Need a new battery any recommendations?
 

title pretty much says it all, I need a battery that is going to last a while, won't crap out on cold mornings, and won't break the bank. Maintenance free would be nice too. what do you guys recommend. The rig is an 89 pickup 22re.

Iv always had good louck with the Optima red top.

Just get one with a decent cold cranking amps, go big if you got a sound system or aftermarket lights. I heared that there are about 3 to4 battery factories , they prolly come from the same place anyway its all marketing hype.

I have been kinda underwhelmed by the red top, and the yellows and blues are just so darn expensive...

When mine went, I just went to Sears and got a DieHard - it had more CCA and reserve (reserve being more important for our usage) than a redtop and was cheaper

I've always had really good luck with Sears diehard batteries and Interstate. I prefer interstate, as I can pick up one with huge CCA and CA for way cheaper than anything else.

Well here are my thoughts. I have purchased 6 red tops and 3 yellows over the past 4 years. All 3 yellows have died within a couple months outside of of the warranty, 50% of the reds have lasted while the other died under the 3 year free replacement. I'm sick and tired of the optima's 1. they just don't last long enough 2. I saw how much they were, holy crap have they gone sky hi. I remember when the red was $99 and the Yellow was $140. So I put a group 65 from sears in my wifes explorer and thinking of doing the same in the runner. I would like to test out Dekka and Odyssey batteries. They came to be superior and for $200+ they sure as hell should be. I run a winch, freezer fridge, and accessories. I need the deep cycle for the fridge for she will drop a non deep on its ass in 15 days and a crappy yellow in less than 2 days.

Aaron

I have had good luck with the autozone duralasts too! They are a pretty good battery, and they are low maintenance not maintenance free, but i never check mine and they last for years and arent that expensive

I've had my optima yellow top for about 5 years, and haven't had any problems with it. Even with sound system and lights and so on. They are really expensive though.

Otherwise, I think I would go with a Die Hard. That's what was in my 4runner before I bought the optima. It was still good when I took it out, so we put it in the storage shed for probably a year and 1/2 to 2 years. Then the battery went out on our GMC sonoma, so we put the old Die hard in, charged it for a little while, and it's been perfectly fine ever since. I think this is just a freak case though....because this battery has to be like 6 or 7 years old now, and it hasn't kicked the bucket yet. I ran it down leaving the radio on, and thought that I could have killed it, but it just jumped and has been fine since then too.

My old original red top lasted about 8 years (bought in '97), originally in my 4Runner, then moved to my VW diesel. More money, but I prefer the AGM batteries like the Odyssey and old Black Panthers:
- http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/CheapTri...atteries.shtml
I still have the pair of BPs I installed in my 4Runner back in '98 that still seem to be OK, I pulled them out of the truck this spring and they are now hooked up to some solar panels and power a ventilation fan in my house.

Since I work for AAA battery service as a contractor I can tell you the following:

1. Optimas dont last longer in most cases, infact they last shorter than most for some reason.
2. Odysseys last a good long while but arent cheap at all..
3. So long as your not an idiot and constantly running stuff without the vehicle on your battery will last. Also best to start it int he winter and let it run for about 5-10 minutes prior to leaving.
4. Maintain it, scrape off any corrosion, if it gets really corroded replace it, check the cables and alternator.

Overall you wouldnt belive whats in all of our vans we drive, AAA exide rebadged batteries and they last and last and last. I am running so much crap its insane too, 12v real air compressor (like a small model sears you can buy, with tank), a revolving light bar, headlights, charing my jumpbox off of it, charing phones, batteries for my cordless impact gun-radio and MDT pooter are on 24x7, no issues.

Its all about not discharging the battery. So many leave crap on, so many go on vacation and the battery is still powering everything, so many dont drive the car and let it sit..

Same battery has been in my van for 8 years now...my toyota has one in it, no issues..

Odysseys are simply the best that you can get for just about any reason that you can think of.
Optima's are just this side of worthless. They don't last, at least out here in S. Arizona.
If you wheel the Odysseys are super. Vibration doesn't hurt them at all.
There is, virtually, no outgassing and they are the only battery that can be, safely, mounted [b]inside[b/] a vehicle in any position.
They're a true deep cycle battery also.

Won't run anything else now.




:)
Fred

I just got a Diehard Platinum put in at Sears the other day, it's the #1 battery out right now.

That almost seals the deal for me, I will have to get one of those for sure but which one o get is the question..,,,,


Aaron

Well, you only have a choice of two, with or without a metal case.




:)
Fred

Yea but which model. are there different models like deep cycle or non?

Aaron

Les Schwab XTREME POWER. 72 month warranty. I got the 960CA model. An all-around great battery. Had it in three cars for a little more than 3 years now, it works great. At only $70, the price isn't bad.

Nope, they're all deep cycles.
Just a couple of different sizes. The big one won't fit, the "regular" sized one will. It's actually smaller than the battery you have now.




Fred

I went through 4 diehards in three years...I was told they are not made to withstand 100 degree heat....I will never by another.

I was wanting to get and Optima Deep Cycle for my Jeep since it sits alot and requires charging on occasion...after looking at Sam's I figured I could buy 4 batteries for the price of one Optima. Also, Sams had the best replacement warranty on the one I bought.

Honestly they all suck! Don't waste your money on an expensive battery, you can get one just as good, cheap.

Yep, all are starting/deep-cycle batteries. Only difference in models is size and capacity. I run 2 of the smaller PC925s in my 4Runner, custom tray under the truck.:
http://www.4crawler.com/Photos/103_pana/p1030795.jpg

In my VW, I run a single PC1200 in the stock battery tray with a custom hold-down:
http://www.4crawler.com/Photos/103_pana/p1030749.jpg
http://www.4crawler.com/Photos/103_pana/p1030750.jpg

These type batteries are built to a 12 year design lifetime, and I get at least 10 years out of them without so much as even seeing them, at least the ones on my 4Runner. I only swapped them out this spring because I needed to drop the gas tank for some work on the truck and figured I had 9 years on those batteries and it might be a good time to swap them (since I need to pull them to get the gas tank out). And those old batteries have been run dead more times than I can recall out on the trail. With the dual battery setup I have, I just flip a switch to go to the 2nd battery when the first one gets drained overnight camping or whatever. Ultimately I'll have the camping loads all moved to the 2nd battery so I am not draining the main battery so much.

^then you gotta keep replacing it. Wanna have a really good battery that lasts a long time or have one that dies in 2 years and leaves you stuck somewhere.