# What car battery is the best **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** batteries\ **Created:** [November 30, 2007, 3:00am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-car-battery-is-the-best/7829 "2007-11-30T03:00:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![zacko11288](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/8baadc/32.png) [@zacko11288](https://community.cartalk.com/u/zacko11288)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2007, 3:00am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-car-battery-is-the-best/7829/1 "2007-11-30T03:00:10Z")
Hey everyone i’m in the market for a battery for my F-250 any suggestions? ---
**Author:** ![pacific903](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a87d85/32.png) [@pacific903](https://community.cartalk.com/u/pacific903)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2007, 3:57am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-car-battery-is-the-best/7829/2 "2007-11-30T03:57:22Z")
I’ve had good luck with Interstate batteries, especially their heavy duty batteries. When I owned a Jeep Cherokee, Interstate lasted the longest. Diehards weren’t as good. ---
**Author:** ![americar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/americar/32/42_2.png) [@americar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/americar)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2007, 4:14am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-car-battery-is-the-best/7829/3 "2007-11-30T04:14:58Z")
I usually just go to one of the big auto parts store such as Advanced Auto, Auto Zone etc, and get there house brand. I have Never had a problem. ---
**Author:** ![RandomTroll](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/randomtroll/32/12184_2.png) [@RandomTroll](https://community.cartalk.com/u/RandomTroll)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2007, 5:29am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-car-battery-is-the-best/7829/4 "2007-11-30T05:29:26Z")
‘Consumer Reports’ reviews batteries occasionally. I bought the one they recommended and it has worked well. It was the better store brand at Auto Zone but CR rated different batteries best in different categories. ---
**Author:** ![Wha-Who](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/9f8e36/32.png) [@Wha-Who](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Wha-Who)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2007, 5:33am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-car-battery-is-the-best/7829/5 "2007-11-30T05:33:10Z")
Just go buy a 5 year battery. I just did for around $33. If it is gone in 3 years, that is just fine; about 11 bucks per year. Find a larger way to save your money. ---
**Author:** ![Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/joseph_e_meehan/32/21_2.png) [@Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joseph_E_Meehan)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2007, 10:56am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-car-battery-is-the-best/7829/6 "2007-11-30T10:56:39Z")
``` In the old days of the 50's and 60's there were larger differences in batteries. Today they seem to be much the same. Of course there are differences in physical size and in the capacity. You do want to get one that is equal to or better than the capacity of the OEM and you want one the same group and physical size, although there is same difference in size allowed. I do avoid the bottom of the line battery and usually go with the second cheapest. Following that I have seldom had to replace a battery more than once and I usually keep my cars about 180,000 miles/ 12 years. You do have one option available today. There is a new design which is odd looking and truly sealed. It appears to use some sort of fiberglass mats rather than liquid in the battery. I am not all that sure about why I should want that but it is claimed that it may last longer and is safer in the event of an accident. What is important is that your maintain your battery and make sure it gets water if or when it needs it. Some of my batteries never did need water and others seemed to be thirsty. ``` Good Luck ---
**Author:** ![jayhawkroy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/jayhawkroy/32/33_2.png) [@jayhawkroy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jayhawkroy)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2007, 2:29pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-car-battery-is-the-best/7829/7 "2007-11-30T14:29:20Z")
I have had good success with Motorcraft, Walmart premium, and AutoZone’s batteries in that size. They all did their job well and lasted. Checking out Consumer Reports for their latest report is also good. ---
**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2007, 2:38pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-car-battery-is-the-best/7829/8 "2007-11-30T14:38:29Z")
I usually go to Sears. They ALWAYS have one of their Diehards on sale, and their sale prices are very hard to beat…UNLESS you have them install it. Then it’s usually NOT worth it. ---
**Author:** ![Docnick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Docnick](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Docnick)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2007, 3:15pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-car-battery-is-the-best/7829/9 "2007-11-30T15:15:28Z")
I go to Costco and buy the biggest, meanest battery that fits in the car. The price is great and I get 7 years of good service out of it. Worst deal is the dealer. ---
**Author:** ![Triedaq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Triedaq](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Triedaq)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2007, 3:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-car-battery-is-the-best/7829/10 "2007-11-30T15:42:56Z")
There are only a few manufacturuers of batteries–Johnson Control, Exide, etc. These companies even produce batteries for a competing company. The reason is simple. Batteries are dense in weight, so it is expensive to ship them great distances. One friend of mine went to a local battery store and the battery didn’t have a label on it. “What kind of battery is this?” he asked the store owner. The store owner opened his desk drawer and displayed a bunch of different labels. “What brand do you want it to be?” he replied. I buy replacement batteries at a store that has a big turnover of batteries which helps insure that the battery is fresh and hasn’t been sitting a long time on the shelf. I’ve had good luck with batteries from Advance Auto Parts and WalMart. ---
**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2007, 5:57pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-car-battery-is-the-best/7829/11 "2007-11-30T17:57:54Z")
They’re about all the same. I’ve bought most of my batteries and family member batteries at WalMart for the last 20 years with only one problem battery in that entire time. The main thing when looking for a battery is checking that production date code on the battery. Try to avoid one that is date coded 6 months before the current date. While at a farm supply store a while back I was looking over some batteries while waiting on someone and noted that some of those batteries had date codes almost a full YEAR before the current date. Sitting like this allows them to sulfate and there’s a decent chance anyway those batteries will have a much shorter life. ---
**Author:** ![Beadsandbeads](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c57346/32.png) [@Beadsandbeads](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Beadsandbeads)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2007, 1:49am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-car-battery-is-the-best/7829/12 "2007-12-01T01:49:51Z")
Hot, cold, or medium climate? ---
**Author:** ![MCPayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@MCPayne](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MCPayne)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2007, 5:00am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-car-battery-is-the-best/7829/13 "2007-12-02T05:00:33Z")
Our family has had great success with Sears DieHard batteries and will last a long time even though they may be a bit more money than others. I actually just found out today that my battery is starting to get weak, and was told it was the original battery, so I can’t be too surprised since the car is seven years old (2001 Ford Focus), so within the next month I’ll be getting a battery from Sears before the dead of winter sets in.