Battery Prices are Getting Ridiculous
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- čas přidán 26. 03. 2024
- I've used many different brands of car batteries over the years. Diehard, Duralast, Interstate, Exide, Deka, Champion, Ac Delco, just to name a few.. None really stand out as being an incredible go to battery to me, so why are they getting so damn expensive! A basic flooded lead acid battery costs around 200 bucks! Because of this I've really been gravitating towards Walmart for batteries lately. What's your favorite aftermarket battery and how long has it lasted for you?
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For some reason I kept referring to the non AGM batteries as lead acid, but what I meant to say was “flooded.” Both AGM and flooded batteries are lead acid, the AGM’s just use glass mat to hold the solution. Flooded batteries have the acid sloshing around inside like some sort of poisonous fish bowl. Anyway battery prices are out of control. I’ll continue to take my chances with the cheapest of the cheap. How about you?
Prices have gone way up and my experience with batteries now the quality has declined significantly
@@adamt5022Oh yeah its ridiculous
Had to replace my Duralast Gold just last week. It didn't even make it 3 years so I got a freebie
Get a desulfate charger. They are fantastic
I've had the same luck, all junk now. I had a optima red for 15 years. Was still going when I sold the car. Now it doesn't matter how much you pay.
I work at O'Reilly's, and every single day I look at the prices on batteries and every day i can't believe they are that expensive.
What do you think about the quality? And O'Reilly has good service, I think. Don't you install them (on most vehicles) immediately? That has value, too.
No hate on you but oreillys sucks 😂😂
@@josephdavis1087 I know. I work there. Lol. All auto parts corporations are sh**.
It wasn't THAT long ago that a a 60 month warranty (12 month free replacement) battery cost $39.99 w/exchange. There was some kind of legislation that passed in the early to mid 2000s that affected EVERYTHING that contained lead. Most famously for a short time small dirt bikes for kids were off the market because of the lead in the starting batteries. as I also worked at O'Reilly's at the time I remember another effect was that the core charges on batteries we charged were required to increase to provide more of an incentive for the customer to return their old batteries, thereby reducing the chances they might be discarded in any other way. The core charge went from $6.00 to $10.00 at the time. When I left in 2020 the core charge was up to $20.00. Other effects were that the cost of batteries began to go higher and higher, increasing almost every few months. And then the warranties got worse and worse. In 2010 our best battery had an 84 month warranty with a three year free exchange built in, for $89.99 w/exchange. Previous to the legislation I mentioned (I couldn't find the name of the bill, but it was federal) battery prices had been stable for a long time. I don't know if it was related, but also at about the same time a lot of other changes happened with other types of products...you can't buy good paint any more, some adhesives were forced off the market. Other products had to be reformulated to meet the new regulations and now suck...they aren't near as good as those they replaced.
As far as O'Reilly's goes, I have no idea how that company is still in business. I started in the auto parts business in 1988 at Kragen Auto Parts in San Jose, CA. O'Relly's bought us out in 2007 after our parent company, CSK Automotive, was sunk by some thieving regional managers (that got away with it). O'Reilly's has some extremely wasteful, slow, and dumb procedures as it related to operating their stores. And right now their prices are so far above what anyone can find online from Amazon and others, it's like they don't even care if they fail. I'm pretty sure the whole thing is an Enron-like scam, but that's just a hunch...
$79 carburetor amazon and ebay at O'reilly is $325
I remember car batteries were like $39.99 lol 😂
I was furious when napa brand oil went from $0.99 to $1.09 to $1.19. haha
Pre Covid, those Walmart batteries were $45. They sometimes were called Valupower labels instead of Everstart. Depended on the store. Now they say Everstart in big letters and value in small letters and cost $70. Great value (no pun intended) compared to any other parts store batteries either way.
You voted for this mess . Enjoy 😊
@@justinpennington7682Yes sir that's joeynomics wrkn
Yes. When I was a teen, I bought a battery for my 1964 Chevelle from Sears. It was either a 2 or 3 year, for $39.99. Die Hards were more expensive, but they were worth it. They usually last longer.
I recently had to buy a battery for my Kia Soul. It was $159 from Walmart..
