The battery on my 2012 Camry LE is 9 years old according to the build date on the car and shows no signs of failure. It is not an AGM battery but most websites are recommending an AGM battery for my car.
Do AGM batteries stand up to hot weather better? What is the advantage of an AGM battery, I don’t think it can be longer life. Even if it is longer life, I don’t need it. It is extremely unlikely I will be here 9 years from now and about as likely as winning the grand prize in the powerball lottery that I would still be driving. Since I don’t buy lottery tickets that is unlikely indeed. I consider lottery tickets a tax on the mathematically illiterate.
Supposedly AGMs handle heat better and offer longer life. Actual experiences vary.
One flat plate AGM battery, a Duracell, I bought didn’t last past its 3 year non pro rated warranty from Sams Club. Got a brand new battery for free.
Had an Optima spiral cell AGM in my convertible. I let that one run down several times. Was still going strong 6 years on when I sold it. I put another in my truck 2 years ago. It may last longer than the truck.
I had a series of AGMs in my motorcycle. Non spill, no venting, were the biggest advantages. If the battery is inside the car… trunk or under the seat… I’d use nothing else.
I agree with Mustangman. Batteries under the hood in convention location, just use conventional batteries. The only exception would be extreme off-roading.
AGM batteries need a different charging algorithm than flooded to get optimum life.
So installing AGM in a vehicle designed for flooded without any mod might lead to disappointment.
That said, I seen several stories about original batteries in Toyotas lasting exceptionally long times.
After 10 years I replaced the battery in my 2006 Toyota Matrix even though it was going strong.
I just didn’t trust it for another winter.
I plan to replace it with a conventional battery when the time comes. my daughters 2010 Corolla still has the original battery .
I know most of the automakers have gone to AGM batteries and that they are more expensive to buy so I figure there must be some advantage to them. I was just curious what the advantage is.
I have not bought a battery since 2000 when my 1992 Plymouth Voyager needed one.
My mower battery is 3” thick. The cheap batteries at store are 4.5” thick. Looked a bit and agm atv batteries are 3” thick. And $119. I found a used motorcycle agm for $20. Using it for 2 yrs now.
AGM’s shine in remote locations and unusual configurations. They can be laid on their sides without leaking. They do not corrode battery terminals and have better recovery from deep discharge. Longevity might depend on use (short trips, lots of restarts) but as a generalization I’ve gotten more use out of my AGMs than the wet cells they replaced. The one exception is a Motorcraft battery that was OEM in a 94 Ford Ranger that lasted longer than the truck that rusted away.
I can vouch for that. I have an old collectible 1975 Suzuki GT750. (2 stroke, triple cyl, water cooled) Of course it came with a conventional flooded battery. A few years ago I thought I’d try an AGM. It didn’t last 2 years. I thought it was a lemon so I bought another one. It didn’t last any longer.
Then I read something similar to what circuitsmith posted above. Hmm. I went back to “old” flooded and no sign it is failing. The charging system on old vehicles is designed for flooded but overcharges/damages AGM’s.
Thanks for all the replies, they confirm my inclination to stick with a non AGM battery when it becomes time to replace my now 9 year old battery. Autozone lists a whole bunch of Batteries for my 2012 Camry, all of them are AGM. Not a problem, the one I have from the factory is a 24F, they are not hard to find.
My son in law has a 2012 Triumph Bonneville T100, when the original battery went after 5 years , he replaced it with an AGM. Two ywaes later it died completely with no signs of weakness.
they have plenty of conventional group 24F batteries in stock, and a little cheaper than Autozone, if you’re comparing batteries with a 3yr free replacement period
No Costcos in the Buffalo Area. My son in law has a commercial account at an Interstate Battery store, I can get good prices at a place that sells mostly to commercial customers . They sell Dekka and Viking batteries. The last one I bought was for a church bus. He brought one out of the back room and asked me if I wanted a Dekka or a Viking. I asked him which one he brought out and he said, I haven’t put the label on it yet.
Each fall Consumer Reports publishes tire and battery test results. A few years back an AGM battery - Optima? - had a special segment of the page saying it was Not Recommended, and the reasons why, based upon how it performed on CR’s tests.