick I have then used if I need another is to use the date sticker that is on all the batteries for the warranty again later if I need it, but that can be up to the whim of whatever customer rep you get that day, if they say no, come back another time.
@@spamanator666 I taught you meant like you take a sticker from another battery at the store and use that new date as to be within warranty on your old battery.
I always buy the 3 year and always get to use the warranty. I have a sound system and lots of other electronics that burn through batteries. I have never had a problem with getting a replacement.
The battery in my truck is going on 11 years old, and still strong. It's an Exide Classic. I know all batteries are the same, but vehicles can matter a ton too. It's in an 05 Ranger, 3.0 Vulcan, in the central midwest. The truck is an 05, this is the 2nd battery installed in it, put in April 2012. It's the only battery that has never needed jumped or had an issue, sitting outside all winter. Only vehicle that started in negative degree weather for the past decade with the same battery. Bought the truck out of Florida with the battery being 5 years old. Drove it up to the central midwest, and here it is at 11 years old and going strong. May be the sweet spot of charging systems in the truck rather than the battery. I'm not concerned of jinxing it by bragging, i've done it for so many years. A 2012 Exide Classic going strong in Illinois summers and cold winters. That thing's gonna have a funeral service when it goes
I bought a used Ford Freestar in 2010. The service history showed the battery was replaced in 2009 with a reconditioned Econo Start brand battery. The battery lasted for 14 years, and was just replaced because it just started to show there were only 302 cranking amps left, and it tested weak. The Freestar has also been on many trips to and from Minnesota, to California. Never had a battery last that long, and it wasn't new when installed. It was reconditioned. Reconditioned batteries are also cheap to buy.
Walmart has now removed the strap on all Everstart batteries. Makes it nearly impossible to install it as most batteries sit low in a holder. now you cannot lower it in or remove it. Horrible choice to save 15 cents!!!
I noticed that last one I bought and agree, very annoying and ridiculous. I ended up making some strap handles for it out of some yellow nylon cord (jumping rope), only took me a few minutes to make and works just fine.
The 3 batteries at the start of the video are identical except for the stickers and warranty , the cheapest ALSO has the higher CCA capacity , they just downrate the cheaper ones to get you to buy the more expensive ones. Trust me I used to work in auto parts.
What briantracy says is true. I was at Walmart today to buy a 51r size car battery. The value battery says 420cca, the plus said like 480cca and the Maxx label said 575cca. They all looked identical and I believed they were. I decided to buy the $60 value battery. I brought it home and hooked it to my battery analyzer....guess what it showed 595cca. I knew they were all the same...just different label and warranty!
*I bought an $80 Walmart battery in Ontario (Canada) in 2018, moved to colder central BC, still have it. Also, I think that a lot of battery warranties are PRO-RATED for number of years left on warranty (5 years into 6-year warranty? You pay 5/6th of the price).* *On REALLY cold overnights (-30, -40 or worse), I bring the battery inside. Never an issue with CCAs as the battery is not cold. Also plug car in for an hour.*
@@raccoon874 Probably, I haven't bought a battery for anyone in awhile. September 2020 I believe was the last time I installed a battery for a relative.
I bought a new Toyota Tercel in 1995 and kept it for 12 years. Never changed the battery. And I live in a part of Canada where the temperature often drops to -30 °C in the winter.
If you have an aftermarket sound system or offroad lights etc then a more expensive battery might be a good idea but for everyday drivers they're just not nessesary
I can vouch for the Walmart battery for $55. I used it in my 96 4runner for 4 years with no issue. I made the mistake of swapping the battery out for an autozone Valuecraft. 6 months after the install it died on me. Luckily still under warranty but could have left me stranded if I was out in the desert or mountains. If I could have gotten a Walmart one again I would have. Lesson learned.
Thanks for confirming what I was thinking. I can’t imagine a battery really only lasting a year. The guy at Walmart did tell me I should ‘at least get the middle of the road battery” for a 60% price increase for 2 year warranty vs 1. I’m going to gamble with that one year, boys.
Temperature isn't the only consideration for CCA. Generally, the higher the CCA, the longer the battery will crank in warmer weather too if needed and the reserve capacity is generally higher. The listings for a particular vehicle are usually the minimum spec. In order to make a battery a higher CCA the battery construction is usually heavier. Battery ratings aren't set in stone. A new 800 CCA brand A or longer warranty battery might test out around 900 CCA but the brand B cheaper or lower warranty battery might test just at 800 CCA. But you are right about the warranties being a scam. Basically with pro rating they are selling you a new battery at manufacturers cost. Another consideration is draining the battery. Running down a cranking battery to 50% and less will shorten it's life dramatically and I think the better batteries are a little more tolerant. I have also noticed in many cases the cheaper batteries are lighter indicating they have less or thinner plates inside. I use the words generally and usually a lot because in the battery world nothing is set in stone. Some of the ratings such as ampere hours use different base numbers to achieve the number they want. Then there is marine cranking amps to make a "marine" battery sound greater than what it is. CCA is at zero deg F and marine is rated at 32 deg F being that most people don't use their boats in freezing weather but this also means that it is a lesser battery.
Class 8 truck batteries are Group 31 and have CCA ratings of 750 to 925 . Same dimension in size but the plates in the battery are separated further apart, a 750 CCA battery will not sulfate as quickly and last longer . Constantly jumping a battery instead of repairing the charging system is extremely hard on it and will shorten the battery’s life cycle significantly . 6/4/23
I’ve never had a problem getting a warranty on a battery. Check the date before you buy. They don’t last here in Florida if you buy cheap. Can’t speak to Walmart, I don’t buy their battery. I’ve never seen a battery that’s 55 bucks. Mine usually last 6-7 years.
I just got one of these batteries for my wife's Van the lady at Walmart was really sweet friend of mine put it in started right up seems like the AC was colder and the power seats were indoors so far it's a good battery pray for for her then to keep running so smooth... 💯🤣
I'll see you and raise you one~~~ Years ago, when I retired, I didn't use my gas hog van very much, and when I needed it, I would have to charge the battery from lack of use. The shop said I needed a new battery, it was a 2 year year old Autozone Silver (2 year) battery. Facing the same thing continuing, I instead bought a 20w solar panel ($22), a solar controller ($10), I had wire, etc., and installed them on my van. Every day, my battery got a trickle charge and was always charged and ready to go even if It had sat for a month. One year, we camped where there was no sun, and the battery died. I took it (in my wife's car) to a dealer and bought their cheapest replacement. I had gotten 7 years out of my 2 year battery. My mechanic said it is the dis-charge cycles that wear down a battery, by keeping mine on a trickle charge I tripled the life of the battery. I am now in year 2 of a one-year battery. Bottom line, I tripled the life of my cheap battery for an investment of only $40!
I bought a $50 Walmart Value Power battery like yours in 2018 and it's still in my car today. So I have gotten nearly 4 years out of mine. My understanding is that these batteries are made by Johnson Controls, the same company that makes the higher priced batteries.
@@HerbOMatic I know what you mean... I used to live in Phoenix for over 15 years. I have been living in the Cottonwood and Prescott areas while I've had the battery.
@@HerbOMatic Yes, I liked it a lot better living in northern AZ. Especially in the summer. It does still get hot but it cools down at night. I actually just moved to San Diego where I grew up. It's beautiful here and nice and cool. 😎..but the price of gas is out of this world though at $6 a gallon!
