Replacing Car Battery..Open to Suggestions

J

JaCkaL829

it was my first time...
As the title says I think I'm going to replace the car battery on my car soon. I've noticed this past winter it having a hard time cranking in colder temperatures, and even every once in a while now it has a little hesitation if the car hasn't been started in a couple days. I do keep checks on the battery fluid and it's always in the 'good' range.

My car is 5.5 years old but it's only got 50k miles on it. I'm thinking it might be in my best interest to replace the battery now since I have time, and really don't want to get stranded somewhere. The battery is original. Anyway onto my question, I'm wondering what batteries are good? I just did a little googling and found a couple different forums. It seems like Optima are good if you plan on having a crazy audio system, run a RV or do some heavy duty off-roading; which I don't do any. My car is bone stock and a DD. From what people online say getting an Optima is a waste to just get a cheaper alternative. I did notice the Kirkland brand (Costco) being mentioned quite often for good CCA. I think I might go with one of them since they seemed to be priced reasonable and offer a pretty nice warranty.

I am open to other suggestions though.



Any help or suggestions are appreciated.



Thanks! :)
 
Maybe I'm just old skool, but I like the Delco Freedom batteries, or whatever they call them now. Permanently sealed, hydrometer eye. I always go to Buy-Wise in Vauxhall (not the greatest neighborhood, sorry!).
 
Even in a DD, I love Optima's. Red Top's are great batteries for day to day use. I'm actually picking one up this week. I've had yellow top's in the past with big stereos, modified cars, etc.
 
AC Delco and Kirkland (Costco).



Delco's are probably one of the best, longest lasting. Kirkland's are made by the same people that make Optima's, and are a good value. IMO, you don't need an Optima in a DD.
 
You won't go wrong with a Kirkland battery from Costco. They are made by Johnson Controls and they are EXCELLENT batteries and of course Costco backs them up. I have bought 8 or 10 of these batteries over the years (different cars) and I have never had one fail prematurely.



Check out Auto Batteries - See car battery brands, learn how to jumpstart your auto battery or choose the right battery for your car or truck which is the Johnson Controls battery site. You can also see all the different lables their batteries are sold under.
 
I think I'm going to go with the Kirkland battery from Costco. I priced them along with others today. The Kirkland is only $47, has a 3 year free replacement warranty and 500 CCA. I went to Autozone, K-Mart and Napa and they had similiar batteries that cost more, had less CCAs and shorter free replacement warranties. I'm all for getting 'good' equipment/parts but this seems to be my best buy as far as performance/price.



Apparently something happened with Optima and the model battery(51R) that I need that they are harder to find now because they we're pulled off the shelves a couple years ago. I really don't see a need for the Optima battery anyway.
 
JohnnyDaJackal said:
I think I'm going to go with the Kirkland battery from Costco. I priced them along with others today. The Kirkland is only $47, has a 3 year free replacement warranty and 500 CCA. I went to Autozone, K-Mart and Napa and they had similiar batteries that cost more, had less CCAs and shorter free replacement warranties. I'm all for getting 'good' equipment/parts but this seems to be my best buy as far as performance/price.



Apparently something happened with Optima and the model battery(51R) that I need that they are harder to find now because they we're pulled off the shelves a couple years ago. I really don't see a need for the Optima battery anyway.
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Good choice. You can pay more but you really won't be getting a "better" battery elswhere. Costco Kirkland batteries are very well build and equal to many other stores top line batteries.
 
Just an update..



I decided before I buy any battery, that I wanted to make sure it was the battery that was causing my hesitation with cranks at startup. I ended up taking my car to Autozone and the guy tested my battery for me. Surprise surprise the machine said 'bad battery'. I was kinda happy because replacing my battery is a relatively cheap fix and easy one at that.

So I ended up going back to Costco and picked up a new battery. It ended up being $55 with a $5 disposal fee, which I still don't understand. Is that like the core fee where I get back if I return my old battery? Anyway thanks for the suggestions. Its funny because I was in Costco a couple weeks back looking for car cleaning stuff, and I was thinking to myself who would ever use Kirkland batteries, but it looks like they are the way to go. Tomorrow I will put it in along with changing my oil and maybe my belt, depending if I can get it.
 
I have an Optima Red Top that I got from Costco and although it's been a great, reliable battery I don't think it was worth the premium on a daily driver, especially since I don't live in a cold climate. I've gotten Kirkland Signature batteries before and they're good for their price, and it's hard to beat Costco's warranty/return policy.
 
JohnnyDaJackal said:
It ended up being $55 with a $5 disposal fee, which I still don't understand. Is that like the core fee where I get back if I return my old battery?
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Yes it should be a core charge not a disposal fee
 
Good choice on the battery, Johnny. So many batteries are made by a few select companies (Uh-oh! Rebadging alert!), so your advantage is in the warranty offered by the retailer. Johnson Controls makes some great batteries that don't seem to be prone to leaking or cells going bad; at least in comparison to Exides.