You are completely right. Autozone and auto parts stores are completely robbing people for their money. Alternators, starters, batteries, spark plug. They are often triple or quadruple the price as walmart and rock auto for the exact same parts. If a part is worth $60 or $70 they charge $200 or $250 at autozone, it is completely ridiculous. They are preying on people who need a part fast and can't wait a couple days for shipping so they get you. It is really sad because these big chains put the small mom and pop parts store ouut of business that had people who actually knew about cars. It's really sad.
While I agree about the part about prices being higher than online/Walmart, places like AutoZone, Advance, Napa, O’Rileys, etc are there for convenience. Put it to you this way; someone only has one car that that car busts and they need a part ASAP; do they wait 3-7 days for RockAuto to deliver it for $70 plus shipping/tax or would they rather go to a brick and mortar location 3 miles away and pay $170 plus tax yet they get it the same day to get the car repaired and operable? It’s like Uber Eats, DoorDash and other delivery/convenience services; you’d still have pay a significantly higher price for the same product/service. You don’t go to 7-11, Wawa or the local corner store to do your whole family’s grocery shopping now do you? Everything’s a convenience nowadays and physical brick and mortar auto parts stores are just that; a convenience. Yes I’d much rather save money and buy online/at a cheaper store but that’s not always gonna work out for many people. Not everyone can afford to wait to get their vehicle back into service so they gotta suck it up and pay the higher premium for something they may have been able to buy online at a cheaper price. So what you may believe is price gouging may still be absolutely true in a lot of cases, think of this whenever using a convenience service/product.
@@GlamrockFoxy Damn good points.
It may very well be a response to exactly what you described. With cheap online retailers eating their lunch, they may be being pushed into taking advantage of those who need the part TODAY in order to stay profitable. It might not be that brick and mortar stores are ripping people off, but rather doing what they must to survive as an option for those who need to be able to pick up a part same day.
So in the 80's I was a auto tech for Goodyear. Back then they had 40, 50 and 60 month batteries 39.99, 49.99 and 59.99. I watched our battery vendor back his van up to our battery storage rack and re stock it. He took the same battery with no stickers and would put the sticker on the battery needed for what ever month battery he was stocking. I went over and asked him,You're using the same battery for everything? He said yes, you're paying for the warranty. Since then I always just buy the cheaper one.
Yeah you said they’re advertised by months not power.
Good point. I'm glad you shared that. It makes sense.
Same with water heaters
as someone who works at autozone the amount of people I have sent to walmart for batteries probably outnumbers how many I have sold in my almost 3 years at the company
As a former employee at several parts stores I agree on that. On top of that the markup on batteries is absurd. The store cost/employee cost for a basic flooded group 75 3 year warranty battery is under $90. Yet walk-in price is $200. Absolute bs and price gouging
@@samir5717 it's not it's called margin , they are in business to make money
Oil too.
Great. Your honest. Important trait. 💯
@@drz400sm5 Yup. Can get Motorcraft filters there consistently & Pennzoil Platinum for my trusty '22 F150 Tremor 4wd truck.
"Pumping out the same battery and just putting different stickers." YOU NAILED IT! They are all made in Monterey, Mexico by Clarios, The new name for Johnson Controls Batteries. Competition is history; that explains the price increases.
just picked up a walmart group h8 agm "made in germany" stamped on it....
I purchased an Odyssey battery for $300 in 2020. it is still going strong. Odyssey batteries are made by EnerSys Energy Products, a global leader in automotive, military and industrial applications.
@@michaelcrockette8694 a premium battery from just about any manufacturer will last around 5 years depending on where you live mostly dependent on temperature, the hotter the shorter life. most batteries are made by the same manufacturer just rebranded. the agm batteries from walmart, diehard and duralast all comes off the same production line. just look at them. they are literally exactly the same with very different prices. I only buy agm
Eastpenn*
I've been tryna keep Walmart a secret then here you come delete this video 😂😂😂😂
Keep ur neverstart trash.
@@HOSSgaragelol. Waste your money then. I’ll keep paying $75 (at most) for my batteries that have always lasted at least five years.
Frfr
Yeah because Walmart has a super limited amount of batteries they can get.
@HOSSgarage I've had good luck with EverStart as well. Idk why you think it's a fairy tale when people are talking about their personal experiences.