In Vegas, I turned in 2 faulty batteries in the past 5 years and they replaced it right there and then… probably depends on who you deal with and which store you went to… but yes it makes sense to just buy the basic batteries if the cheapest one will do just fine…
I bought a pair of the 3yr 65N batteries for my 6.9 diesel in Dec 2018 and sold the vehicle in Nov 2023 with the still good batteries. 5 years on them basically and still had life. It needed the 850CCA that the cheaper 65 batteries lacked. I did buy the cheapest, smallest 1yr battery a year ago for my 12v converted 64 VW with a 6v starter still because it barely touches the battery to crank it and it has the best type of alternator so that battery should last a long time.
I looked at group 65 battery prices. There was the cheap battery for maybe $149. It weighed 44 lbs. Then every more expensive "heavy duty" or Excel version of that battery size was $10 more and only 1/2 lb heavier. So they are selling lead for $20 / lb. for each "up grade" to the battery. I settled on the Walmart AGM. It was $30 less expensive than the identical Champion battery.
@@ricebike I had an Optima Red Top fail after too many discharges (doing mods while leaving doors open on my Jeep drained the battery) and it would not recover. This was back in 2008. I expected better out of it but was told that the quality of Optima suffered even more throughout the last 17 years.
@@Guillotines_For_Globalists yeah, that term "they don't make them like they used to" seems true for everything, not just batteries. This is my first AGM battery because I had an online discount that put it with the same price as a standard flooded lead acid battery Pep boys looks like a sinking ship since they shut down their parts sales division and only focusing on service and tires now😕 so the 3 year replacement warranty may be void
@@ricebike I noticed that. One of the local Pep Boys has reduced the size of the inside of their store to about 1/4 and has a false wall diverting guests to their service department only.
With the exception of the JC Penny battery from circa 1977. They finally stopped selling them because they were advertised as "The last battery you'll ever buy. I went through 3 of them before the ended the program.
I don't know I've always bought duralast gold. I just replaced both batteries in my ppv tahoe after 3 years and they threw a tester on it it failed and they warrantied them I walked out with 2 new batteries free in about 10 minutes. I've never had any issues with warranty at autozone.
my everstart value group 78 completely died after 10 months a few days ago. couldn't make it past it's first winter. I need one that can make it through the cold. I tend to stick to a local company Remy battery here in Milwaukee. They cost about double the price but always last 5+ years and never have to worry one cold morning it will be completely dead with bad cells like the everstart.
Hmm my batteries keep dying right after 2 years, when the 2 year warranty is up. I buy them at Auto-zone. So this time I bought the 3 year warranty battery. It died in 6 months! I know the heat here in the Valley keeps them from lasting long but I am frustrated. I think I will take your advice and get the Wallyworld cheap one next.
Consumer Reports did a series of battery tests years ago. The Walmart Everstart were always at the top of their real world testing. I just replaced a pair of group 65 batteries in my 2004 Ram 3500 diesel. No doubt in my mind that these will keep starting my truck for a long time!
Here in Texas or temps can go from 0 to over 110 in the summer and that can wreck a bettery and I always use Everstart batteries because of the no haggle warrenty that they have. Their three year warrenty doesn`t even need a receipt, I just bring the battery that has it`s expiration date on it and they furnish a new one less one year or longer depending oin how long you had it.
Sears plays the same game. I threaten to roll my motorcycle up to the counter to prove battery would not crank after they told me their battery tester said my battery passed their test. They wound up honoring the warranty but it was a royal fight. I can't stand companies that play these games. They should be called out at every opportunity.
When i sold batteries, motorcycle batteries were always a PIA. They were received 'dry charged' and the acid was put in by the customer. Many times a battery would sit on the shelves for MONTHS and they only had a 1 year warranty. Quality on those was questionable. Harley's were hardest on them. Same went for oddball car batteries. Mercedes Diesel was a good one for sitting a LONG time before being sold. I seriously doubt they made it to the end of the warranty
I have to disagree. I've sold car batteries for a long time. You have to take your climate into consideration. In Arizona it's usually the same temperature, in the Midwest where I live it fluctuates. Hot and cold extremes have an effect on the battery. I always recommend the 3 yr warranty battery. They're built better. I don't work on commission either lol. I don't suggest AGM unless you need that specific application. I actually just bought a battery from Walmart and so far it's great. I totally understand why you're saying what you say but I have to disagree. I used to work in Auto parts on the commercial and retail side. This is my opinion.
I bought the Die hard silver at Advance for $180 and it's past its two year warranty and still going strong. I live in Iowa and get humid hot summers and negative 10 degrees winters. I'm trying to make through this winter with the same battery. I'm taking bets it will last this winter.
😮When its 20 or 30 below the additional CCA will often make the difference between starting or not. Also, if ever you crank your engine until the battery is drained, in cold weather, it's going to freeze. I've never learned why but a 'live' battery doesn't freeze, but a dead one does. When it freezes the liquid, it is just like water expands and will break the internal structure of the battery, rendering it useless.
I had a very serious breakdown in 2019 on vacation and had to leave car at toyota dealership out of state. One issue they said I needed a new battery and then charged $120 to install it. Grrrr! Well last week the battery died 5.5 years later. So i got out the old invoice and it says 7 year warranty ! I knew it had to be a scam. It was. i called two different dealerships. They were so nasty and disrespectful to me for even asking about getting the protated warranty replacement. All I know is I hate dealerships and that was by far the worst I have ever experienced. I knew I wasn’t getting a deal on a battery and just went to walmart. I would have done exactly what you suggested and get the 1 year battery but they only had the midgrade version since mine is a little less common. So had to pay $149 for my battery with the 3 year free replacement warranty. But if they had similar one I would have gone with 1 year for sure
I just got a lemon battery after having good luck with the same brand before. Lemon batteries happen. I do think quality is slipping or maybe it is planned obsolescence. Had someone advise me to check the fluid level in the battery when you buy it and if it is too low (and what is too low?), or especially if one cell is suspiciously lower than the others, bring it back or don't buy it.
Sorry sir, you are wrong. Car batteries have a fluctuating in power due to temperature, recharge, manufacture defects. And when you choose to buy the cheapest batteries in the market, your more vulnerable. To be honest. I only have gone with one battery for 3 years without needing to take back and warranty was still in effect. Walmart do have good prices for batt, but when they go wrong you have to go to customer service, then they send you to auto center, its a back and forth. I went through this and never again , i wont cry about a few 30,40 dollars more at the convenient auto parts store.
So true.. I have a 78S Everstart Maxxx right now that only lasted a little over 3 years. I live in Florida so there's no need for anything crazy. Going to pick up a cheapo battery ASAP!
I dunno, got a brand new battery after 3 years from a Costco Kirkland battery, no questions asked. If it was within 5 years they also prorate and offer you a discount.
Same thing I just did and always do, cheaper batteries last just as long as any other battery.They all are plastic,water and acid, they all store volts the same.
I have a question The bad battery that i bring in to get discount, what do they do with that? Do they charge those up and resell it? I'm not trying to buy a recharged battery if that's even possible. I want a brand new battery 🤔
I have the only non factory installed battery in my 2008 Trailblazer, and it was installed in 2017. Not bad and I always go to Advance and get middle of the road price. Its never been in the really cold or hot climates which are the worst for batteries.
I need the 850 cca batties. I buy them at Auto Zone. If you buy the three warranty batties just return it before it runs out. Then return that before the three years run out again. My auto zone is great at returns and they don't jerk you around. I am done with Interstate, they don't last and jerk you around with the warranty and play games with the price.
