Car batteries, Walmart, and Me

[jrm53]

Best batterys I ever owned

In Sept of 2003 we bought a new 2004 Dodge truck with a Cummings diesel and as you know most diesel trucks have two batterys, I traded this truck in late Nov of 2012 for a new one just like it. The truck was 9 years + old and the batteries were still going strong, after we traded I told them they were the original Mopar batteries and they were still in it when they sold it. I had never had any that lasted nearly that long. Jeff

 

[hittman77]

I too have had excellent luck with both Interstate and DuraLast. We've even got an Interstate retail store in our little town.

 

[stanws6]

I have a friend who is a landscaper and works from March to November. The truck sits outside the rest of the year without ever running. Every March the battery is dead. Takes it back where he bought it, Autozone, and they check it and tell him it has a dead cell. Becuase he bought one with a full replacement warranty they give him a new one. Been 4 years and no questions yet.

 

[Black_Sheep]

In Sept of 2003 we bought a new 2004 Dodge truck with a Cummings diesel and as you know most diesel trucks have two batterys, I traded this truck in late Nov of 2012 for a new one just like it. The truck was 9 years + old and the batteries were still going strong, after we traded I told them they were the original Mopar batteries and they were still in it when they sold it. I had never had any that lasted nearly that long. Jeff

Interesting, my '02 Ram purchased in late '01 still had the original battery when I sold it in December of 2010. The original battery in my '10 F-150 lasted a year and a half...

 

[JcMack]

In this same basic topic: I've got an '08 Chevy PU that's gonna need a battery pretty soon. I talked to a mechanic I know vaguely and asked about saving the computer settings on the truck if I change it myself. I had thought about a 9volt battery hooked up in parallel to the battery cables for the couple minutes it took to swap out the truck battery. The guy told me what they do is swap the battery while the vehicle is running. In theory it makes sense since the alternator is supplying 13V so truck should run. Anybody do it this way?

 

[tacreload]

To the best of my knowledge, there are only one or two actual manufacturers of batteries out there. They simply put them in the case and label that applies to the brand they are distributing out.

Probably very close to the truth.Same thing with anti-freeze.If you have problems with batteries going south on you always check your belt and the belt tensioner.My 94 Silverado rode the original factory battery til 2003 and my present 07 Silverado is still on it's original battery at 60,000 miles purchased in Feb of 2007.

 

[tacreload]

In this same basic topic: I've got an '08 Chevy PU that's gonna need a battery pretty soon. I talked to a mechanic I know vaguely and asked about saving the computer settings on the truck if I change it myself. I had thought about a 9volt battery hooked up in parallel to the battery cables for the couple minutes it took to swap out the truck battery. The guy told me what they do is swap the battery while the vehicle is running. In theory it makes sense since the alternator is supplying 13V so truck should run. Anybody do it this way?

JC I don't think I trust that advice.Too much chance of an arc and possibly a voltage spike to expensive electronics.The computer will relearn everything after a few miles of normal driving.Shut the truck off and replace the battery and you should be good to go.

 

[ttcfan4476]

I have used batteries of all kinds but I have found that Interstate are some of the best batteries I have found. When I bought my pontoon boat it was left in a field to rot and had a newer interstate battery in it. That same battery I'd 5 years old and still going. My truck a 06 dodge ram Cummins turbo diesel still has the original batteries.

Sent from my SCH-R530U using Tapatalk 2

 

[s1mp13m4n]

There are only two manufactures of batteries. GNB & Johnson Control. The rest of it is rebranding. You have different levels of quality levels such as a 3 year battery and a. 7 year battery but they are mostly the same across the board. Go to Sam's Club and save about half over the parts store.

 

[snowman]

I did it once ... and probably never again ... no ... forget probably.
had a tire going flat due to valve stems not being replaced by a shady shop ... when this issue reared its ugly head I was down to WM service as my only option.
The dude at the service desk was stoned as the rock of Gibraltar.
seriously .. the dude was full blitz baked.
I figured I saw it entered into the system so what could possibly happen ... right?
an hour later the car is untouched ... so back I go to see whats jammed up ...
"Oh like the oil change" ..
nope .. made sure that was corrected and checked back in 20 min ...
"oh your the tuneup ... right"
This time I walked the wasted rock ranger out to the car ....
"Whoh .. did you know your tire is like ... flat?"
so this time I figured I got everything squared away for sure ... Wrong.
I checked back 10 min later to see what the work order was this time and was told they had to order my brakes.
so out the door I went and snuck around to the back to circumvent Bob Marley's biggest fan and talked to someone sober ... who had no idea why my car was there and was talking to the supervisor about having it towed ...
I baby sat my ride in the shop at that point.

Sounds like you're a whole lot more patient than I am, venom. That's almost unbelievable.

Andy

 

[Teddydog]

Just because batteries are made by the same company doesn't mean they are the same. The factory can make a $25 cheap, low quality battery on one day for brand X (to their specs) and the next day turn out $100 permium ones for another.

In 1987 I bought a used 1982 Camaro. In less than a year, I had to replace the original factory battery. But I didn't feel bad because it was a 24-month warranty Delco (yes, date coded for 1982) that lasted nearly 6 years.

People who have been getting replacements under warranty should NEVER have been having those warranties "reset" when they get the new one. If a 4 year battery dies after 2 and is replaced, the new one should only have 2 years of warranty on it (4 years from the ORIGINAL date). Any retailer doing otherwise is insane and probably not following their own "rules" about such things. Same goes for any other product with a warranty. If it dies with only 1 day left of the warranty, I expect a replacement. But if it dies again 1 day after, I shouldn't expect to get anything else.