I have an EverStart battery in my silverado thats 11 years old. I laugh every time I change a battery in my family vehicles and yet my old walmart one keeps going. I attribute it to the fact that my truck is a an old fleet truck with no electric gadgets and no power windows or locks.
Batteries used to last 5 years, almost on the dot, that’s been my experience. Now, it’s like 3 years. Nothing is built the same anymore.
I've had 2 AC Delco batteries that have lasted a decade. When I had to replace the one out of my moms equinox in 2020, I couldn't believe it was the original battery.
The oldest battery I'd seen that would still start the engine was around 11 or 12 years. I've seen batteries from the Honda and Subaru dealership crap out in just about 2 years. This is why for my personal vehicles that I make my own lithium packs with surplus cells that waaaaaay out perform lead acid and cost less, even used cells!
I have seen some exceed 8 years conservatively. I saw a 2013 sticker in 2021. The brand was either Interstate or a Diehard.
I've had several Delco batteries last 7-8 years. The auto zone batteries has been the replacement. They last just as long
My Caterpillar batteries are pushing 20 years... Nest batt on the planet
Yep, just like everything else. I remember when you could get a "Blem" battery from Interstate for $25, $25! Those days are LONG gone.
Yeah but they shouldn't be, everything is a rigged market because the people refuse to rise up and demand better service, products and government.. they just accept it as an oh well.
You voted for them days to be gone . Enjoy 😉
Yup got one back in 2017 (blemished) from interstate still running strong in my 2001 Toyota Sequoia
I only bye from W/m or interstate
@@justinpennington7682population rises as does inflation
I have a green top Interstate battery from 2001 that still works
As someone who works for a auto retail store, advance auto, autozone, O’Reillys, Napa, and Walmart all share the exact same battery with a different label on it. Made in the same place, I’ve even had batteries come in on truck that had a Walmart sticker on top and a duralast sticker on the side.
Johnson controls, East Penn and stryten/deka. They’re not all made in the same facility, although the practice of making the same battery technology is shared and not copywritten in anyway. Lead acid and agm being what I’m referring too. So making batteries is a simple process and not a trade secret between parent companies, and you definitely do not get what u pay for in terms of cost vs lifetime of said battery, most people don’t treat them the way they should be in colder/frozen climates and in the extreme hot areas. Most people assume they’re gonna be just fine regardless of the climate….wrong and blame the manufacturer before taking into consideration their ignorant self for not knowing how to maintain a battery. There are a few diff smaller manufacturers that make specialty/racing batteries that are in their own space and their price point reflects that. Those aren’t realistic for the daily driver or average consumer.
Pretty much the entire aftermarket is just the same stuff sold everywhere. It's all the same brands just sold at different places.
@@cavalierliberty6838 that is not the case in alot of high performance parts
I’m a big fan of East Penn, in my area I have found that Walmart Everstart Maxx and sams club Duracell are the both top tier batteries from them. Series 75 batteries are about $139 while the same battery at a parts store is over $200 easily.
Oreillys owns their own battery company.
Love it. I've subbed to Project Farm as well, and when most people throw out brand names and they don't realize there are only 3 different battery manufacturers, what you claim to like, may be the same exact batter(I don't know that for sure). Plus another thing to think about: Walmart can flat move some volume. The battery you get from there has probably had less shelf time than the old dusty one from an auto parts store. Something to think about.
Scotty Kilmer has said to make sure you get a FRESH battery and Walmart batteries have a date sticker on the top of them so you know how fresh they are.
@@WhittyPicsScotty Kilmer is a joke. I can't believe anyone would willingly watch that clown. All battteries have date codes on them. So Kilmer did tell anyone anything.
Another thing to remember is that Project Farm did his Battery evaluation > 3 years ago and unfortunately the market has changed considerably between then and now. What was discussed as good then is probably no longer the case.
Steve, its actually the opposite. I've been to walmart many times over the years looking for batteries, and their batteries sit for a long time. I work in a busy auto parts chain and guarantee you, if you have a common car that take a common battery, it will be fresh.
Project Farm's reviews I feel are the best. Regarding his Automotive Battery reviews, they were done > 3 years ago and the industry has changed dramatically since then. I suggested he update the Battery review and he agreed it was a good idea, I just hope it gets into the que sometime....