If you haven't already, you may want to keep the battery post clamps clean and then cover the posts in vaseline when you're done. It's messy, but it keeps the nasty corrosion buildup away.
 
The AutoZone gold batteries are excellent. I got 4 1/2 years out of the last one, typically I get 3 years max down here in Texas. Had enough reserve I was able to drive 32 miles home one day after my crank pulley came apart and there was no way to use the alternator belt. I still had 11 volts when I got home and my car still started!
 
truzoom said:
Good choice on the battery, Johnny. So many batteries are made by a few select companies (Uh-oh! Rebadging alert!), so your advantage is in the warranty offered by the retailer. Johnson Controls makes some great batteries that don't seem to be prone to leaking or cells going bad; at least in comparison to Exides.



If you haven't already, you may want to keep the battery post clamps clean and then cover the posts in vaseline when you're done. It's messy, but it keeps the nasty corrosion buildup away.
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I bought this clear cream stuff at Autozone that's suppose to prevent corrosion and dabbed it on the clamps and terminals before installing the new one.



Scottwax said:
The AutoZone gold batteries are excellent. I got 4 1/2 years out of the last one, typically I get 3 years max down here in Texas. Had enough reserve I was able to drive 32 miles home one day after my crank pulley came apart and there was no way to use the alternator belt. I still had 11 volts when I got home and my car still started!
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Scott,

Before I bought this battery I did a little shopping around at all the major auto parts stores in my area. The Duralast Gold I *believe* is the same exact battery as the Kirkland Signature battery. I read somewhere that Johnson Controls makes both batteries; and the specs where identical; (625CA, 500CCA, 3 year free replacement warranty) so I bought the Kirkland since it was $30 cheaper.
 
Thanks for this thread, OP :) I'll probably be replacing my batteries soon, and I had been looking for suitable/reliable brands :)



I have one question. We currently have an ACDelco battery in our Acura. Do you guys know if the battery "eye" is accurate? Supposedly if the battery's in good shape it's green, and if not it's black. Currently it looks to be black to me. Is this a definite that the battery should be replaced? Or should I take it to a nearby Autozone and have them check it?
 
mikebai1990 said:
Thanks for this thread, OP :) I'll probably be replacing my batteries soon, and I had been looking for suitable/reliable brands :)



I have one question. We currently have an ACDelco battery in our Acura. Do you guys know if the battery "eye" is accurate? Supposedly if the battery's in good shape it's green, and if not it's black. Currently it looks to be black to me. Is this a definite that the battery should be replaced? Or should I take it to a nearby Autozone and have them check it?
Click to expand...



I believe the eye is a gauge of water levels? I could be wrong though. If your unsure just get it tested at Autozone it is free.
 
mikebai1990 said:
Thanks for this thread, OP :) I'll probably be replacing my batteries soon, and I had been looking for suitable/reliable brands :)



I have one question. We currently have an ACDelco battery in our Acura. Do you guys know if the battery "eye" is accurate? Supposedly if the battery's in good shape it's green, and if not it's black. Currently it looks to be black to me. Is this a definite that the battery should be replaced? Or should I take it to a nearby Autozone and have them check it?
Click to expand...





The eye is a hydrometer for that specific cell, and it should be accurate since it's just a few different colored balls that float depending on the specific gravity of the electrolyte.



If it is black, then chances are you should go ahead and replace the battery, but there are exceptions. Since the specific gravity of the battery's electrolyte correlates to the charge level, you either have a uncharged battery, a dead battery, or a dead cell (the one with the eye).



If by some odd chance your AC Delco battery has an eye and removable vent caps, you can pop the caps and hydrometer each cell. Otherwise, it's off to AutoZone or I'd recommend you go to a battery store since the help will be more knowledgeable. Have them do a load test to match your battery's CCA, then if they have the tools, do a computer check on the battery and also test your alternator.



(If you own a multimeter you can actually do some of this at home-- with your car turned off, put the multimeter's leads on each battery terminal and it should read at least 12.66V; anything lower is near-complete discharge. Turn on your car and then check the battery again with the multimeter. This time it should read anywhere between 13V to 16V; if it still shows whatever voltage when the car wasn't on, then you either have a dead alternator or an electrical problem.)
 
IIRC those hydrometer eyes are a bit hard to see green in the shadows under the hood, shine a flashlight in there to be sure it's "black" before you jump to any conclusions.



Good info there, truzoom!
 
Thanks for the tips, guys. truzoom, lotsa good info! I actually do have a multimeter, so I'll check it out. The engine is still cranking, but it seems to take a long time (~3 seconds) to get the car finally started.



edit: Well, I checked it out with my multimeter. I shined a flashlight in there per Setec's tip, and it was actually green, not black. However, when I measured the voltage (engine off) it measured 12.53 V or something. Once I started the engine, it read 15.6 V. Whaddya guys think? Replace or no?
 
12.53 volts might be ok; the fully-charged voltage varies a bit depending on the lead alloy used in the battery.



When you are starting your engine, does it turn over normally or does it sound sluggish?
 
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