I'm looking around for a replacement battery on my 2000 Forester. 61K miles. Current battery is a 4 yr. old Diehard Silver. Can I please have your suggestions? I've been looking at an Optima Red Top. Thanks in advance for your help.

 

~Howard

battery? Whatever fits. Buy what has the best warranty for the price (believe it or not Wally World isn't too bad for battery in both price and warranty)

something rectangular in shape usually works well.

 

 

 

nipper

battery? Whatever fits. Buy what has the best warranty for the price (believe it or not Wally World isn't too bad for battery in both price and warranty)

 

Wally World ? Do you mean WalMart ?

 

~Howard

gel cells last longer - crank better no matter what the conditions.

 

I run an optima red top in all of my Subaru's

 

Jamie

What Jamie said

 

Emily

http://www.ccrengines.com

Odyssey

Wally World ? Do you mean WalMart ?

 

~Howard

 

 

 

I have done well buying batteries at Wal-Mart. Just be sure to pull the caps to make sure that the battery water level is full. I did buy 2 batteries there, that were low on water.

Interstate batteries have been reliable for me. Just shop around for prices, they vary widely from retailer to retailer.

Some places sell Interstates below list price with no installation charge.

But the various brands mentioned here are all good. The ones with the longer warranties tend to be the most reliable.

I've got an Interstate with a 75 month warranty in my Subie now.

(I wouldn't be caught DEAD in a Walmart....I absolutely HATE those muddafugguhs! )

2nd the recommendation for Interstate batteries - I've had good experiences with their product's performance and reasonable cost.

I've only used interstate batteries. Optimas are good if you live in extreeme conditions, or have a huge electrical load, otherwise the extra cost isnt justified.

 

 

 

nipper

Just buy from a "name brand" manufacturer. (Exide, Sears, whatever - the ones with the "better" warranty) The gel batteries are "better" but I don't know if they are that much better for "normal" use. Life is longer, though because of the construction differences

 

As to wally World - I go there for OIL (a spec is a spec is a spcc - it's all made to a spec (I don't know who bottles their oil - I buy by weight and spec) and their normal prices on run of the mill air/oil filters (like Fram) are what most of the auto parts stores sell at "sale" prices. otherwise - maybe cat litter is about all I get there. it would be "different" if I lived close to one - it's about 7 miles away.

When I had my Legacy, I found a battery I liked for it alot, I picked it up at local industrial battery dealer. I can't remember who made it, but it was made in Korea...

I'm looking around for a replacement battery on my 2000 Forester. 61K miles. Current battery is a 4 yr. old Diehard Silver. Can I please have your suggestions? I've been looking at an Optima Red Top. Thanks in advance for your help.

 

~Howard

:banana:

 

Optima Red top

 

Outlasted my 87 GL :-\

yup - it's sort of like a circus in Wally's anyway

yup - it's sort of like a circus in Wally's anyway

 

I wait to shop till after 1 A.M.

I have been through 3 Wal-Mart batteries and am waiting any day for the one that came in my Brat to kick the bucket. We have a Die Hard Gold in the Legacy that has been in there for about 10 years, thing has out lated 4 alternators.

Oh well - time to probably tell most of you more about batteries than you want to know - (This is really simplified) Break out the popcorn

 

What determines a "good" battery is the amp-hour rating combined with the size and "durability" (how long it will stay operating)

 

lead-acid batteries are composed of several "cells". Those cells are constructed of "positive plates" and "negative plates" with a permeable separator between each of the plates and the plates are stacked up like a sandwich. The whole stack gets suspended in an "electrolyte" (sulfuric acid). More plates, more storage capacity. "Stronger" battery.

 

Now for the "bad parts" - the lead forms "sulphates" and those tend to either fall off the plates or "grow". IF they fall off, not only does it reduce the amount of metal available to store electricity, but at some point the crud building up in the bottom of the battery case will allow the "positive" plate to touch the "negative" plate and conduct electricity thru that "bridge". The cell shorts out, and the battery "dies" (hopefully after a long life of starting you vehicle) :-\

 

Enter the "gel cell" where the electrolyte isn't a liquid (not really anyway). The "plates" are long sheets of "metal" rolled together with the gel and the separator between them. They don't form sulphates. they never need water, they have a very high "power density" (amp-hours for any particular "volume"), last a LOT longer (usually) and cost quite a bit more.

 

If you want the whole magilla, go look it up on the web.

 

Is it worth the cost? Up to YOU

Oh well - time to probably tell most of you more about batteries than you want to know - (This is really simplified) Break out the popcorn

 

What determines a "good" battery is the amp-hour rating combined with the size and "durability" (how long it will stay operating)

 

lead-acid batteries are composed of several "cells". Those cells are constructed of "positive plates" and "negative plates" with a permeable separator between each of the plates and the plates are stacked up like a sandwich. The whole stack gets suspended in an "electrolyte" (sulfuric acid). More plates, more storage capacity. "Stronger" battery.

 

Now for the "bad parts" - the lead forms "sulphates" and those tend to either fall off the plates or "grow". IF they fall off, not only does it reduce the amount of metal available to store electricity, but at some point the crud building up in the bottom of the battery case will allow the "positive" plate to touch the "negative" plate and conduct electricity thru that "bridge". The cell shorts out, and the battery "dies" (hopefully after a long life of starting you vehicle) :-\

 

Enter the "gel cell" where the electrolyte isn't a liquid (not really anyway). The "plates" are long sheets of "metal" rolled together with the gel and the separator between them. They don't form sulphates. they never need water, they have a very high "power density" (amp-hours for any particular "volume"), last a LOT longer (usually) and cost quite a bit more.