There are only 3 battery manufacturers in the US. East Penn (Deka), Exide, and Johnson Controls (Everstart, Duralast, Costco Interstate, and a bunch of other private labels). Contrary to popular belief, Interstate does not manufacture batteries. Interstate is a marketing/distribution company, Interstate batteries are primarily made by Exide and Johnson Controls.
No matter what battery you purchase it is made by one of these 3. As for warranties, the batteries are for the most part all constructed the same, so the price difference between the same bci group/same brand with more warranty is the the cost of the warranty itself.
There are two other companies making high quality batteries in the US. Crown Battery and Superior Battery. They're unfortunately hard to find.
Clarios took over Johnson Controls a few years ago.
I’ve seen “ mfg in Mexico “ stamped on new interstate batteries.
Well, there are also Odyssey and NorthStar (both Ener Sys owned) batteries, of which almost all are made in the U.S.
@@Eddievoneddie13 Funny you should mention that. I got an Odyssey battery in today. It tested bad at 11 months old. I have no idea where he got it but I told him to try to find that receipt because that's a $250 battery. It's been a while since I had seen one. We used to use those in the race cars. Now I'm curious if their quality fell off a cliff like Optima or it was a fluke.
That is because the EPA drove most battery manufacturing “OFF SHORE” because of lead. Besides batteries are used to start gas cars!
Good point. I think this has happened in a lot of industries.
Most EVs have a 12v battery too.
I just bought a Walmart AGM, after trying many other brands over the decades. My experience with car batteries is that a battery typically craps out 1 month after the warranty is up, no matter the brand, type, length of warranty or price.
The ultimate trick I have found to find a long lasting battery is to look for batteries made by East Penn Manufacturing, and avoid the Johnson Controls ones. Typically, the East Penn batteries are more expensive, and advertised name on the battery typically does NOT indicate who made it. Wal Mart sells both! The two Everstarts there are Johnson controls batteries and will most likely last the same amount, but the top end Walmart batteries are East Penn. I had one in my chevy van that was 6 years old and still working. The top-dollar NAPA batteries are East Penn batteries too. My ultimate longest lasting battery was in my work van. It went to the junkard with 240,000 miles on the van, and 10 years old and still had the ORIGIONAL motorcraft battery in it!!
Dude it's crazy out there, dealership lists an H8 group battery 850cca agm for 400 clams, with which they can fuck right off with. How could anybody stomach that for a freakin battery man.
AC Delco used to make the Freedom battery that was very affordable and lasted close to the 84 month prorated warranty. They quit selling it through consumer retailers and sold it through only repair shops sometime in the 2000s. Sears Diehard gold was also an excellent affordable line until Sears went bust and Advance Auto started selling Diehard batteries. With any brand, odds are it is just a Johnson Controls battery with a different label on it. Walmart has the best value now but they have raised their prices significantly in the last few years.
Menards sells them now
I recently bought one of those Everstart AGM batteries from Walmart. Best deal by far and holding up well so far. Good warranty.
I had great success with the Walmart EverStart Maxx batteries ! I own several vehicles and I'm getting 5 and 6 years with those batteries !
Me too!
I recently replaced a Maxx battery that tested bad. Walmart honored their 3 year warranty n replaced it for free. I then reset the nissan rogue setting to turn off the lights when the engine is shut off instead of after 45 seconds. We'll see how this works.
@@timtitus6846 Glad they honored your warranty !
Thanks for your honesty; it's refreshing to hear indignation about the price gouging since COVID.
I've been liking the recent videos! I personally buy my battery's used at my local U-pull yard for $30! They have a 90 day warranty and all of them are at a set price. Meaning you could get a newer platinum battery, for example for just $30. The AC Delco one I got for my 2000 2500 Silverado has been working great for 6 months so far!
