I got a Red Top from 4wheelonline. This is my second Optima battery, and I'm very pleased with it. It has tons of power and is very dependable.
I've bought Delco, Motorcraft, Interstate and Napa brand and ive been happy with all of them. I had a weird experience with a Interstate battery when I had one go out almost to the exact date I bought it a year later. My parents original batter in their 03 Ram lasted 8 years.
I will never buy a battery from Advance Auto again. I bought a high (can't recall specs) cranking amp battery to trunk mount in my Skylark. It cost about 115.00 with tax. It had a 3 year full replacement warranty, as even their cheapest batteries do, with zero pro-rating as I found out too late. My fault for assuming that Advance was like most other shops with their warranty. Should have read it. Would never have bought it. It died just past 3 years. "Sorry about your luck" I did let Advance headquarters know what a "wonderful" product they had and that every battery should last at least 3 years. So they really offer zero warrant, just a 'defect replacement'.
https://www.v8buick.com/index.php?threads/battery-life-whats-the-longest-youve-ever-seen-and-what-brand-was-it.279061/ Not sure. Maybe this: https://www.forbes.com/sites/timworstall/2013/12/23/the-last-lead-smelter-in-the-us-closes-because-the-hippies-won/?sh=3ce81add642b Jerry, I noticed that Toyota batteries died immediately after the period that the manufacturer suggested some years ago. Now, I am noticing that seemingly for all labels. Having just replaced two batteries (Wal-Mart & Duralast) this week its become obvious as both died right after the life expectancy of 48 months. They've got it down to a science! I buy used ones from the local pick a part. Today I paid $41.09 with tax for a AAA battery with a 10/20 sticker on it. Looks like Exide makes it.
Kirkland is just a Costco name brand. Everything that says Kirkland is made by someone else. In the case of car batteries, Interstate and Exide are made by Johnson Controls. I just bought a new battery for my 98 Riviera. The car is going on 23 years old, and this is only the third battery in the car. The original battery lasted until 2009, 11 years. I bought a replacement Delco battery at the dealer, and that lasted almost exactly, 11 years. Both Delco batteries were 6 year batteries. This interstate is the third battery, but the warranty is 3 years. We will see how long it lasts. It's a big ass battery, The battery in the Riviera is under the rear seat cushion. Very easy to replace. It actually has a special vent system that hooks to the top of the battery and vents the hydrogen gas through the floor board. I'm thinking the reason the battery lasts so long is that it is shielded from the temperature extremes it would experience in the engine compartment. In any case, we will see how long it lasts. The car has just over 200K miles. It still runs flawlessly.
Batteries have gone up in price while the warranty periods have decreased. I just bought a Costco Interstate for our truck. Their warranty for a free replacement was 42 months. This one is down to 36.