Rob

 

[FTG-05]

In this same basic topic: I've got an '08 Chevy PU that's gonna need a battery pretty soon. I talked to a mechanic I know vaguely and asked about saving the computer settings on the truck if I change it myself. I had thought about a 9volt battery hooked up in parallel to the battery cables for the couple minutes it took to swap out the truck battery. The guy told me what they do is swap the battery while the vehicle is running. In theory it makes sense since the alternator is supplying 13V so truck should run. Anybody do it this way?

Don't do this!

This is an old trick that used to be used when cars came with dc generators. Today's alternators generate 3 phase AC that is then rectified to dc. The alternator needs to battery to measure and stabilize the voltage. Disconnecting the battery could send damaging voltage spikes to your cars electronics, leaving you with a battery problem that will the least of your worries or costs.

See what Powermaster has to say about it here: Alternator Benefits

 

[Stevie]

Wal Mart has the 'Never start'...Napa has the 'Legendary no-start'..O'Reilly's has the 'Super No-start'...

Or you can get the 'Optimal won't start' dry cells....

John Deere offered 'Hibernaters' for a while..designed for over winter non-use..and charge them up in the spring...good to go!..Problem was many didn't wake-up..'permanent hibernaters'

All automotive/heavy equipment batterys are junk and lawnmower/small machine batterys are same...squeeze your two or three years of life out of them and consider it good. If you get a battery that last 5 or 6 years it's a accidental manufacturing fluke..

 

[EugeneNine]

AAA members can call AAA when the battery dies. A truck will arrive to either jump start the vehicle or sell to the customer and install a new battery. It costs very close to the retail price of the battery, and comes with a delivery and installation service.

AAA gets my battery business!

Wife's parents did that one and AAA hooked it up backwards, took a long time for them to replace all the electrical components.

 

[EugeneNine]

Don't do this!

This is an old trick that used to be used when cars came with dc generators. Today's alternators generate 3 phase AC that is then rectified to dc. The alternator needs to battery to measure and stabilize the voltage. Disconnecting the battery could send damaging voltage spikes to your cars electronics, leaving you with a battery problem that will the least of your worries or costs.

See what Powermaster has to say about it here: Alternator Benefits

Its not because of the alternator. Dad had a 1952 John Deere dozer in the barn converted to 12v with a chevy alternator. didn't even keep a battery in the dozer, would jump it off the truck then wrap a rag around the positive battery cable on the dozer and run it without a battery.

Th reason you can't disconnect a modern vehicle while running is risk to the computers.

 

[JcMack]

Don't do this!

This is an old trick that used to be used when cars came with dc generators. Today's alternators generate 3 phase AC that is then rectified to dc. The alternator needs to battery to measure and stabilize the voltage. Disconnecting the battery could send damaging voltage spikes to your cars electronics, leaving you with a battery problem that will the least of your worries or costs.

See what Powermaster has to say about it here: Alternator Benefits

Thanks for the link! I seem to remember leaving generator equipped cars running while changing batteries because otherwise batteries had to be fully charged by external means before they were installed in the car. I also remember having to "polarize" a new generator or it would run like a motor when you hooked it up

 

[jframe]

I've got a 2005 Mustang GT that gets driven a couple times a month. The first time I let it sit up for a while, it killed it's brand new Motorcraft battery in TWO WEEKS. Seems these cars have a considerable amount of parasitic drain to run the windows that crack open a little when the door opens, the radio that runs for 15 minutes with the key off, stuff like that. Anyway, I bought a battery tender, which I'm sure a lot of y'all use for your boats and such. Mounted this thing on my right inner shock tower, right in front of the battery. Covered up the wiring with factory looking plastic loom, and all I do is plug it up every time I garage the car. So far, it's kicked off every time now. I think that, whatever battery brand you buy, these things are invaluable and handy.

 

[FTG-05]

Thanks for the link! I seem to remember leaving generator equipped cars running while changing batteries because otherwise batteries had to be fully charged by external means before they were installed in the car. I also remember having to "polarize" a new generator or it would run like a motor when you hooked it up

I don't mean to be pissy at you at all!

Simple, easy way to determine if the alternator is working:

- Take a simple voltmeter and measure the battery at rest, nothing running, just sitting there. It should be 12.5-12.7 VDC.

- Start the vehicle, measure the battery voltage again. The voltage should be 13.5-14.0 volts +/-, depending on original battery voltage and capacity (battery should be fully charged during original measurement).

With this simple test, there is no reason to disconnect a running vehicle battery from the rest of the circuit and risk the potential damage.

Good luck!

 

[ACORN]

Just a word about the pro-rate warrantys. Battery companies used to pro-rate off of list price. Nobody pays list price in for automotive parts. Unless you are paying a repair shop. There is a "discount" on everything. Whoever the customer is determines the discount. Walk-in, garage, fleet etc. After the battery got to be 3-4 years old it was cheaper to buy the battery outright than pro-rate. Well somebody got wise and filed a class action lawsuit and won. It is my understanding that all battery manufacturers are doing away with pro-rates.
As far a only 2 manufacturers I can only say I toured the Deka factory outside of Lancaster Pa. a few years ago. Very impressive operation!
Sadly my company decided to switch to Exides about a year ago. Wished I had Deka again.Very few problems. They are OE for some Harley, some BMW, and many other big name truck manufacturers.
The founder of the company got his start back in the 30's IIRC repairing batteries. Pouring new posts, switching out dead cells, etc. Now days they are huge.