I am 63 years old, when I was a broke teenager you could buy a battery for 40 dollars but we did not do that, 40 bucks could buy a lot of things back then, I cleaned the plates with a 200 amp charger or drained them completely and charged them reverse polarity, it does work even today, makes it like a new battery, now that they are 2 or 3 hundred dollars, time to do it again
Yup, still works because the technology and science behind it hasn’t changed at all, it just more expensive just because. Same batteries they had 50 years ago that keep getting recycled and put into new plastic boxes with a new sticker.
yes time to get out of the throw away mentality, and start re using things@@Omardottcom
5 to 10 years ago you could get a brand new battery at AutoZone for less than 50. Remanned were like 25.
Battery prices are crazy. $150 to $200 all day long. I bought a good used one for $40 bucks at my local junk yard. Works great, going on three years . Screw the big box stores.
Loving the videos and the frequency lol.
I always buy AC Delco. I've gotten up to 10 years on them and still start my truck when pulled out of service.
Where do you buy AC Delco?
@@ofacesig I have a parts guy at a GM dealer that gets me wholesale price, also many discount auto parts stores carry AC Delco. Only battery I buy.
I had an ACDelco battery last 10 years in a really old lawn mower.
@@ofacesigMenards has some AC Delco batteries, if you have one near by.
I hear you brother, battery prices are out of control. 😮
I had a Napa Legend battery last 8 years (still have it and may try to charge it back to life), so i bought another one. It was expensive ($200), but the old one lasted on my weekend car without a tender for all those years. Hopefully the new one was manufactured similarly to the old.
That being said, i like the wal mart idea vs other parts stores. Great content!
Agree. Just bought the same Walmart battery for my sierra for the reason you described.
Just bought a $130 Walmart battery with a 3-year full replacement warranty for my Yukon. Similar batteries at the parts stores was around 200 for the same warranty.
Yes sir I paid $225 for a 3 year warranty battery for my F-150 at Autozone. In 2019 I paid $139 for a 4 year battery at the same store.
I just bought a new battery for my truck from Walmart, $69.00! Last one lasted 8 years!!? End of story
I have an EVERSTART on my mower. It's always gotten a trickle charge in the winter just once and then again in spring. This battery has a sticker on it from 9-14..which is 9.5 years. 😮 Take care of em and they'll last longer
Nailed it! How long a lead acid battery lasts totally depends on how well you maintain its state of charge.
yeah, mower batteries NEED trickle chargers or solar chargers
I have 2 Costco/Kirkland batteries, in my big block ski boat.
They are both 11 years old, and keep on crankin!
Very lmpressed.
Love the video! Cant say I have had the same luck with Walmart batteries . Usually only last a year and then have to return them. They were good about honoring warranties but then recently it’s been a pain. Could just be where I live and how I take care of the battery. But they have been living up to the nickname NeverStart
I have been getting ACDelco batteries from Menards when they have the 11% rebate and since I am using money there anyways the rebates come in handy when I got house repairs etc.
I just went through the exact same thing steps with my 6 year old pickup. you are right. everything else cost near $200. I bought the $70 Walmart battery, 1 year warranty. I feel better having listened to you.
Costco warranty is sick , I am on my third free replacement ,no testing, no questions 🤪
Call up your local costco tire and ask about the interstate battery warranty and you will see the policy changed to 3 yr pro rated only
That sounds sustainable.
I bought one of the econocraft batteries a couple years ago it was only 60 bucks at the time and surprisingly it’s still working, I’ve let it die so many times over the years
I put a super cheap Wally World Econo Start in a van I thought I was going to sell. The battery needed to be jump started once due a defective stereo amp draining it. That battery lasted 8 years in Montana till the van died.
G'morning from Boise ID Matt ☕☕ 🤠 . I've been a Die hard / Duracell guy for a long time. But as of late I just got a $140 Everstart for my 98' Blazer and I've had good luck with Super Start batteries lately 🤠 ..
I got my start at Sears in the late '90s. There are only a handful of companies making batteries. None are perfect. I tend to get the Duracell at Sam's Club when they are on sale. They are Deka. One good reason to go to a place like Walmart is that they go through a lot of batteries so you aren't going to get one that has been sitting on the shelf for months.
Matt I just want to say thank you for giving me some advice on my old 2001 Tahoe, but I just had this conversation with myself yesterday while buying a battery for my 98 Tahoe. I completely agree with you I got the cheapest battery with a 3-month warranty because I know it'll at least last me the next 3 years
Here in Wisconsin at Farm & Fleet you can buy a flooded battery with a 7yr warranty(3yr replacement) for $159 and an AGM with an 8yr warranty for $209.
