Battery advice wanted.

r66sd · Addicted!

Battery advice wanted.

73SC · A Poncho Legend!

I always stick with OEM, all my cars except one are GM so AC Delco for me, but why not go to the dealer and get a Mazda Battery, they warranty them.

Genuine Mazda battery

jmont64 · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

Ted, are you a Costco shopper at all? I buy 90% of my clothes there and 90% of my batteries. I've had good success with only one bad one that was bad right off the shelf and of course they are probably one of the best places for upholding customer satisfaction.

Prefectca · Poncho Master!

The original battery in my 2015 GMC didnt last three years. I learned that GM sold out their battery division an the oem batteries from 2014 and up were crap. I bought a battery at Canadian Tire because I was on the road camping and the battery failed without any warning. I have had good luck with Canadian Tire batteries in the past

Paul

-- Edited by Prefectca on Monday 18th of May 2020 12:51:35 PM

cdnpont · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

Apparently there is only 2 battery manufacturers remaining in North America.

ARCADIAN · Poncho Master!

I am using an Interstate in my Chevelle with very good success

r66sd · Addicted!

Jerel, just waiting for the lineups to go down but will try Costco. I put a Costco battery in the Beaumont in September, and had no problems starting the car in April. Will also check the Mazda dealer although they are usually a lot more expensive. My truck is only used once in awhile so I am going to get a trickle charger as well.

Beaumont67 · Addicted!

Another vote for Kirkland batteries here. The one in my hardly used truck is 8 years old, no issues. I use a battery tender on it. The one in the Beaumont is coming up to 10 years old.

cdnpont · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

I think keeping a tender on a seldom used battery is the absolute key to it's lifespan. And I hate when I have to buy a new one.

I'm just due for a new battery in my boat, and it is a 2005. The battery lasted me 15 years, only because I maintained it religiously. My brother in law puts a new one in every 2 years...because he lets it go flat. But he's finally listened to me.

Presently have 6 batteries in my shed right now being cycled on a maintainer. Two from my brother in laws boats, one from his Triumph spitfire. One from my ATV, Sea Doo and Gaspe lawn tractor.

DonSSDD · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

Ive got a 2003 Costco in my 63, never used a maintainer but usually keep it warm in the winter. I charge them and top up with deionized water. This winter the car was in non heated storage and I left it in the car as I was in a rental pending a new house and garage. It started right up, even without a charge!!

73SC · A Poncho Legend!

Please don't tell me they brand the car battery KIRKLAND !

bjburnout · Uber Guru

Agree with Ray about AC Delco. Put one in our F150 10 years ago and the guy that bought it says it's still good.

New AC last year in our 2010 Equinox and 2005 Dodge Magnum.

These two were replaced due to age and are still good and have been placed on a shelf with maintainers.

66 Impala the AC Delco is 18 years old and the 67 Beaumont is 12 years old, neither have hot start issues.

Only use a maintainer in storage.

-- Edited by bjburnout on Monday 18th of May 2020 10:30:48 PM

jmont64 · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

73SC wrote:
Please don't tell me they brand the car battery KIRKLAND !

Of course they would call them Kirkland. I'm proud to have them as a good battery in my vehicles. Obviously my clothes aren't famous name brand neither. I had a few AC Delcos along the way and they were average by my standard. Never got more than 3 years on any of my new vehicles. Not a biggie, works out to $3 a month at the most. That's the cost of maintenance. Have had a couple last 5 or 6. I have a Costco one from my boat that is at least 10 years old. Alot depends on how they are taken care of too.

65 SD L79 · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

Those funny looking Gel batteries that cost a fortune seem to last for ever. My brother has one thats twenty something years old. I buy the interstate ones like ARCADIAN and have good luck. I need to buy a pair for one of my duramax trucks. The ac delcos are about 10 years old and they do not hold a charge for very long

DonSSDD · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

As was said above, there are very few battery manufacturers these days so many batteries are made in the same place and just branded for whoever, like Canadian tire, Kirkland, Interstate, ACDelco, etc. I have had lots of friends who have had batteries fail in 6 months, in all brands, in recent years. Including the new AGM expensive batteries.