Bought my EverStart Maxx from Wal-Mart, February, 2023 for $109. It died August, 2024. Got a free replacement in just a few minutes after visiting. I'm sticking to the longest warranty available with batteries.
Master retired mechanic here. Your advice is CORRECT SIR. I just had delivered for free from walmart the size group 65 ever start battery from walmart with one year warranty for 69.85 for my back up truck 98 dodge ram. I also possess the same intelligence and law of averages as you do
I'm "still" running my crv on the cheep-cheep value battery that was $49.99 "originally" upon first release approx. 6 years ago... daily intense driving & no issues, crazy value 👍"key would be; don't be lazy but top it off once in a while"
There are 3 main manufacturers of aftermarket car batteries. The biggest is Johnson Controls, and it supplies more than half the market. It doesn't matter where you buy your battery, or what brand is on it, it will most likely be the exact same battery. I always get my batteries at Walmart. If I'm paying for a name, I'm going for the cheapest name.
Usually in hot climates (example: Florida) you’re really going to realistically get 3 years out of a battery. Somewhere around 36months. Most battery warranties are for like 1 year free replacement then pro rated after that. The only reason you’d really want to spend more is for a heavier more amperage battery. Usually you can tell the quality of the battery by picking it up. If it’s “light” it’s not that great, if it feels like lifting a lawnmower engine then you know that’s prob gonna last and will have good cca. I’ve worked 4 years at a battery company and 85% of the batteries no matter the brand were being replaced on their third year. Only exception would be cars that have batteries in the trunk or somewhere away from the engine.
I absolutely agree with this, and I'd like to take it a step further, not only Walmart but all the auto stores will try to tell you that it's important to use the OEM battery, they will actually lie to you and tell you that it is needed for the control module to operate correctly, that is a lie. 12 volts is 12 volts period, and you can go online and check out what batteries are compatible with your car, you need to make sure the battery will fit in the battery compartment. I use the cheapest Walmart battery, I'm in Florida, I'm not worried about CCA, also, my batteries from Walmart last over 4 years, last one lasted 4 years and 9 months, please don't be fooled but these ja's just trying to make money for the company, just to make themselves look good. they lie.
Good little info-clip and yes, I did buy two of the same brand you have @ WallyWorld five years ago, they are for a Diesel pick up and a bit larger that yours and they are still doing just fine and yes, I do have to mention that I did purchase one of those ~ $ 20.-- "Battery Refreshers'" about a year ago which I connect to the batteries when the Ram is resting and it seems to have been worth the money .
I'm in southern Indiana. The maxx I put in my Dodge Ram 5.8 L lasted 9 years and was still going ( but cranking slower) when I swapped it out. Drove every day to work, full time job, round trip was 6 miles plus some errands around town, sits in the concrete driveway not a garage. I changed it out in Walmart's parking lot in 2021. Walmart dude was freaked when I bought my core back in and had a "12" on the date dot since I started and drove it there. So yeah, I put another maxx back in.
I specifically look for a Walmart that doesn’t have a Auto care center so they can’t test it. That’s the key.
I hadn't thought of that
Yes, sir! That's the trick they will pro- rated.
@@HerbOMatic yeah they always give me a hard time , just today at 3years my 5 year. " warranty went out " . last time did the same thing 3 years , the guy at the auto center supposedly tested and the prorate wasnt even worth it
@D must be a regional thing. There is only 1 Walmart in my area that has a auto center. The rest don’t.
@D Atoka Oklahoma. Old small store with no auto bays.
The $55 Walmart battery is now 70 bucks as of 08/23.
Thank FJB
$95 after core fee and taxes. Although I'm not sure why taxes are around $14?
Used to be $50 back when they first hatched, so I snatched😄
$90 now, thanks Bidenomics!
Their $3 store brand pizza is now $5.
I only buy from Wal-Mart. Been doing so for over 20 years. I have never had a problem returning a battery under warranty,
even without the receipt, as long as the date sticker is still on the battery.
Can't remember the last time batteries were $55. I used to remember when Advance Auto parts used to have significant coupons where you could get $25 off of $100. But now it seems to me that batteries have doubled in price and are at minimum $200 now. None of these places have decent coupons anymore, they are always filled with exclusions for the higher priced stuff (the stuff where a coupon would make the biggest difference.) Don't believe me, see Harbor Freight coupons of 2022 lol.
time to make our own batteries, fren
walmart still has cheap battries
@@nigel3018 How much? I haven't checked out the battery stash at a Walmart in awhile. Next time I'm there I should.
I paid $175 maxx battery for my Prius, still cheaper than other options
Good point. The low CCA batteries like for my Neon were formerly $50, now about $75. That car would gobble the Wally World battery in 3 to 3.5 years. The high end battery would last 3.5 to 4.5 years. Basically about $20 vs $40 per year.
Agree: in the Arizona heat, 3years of life is good for a battery. I also buy the Walmart batteries for my 6 vehicles.
You are correct. Other auto stores have baterries with longer warrants, but you are paying 2-3 times more. You are just pre-paying for the next batery that you may or not receice with the longer warranty.
The reason I go with the Auto Parts batteries is the convenience. There have been a few times when we needed to replace a Wal Mart battery but the auto dept closes at 5:30 pm so we had to wait until the next day. At the orange auto parts store we were in and out in 10 min with a new battery.
Dude, you are the best real down the Earth explanation. Nobody can get it better than you. Thanks.
I found out that most car batteries are made by like only three different companies (aside from specialty batteries like lithium or gel), so what might cost you $200 at the parts store will only cost you $100 at Walmart, they're almost all the same thing (I'm being very generous with those prices, though, your mileage will vary).
Here we go again. While many batteries are made in the same facility but labeled different, they are not always the same battery. There are completely different internal parts that can and are used to manufacturer the different types of batteries. Typically, the higher priced batteries are going to have thinner plates, which allows them to install more lead plates. More materials means a better charge/life cycle as well as a longer life or interval between reconditioning cycles. So, if my car/truck battery ever actually needs to be replaced due to major damage, then I'm going ot buy a better quality battery, but then I'll maintain and recondition the battery and it will also last several decades like a majority of my batteries have.
@@jmackinjersey1Do you have any specific info about internal differences between different tiers of Walmart batteries? How do you know which battery is better quality at the time of purchase? Thanks
@@jmackinjersey1 "going to have thinner plates, which allows them to install more lead plates" - doen't this mean that thinner plates will be destroyed sooner than thicker plates?
If you want thicker plates, you run marine deep cycle. The reason we dont use MDC batteries for cranking is because the smaller surface area is better for long discharge, not cranking.
If he wants to be pedantic, yes, marine and cranking are built different. But those aren't brands. Those are literally 2 different battery types.
True, deep sycle marine batteries are built better but not meant for gasoline engine starting that takes a lot of amps all at once @@hiko8822
I bought a car in 2010, and still have it. The service history showed the battery was replaced in 2009. The battery was a reconditioned Econo Start brand. It lasted 14 years, and just started to show a weak cranking amperage on a load test. I never had any battery last 14 years, and it was not a new battery when it was installed. It was reconditioned.
My brothers Maxx Ever Start is over 5 years. When he bought it it was a heat of the moment thing, and even joked saying I’ll be lucky if I get 2 years out of it lol. Once in a while things work in your favor and you’re shocked.
Project farm did an extensive test on batteries and the Walmart brand came out on top like 2nd or 1st place if I recall.
