Are there any decent batteries that actually last? Found mixed reviews on Optima and AGM batteries. Don't need huge CCA but a big RC capacity would be nice.

 

I use Walmart batteries and get 9-10 years out of them.

 

I use a battery maintainer.

 

The type of battery chemistry the car left the factory with and a battery maintainer should give great results. X2 on EverStart batteries.

 

I use walmart batteries as well. I get the highest CCA I can find (usually 800 - 1000) For cars I do not drive regularly (vista cruiser, toronado, chevelle convertible), I disconnect the negative battery cable whenever I park them. These last for years without a problem. My Chevelle can sit for many months at a time while I am busy with other stuff. The last time it sat for 18 months or so and I did have to charge the battery. Other than that, hook the negative cable back up and the all fire right up.

 

Pure lead AGMs deteriorate slowest and have the greatest capacity for repeated discharge without self-destruction. These are the type that police car upfitters use to ensure their batteries last longest under frequent discharge conditions. As well, pure lead AGMs give warning when they are giving out, so police don't get stranded unexpectedly.

The other thing you can do is use the largest capacity battery that your vehicle can accommodate (just confirming what you stated). For example, you have an LX--the same car that the upfitters modify. Upfitters fit pure lead AGMs in the larger BCI 49/DIN H8 size with 190 minutes reserve capacity. That's the largest that fits in your LX battery tray.

Try to find a brand made in UK, Germany, USA, or Canada (you could ask a local sheriff what make of battery is in his LX--upfitters use local goods where possible).

When you store your vehicle, disconnect the battery to keep low-level drain from flattening the battery. With a pure lead AGM, you could store your car all winter without its being connected and it would still be at about 3/4 capacity in the spring.

Unless an AGM battery specifically says "pure lead" don't buy it. It won't have the same long life.

I know Optimas have mixed reviews. If you buy one, don't get a six-pack style--it has poor reserve capacity. Optima now makes two conventionally-shaped batteries, the BCI 48/DIN H6 and the BCI 94R/DIN H7; both have class-leading amp-hours. Just sayn' in case you are tempted to flip the coin on Optima--they are pure lead AGMs...

Heat is a big enemy of battery life. You have an ideal climate for long battery life--a lot better climate than I have "deep in the heart of".

If you choose to use a maintainer, get a CTEK MXS 5.0--it has the higher voltage selection that pure lead AGMs need and it varies the charge voltage with ambient temperature for longer battery life (higher voltage when cold, lower when hot).

Good luck and all the best.

 

AGM's potentially liking a different/higher charge voltage is why I'd stay with the battery chemistry the car was equipped with from the factory.

Interesting about the AGM "pure lead" I didn't know about that, thanks.

 

Thanks, I got **** life out of the last couple of Walmart batteries, just over the warranty. I did buy a Walmart deep cycle battery due to price for the boat. I run two batteries; so life isn't important. Honestly the best battery I've had outside of new vehicles has been the big 850 CCA Napa battery. It was bought a couple of months before the previous owner of the 1970. That means it is 8 years old, extremely good for an aftermarket battery. I am considering a Napa AGM, see how big a battery I can squeeze in.

 

Why disconnect the negative and not the positive side?

 

I have Walmart batteries in all four vehicles we own. Very satisfied and they really stand behind them.

 

Electrically it really does not matter which is disconnected.

 

I am seriously considering a Napa AGM battery. The big flooded Napa 850 CCA is still going strong, the problem? The battery died a few Winters ago in my Dakota and the Cutlass was sitting, so in the Dakota it went and been there ever since. Just new batteries are so hit and miss, on my second one since the warranty replacement at a year old, this one is maybe 3 years old and on borrowed time.

 

Thank you!

 

None of those mentioned above manufacture batteries. They just have them made with their names on the case. Currently, NAPA is by East Penn which has their own brand, Deka.

Suppliers have changed over time. Walmart may now be made by Exide but at one time they may have used Johnson Controls.

I try to buy based on price, warranty and ease of exchange practices. All warranties seem to be shorter than they were. I like CostCo if they have the size I need. Recently, I used NAPA to be able to get a Group 31P 1100 amp dump truck battery for the trunk of one of our muscle cars. The warranty is only 18 months. If CostCo had this size, I would have bought it there.

 

EVERYTHING IS JUNK.

Disconnect a terminal during storage, then throw a good charge on it before driving season.

 

I got a Wal-Mart battery for my Ford truck about a year ago. Surprisingly it was a 5 year battery and was reasonably priced. I had bought 1 year batteries from Sam's Club for my diesel truck and they've already gone past the year mark. Make sure you use a battery tender.

 

I suspect the 5 years refers to the proration period. I buy based on the free replacement period, which is a lesser number warranty period.

The problem that I experienced with Walmart in my area is they adjust based on their opinion of the health of the battery derived from their own test machine. Costco just look up the battery number in their computer and hands you a new one. Much better and quicker service.

 

On a negative ground system it is safer to remove the negative cable first because if the metal tool used to undo the cable to the terminal contacts another grounded surface it won't arc. An arc will occur if that tool does hit the positive terminal of the battery while the negative is still connected. Disconnecting either cable will open the circuit and insulate the battery from parasitic draw, but disconnecting the negative first is safer.

 

Thats how I was trained. Neg off first Positive on first.
Analog charging systems dont like AGMs.

 

For my Vista Cruiser, Costco only had the Interstate 24F in stock, and special-ordered the 24 Standard. Took 10 days to get, but price was right at $120. Costco's system couldn't enter a vehicle manufactured before the mid-80's, so battery is registered under a 2022. Especially for a big-box place, Costco was excellent.

I disconnect the negative cable on any vehicle that I'm not regularly driving. I get 8-10 years, so no complaints there.