 

If you want the whole magilla, go look it up on the web.

 

Is it worth the cost? Up to YOU

 

Thanks for the info Aircraft Engineer.

 

I looked at the price of the Optima batteries. WOW. Talk about sticker shock ! About double what I would expect to pay.

 

I think I might stick with another Diehard or maybe try an Interstate (if I can locate a dealer nearby I can trust).

 

~Howard

These are CONSUMER REPORTS picks for GROUP 35 (Most recent Honda Accords, Subarus, Nissan, and Toyota vehicles starting with 55 thru 62.

Very good article on Car Batteries.

 

OCTOBER 2006 http://www.ConsumerReports.org

 

Auto batteries may look identical to you,

but under the hood they can perform

quite differently from one another.And

our tests show that some of the best

performers aren’t necessarily the more

expensive batteries.

 

................................ $ - CCA -warrenty

55 NAPA Legend 7535 ‡ 60 600 18/75

56 Duralast › 35-DL 60 500 24/84

57 DieHard ¤ Gold 33035 (North) ‡ 90 640 36/100

58 Autocraft fiSilver 35-1 50 500 24/72

59 Interstate Mega-Tron Plus MTP-35 80 640 6/85

60 DieHard ¤ WeatherHandler 30035 (North) ‡ 60 490 18/72

61 DieHard¤WeatherHandler 30335 (South) ‡ 60 480 18/72

62 Interstate Mega-Tron MT-35 70 550 18/75

 

⁄ At Costco only. ¤ At Sears and Kmart only. ‹ At Wal-Mart only.

› At AutoZone only. fi At Advance Auto only.

fl At Sam’s Club only. ‡ Sealed or maintenance free.

From: http://autos.msn.com/advice/CRArt.aspx?contentid=4023696

 

Quote

"Most auto batteries are made by just three manufacturers, Delphi, Exide, and Johnson Controls Industries. Each makes batteries sold under several different brand names. Delphi makes ACDelco and some EverStart (Wal-Mart) models. Exide makes Champion, Exide, Napa, and some EverStart batteries. Johnson Controls makes Diehard (Sears), Duralast (AutoZone), Interstate, Kirkland (Costco), Motorcraft (Ford), and some EverStarts." end quote.

 

I believe the original battery in my 96 Subaru was a manufactured by Johnson Controls (Had 8 years on it before exchange which it didn't need to - but I was doing batteries for a couple other vehicles at the time).

 

An interesting article of what may be possible to replacing batteries in the future... http://www.technologyreview.com/read_article.aspx?ch=specialsections&sc=batteries&id=18086&a=

Read comments following article...

Here's what Consumer Reports stated,

 

With many auto parts stores and bigbox

retailers now in the battery business, a

great variety is available. Most offer batteries

at various prices, with different promises

of power and life expectancy.However,

most replacement batteries are manufactured

by just three different companies:

Exide, Johnson Controls, and East Penn,

which build them to retailer specifications

These are CONSUMER REPORTS picks for GROUP 35 (Most recent Honda Accords, Subarus, Nissan, and Toyota vehicles starting with 55 thru 62.

Very good article on Car Batteries.

 

OCTOBER 2006 www.ConsumerReports.org

 

Auto batteries may look identical to you,

but under the hood they can perform

quite differently from one another.And

our tests show that some of the best

performers aren’t necessarily the more

expensive batteries.

 

................................ $ - CCA -warrenty

55 NAPA Legend 7535 ‡ 60 600 18/75

56 Duralast › 35-DL 60 500 24/84

57 DieHard ¤ Gold 33035 (North) ‡ 90 640 36/100

58 Autocraft fiSilver 35-1 50 500 24/72

59 Interstate Mega-Tron Plus MTP-35 80 640 6/85

60 DieHard ¤ WeatherHandler 30035 (North) ‡ 60 490 18/72

61 DieHard¤WeatherHandler 30335 (South) ‡ 60 480 18/72

62 Interstate Mega-Tron MT-35 70 550 18/75

 

⁄ At Costco only. ¤ At Sears and Kmart only. ‹ At Wal-Mart only.

› At AutoZone only. fi At Advance Auto only.

fl At Sam’s Club only. ‡ Sealed or maintenance free.

 

Thanks for the information Blaze. My regular mechanic carries NAPA batteries and I might give him a shot after looking at the data from Consumers. He wanted around $80 installed.

 

~Howard

Thanks for the information Blaze. My regular mechanic carries NAPA batteries and I might give him a shot after looking at the data from Consumers. He wanted around $80 installed.

 

~Howard

 

er um, installed?

 

installed?

 

(sheesh its two bolts and a hold down)

 

go to an autoparts store or chain they will install it for free.

 

 

nipper

I got the Napa for my Forster; moreover, it has exceeded my expectations,over the past two years of use. For other items, I think Napa is way overated! But, their batteries are top notch.

John

From: http://autos.msn.com/advice/CRArt.aspx?contentid=4023696

 

Quote

"Most auto batteries are made by just three manufacturers, Delphi, Exide, and Johnson Controls Industries....

 

Here's my "anecdotal" tale.... I've bought batteries from whatever store was convenient to where I've lived or worked or happened to be on sale. so far I have yet to notice a difference.