My maxx lasted 8 years
Most batteries are pretty much made by one of 3 guys. Clarios (Johnson Controls), Exide, or East Penn Mfg. So yeah, it's just the branding. I just buy whatever's cheapest and has the CCA I want.
It came out 1st.
It's unfortunate how this video age due to inflation because now the $150 battery is the cheapest one they got now with a 3-year warranty
The biggest battery scam these days is if you don't have a receipt, you're screwed. Buy a used car and someone just replaced the battery? If it dies 6 months later and you take it back to Walmart, Sears or Interstate, they say no receipt no warranty. Even though the date sticker shows its 6 months old or the date is molded on the case.
I'm starting to move away from warranties in different areas of my life. All the money I save from skipping the warranties will cover the one or two things that do go wrong.
This happened to me recently, if you ask the store manager they might work with you, the local O'Reilly's gave me a new one at cost for a replacement on a 2021 battery that needed to be warrantied with no receipt from a used car I had just bought.
Walmart replaced my battery with no receipt. December 2022, did ask for my ID though
You should know that no warranty company actually ever wants to cover their items.
Warranty is on the original owner of the cars account, you keep his phone number they can look it up. Big surprise but no warranty anywhere transfers to a new owner
I bought the diehard top of the line for my diesel truck, I had to buy 2 because it has 2. I spent about $500 on those suckers. So far they've lasted 10 years. No signs of slowing. Sometimes the good battery is worth it. Diesels are hard to start compared to gas engines and I do live where it gets cold.
I agree with your solution, but it's not the right one for everyone.
Are they agm?
@@eman8920 Yes, they are AGM.
my last die hard lasted more than 10 years when i sold the car........
Same here, I have two Sears Die Hard Gold Batteries (Flooded Acid Type) 850 CCA (Group Size 65) in different vehicles, bought them 12 years ago, ($105 each) and are still going strong. I have lost some of the 850 CCA, they last tested at 655 CCA and internal resistance has gone up to 5.71mΩ about a year ago, but they still start my 8 & 6 cylinder engines when it was 5º f. just a few days ago with plenty of enthusiasm and no sign whatsoever of any weakness or slow cranking. Only tip for longevity I can give you is Lead Acid batteries need to be stored at 100% for longevity, mine are on routinely on maintenance chargers when not in use for extended periods of time.
car batteries last a long time if car is used regularly, and the batteries stay charged mine don't stay charged now with not driving them much usually wind-up charging battery every 2 weeks or so to keep them full also seems to make a big difference if the battery is freshly made.
I bought the Ever strat battery from Walmart in the early 2000s, and it has outlasted 3 vehicles. I'm still using it in my father's car today.he left his lights on yesterday, and it had 5.8v .slow charged it overnight with my victron charger.tested, and it 💯 %passed 😊
Don't be so cheap bro
Older batteries were made better
How is that possible
@@ibiro868it's not
@@davidmiller1151 Yep and made by Fender.
I agree 100% with you! And the label on the battery is unimportant, what counts is the manufacturer.
I live in Minneapolis. I get 7 plus years out of a quality battery. And don't need ti worry about being stranded.
You are speaking the honest truth. Plus you are doing it in an entertaining way. You just earned another sub Herb. Excellent video.
BIG warning, if you live in a climate that experiences big swings of intense heat and cold, they will kill your battery faster. I buy the 3 year batteries and get a free battery on the 2nd or 3rd year. Does it save me a lot, not really but I know I will get 4 to 6 years worth of battery from my original purchase date.
Just got Neverstart gold replaced for free 2 years and 9 months. Most autoparts stores will ratchet down the replacement and make you pay $ for the difference. $98.76 3 years ago is now $139. Would have had to dish out $69.74 if I bough the $55 cheap battery. That’s how to hedge inflation. BJ’s clubs used to sell interstate with 7 year warranty for $39.99 with coupon. Ah the good old days! The cold weather kills battery’s here in New England.
I put the Everstart Value on my dad's Camry and it's still working okay at year 4. Occasionally, he would left the lights on, so I had to put a charger on it. Still, we replaced it today for peace of mind. After doing some comparisons, I decided to buy the Everstart Value once again. I picked it for the same reasons this guy did. On group size 24F batteries, the Everstart Value has 585 CCA and came with 1 year warranty while the Everstart Plus has 600 CCA and came with 2 years warranty. So, basically, you pay 50% more for one more year of warranty. Lead Acid battery technology is old. For a given size battery, you can only pack so much in there. You either pack this, or you pack that. The differences are small, so just buy the cheapest battery and replace them ahead of time. The most important is how you use your battery that will decide how long they last.
Bet they weighed the same.
This is the realest. I know about batteries. This situation is all about losing time and money in a semi emergency situation. On point with the commentary. Really enjoyed it.
I only partially agree with the video. If price is an issue there is nothing wrong with getting the cheapest battery to keep you on the road. The issue I have noticed is that not all stores carry the battery that you need, not even an alternative sometimes, and if they do they might not have all three price options so you end up buying the max even if you only wanted to buy the cheap one because you have to and that is all they have but it's still cheaper than actual auto parts stores most of the time. I've been working on multiple vehicles over the many years and that has been my experience.
Higher cold cranking amp batteries have thicker lead plates. They usually last longer and of course cost more. In many vehicles these days you will find it difficult to install a battery. In my wife’s Ford the battery is up toward the firewall. It required removing cowling and wiper blade arms to remove additional plastic coverings. Total pain in the arse. Could not even connect to the negative battery terminal to jump start. It has a separate bolt stud mounted to the frame and connected with a dedicated cable to that stud. If you do not want to deal with all this or pay someone else to do it, it then makes more sense to just put in the longest lasting battery in your group size.
@@davidholmes9874 Better yet stay away from the blue oval.
Higher cranking amps (CCA) means there are more plates in each cell which equates to more surface area and lower internal resistance. It's easier to make the plates thinner and throw in a few extra thinner plates to get the CCA rather than use thicker plates which makes the battery bigger and heavier and requires more materials. You can almost tell a good battery by how heavy it is; the heavier the better. Thick plates last longer too.
Costco is the only place where they haven't tried to give me trouble with a battery warranty, and the price is just as good as Walmart.
The batteries for my vehicles cost around one hundred bucks at Costco. I hate getting stranded with a dead battery, so I replace them every three years or so. I consider it cheap insurance. I haven't had one fail early yet.
Walmart has never given me a hard time if it’s within the warranty range.
I have to revise my comment. I just had a Costco battery begin to fail (weak cell) and they replaced it with no questions asked.
The problem with Costco is convenience. I waited in line 40 minutes to warranty a battery. I was pissed. Also, if you road trip a lot and have a battery issue you're 10x more likely to find a Walmart or Autozone if you need a warranty swap
@@DJR5280 That wasn't my experience. It took about ten minutes and was pain free. It helps that I am retired and mostly drive around town.
They were even nice enough to start the warranty over for the replacement battery, so I got three more years of free replacement coverage.
If you have a LKQ junkyard they have a program for $50 for lifetime replacement battery. Bit of a gamble finding the exact one you need but most batteries are pretty close... if it ever goes bad go swap for another.
