Truck Battery $$$$$$$$

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Well, at 5 years my truck battery bit the dust this cool morning.

Jumped her and headed to my Ford guy. He slapped the new Motorcraft premium unit in and reset the computerized BMS (battery management system).

"Let's see...after your discount...your bill is $285."

"Yikes, outch!" I cried.

Welcome to the real inflated world!

The price has doubled in 5 years.

Holding back the tears....


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All auto batteries have gotten very expensive. And the "bargain" ones at the big box stores are poorer quality. Hits you on both sides.

My bud owns a Ford dealership and said 3 years is the average lifespan of batteries nowadays.

I got 4 on the original and the 5 out of the second one.

My wife's new Nissan's battery only made it two years.

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You got off lucky, my wife's 2008 Toyota Camry Hybrid's 2nd battery bit the dust after seven years. I went to Batterys Plus and was told they do not cover that year, then I remembered the same problem last time. Due to its Hybrid system the starting battery has a vent tube as well as a separate 12 volt attachment for the computer. I want to keep this vehicle in the condition it is and went to the dealership where they soaked me $413.00 for a direct replacement Panasonic battery with all the correct vents and attachments. I have to say in the years she has driven this car with only 68K miles it has not given us a lick of trouble other than two rather expensive batteries, the hybrid battery is still working great but according to my wife we will replace that as well, she loves that damned car....I have to admit, it is a nice little car.
 
Took my 2016 Tundra in a few years ago for some service I don't do myself. (Trans and transfer fluid flush/replace.) and the Service manager came out and told me it failed their battery test. When I asked about a replacement, he leaned a little closer and said, "you don't want one of ours."

Ended up putting in a red top Optima, need to check, but I think that's 4 years ago. So far so good.
 
This topic just came up on the tractor forum,,

I spent close to four hours mowing with my tractor today,,
It is a 2012 year mode John Deere 4105,, with the original battery.

On Saturday, the tractor had sat unused for 2 weeks,, the voltage was 12.50 volts,,

Here is a pic of the date code on the battery.

Battery.jpg
 
Try owning a boat with a 32V system. During Covid I paid $800+ per 8V battery, I needed four. Following year I replaced the other bank of four at$750 each. Not to mention that each battery weighs over 100lbs.
 
Many of us here that are Costco members already know this, but the Costco warehouses sell Interstate batteries with a 3 year, no questions asked free replacement policy. [That REALLY made a big difference when I had to replace
the 2 batteries in my 2002 Ford Power stroke diesel truck.] I believe their price is better than about any other place that sells batteries.
I've always had good luck with Interstate, and the "show up with your old battery and your card and here's a new [or 2] battery" is pretty much a no brainer- as long as it's within the 3 year period.

Buckshot Bill
 
In 1995 I bought a Yardman mower to cut grass where we had just built our house. That dang battery lasted 18 years! I am not kidding at all. I wish I would have documented it and at least remembered the manufacturer, but I didn't. The mower was about 24 years old when I finally bought a Bad Boy zero turn and sold the old faithful Yardman.

I actually replaced it's battery for the first time this past weekend. And today I discovered the new battery didn't fix the problem, it's a solenoid issue. Fortunately they didn't ask for a core swap out, so I'm going to put that 10 or 11 year old battery in my wifes Cub Cadet tractor mower. It died after 7 years.

My truck battery is now probably 5 years old (2003 F-150) and the wife's battery is 5 or 6 years old (2013 Altima). My ATV is a 2006 model and on it's second battery. (didn't buy it new)

However, I can't keep a battery in my remote control or headlamp for more than about 5 or 6 months.
 
Many of us here that are Costco members already know this, but the Costco warehouses sell Interstate batteries with a 3 year, no questions asked free replacement policy. [That REALLY made a big difference when I had to replace
the 2 batteries in my 2002 Ford Power stroke diesel truck.] I believe their price is better than about any other place that sells batteries.
I've always had good luck with Interstate, and the "show up with your old battery and your card and here's a new [or 2] battery" is pretty much a no brainer- as long as it's within the 3 year period.

Buckshot Bill


Definitely a good price but no Cosco anywhere around here.

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Yup......

I got bit the last time I bought a battery. I was thinking, "Dang, these things have gotten EXPENSIVE." You know they talk about this percent inflation and that percent inflation. Big ticket items don't seem to track. My roof is 3x what it was last time. ANY insurance, appliances that cost a fortune and don't last, auto repairs.... I could go on, but it's just too depressing.:confused:
 
I remember buying a battery at Sam's to replace a 5 year old Motorcraft that was failing on my previous daily driver Lincoln MKC. Was nearly $200 a couple of years ago. Took it home and installed it (which was a royal pain due to where the Ford engineers put the battery in those compact SUVs. You had to remove the air cleaner housing and a couple of other goodies just to get the old battery out and the new one in.

Any way, I'm getting off track a bit. The new battery (I've forgotten the brand now) was exactly the same as the Motorcraft I removed from the vehicle. Same exact printed labels, same exact case design with the same exact built in carrying handle, just a different brand name. It was obviously made by whomever produced the original for Ford.
 
I replaced all my lead acid batteries with AGM batteries. Yeah, they cost more but, they are just better all the way around and they don't leak. They last longer than the lead acid batteries, at least in my experience. I also buy the biggest, highest capacity that will fit.
 
Took my 2016 Tundra in a few years ago for some service I don't do myself. (Trans and transfer fluid flush/replace.) and the Service manager came out and told me it failed their battery test. When I asked about a replacement, he leaned a little closer and said, "you don't want one of ours."

Ended up putting in a red top Optima, need to check, but I think that's 4 years ago. So far so good.

Lucky you. My Xterra ate two Optimas in 3-1/2 years, so went back to the Autozone brand.
 
Still have the original in my 2019 Toyota Tacoma but have a feeling it won't make it through the winter. I will probably replace it in the next 60 days or so. Lucky to have gotten 5 years out of it.

I replaced the batteries in my Ram last Fall, first time I replaced batteries before they went bad. Five years old, I just didn't feel like messing with jumper cables in the dead of Winter. Not cheap though, Les Schwab AGM's for $555 installed (including tax). (I know I could have got a better deal somewhere else but I appreciate their no-hassle warranty, that I've benefited from a couple times over the years.)

BTW, I've had Motorcraft batteries last close to ten years (in my Mercury).
 
Yep...

My soon-to-be 7 year old truck had a battery replacement last month. Nearly 7 years so I'm not complaining, but the $255 price got my attention.
There were options a bit cheaper, but I learned that lesson many years ago.

... buy a cheap battery and you'll be replacing them sooner than you would like or expect.

Is anybody here versed on battery manufacture? A long time ago you could nurse a dying battery along for a while until you could get it replaced. After some point in time it seems they die FAST and won't take a charge at all. It's either jump the car and take a chance on getting to the store or remove it, take it to the store and bring the new one back to install yourself.
 
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