The best AutoZone can do is a 3yr warranty for $154 on the same battery.
Hell yeah I'm Wisconsin born and raised and I love blains farm and fleet!
(Not to be confused with fleet farm!!!)
I have their gold line battery (3 year warranty I think)
Got it for 110 after core return in mid 2020 and it's still going strong fingers crossed!
Johnson controls makes most of of the batteries, what company slaps their sticker on the outside doesn’t really matter
Recently toured the new Texas Deka factory for Hazmat planning, they make everyone's battery just about. This facility serves basically Texas. Quality control is on point with them. If you want to try one, no matter what brand it is, there will always be Deka somewhere on the battery. Duracell at Sam's here are good.
I remember buying a battery for my first car when I got my license in 2006 for $85 a Duralast gold 78DT when they were mostly yellow too.
the costco batteries are pretty good with a relatively low price
Costco changed their Interstate warranty from full 3 year replacement to 3 year pro-rated.
I was going to buy a Walmart battery but the Costco Interstate battery was around ten bucks cheaper.
@@sergiopereziiiyeah they did. That kinda sucks. Good batteries though.
Just bought one yesterday, $137.84 with tax (7.75%) in northern California .
Customer service at Costco is HANDS DOWN superior to Walmart if you have any issues with your battery.
Yeah was about to mention Costco, got good deal on them
Ayee just wanted to say great informative video. I was shocked when i had to replace my batteries couple years ago. Had I known at the time walmart prices were better and replacement was just as good if not better than the other box stores. Ida went with those. WIld.
I’m with you on Walmart batts. After having one of the 10 month old, high cost Ford truck batteries explode in my pickup several years ago, I have used Walmart Johnson Controls batteries in all my vehicles. No complaints at all, and Walmart never hesitates to exchange under warranty.
I’ve been successfully running Walmart batteries for the last 20 years straight….ZERO complaints from these dead reliable products!
Warranties are also getting shorter. I remember Pep Boys had like 7 year warranty, with a couple of years pro-rated. Always worked out great when I parked my old car on the street over the winter. Go back in Spring and get a new one. Lol
I work at a Honda dealership, so I use my employee discount to get Honda labeled batteries for ~$100 with a 3 year warranty. That and my little Fit uses a 151R group size battery, which isn't terribly common. We have them because basically all Fits and Insights use that size.
Great job Matt, a lead acid battery is a lead acid battery. Just right size and CCA, boom done.
Lead,acid and plastic,don't know what label will be slapped on them.
Agree. I own five older cars. I used to buy only Duralast batteries (because they were fairly high rated, had a decent warranty and I could get it replaced in so many locations), but now they have priced themselves out of my reach. I've been reading about Walmart batteries and I will take my business there now.
I recently bought a battery from Wal-Mart to replace the 4 year old Wal-Mart battery that was in my SUV. I bought the exact same everstart value one to replace that one. Same cca and everything. Not the one recommended by the website for my SUV, but it works. Half the price the one their website recommended that has a 2 year warranty.
Only problem is Walmart doesn't train their employees how to swap batteries that fail under warranty. Took me two hours to get this done. My local walmarts don't have anyone at the auto desk anymore.
Dude’s thumbnail game has been elite lately 😂
I've had great luck with the two year lead acid batteries made by Exide marketed through Rural King. By them for all our vehicles.
I e got a 09 sierra with the duramax engine. It has two super start batteries I’ve had the truck for 9 years and we’re in it when I got it. Granted the truck doesn’t get driven daily but when it’s parked I have a battery tender on it. I also put tenders on my 12 Camaro and my 2000 corvette.
The base DieHards were called "Weatherhandler " years ago. They were great batteries and had awesome warranties.
I’ve had the best luck with Walmart batteries. I have an 03 bmw that sits in the garage for half the year. Has an H8 group battery which indeed is one of the bigger sizes available but has not failed in 8-9 years now and still going strong.
I bought a DieHard gold back in 2020 and got 3 replacements during the warranty. When the current one conks out I'll definitely be getting a walmart one.
Same goes for oil filters and motor oil. I have been using Supertech everything for well over 20 years. No issues ever.
