Battery Suggestions

[bfarroo]

I need to put a new battery in the truck now that it's getting cold out. I'm looking at either a diehard or interstate. I've had bad luck with off brand batteries not holding up in a vehicle that isn't driven every day to recharge it. Anyone have any other suggestions on batteries they've used. This is for my 2004 Ram.

[shackwrrr]

Diehard platinum, its a rebranded Odyssey.

[cordes]

If you're a costco member get one from them. They're always rated really highly in consumer reports for the money. I've used them pretty extensively too and they've been great.

[iangoround]

Odyssey makes damn good batteries. I have a bunch I use at work to power various set pieces or props that need to light up/make sound "wirelessly". That is, apart from the normal lighting and sound system. I've got an Optima yellow top in my truck that's about two years old. It stands up great to long periods of draw down with no recharge (ham radio operating, headlights on to set up tents, etc) and has the guts to keep everything running while I'm plowing at low RPM. The old factory battery would be more or less fully drained after half an hour of low engine speed snow plowing. It made the truck do some funny things until I got the revs up.

Napa gold seems to be a halfway decent battery too. Not sure who makes them, but I have one in my daytona at the moment that has been in various cars since 2007. After about a month and a half of sitting in the garage, it's drained down to 75% or so. Not bad for a 5 year old battery.

[135sohc]

I am not sure what you consider 'off brand' but the autozone redtop battery has been doing good for me. Currently installed in 3 of the 5 drivers. I have one in the shadow and it sat 3+ months from the engine fiasco and I didnt once even put it on the charger before dropping it right back into the car and keep on rolling.

[tryingbe]

If your budget is little, go with costco battery.

If not, go with Optimal or Odyssey.

[shackwrrr]

I am not sure what you consider 'off brand' but the autozone redtop battery has been doing good for me. Currently installed in 3 of the 5 drivers. I have one in the shadow and it sat 3+ months from the engine fiasco and I didnt once even put it on the charger before dropping it right back into the car and keep on rolling.

AZ red top is the same as a Walmart yellow top. I've had good luck with both. Cranking a cold blodded v8 in the winter for over 5 minutes straight. Coil was weak and you had to crank and crank or it wouldn't fire, last msd product I ever buy.

[turbovanman²]

Interstate or Die Hard. I sell and service the Interstates and my Jimmy runs one, I get about 5 years out of every battery so not too shabby. I've had mixed results with Kirkland battery's. Stay away from Optima battery's in the cold, they suck badly, the colder it gets, the more they lose their cranking power. 3 customers had them, 3 now don't. I have one in my van and if its cold and it sits for a few days, it turns over slowly.

[bfarroo]

Ended up getting a Diehard Gold. 850 Cold Cranking amps. Hopefully it holds up well. If not it has a 3 year full warranty and 100 month pro rated. I've used fleet farm and the cheep walmart batteries in some of my cars and they work great in daily drivers when they are driven and charged every day, but in my cars that sit a month between starts they tend to be a little weak. I've had the red top optima in the past and it did not impress me at all. I don't think I'd ever get one again.

[black86glhs]

I was going to say the yellow wally world battery has been good in 2 different cars now. Twice a year I check the levels in the cells and they keep going. Got 4 years on one and 2-3 on the other.

[ajakeski]

I run a pair of Interstate MTP-27s in my 1996 Ram. They hold up well to plowing snow.

[turbovanman²]

I was going to say the yellow wally world battery has been good in 2 different cars now. Twice a year I check the levels in the cells and they keep going. Got 4 years on one and 2-3 on the other.

Gel battery? If so, how do you check the level?

[black86glhs]

Gel battery? If so, how do you check the level?

No, the yellow Walmart battery is their top of the line. I never buy the cheaper battery from them unless i need to dump the car. Not talking about any of the gel batteries.

[turbovanman²]

No, the yellow Walmart battery is their top of the line. I never buy the cheaper battery from them unless i need to dump the car. Not talking about any of the gel batteries.

Ahh, I always thought the yellow tops were gel's.

[black86glhs]

I heard that from someone a few years ago, then I bought one.....LOL. No, I looked at it at the store and knew it wasn't. A friend of mine used to work at wally world and had been using the same batteries with no problems(12-13 yrs ago). So when I needed one I tried them.

[RoadWarrior222]

So, costco for cheapskates?

We just got a membership again. Though I'm highly disappointed in their tire center, seems like I could do better EVERYWHERE else, no Kirkland tires any more, everything else "starting" at $150 a wheel or so.

So hope they actually have the batts you're talking about here.

[cordes]

So, costco for cheapskates?

We just got a membership again. Though I'm highly disappointed in their tire center, seems like I could do better EVERYWHERE else, no Kirkland tires any more, everything else "starting" at $150 a wheel or so.

So hope they actually have the batts you're talking about here.

I've had great success with their batteries over the last 10+ years. I don't know what could do a better job of starting my car.

I hear you about the tires though. I'm shocked every time I go back in there. Although they're still better than I could do purchasing the same tire on the internet and having them installed in my area. The kirkland tires were great for the money.