I have worked in the battery industry for 7 years. Actually it will be 7 year tomorrow. Wow. Anyways there are differences in the tiers. I'm not sure about walmart but at other places yes. The build quality and amount of lead is different. In oklahoma I bought a 3 year warranty battery from my store and it lasted till this past fall/winter and I only swapped it because it was old. It was still outputting above its rated cca but winter was coming. I know from experience 2 year warranty batteries do die faster than our 3 year ones. But that doesn't always ring true. There are a lot of factors in this. Environment, how often its driven, alternator output, etc... But one thing I will say batteries made in 2020 and 2021 are lesser quality due to shortages. Hopefully quality returns but it probably wont. The other thing to look at is the type of warranty. Some places are full replacement like how my store is others are a pro rate. That is why you see batteries with 86 month warranties. Those are almost always pro rated which sucks. But look into fine print on warranties. Most of them don't cover if the owner lets the battery completely die. Car batteries don't just suddenly drop to 4 volts and not recover. They call that owner misuse and wont cover it. Then you can get into AGM/Gel batteries which are way higher quality but on older cars generally not worth it unless you have a specific need. But with all that said walmart batteries are fine. Especially if you plan on getting rid of the car in a year. But if its a daily driver and you have different seasons of weather I'd look into better batteries. Also never buy batteries on amazon/ebay. There are some situations where thats fine but if you have to order any battery online read reviews on it first. Check the specs. Weight is generally a sign on quality. The more weight the better the battery, sort of.
how do these battery referbishing companies bring the old batteries back to life ??? do they just add distilled water and recharge ?????
You need to a UA-cam Video you are so correct
another click bait video trying to claim something without facts or knowledge, no the batteries aren't the same. sure you might get a cheap battery that last a well. the higher price batteries are built to higher specs,
I put a Motorcraft in my F150 seven years ago. $ 130.00. Still going strong.
I have seen a battery OEM last 11 years 😂 Warre ties are included in price like tires.
I experienced the same as you with multiple batteries here in vegas. None of them lasted much more then a year. First with a $380 battery, then a $150 battery, and then I got fed up and got the $50 battery in 2018 (group 65, same one you got) and that one is still going strong to this day.
bro my battery is like 6 years old and it's fine
what are you all doing to bust batteries
Consider yourself lucky if you can get your battery more than 3 years in Vegas heat. My only lasted about 2 - 2.5 years at the most before I have to replace it with top of the line battery.
Watch the fluid level, yall, top off with distilled water if necessary
I trickle charge my batteries over night on my three vehicles every three months..You'll be amazed the extra life you can get on a "El Cheapo" battery
Thank you for your great information on batteries. I need a new one and I plan to do exactly what you said.Thanks for saving me a lot of money. We need more people like you to help save old people like me from spending too much on unnecessary things.
Here’s a PRO tip. Every month or so put your battery on an overnight charge. You’ll be shocked how much longer it will last. Remember: Alternators ARE NOT chargers, they are maintainers.
Actually alternators are very good chargers. You have a bad alternator, slipping belt, or bad battery connection. You never need to put a charger on a battery unless there are issues.
@@user-tb7rn1il3q If you want to wear out the brushes and burn a diode. They are maintainers. Ask any alternator company. People who build and dyno these. They are designed to maintain a charger period.
@@nordicpride9708 Modern alternators are absolutely designed to quick charge the battery without hurting anything. Most cars today have start stop systems and high electrical demands.
@UCTvDVIaTqea3t2KxdIH589Q That engineer needs to be fired. Alternators are designed to charge low or dead batteries. They are designed for the worst case scenario. Someone leaves their lights on, drains the battery, and then gets a jump. They drive 20 minutes and the battery fully recharges.
@@user-tb7rn1il3q Now you know more than countless engineers…. You can’t accept a established fact. Using an alternator in this fashion WILL damage it. That’s understood by industry experts. Keep saying the sky is purple, doesn’t make it so. I will trust the experts and not some UA-cam moron
You are exactly right about the warranty maneuvers at Walmart that they did to me in South Carolina. Spent half a day getting a battery while under warranty. Will get the cheaper one the next time.
I stopped buying the 1yr ones because they always seem to break 1-2 yrs after you buy them. 😅
This guy lives in desert climate so there's no way he's going to get 10 yrs out of a battery living in Pheonix. If you drive a lot, you can probably get 4 yrs but the average battery life in desert climate is 28-32 months. The consistent triple digit heat accelerates battery corrosion internally so they eat themselves away 2-3 times faster than if you lived outside of the desert.
The AGM?
There's a lot to say about this video. I understand where he's coming from, but there's a lot of factors to consider.
First you need to consider the age of vehicle and climate conditions. *CA for Cranking amps and CCA for Cold Cranking Amps.
The starter will start to need more CA the older it gets. This will be from a combination of the internal brushes wearing out, the gear shaft bearing may become dry or worn, corrosion or oil build up on internal brushes. All creating more electrical/physical resistance which will require more cranking amps. Oxidation to connection points can also increase resistance.
As he said, bumping up CA once isn't a bad idea. Especially if you live in the rust belt. Same goes for CCA for northern areas that have many months of freezing.
But let's take a second look at why you may want to bump your battery up. You will need to consider the physical size of battery for this. Car batteries achieve 12v (more like 12.6v) by using lead plates inside 6 cells. Just think of a cell as a fully sealed off room inside the battery. Each room is designed to create 2.1v. So 6 rooms times 2.1v gives you 12.6v. By now you may wonder what makes one battery have more CA than another. The more lead plates you cram into each cell will increase cranking amps. Basically, more lead plate surface area to generate more amps. Now if you have a small battery, than they may have to make the lead plates thinner so it fits into the small cell (room). But if you have a large battery like the guy in this video (Group size 65) than the extra lead plates may not have to be made thinner. They may just use up some of the empty space. Which for the larger battery would be a good thing. It can help reduce a battery from going bad from vibration. But if they have to make thinner plates because it's a small battery.. well than you can expect a shorter life span.
Last thing to think about.
Yes, there are only 3 main manufacturers of all car batteries. But that still doesn't mean apples to apples comparison. It's kind of like garage door openers. Same thing as in there's only a few manufacturers. It's a common practice. A company wants to get in on the market. They call these places up and make a custom design.
"I want my own brand of garage door opener! Take this model and change these gears to plastic. How much does that lower my cost... Great, ship me 20,000 with my logo on it!"
Same thing with batteries. Options for different plate sizes and thickness etc.
So, without someone investigating and tearing open a bunch of brands and sizes of each brand to do a physical comparison.. It's not easy to say "Grab a die hard! Grab a Walmart! Grab a Duralast!"..
Just consider your environment for CCA, age of vehicle (more specifically starter) for CA and take a wild guess if the CA or CCA is increased by them using thinner plates. Best we can do is by reading reviews of how long batteries have lasted others.
AND on that note. Here's something to think about in your experience or from other reviewers.
Some people give a battery 1 star and complain "It died in 9 months! I only drive it once a week!". They don't understand that driving once a week is bad for battery. It causes sulfation buildup inside the battery. You may start to notice that people who drive daily will show that their batteries last longer. The trickle charge from alternator will help prevent sulfur from building on cell walls. I'm not telling people to run their car each day. But if you have a pattern where your car sits for like 3+ days at a time or even months.. than look into smart trickle chargers. Maybe even one with a desulfator mode. Don't waste gas. These things will keep your battery healthy and has a chance of even recovering a "bad battery" that went bad because it sat around to often or to long.
