My 2008 CR-V is getting harder to start, so I figure the OEM Honda battery is approaching the end of its days. Any recommendations for a replacement battery?
Walmart batteries have been cheap/convenient/reasonably reliable for me.
If you plan on keeping the vehicle for a long time spend the money and buy an Optima. If selling within 2 yrs or less by all means find a Walmart battery.
Auto Zone and O’Reilly’s parts stores are nice and easy to buy from AND collect on warranty at any store nationwide.
I have even paid for a battery at my local store , yet had my daughter pick it up accross the country at different store . The nationwide connection is what make these chains easy to deal with.
My recommendation would be an Interstate battery. I sold hundreds of them through an RV dealership and the only one that was ever returned was because it was dropped on concrete. The other batteries mentioned are also good brands so you have a wide selection to choose from. I would avoid Delco and DieEasy from Sears though.
Get one in the same size as the one in it now. Sam’s Club or Mall Wart will have one.
Whomever you buy the battery from, have them take the model number and make sure the new one is the same “group size” where are the critical specs are sufficient for your car. It need not be OEM as long as this group size matches. Car makers don’t usually invent batteries specific only to their cars…
How does “harder to start” equate to you needing a new battery? If it takes a lot of cranking for the car to start it could need maintenance of some sort. My guess is the new battery will work about the same as the old one and you spent $100 bucks and are still at square one.
Can be more specific about just what harder to start really means? More defined symptoms can get you much better information.
Increase the Cold Cranking Amp (CCA) ratng. The OE battery equivalent is 410 CCA. The next size up is 500 CCA. These are Autocraft batteries from Advance Auto Parts, and I have had good success with them on several cars. But the other brands mentioned favorably will have similar batteries available.
I would not be afraid to go to 775 cranking amps. It kind of depends on the climate you live in. AZ, get a cheapo, MN go for the gold. Heat kills batteries.
I have had good luck with costco batteries.
@wisehands Consumer Reports tests and rates batteries.
I regularly buy the top rated or best buy batteries.
I agree with @galant. I’ve also had good luck with costco batteries.
I just saw this on Autozone website. Seems like a good deal. 3 year free replacement, and a mail in rebate.
http://www.autozone.com/autozone/parts/Duralast-Gold-Battery/2008-Honda-CR-V-2WD//N-jsm8tZacy27?itemIdentifier=330111_27319_0
I have also had good luck with AutoZone batteries
In any case, both Duralast (Autozone brand) and Kirkland Signature (costo brand) batteries are both made by Johnson Controls. As far as I know.
As @galant says, I always buy my car batteries at Costco, the Kirkwood brand I think is what they sell there. Consumer Reports has a good article the publish each year on car batteries too. The best battery brand depends on the car. Each car make/model/ year uses a specific size. A quick Google search seems to say your car uses a size (something this is called “group”) 51 battery.
Take a look at Consumer’s Reports at your local library and see what they say about group 51 batteries.
I’m not an expert so maybe I don’t know anything but I’ve never had an OEM Delco battery not last at least five years, and that’s what I just put in my Pontiac. They are three year full replacement and a 60 month warrenty. Not so with the Walmart ones that lasted anywhere from one year to three for me and mine.
I just logged on, and Consumer Reports doesn’t rate Group 51R batteries.
I suspect it’s not yet common enough yet for them to test them.
as a mechainc I see and test lots of batteries, and the king right now, IMHO is the NAPA legend, it regularly tests hundreds of CCA more than it is rated for
I buy from Sears/Kmart…Only because they ALWAYS seem to have one on sale that is pretty cheap. Doesn’t matter which one it is…it’s usually cheaper then anyone else. I really don’t thing there’s much difference in batteries. Here in the North East - the OEM batteries have lasted for us about 8-10 years. I then have to buy a replacement…and that battery lasts until I sell the vehicle (usually well past 250k miles).
@galant We also have had very good luck with Costco’s Kirkland brand batteries. They last a long time and are priced very competitvely.
I disagree with the poster who inferred that Walmart (EverStart Maxx) batteries are cheapos or won’t last. I put one in my son’s car over five years ago and it is still going strong. If you can check the Consumer Reports website it will tell you which batteries are best in each size. The EverStart Maxx, in certain sizes, is an excellent choice.
@MikeInNH, I used to purchase the Sears DieHard batteries on a regular basic, but 7-8 years ago I started to get batteries from Sears that didn’t last as long. So I switced to the Kirkland brand and never looked back. I’ve been perfectly satisfied with the Kirklands. Hopefully Sears solved whatever was causing that problem. It is sometimes more convenient to purchase as Sears, so I’d like to have that option, as long as I could be assured I was getting a competitive product.