Everstart batteries in my truck have been going strong for 3+ years now. I expect I'll have to change them maybe this winter. But The price savings are super worth it.
It has more to do with who builds the battery than who sells it. I worked at Exide batteries in Sumner WA. All the batteries were the same we just slapped on different stickers, some would have different casings but that was it.
I got the $50 cheapest walmart battery for my mini like 4 years ago, and its still trucking. I have let that thing go flat lined so many times since its parked and a project. Thing is a tank!
I recently decided to try a little independent shop called Battery Warehouse in Westminster, Maryland. I'll probably never buy another battery from any of the other places. I got a three year warranty battery from their brand for $99.99. A comparable battery from any of the major other stores near me, including Walmart I was looking at $150 minimum. Sometimes it is worth to shop local, you'd be surprised what deals your local parts stores will have.
The reason Walmart batteries are cheaper is because Walmart doesn’t advertise their batteries so that cost doesn’t get pushed onto the customers but if it’s made by Johnson controls it’s exactly the same battery that AutoZone sells if they both are made by Johnson controls
Just replaced a 12 year old Mopar battery in my Challenger R/T with a AGM I got for $120 after some discount code. And the battery was still working pretty well, just felt it was time to retire it. I do have cheap Walmart battery in 2 other vehicles and they are usually lasting 5 to 8 years for me.
So far, the Walmart battery that I have has worked great. It's on a 2021 kia forte with its fancy detection and camera. I did my oil change today, at the same time the did a wellness check including the battery. It's good so far. It's just over 1 year.
Here in blistering south Florida, I've never really had a battery last longer than 36 months. Like almost to the month - when 33 months comes around, I start getting ready to use the jump pack. I use mostly Walmart batteries, but occasionally Autozone or Sears. Between my 4 cars and taking care of the kids and parents, I buy a fair amount of batteries. All perform basically the same for me.
Interstate batteries at Costco! Great price and pretty much a no questions asked return policy! Also great place for a 10 pack of shop towels for around $17. 2 pack of 5 quart Kirkland ( Costco label ) full synthetic dexos motor oil $38.99 ( manufactured by warren ).
I was buying Walmart batteries until I discovered Costco batteries.
Webrestaurant store, dozen of GREAT white cotton red stripe towels for $6.99 - others for less. Like the price of toilet paper!
I noticed the cheapest Rural King batteries went from $49.95 to $59.99. Still a good deal if you can match up one of the $59.99 batteries to fit your application. Not everybody has a Rural King store though, you can just about stand anywhere in the US, throw a rock and hit a Walmart.
Just replaced a duralast gold I bought in 2013. I wouldn’t have thought it would have lasted that long, was shocked at the cost to replace it.
Use to have an old square body Chevy, that ate Everstart and Duralast batteries like there was no tomorrow. I mean every 6 months I was putting a new battery in that truck, until I started running duel batteries then the truck got happy and stopped eating batteries. Oddly enough it only had a 305 small block in it, only thing I could figure was that since it had started life as a diesel there was something in the wiring that caused it to need two batteries for the electrical to work right.
I had an F-150 with the 300 cu. in. inline 6 engine, that had an Interstate Megatron battery that was put into it in the 2000s. That battery lasted 11 YEARS!!! In the 20-teens I bought a Megatron battery for my 2012 Ford Focus. About 18 months later it had to be replaced under warranty. I still have the replacement battery in the car. I hope it makes it even 10 years. That Megatron in the truck blew my mind. I don't think Interstate makes them like that anymore. They certainly don't look the same.
I used Wal-Mart for a while. Then I had a series of them fail (in my GMT 800 no less) and the warranty process is such a pain. Each time it took me over an hour to get it warrantied. The time saved from failure is worth spending a couple extra bucks at the auto store.
But it’s not a few extra bucks. It’s literally twice the price. 😂
Just in time. My 92 Z28 battery is three years old now and I was looking to replace it.
awesome vid, I am needing a battery for my 94 z28, you saved me a lot of headache having to search for best price and not having to tell those companies to shove their overpriced battery up their bums
An Everstart Maxx lasted 9 years in my old Toyota pickup. Just put one in my 2018 Versa and was surprised that it cost $160 for that little battery!