Oh.. For this guys example of bad warranty experience. Walmart will charge the battery for you to test it for warranty? That's actually great. It sounds like he may not understand that things have to be tested for warranty. And battery that won't crank your car does not mean the battery is bad.. at all. Your alternator may be going bad and not be charging enough. You may have added high power stereo and other equipment which your alternator can't keep up with. You may have a parasitic draw on your electrical system. Your starter may be to old and drawing to much. Corrosion on wires at starter, at battery, at alternator.. etc. You get the point. But a battery has to be charged to test it. If it doesn't charge than cell(s) are bad or sulfated, or acid/distilled water levels are low. If it does charge than they can verify the volts and cranking amps. If these check out than you need your car tested for other problems like the examples I gave. You will save time if you can charge your battery yourself before giving it to them. Back in 70's-90s we used to tell people to run their car for 30 minutes or longer after they would get a jump start from someone. This would usually give the alternator enough time for a semi decent charge on battery so they could start it again later. If you just drove around for like 20 minutes.. odds were you would get stuck again.
I think I just used up my posting allotment for the year!
Just found your channel man, I absolutely love it.
On your battery issue- I grew up in 29 palms CA before the advent of "sealed" lead acide battery. When we bought new batteries they were "dry charged", we took the supplied bottle of sulphuric acid and filled the battery at home. Then since it was hot and dry in the desert there we topped the battery up with deionized water once or twice a year. Perhaps the answer to replacing batteries so often would be to pry the caps off and top up with distilled water every so often.
Another tip I heard many years ago was to buy the heaviest battery you could fit in the battery tray and forget about the warranty like you said. Can't go wrong with an over sized battery and heavier means more lead inside.
Anyway, love the channel!
I have gotten about 2 years out of there batteries in my Diesel Truck.
Where I lived in the USA the Wal Mart has no Auto Center, so nobody charges anything, bring in battery, say it sucks, they tell you to go get a new one. The trick I have then used if I need another is to use the date sticker that is on all the batteries for the warranty again later if I need it, but that can be up to the whim of whatever customer rep you get that day, if they say no, come back another time.
That not a trick that's theft. For the Maxx start batteries I have bought they have serial numbers not sure on the lower tier ones.
@@elvism684 Meaning the sticker on the battery shows the date is within warranty... thinking you misread that or something.
@@spamanator666 I taught you meant like you take a sticker from another battery at the store and use that new date as to be within warranty on your old battery.
The $180 ACDelco battery in my '06 GTO lasted 7 years .
I always buy the 3 year and always get to use the warranty. I have a sound system and lots of other electronics that burn through batteries. I have never had a problem with getting a replacement.
Prorated?
The battery in my truck is going on 11 years old, and still strong. It's an Exide Classic. I know all batteries are the same, but vehicles can matter a ton too. It's in an 05 Ranger, 3.0 Vulcan, in the central midwest. The truck is an 05, this is the 2nd battery installed in it, put in April 2012. It's the only battery that has never needed jumped or had an issue, sitting outside all winter. Only vehicle that started in negative degree weather for the past decade with the same battery.
Bought the truck out of Florida with the battery being 5 years old. Drove it up to the central midwest, and here it is at 11 years old and going strong. May be the sweet spot of charging systems in the truck rather than the battery. I'm not concerned of jinxing it by bragging, i've done it for so many years. A 2012 Exide Classic going strong in Illinois summers and cold winters. That thing's gonna have a funeral service when it goes
I bought a used Ford Freestar in 2010. The service history showed the battery was replaced in 2009 with a reconditioned Econo Start brand battery. The battery lasted for 14 years, and was just replaced because it just started to show there were only 302 cranking amps left, and it tested weak. The Freestar has also been on many trips to and from Minnesota, to California. Never had a battery last that long, and it wasn't new when installed. It was reconditioned. Reconditioned batteries are also cheap to buy.
Sadly the batteries for my cars are only available as the top tier MAXX variant
Walmart has now removed the strap on all Everstart batteries. Makes it nearly impossible to install it as most batteries sit low in a holder. now you cannot lower it in or remove it. Horrible choice to save 15 cents!!!
That's dumb, what a pain in the butt. I guess one of those battery handles will be in my future: amzn.to/3ymTvPO
I noticed that last one I bought and agree, very annoying and ridiculous. I ended up making some strap handles for it out of some yellow nylon cord (jumping rope), only took me a few minutes to make and works just fine.
I got 7 years on a Walmart battery...cheap one....got another cheap one at Walmart..they run for years.
The 3 batteries at the start of the video are identical except for the stickers and warranty , the cheapest ALSO has the higher CCA capacity , they just downrate the cheaper ones to get you to buy the more expensive ones. Trust me I used to work in auto parts.
The batteries are identical, except the stickers (that part I can believe)....AND the cheapest one is way better? That's hard to believe.
What briantracy says is true. I was at Walmart today to buy a 51r size car battery. The value battery says 420cca, the plus said like 480cca and the Maxx label said 575cca. They all looked identical and I believed they were. I decided to buy the $60 value battery. I brought it home and hooked it to my battery analyzer....guess what it showed 595cca. I knew they were all the same...just different label and warranty!
*I bought an $80 Walmart battery in Ontario (Canada) in 2018, moved to colder central BC, still have it. Also, I think that a lot of battery warranties are PRO-RATED for number of years left on warranty (5 years into 6-year warranty? You pay 5/6th of the price).*
*On REALLY cold overnights (-30, -40 or worse), I bring the battery inside. Never an issue with CCAs as the battery is not cold. Also plug car in for an hour.*
Typically they have a period where it's free replacement and then it becomes prorated after that.
@@Guillotines_For_Globalists yes I think the first year, maybe two...
@@raccoon874 Probably, I haven't bought a battery for anyone in awhile. September 2020 I believe was the last time I installed a battery for a relative.
I bought a new Toyota Tercel in 1995 and kept it for 12 years. Never changed the battery. And I live in a part of Canada where the temperature often drops to -30 °C in the winter.
My $55 24F EverStart Value battery lasted 1.75 years. I replaced it with Costco Interstate Battery 3 year warranty for $110.
If you have an aftermarket sound system or offroad lights etc then a more expensive battery might be a good idea but for everyday drivers they're just not nessesary
The heat kills them here no matter the quality, 120 days a year with highs above 100F
Now you know one of the many ways corporations CEO's become BILLIONAIRES, right Walmart???
I can vouch for the Walmart battery for $55. I used it in my 96 4runner for 4 years with no issue. I made the mistake of swapping the battery out for an autozone Valuecraft. 6 months after the install it died on me. Luckily still under warranty but could have left me stranded if I was out in the desert or mountains. If I could have gotten a Walmart one again I would have. Lesson learned.
Agree, I use these whenever possible. Getting harder to find though.
3rd Gen 4runners rule!
Thanks for confirming what I was thinking. I can’t imagine a battery really only lasting a year. The guy at Walmart did tell me I should ‘at least get the middle of the road battery” for a 60% price increase for 2 year warranty vs 1. I’m going to gamble with that one year, boys.
Temperature isn't the only consideration for CCA. Generally, the higher the CCA, the longer the battery will crank in warmer weather too if needed and the reserve capacity is generally higher. The listings for a particular vehicle are usually the minimum spec. In order to make a battery a higher CCA the battery construction is usually heavier. Battery ratings aren't set in stone. A new 800 CCA brand A or longer warranty battery might test out around 900 CCA but the brand B cheaper or lower warranty battery might test just at 800 CCA. But you are right about the warranties being a scam. Basically with pro rating they are selling you a new battery at manufacturers cost. Another consideration is draining the battery. Running down a cranking battery to 50% and less will shorten it's life dramatically and I think the better batteries are a little more tolerant. I have also noticed in many cases the cheaper batteries are lighter indicating they have less or thinner plates inside. I use the words generally and usually a lot because in the battery world nothing is set in stone. Some of the ratings such as ampere hours use different base numbers to achieve the number they want. Then there is marine cranking amps to make a "marine" battery sound greater than what it is. CCA is at zero deg F and marine is rated at 32 deg F being that most people don't use their boats in freezing weather but this also means that it is a lesser battery.
