I'd like to know what the people here suggest for batteries in regard to the brand. My cars are drivers so I'm not worried about looking "original".

 

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 have had an Optima in my GTO for four years and it has never let me down, especially with the hot soak starter problems Pontiacs have. I never take it out during winter cold storage or have ever charged it, just have a battery shut off switch, it always starts in the spring. I never have had any luck with the original repo batteries, look good though.

Allan

 

I have the Yellow top in my Delta and a Red top in the Alero (both Optima) and I like them.

The Delta's is being killing right now, I took it to Advacned and the manger said that the electric fan is draining the battery, plus since my timing's off that's why I'm having a hard start, but knock on wood, it starts every time

 

Do you know that?

I don't buy batteries very often. When I do need one, I go to the closest supplier, and get the cheapest one they have in stock.

Norm

 

Yes I do