My original factory battery was ready to go out on me so I put in a new one yesterday. It's an "Interstate" with 460 CCA and a 62 month warenty. This is my first Interstate and was just wondering if any of you have them and what you think.
It was $81.00 with tax and they installed it. I'm just not inpressed with the Optima yet for the price they charge. In all the years I have been 4 wheeling the only battery that let me down in the boonies was a Delco and that was years ago. This includes running off road lights, CB and or converters at one time or another. We have some cold winters here and that's never been a problem either.
If I can do that with a good battery then why pay so much for an Optima? Just can't see it but that's just me. Hope this Interstate don't make me eat my words Mike

 

How cold do your winters get? If they get as cold as my town gets (sometimes -30 degrees C) then you may want more than 460CCA.

 

Sorry for the mistake...I meant to say that it's 560 CCA. The factory one was 550 CCA. You have to remember that it's only cranking a 2.7 4 banger. We get to about 10 below F. and that's only every now and then. The average is around 25 F above on the cold nights . We are just far enough south that our winters really don't last to long. Mike

 

Forgot to say that I love Canada! Haven't been there in a while but if I had a choice of another country to live in it would be Canada and around Timmons or better yet in the BC area. Mike

 

I have an interstate blemish battery. It cost me around 30 bucks and never fails my stang. Granted its never started in the winter, but there is a lot of engine to turn over and it cranks every time.

 

I've got an Interstate too...don't remember what model or anything but I know it has a 5 year warranty...It's been in the truck for going on 8 years now. It was in the truck for almost a year before we bought it then we've had her for almost 8 years. Seemed to be a great battery, only started acting up in the past few months. I even left my headlights and 2 sets of fog lights on for like 8 hrs and she still started. I think I'm going to be swapping mine out with an Optima soon though as my truck won't start anymore, plus the wrecking yard has one thats only 2 months old for $90!!!

 

Beartracker. where about in the states are you. Im in thunder bay which is about6hrs from timmins

 

Godzilla, I'm in south central West Virginia, A long ways from you. When I was a kid my Dad and I spent two weeks back in "Rapid 13" camping and fishing and it was great. Went back a few times over the years. That was many years ago. Always liked the Dam at Timmons and there was a little store up there where you could buy your supplies or eat in the place. Good home cooked moose! You could get your Beer there too!,Lol.
Went Bear hunting a few years ago in a small place called "Elliot Lake"with a friend of mine who is good friends with the guides. All I remember is that it's way up there too. You had to go up through the Michigan straights and then head north east from there for about 200 miles. Great little town but they shut down the nickle mine years ago and not much work there for the people anymore. Great moose and Bear hunting. Mike

 

Just a little FYI:

Back in the day I used to be a parts driver for the local Goodyear garages here in town. There is an Interstate battery store/shop (they did the full rebuild process in-house) nearby that I would be sent to for a battery if we didn't have the proper size (per the MFG. reccomendations) for a customer.

I can't tell you how many times I watched them pull a battery off the rack, strip off one lable and slap on another. They had, like, a half dozen different labels they 'built' for. To be totally honest... a lead-acid battery is a lead-acid battery. The only 'difference' lies in the quality of the name on the label (insomuch as the bigger names will stand behind the battery with less hassle).

Interstate stands behind their product.

 

560 CCA's oughta do ya good for WV.....I used to get them rated over 800 for my old Chevelle when I lived in WV but I was cranking a 383 with a bumpy 292 duration cam...so 560 will crank over the 4 banger Interstate is all my dad ran in WV and they worked for him.

 

I use the Interstate "blemish" batteries.

They are typically the competitors batteries they have bought out of from someplace that is now selling Interstate brand. Never know what brand you will get, but they work just as well. For $30 the price is right and you will always get your moneys worth.

After servicing batteries for so long and seeing how they are pro-rated when under warranty, you come out ahead in the long run.

Size wise, if you live ANYWHERE it gets to subzero farenheit, get at least a 750 CCA battery. Some may claim its the amp hour rating that matters, but it isn't.

 

Thanks for all the replies . I have never heard anything but good about the performance of Interstate. My favorite thing is to spend all day in the old minning and logging areas around me taking pics of wildlife in the spring and summer and Bear is my favorite. Trad bow hunting in the fall in this area is so beautiful you don't care if you get anything, just being there is worth it. We have a place that is about 800 sq. miles of wilderness.
Being stuck back in there due to a dead battery and walking out at night in an area that's full of Bear, Rattlers , Copperheads, Yotes and Bob-cats is not fun. :0) Mike