Class 8 truck batteries are Group 31 and have CCA ratings of 750 to 925 . Same dimension in size but the plates in the battery are separated further apart, a 750 CCA battery will not sulfate as quickly and last longer . Constantly jumping a battery instead of repairing the charging system is extremely hard on it and will shorten the battery’s life cycle significantly . 6/4/23
I’ve never had a problem getting a warranty on a battery. Check the date before you buy. They don’t last here in Florida if you buy cheap. Can’t speak to Walmart, I don’t buy their battery. I’ve never seen a battery that’s 55 bucks. Mine usually last 6-7 years.
I just got one of these batteries for my wife's Van the lady at Walmart was really sweet friend of mine put it in started right up seems like the AC was colder and the power seats were indoors so far it's a good battery pray for for her then to keep running so smooth... 💯🤣
I'll see you and raise you one~~~
Years ago, when I retired, I didn't use my gas hog van very much, and when I needed it, I would have to charge the battery from lack of use. The shop said I needed a new battery, it was a 2 year year old Autozone Silver (2 year) battery. Facing the same thing continuing, I instead bought a 20w solar panel ($22), a solar controller ($10), I had wire, etc., and installed them on my van. Every day, my battery got a trickle charge and was always charged and ready to go even if It had sat for a month. One year, we camped where there was no sun, and the battery died. I took it (in my wife's car) to a dealer and bought their cheapest replacement. I had gotten 7 years out of my 2 year battery. My mechanic said it is the dis-charge cycles that wear down a battery, by keeping mine on a trickle charge I tripled the life of the battery. I am now in year 2 of a one-year battery.
Bottom line, I tripled the life of my cheap battery for an investment of only $40!
In Australia, we have no trouble at all getting a battery replaced under warranty. But you made a good point.
I bought a $50 Walmart Value Power battery like yours in 2018 and it's still in my car today. So I have gotten nearly 4 years out of mine. My understanding is that these batteries are made by Johnson Controls, the same company that makes the higher priced batteries.
In Phoenix there are too many hot days, it seems to kill them between 2-3 years. Glad yours is lasting!
@@HerbOMatic I know what you mean... I used to live in Phoenix for over 15 years. I have been living in the Cottonwood and Prescott areas while I've had the battery.
@@dzim8822 were you happy to get out of Phx? How do you like it up there?
@@HerbOMatic Yes, I liked it a lot better living in northern AZ. Especially in the summer. It does still get hot but it cools down at night. I actually just moved to San Diego where I grew up. It's beautiful here and nice and cool. 😎..but the price of gas is out of this world though at $6 a gallon!
As of 2019 they are no longer owned by Johnson controls. They were bought out by Clarios.
In Vegas, I turned in 2 faulty batteries in the past 5 years and they replaced it right there and then… probably depends on who you deal with and which store you went to… but yes it makes sense to just buy the basic batteries if the cheapest one will do just fine…
I bought a pair of the 3yr 65N batteries for my 6.9 diesel in Dec 2018 and sold the vehicle in Nov 2023 with the still good batteries. 5 years on them basically and still had life. It needed the 850CCA that the cheaper 65 batteries lacked.
I did buy the cheapest, smallest 1yr battery a year ago for my 12v converted 64 VW with a 6v starter still because it barely touches the battery to crank it and it has the best type of alternator so that battery should last a long time.
Just bought one of these Everstart Value group 65 batteries. Will try and remember to report back how long it lasted.
You can buy a Odyssey they last over 10 years I have a fleet and 4 are going on 13 years
I looked at group 65 battery prices. There was the cheap battery for maybe $149. It weighed 44 lbs. Then every more expensive "heavy duty" or Excel version of that battery size was $10 more and only 1/2 lb heavier. So they are selling lead for $20 / lb. for each "up grade" to the battery. I settled on the Walmart AGM. It was $30 less expensive than the identical Champion battery.
Had a champion AGM fail after a year... Pep boys warranty exchange it. Made in Mexico 😢
@@ricebike I had an Optima Red Top fail after too many discharges (doing mods while leaving doors open on my Jeep drained the battery) and it would not recover. This was back in 2008. I expected better out of it but was told that the quality of Optima suffered even more throughout the last 17 years.
@@Guillotines_For_Globalists yeah, that term "they don't make them like they used to" seems true for everything, not just batteries.
This is my first AGM battery because I had an online discount that put it with the same price as a standard flooded lead acid battery
Pep boys looks like a sinking ship since they shut down their parts sales division and only focusing on service and tires now😕 so the 3 year replacement warranty may be void
@@ricebike I noticed that. One of the local Pep Boys has reduced the size of the inside of their store to about 1/4 and has a false wall diverting guests to their service department only.
With the exception of the JC Penny battery from circa 1977. They finally stopped selling them because they were advertised as "The last battery you'll ever buy. I went through 3 of them before the ended the program.
You are 100% correct. I bet there is no real difference until you step up to the AGM battery.
Installed AC Delco battery only lasted a year... Like wtf
I don't know I've always bought duralast gold. I just replaced both batteries in my ppv tahoe after 3 years and they threw a tester on it it failed and they warrantied them I walked out with 2 new batteries free in about 10 minutes. I've never had any issues with warranty at autozone.
my everstart value group 78 completely died after 10 months a few days ago. couldn't make it past it's first winter. I need one that can make it through the cold. I tend to stick to a local company Remy battery here in Milwaukee. They cost about double the price but always last 5+ years and never have to worry one cold morning it will be completely dead with bad cells like the everstart.
Hmm my batteries keep dying right after 2 years, when the 2 year warranty is up. I buy them at Auto-zone. So this time I bought the 3 year warranty battery. It died in 6 months! I know the heat here in the Valley keeps them from lasting long but I am frustrated. I think I will take your advice and get the Wallyworld cheap one next.
Thank you for all your research and experience, you just saved me money and stress.
A-A, that's good to hear, I got tired of waiting in Wal-marts and getting dinked around!
You make sense. My 5 year old DieHard Gold is starting to crap out. I'll check out the el cheapo Walmart battery for my '04 Honda.
Consumer Reports did a series of battery tests years ago. The Walmart Everstart were always at the top of their real world testing. I just replaced a pair of group 65 batteries in my 2004 Ram 3500 diesel. No doubt in my mind that these will keep starting my truck for a long time!
Here in Texas or temps can go from 0 to over 110 in the summer and that can wreck a bettery and I always use Everstart batteries because of the no haggle warrenty that they have. Their three year warrenty doesn`t even need a receipt, I just bring the battery that has it`s expiration date on it and they furnish a new one less one year or longer depending oin how long you had it.
Sears plays the same game. I threaten to roll my motorcycle up to the counter to prove battery would not crank after they told me their battery tester said my battery passed their test. They wound up honoring the warranty but it was a royal fight. I can't stand companies that play these games. They should be called out at every opportunity.
I've started to self-warranty on almost everything. The warranty company has an incentive to wiggle out of it.
