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rocketraider · 03-01-2008, 03:02 PM

About any battery brand will perform well if it's in regular driving and maintained. An AC-Delco battery costs no more than any other brand and I routinely get 7-9 years out of them.

An Interstate, Deka or Exide will also work great, as will a CarQuest or NAPA store brand.

I've never had major issues with an Advance/Auto or Autozone battery in a car driven regularly that keeps it charged up.

I had some problems with Sears batteries a few years back, but I think they got a bad run. Before that I had a couple DieHards last 7 years or more.

I know people who swear by Optimas. Good battery, but the trouble with a gel-cell is that if it gets seriously discharged, it's almost impossible to ever get it back like it was. One of the hydraulics hooligans around here found that out the hard way. $1200 worth of batteries, and after three or four full-discharge cycles, he had 12 bad Optima batteries that they wouldn't warrant.

One thing I keep in mind is that a lot of batteries have spent time on the shelf or warehouse before you get them. I always have the store load test them when I buy one, and I'll also throw the charger on them at 2a overnight. I've got one of the local Advance stores trained- I call and tell 'em I need a battery, and they test and charge it until I get there.

I also recommend Battery Tenders http://batterytender.com for cars that don't get driven much. I have a four port and wouldn't take anything for it.

03-01-2008, 03:02 PM	#2 (permalink)
rocketraider Oldsdruid Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Danville Vajenya, the Last Capital of Dixie Posts: 400	About any battery brand will perform well if it's in regular driving and maintained. An AC-Delco battery costs no more than any other brand and I routinely get 7-9 years out of them. An Interstate, Deka or Exide will also work great, as will a CarQuest or NAPA store brand. I've never had major issues with an Advance/Auto or Autozone battery in a car driven regularly that keeps it charged up. I had some problems with Sears batteries a few years back, but I think they got a bad run. Before that I had a couple DieHards last 7 years or more. I know people who swear by Optimas. Good battery, but the trouble with a gel-cell is that if it gets seriously discharged, it's almost impossible to ever get it back like it was. One of the hydraulics hooligans around here found that out the hard way. $1200 worth of batteries, and after three or four full-discharge cycles, he had 12 bad Optima batteries that they wouldn't warrant. One thing I keep in mind is that a lot of batteries have spent time on the shelf or warehouse before you get them. I always have the store load test them when I buy one, and I'll also throw the charger on them at 2a overnight. I've got one of the local Advance stores trained- I call and tell 'em I need a battery, and they test and charge it until I get there. I also recommend Battery Tenders http://batterytender.com for cars that don't get driven much. I have a four port and wouldn't take anything for it. __________________ I know absolutely nothing about Oldsmobiles. Just ask the owner of Oldspower.com Last edited by rocketraider : 03-01-2008 at 03:05 PM.