Need advice on buying new battery

the_big_h

the battery in my 91 RX-7 just died, and I need to get a new one. Now before I run off to K-mart and get their blue light special for $19.99, I want to ask here first.

What are some good brands of battery that'll actually last, and won't die during cold months in winter???

thanks for the input!

pluto5

Especially if battery is fresh, having been manufactured within the last twelve months. As long as you get the minium cold cranking amps required for your car, batteries are a commodity IMO and you should replace them every 3-4 yrs. and never have a problem.

swschrad

are of course forbidden to republish. over the years, they have favored batteries made by johnson controls, as well as ac-delco. current johnson-made brands include Die Hard, Motorcraft, Interstate. I would say they did so last time as well but then they could tsk-tsk me.

as always, get the biggest battery that will physically fit the car, use battery donuts impregnated with oil or silicone as an acid barrier to protect your terminal connections from corrosion, clean the terminals before connecting them, and have the alternator load-checked to be sure it is recharging the new battery.

the_big_h

because the one that just died is an AC Delco....

I think I saw some Die Hard ones on sale at Wal-Mart, I'll pick one up after work tomorrow...

FYI, believe my car requires at least 700 cold cranking amps, should I get one that's like 100 amp over the requirement, or should I stay close to the spec?

swschrad

if the battery fits and has a higher CCA rating, for us northerners that's the best way to go, put the biggest and baddest one in there you can afford.

I've had good luck over the years with Delcos, Die Hards, and Ford Motorcraft batteries. they change places on the CU rankings year after year, but those three are always up there.

the_big_h

yeah I just figured out that Die Hard is a Sears brand :-D

off to the local Sears I go!

and get some Craftsman wrenches at the same time :-)

do you know if Die Hards have lifetime warranty? (ie if it dies in the future I get free replacement?)

swschrad

no, but the wrenches will have it. the battery has the usual pro-rated replacement deal, which means after 18 months or so, the warranty really doesn't save you enough to get a cup of yuppie coffee. batteries are a device doomed to fail, but careful and consistent manufacture of good materials from a good design will get you generally four or more years of good service.

bretfraz

Most batteries have a pro-rata warranty and many also offer a replacement warranty. Don't worry so much about the pro-rata part but buy the battery that offers the longest replacement warranty. Every brand is different so be sure to ask about both warranties.

Also look at the battery and find the date code sticker on it. It will prolly be in letter/number format. You'll want something that says "J-02" or "H-02" with the letter representing the month and the number the year. The higher letter the better, obviously.

Final comment - have a close look at your battery cables. If they are frayed or the casing is cracked, replace them. Lots easier to replace a cable now than later. Plus, cables are cheap.

Happy electrocution!!

vidtech

Buy from someone who pushes a lot of volume=a fresher battery.Sears sells more batteries than anyone.I have always bought mine there and every battery for me has exceeded the warranty period.

andys120

I'd get exactly the same thing...it lasted 11 years!

the_big_h

it's an AC Delco replacement, w/ a 6 year warranty...

armtdm

Delcos are great and one of the few truly maintenance free ones out there. As a minimum match the CCA of the old one and I prefer to go higher. Replace every 4 years as they are cheap insurance.

the_big_h

on the AC Delco is hard to find. So far only Die Hard Gold has ones that match it...

armtdm

Interesting, on my Camry I had a Delco with 700+ CCA as a replacement about 5 years ago, I replaced it this summer, same part number, but the CCA dropped to 600+. I got it anyway as it was still way above OEM and I really like the Delco. I believe Advance Auto may have a 700+ battery for you.

the_big_h

this past weekend I went ahead and bought a Die Hard Gold from Sears. Put it in, and the car starts up right away. Problem solved.

thanks for everyone's comments.

to all, a good night