 

I wasn't aware that electrons had evolved to digital. 🤡

 

Because if you happen to short the wrench to structure while unbolting the positive cable, hilarity ensues. This does not happen if you disconnect the negative terminal. ALWAYS disconnect the negative first and reattach it last.

 

I have had very good experiences with North Star AGMs and hooking them up to a battery tender any time the car will sit for more than a week.

Problem is, I know the company has been sold since I bought my last one and I'm not sure who owns them now. I may do a little investigation for my own amazement and if I find anything out I'll let you know. They were great batteries.

 

I am using Odyssey Extreme. They use pure lead, thinner plates for allowing more plates. For more info, check out their videos on youtube.

 

I am not unhooking the battery, this overpriced Holley Terminator X Max takes forever to learn, don't want to start over every spring. A battery tender is a possibility, probably a fire hazard, great. Who makes Interstate batteries these days? They used to be awesome, sold them at the Ford dealer I apprenticed at and are dold locally. Canadian Tire's batteries have been hit or miss, especially the AGM according to reviews, like the Sonic batteries we sell at work. I will check out some of these batteries but would prefer something local for the warranty. Even Napa ans Walmart are 20 minutes away but gives me an excuse to visit my Daughter.

 

I'm considering using this battery;
Oldsmobile Antique Auto Battery (1954-1965) S60KL - BCM (batterycentralmall.com)
Mostly because it fits right and it looks righteous.
Has anyone here used one of these, and can tell me how well it worked out?

 

Makes sense. Thank you. Does the same procedure apply when attaching a battery maintainer to a connected battery? Also, what about connecting /disconnecting the AC power source to the battery maintainer? In what order?

Note: I can start a new post if preferable.
​​​​​​

 

On a battery maintainer/charger, I always connect to positive first and then the negative and then plug it in. Reverse when I disconnect it.

 

Here, try these guys, they're right in your back yard:

https://saskbattery.com

I bought my last two NorthStar AGMs from them, the first in 2017 and it's still going strong, and the second in 2019 which was still great when I sold the car in 2022. If they don't still handle the brand post-merger, they'll certainly be able to tell you what happened to it.

 

I looked up Costcos current warranty—now only 36 months prorated. Walmart has more than one level of warranty because they carry more than one level of battery. The best is 36 month free replacement with 2 additional years prorated. If my info is correct, Walmart is now the best option relative to Costco.

 

I am pretty tempted at an AGM from Walmart. Canadian Tire, slightly and Napa are a bit more money. I should be able to fit both in the 70. About $40 more for the AGM., both in stock at the closest Walmart.

Absorbed Glass Matt Technology

• 12 Volt
• 760 CCA
• 120 Minutes Reserve Capacity
or
https://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/m...-0103420p.html

 

I'd be interested in hearing about how that works.

 

I got an agm charger from Odyssey several years ago. It is still working great and diagnoses the battery as well.

 

Odyssey and NorthStar make pure lead AGMs. I had a pure lead AGM in my Vista Cruiser for 12 years, replaced with a NorthStar ~2 years ago.

Odyssey and NorthStar manufacturing plants are a few miles apart in the Missouri lead belt. Around 10 years ago they started putting identical guts inside their own brand cases.

They rationalized production starting about 2022. NorthStar now makes only commercial batteries--like telecoms use. Odyssey took over the consumer market. I have an Odyssey in my Challenger.

The watchout now is that some Odysseys are made in China. So be sure you buy only the Missouri-made ones.

Many people love that charger. It was made by Schumacher, but Odyssey discontinued it about 2019. The Odyssey web site now says they are coming out with a new model in the second half of 2024.

 

As someone already mentioned, there are very few battery manufacturers today. All venders buy batteries from the same supplier, and just slap their label on it.

Im betting the battery suppliers sell their battery to their customers based on the results of internal testing during manufacturing. Meaning batteries that pass quality tests with premium results go to premuim customers (meaning the car manufacturers) the next best go to Napa and other higher end parts stores, and so on with places like Walmart getting the bottom of the barrel stuff.

Having said all that, I personally prefer to buy batteries at places with minimum hassles for warranty returns. I like to drive and travel, if you have a battery failure 10 miles northeast of nowhere, chances are there is a Walmart or Autozone somewhere nearby. The warranty isn’t much use if there isn’t a store open or nearby that will honor the warranty.

 

Three months ago I replaced an Optima Red Top in my 1965 442. That battery was from July 2012. Got almost 12 full years out of it.

I do however keep a battery tender on the car as it sits for months at a time occasionally.

 

Good to know. Thanks for the informative update.

 

I'm sure some will disagree with this approach, but here goes.

I live in Northeast Ohio, so my car (69 Cutlass stock 350-2) sites for many months and unfortunately doesn't get driven all that much in the May - October time frame either.

When my battery died, I just went and got a mid-range Diehard. This battery has lasted me going on eight years. It is disconnected while in storage and a charger is put on it in May before I get it out of off-site storage. It's a driver quality car so I didn't need to get something that was expensive or period correct or new technology. My car starts right up after pumping the gas a few times every time.

So moral of the story, just get a reliable brand that fits you budget and your wants. You don't need to spend $300+ for an Optima Red if you don't want to.

 

Joe, there's nothing to disagree with. You live where it's cold in the winter, and your approach will extend the life of any battery.

The only watchout is that in a hot climate, you need to charge every few months because the battery will lose charge much faster. Deep discharge drastically shortens battery life.

Gary

 

Yeah, the Optima and high end AGM are in the $400 to $500 range up here. Thinking either our companies Sonic Premium 800 CCA top of line 36 month warranty flooded or the low end AGM from Canadian Tire for easy warranty exchange.