Maybe the new batteries are not as well made as batteries like my 17 year old Kirkland? Even the new Kirkland?

One thing for sure, newer vehicles are harder on batteries, leave a vehicle sitting for a month or more and chances are you have a dead battery. Im sure the new vehicles are trying to send an email to someone, maybe on Facebook? China? CSIS? CIA? Engineers do some bad designs and having systems eat batteries while parked is one of them.

Pontiacanada · A Poncho Legend!

DonSSDD wrote:
One thing for sure, newer vehicles are harder on batteries, leave a vehicle sitting for a month or more and chances are you have a dead battery.

Yes, but my "stripper" pick up doesn't tend to eat batteries because of it's lack of electrical "gizmos".

Pontiacanada · A Poncho Legend!

Prefectca wrote:
I have had good luck with Canadian Tire batteries in the past .

Me also.

My bought new 2006 GMC needed a new battery after 12 years, and I saw Canadian Tire had batteries on sale so I bought one.

68 Grande · Guru

I put a Costco Kirkland AGM battery in the 68. So far so good but it does say Kirkland on it.

bjburnout · Uber Guru

https://www.hemmings.com/stories/2020/05/19/what-type-of-battery-should-i-choose-how-do-lead-acid-gel-agm-and-other-batteries-compare?refer=news&utm_source=edaily&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=2020-05-19

What type of battery should I choose? How lead-acid, gel, AGM, and...

With stay-at-home orders currently issued all over the country, people may have not considered the fact that many classic vehicles, boats, RVs, and motorcycles have been sitting dormant for even...

www.hemmings.com

ABC123 · Uber Guru

I was running a 2010 Sierra OEM battery in my Pontiac until last fall.

It was to big for the holder so I am running a NAPA now.

I'm not sure if NAPA uses the same battery in Canada as the US.

US NAPA batteries are highly rated.

A lot of parts suppliers have switched to offshore in Canada.

The 10 year old GM battery still has lots of life and used in my "fidget car" to move it around when I get bored.

Beaumont67 · Addicted!

Whats wrong with it saying Kirkland on it? Price was good, and a 100 month prorated warranty and cant argue with results. When the wifes Murano needs a battery, itll get a KIRKLAND too.

Pritch · Guru

Interesting topic. Here is a true story especially for those of you who like to think that one brand of battery is better than another brand. A few years ago, I visited a local battery dealer looking to purchase a new battery for my Ford Ranger.
When asked what brand I desired, I naturally responded, "Motorcraft." The retailer invited me to the warehouse which was packed with hundreds of batteries in a wide variety of sizes. Oddly enough, none of them had any stickers on them. The retailer again asked me what brand I preferred and then pointed to numerous rolls of stickers. I could not believe my eyes. I made my Motorcraft selection, and he promptly peeled off the appropriate sticker and stuck it on the battery. I am not certain as to whether or not this was a common practice, but I certainly got a good education about batteries. This true story reminds me of a very accurate quote from Shakespeare's play Hamlet. "There is nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it so." Ever since then, I choose a battery based upon price. I average 8 - 9 years on a battery and do believe that having them on a maintainer prolongs the life of any battery.

norontcan · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

Interesting story Pritch.
Used to deal with paper warehousing as part of my job. When touring major warehouses they would have whole sections of canned corn, peas you name it. All without labels ready for the next order from whoever.

bjburnout · Uber Guru

Toronto, 1970's, west of Markham Rd. south side of 401 there was an automotive battery manufacturer that

had a sign but (thinking Exide) can't remember name.

Buddy worked there and I remember him telling me one batch of batteries for ESSO, one for Shell, etc.

May have been different CCAs but the basics were the same.

I'm sure this process hasn't changed very much.

-- Edited by bjburnout on Tuesday 19th of May 2020 10:39:42 PM