When i sold batteries, motorcycle batteries were always a PIA. They were received 'dry charged' and the acid was put in by the customer. Many times a battery would sit on the shelves for MONTHS and they only had a 1 year warranty. Quality on those was questionable. Harley's were hardest on them. Same went for oddball car batteries. Mercedes Diesel was a good one for sitting a LONG time before being sold. I seriously doubt they made it to the end of the warranty
I have to disagree. I've sold car batteries for a long time. You have to take your climate into consideration. In Arizona it's usually the same temperature, in the Midwest where I live it fluctuates. Hot and cold extremes have an effect on the battery. I always recommend the 3 yr warranty battery. They're built better. I don't work on commission either lol. I don't suggest AGM unless you need that specific application. I actually just bought a battery from Walmart and so far it's great. I totally understand why you're saying what you say but I have to disagree. I used to work in Auto parts on the commercial and retail side. This is my opinion.
I bought the Die hard silver at Advance for $180 and it's past its two year warranty and still going strong. I live in Iowa and get humid hot summers and negative 10 degrees winters. I'm trying to make through this winter with the same battery. I'm taking bets it will last this winter.
I love everstart only battery I use in all my vehicles
😮When its 20 or 30 below the additional CCA will often make the difference between starting or not.
Also, if ever you crank your engine until the battery is drained, in cold weather, it's going to freeze.
I've never learned why but a 'live' battery doesn't freeze, but a dead one does.
When it freezes the liquid, it is just like water expands and will break the internal structure of the battery, rendering it useless.
I had a very serious breakdown in 2019 on vacation and had to leave car at toyota dealership out of state. One issue they said I needed a new battery and then charged $120 to install it. Grrrr!
Well last week the battery died 5.5 years later. So i got out the old invoice and it says 7 year warranty !
I knew it had to be a scam. It was. i called two different dealerships. They were so nasty and disrespectful to me for even asking about getting the protated warranty replacement.
All I know is I hate dealerships and that was by far the worst I have ever experienced. I knew I wasn’t getting a deal on a battery and just went to walmart.
I would have done exactly what you suggested and get the 1 year battery but they only had the midgrade version since mine is a little less common. So had to pay $149 for my battery with the 3 year free replacement warranty. But if they had similar one I would have gone with 1 year for sure
My value battery is over a year old and still going strong !
It’s April 2024 and in California their about 160$ average
Pay $55 as I want to and will I get $10 for my old one to bring it down to $45 , Is that seems about right ?
I just got a lemon battery after having good luck with the same brand before. Lemon batteries happen. I do think quality is slipping or maybe it is planned obsolescence. Had someone advise me to check the fluid level in the battery when you buy it and if it is too low (and what is too low?), or especially if one cell is suspiciously lower than the others, bring it back or don't buy it.
Sorry sir, you are wrong. Car batteries have a fluctuating in power due to temperature, recharge, manufacture defects. And when you choose to buy the cheapest batteries in the market, your more vulnerable. To be honest. I only have gone with one battery for 3 years without needing to take back and warranty was still in effect. Walmart do have good prices for batt, but when they go wrong you have to go to customer service, then they send you to auto center, its a back and forth. I went through this and never again , i wont cry about a few 30,40 dollars more at the convenient auto parts store.
So true.. I have a 78S Everstart Maxxx right now that only lasted a little over 3 years. I live in Florida so there's no need for anything crazy. Going to pick up a cheapo battery ASAP!
I dunno, got a brand new battery after 3 years from a Costco Kirkland battery, no questions asked. If it was within 5 years they also prorate and offer you a discount.
Same thing I just did and always do, cheaper batteries last just as long as any other battery.They all are plastic,water and acid, they all store volts the same.
I have a suspicion they just have different stickers or are very marginally different.
I have a question
The bad battery that i bring in to get discount, what do they do with that? Do they charge those up and resell it? I'm not trying to buy a recharged battery if that's even possible. I want a brand new battery 🤔
The Everstarts ranks as good as any of them. Only about 3 factories make all the brands.
Which is why I have one in my Lexus. No problems.
I have the only non factory installed battery in my 2008 Trailblazer, and it was installed in 2017. Not bad and I always go to Advance and get middle of the road price. Its never been in the really cold or hot climates which are the worst for batteries.
Definitely your climate helping you there!
I need the 850 cca batties. I buy them at Auto Zone. If you buy the three warranty batties just return it before it runs out. Then return that before the three years run out again. My auto zone is great at returns and they don't jerk you around. I am done with Interstate, they don't last and jerk you around with the warranty and play games with the price.
Bought my EverStart Maxx from Wal-Mart, February, 2023 for $109. It died August, 2024. Got a free replacement in just a few minutes after visiting. I'm sticking to the longest warranty available with batteries.
Master retired mechanic here. Your advice is CORRECT SIR. I just had delivered for free from walmart the size group 65 ever start battery from walmart with one year warranty for 69.85 for my back up truck 98 dodge ram. I also possess the same intelligence and law of averages as you do
I'm "still" running my crv on the cheep-cheep value battery that was $49.99 "originally" upon first release approx. 6 years ago... daily intense driving & no issues, crazy value 👍"key would be; don't be lazy but top it off once in a while"
There are 3 main manufacturers of aftermarket car batteries. The biggest is Johnson Controls, and it supplies more than half the market. It doesn't matter where you buy your battery, or what brand is on it, it will most likely be the exact same battery. I always get my batteries at Walmart. If I'm paying for a name, I'm going for the cheapest name.
Usually in hot climates (example: Florida) you’re really going to realistically get 3 years out of a battery. Somewhere around 36months. Most battery warranties are for like 1 year free replacement then pro rated after that. The only reason you’d really want to spend more is for a heavier more amperage battery. Usually you can tell the quality of the battery by picking it up. If it’s “light” it’s not that great, if it feels like lifting a lawnmower engine then you know that’s prob gonna last and will have good cca. I’ve worked 4 years at a battery company and 85% of the batteries no matter the brand were being replaced on their third year. Only exception would be cars that have batteries in the trunk or somewhere away from the engine.
The one I got at Walmart was 100% for 3 years, and they tell you to come in before the 3 yrs are up to have it checked!
@@bobbear4437 In Florida? Lol
In Vegas heat , you get about 2 - 3 years if you are lucky with the decent battery.
I absolutely agree with this, and I'd like to take it a step further, not only Walmart but all the auto stores will try to tell you that it's important to use the OEM battery, they will actually lie to you and tell you that it is needed for the control module to operate correctly, that is a lie. 12 volts is 12 volts period, and you can go online and check out what batteries are compatible with your car, you need to make sure the battery will fit in the battery compartment. I use the cheapest Walmart battery, I'm in Florida, I'm not worried about CCA, also, my batteries from Walmart last over 4 years, last one lasted 4 years and 9 months, please don't be fooled but these ja's just trying to make money for the company, just to make themselves look good. they lie.
Good little info-clip and yes, I did buy two of the same brand you have @ WallyWorld five years ago, they are for a Diesel pick up and a bit larger that yours and they are still doing just fine and yes, I do have to mention that I did purchase one of those ~ $ 20.-- "Battery Refreshers'" about a year ago which I connect to the batteries when the Ram is resting and it seems to have been worth the money .
I'm in southern Indiana. The maxx I put in my Dodge Ram 5.8 L lasted 9 years and was still going ( but cranking slower) when I swapped it out. Drove every day to work, full time job, round trip was 6 miles plus some errands around town, sits in the concrete driveway not a garage. I changed it out in Walmart's parking lot in 2021. Walmart dude was freaked when I bought my core back in and had a "12" on the date dot since I started and drove it there. So yeah, I put another maxx back in.