I recently moved to Maine for Oregon to attend a graduate program in psychology. Recently I have noticed that my car seems to take longer to start than normal (typically starting after a slow crank). This problem has gotten worse as the weather in Maine has gotten colder. While I haven’t had an issue yet I know that I will need to replace the battery soon. Just yesterday two of my friends batteries died. On top of that I have had my stock battery now for about 5 and 1/2 years!
Anyways I have read up on batteries and know that I want a good battery with a high CCA rating as Maine is a particularly cold state. I am willing to pay more for a good battery but want to also get good battery if I am going to be paying over a hundred dollars for one. It would be nice if I could get another 4 or 5 years out of a new battery. The reviews I have read so far seem mixed and don’t provide a clear winner for best cold weather battery for the size I need. Any advice will be helpful.
Don’t wait until your battery dies and leaves you stranded. It’s already nearly six years old. Replace it ASAP.
You could check Consumer Reports magazine for battery ratings.
I fot for replacing the battery now. Assuming it was the original battery get one with the same CCA ratting. It’s time.
Off to Auto Zone or VIP or Wal-Mart.
Costco has great deals on high quality batteries. They cost about half of a Sears Diehard, which is essentially the same battery.
Get the most CCA you can get. I had one with 1000 CCA for my Caprice and it never let me down.
I always buy my batteries from Costco also.
Costco’s Kirkland battery is made on the same assembly line at Johnson Controls Inc as the Diehard Gold battery, and it has the exact same specs. The only difference is a far lower price at Costco.
I know it is not usually what is suggested but you did get 51/2 years from the original battery…why not get the same one again.
I bought a new battery this fall, and went by highest CCA, and price. For the car at the time the highest cca was 800. Autozone is where I ended up at. I know there is probably more to it but I pick most cca and lowest price. In Oregon you probably will not experience the extremes that an extra 50 cca will be of significant importance.
Sears sale prices are very hard to beat…If not on sale at Sears…don’t buy it.
Yes Costco has good ones. None in my area which is in Maine.
The best battery I ever had was an Interstate Mega-Tron. It was eleven years old when I replaced it due to age, but it would still start my old Buick when it was 15 below zero outside. I have had good luck with “blem” batteries from Interstate. They cost $35 and I have never had one die on me, although the longest I have had them in service has been 5-6 years. A former coworker of mine still has a factory Motorcraft battery out of his '94 F-150 in his garage that will still hold a charge and start a car. He replaced it due to age when it hit 13 years, but still keeps it around since it still works. My worst luck has been with Exide. I’ve had them crap out due to a dead cell after 1-2 years.
I have read the CR reports a few years ago. The Yellow ones at Wal-mart are good, if you don’t have access to Costco.