I live right on the border in southwest Arizona, so I ended up buying a battery on the Mexico side of the fence once just to get the car running and get home. It’s a brand called LTH, they’re everywhere in Mex. Those are actually great batteries and the company has good warranty and pro-rating. So whenever I need a battery for the wife’s car I hop the fence and hit up the LTH distributor. The Walmart batteries are pretty good and I’ve put them usually in the work commuter. No complaints whatsoever with them!
I’ve had great luck at Walmart as well. I worked at a shop where the battery was bad and I told my boss the customer could take it bake for a free replacement and he still sold a battery. So I kept the Walmart battery and was able to get it warrantied no problem. I got a new battery for the cost of a core.
Speaking as a former auto parts store employee of 3 different companies, most new batteries you find in the wild were in fact made by Johnson Controls. The one exception is O'Reilly. There are one or two of their batteries made by Johnson Controls, but the majority of them are made by a different company.
Back when I purchased the first replacement battery for my '88 IROC, the Die Hard Gold was well under $100. Two years ago the IROC needed a new battery and I nearly shat myself when I looked at the price. (My setup for the past dozen or so years requires both side mount and top post connections on one battery.)
I got a battery for my truck at a great price at bjs wholesale 3 years ago still cranks well. But you do need to be a member.
My Walmart AGM dead at 5 months. Tested 0 CCA and left me stranded on freeway with no warning. 🤷♂️ Walmart replaced it. Still has remaining of 4 years warranty.
Most of my junk is older GM and uses a Group 75 battery. I've figured out that the Group 78 batteries will also fit and have 50~100 more cranking amps for the same price.
I've bought used batteries at LKQ (pick a part). They now have two options. $35 for a one time purchase (90 day warranty IIRC) and $50 for lifetime replacement. Sometimes they have a huge selection, sometimes not. Most batteries will give you a heads up when they are getting tired. The battery I got was like 8 months old and was one of the Walmart Maxx batteries. Haven't had an issue in 2 +years. It will be interesting to see how carefree they are with swapping out a battery that's not completely dead. They put a huge sticker on the side of the battery so no receipt is required.
I have a Diehard Platinum agm group 65 that is over 12 years old, it is on a battery maintainer, has been in 3 different vehicles no problem.
RURAL KING Stores--my 51R RK lead acid battery for my Honda CR-V is 8 y/o and still going strong. RK just had a sale on them for $79--picked one up as an extra. Wally World, Big Box Auto Stores--anywhere from $130-$200. RK batteries are built by Exide.
Dude, this is EXACTLY what I needed to see! Battery prices are insane lately, and you explained it perfectly. Who cares about brand names if a $70 Walmart battery can crank a monster like that Camaro? Thanks for the info, and that startup was awesome!
But they're not 70 dollars anymore, they're 140
Last time I needed a battery the cheapest option I could find was the Ford dealer, believe it or not. It was one size larger than the stock battery but fit perfectly in the tray. Ended up being cheaper than Walmart or any of the crappy parts stores. Although I will say that I've bought several Walmart Everstart Maxx batteries over the years and they've always served me well. I think I only had one fail early but even that lasted over 3 years.
MOPAR and Diehard batteries seem to last longer in my experience. The MOPAR BATTERY in my 2009 Dodge truck lasted 12 years before needing replaced. I have two Diehard batteries and had them since 2002 and they are still supplying power to my classic Dodge Polara and Monaco.
Like you, being a car nut, I have a small fleet of vehicles. I've recently started buying Wal Mart batteries. I cannot bring myself to pay stupid prices for just possibly a different sticker. So far I haven't had any issues.
I watched project farms video a few years ago when I was looking for a new battery and that’s why I went straight to Walmart and got one for under $90
I read along time ago, get the cheapest battery for long life that will start your car. The reason is, the cranking amps is determined by the size of the plates in the battery. Higher cranking amps requires longer plates in the battery case. As the battery ages, debris from the plates settle at the bottom of the case and short the cells. A cheap battery will have shorter plates, so the debris don't affect the plates. I've been getting 7 to 10 years from my cheap batteries. Also, sometimes the dealer is cheap. I have a Toyota Tacoma. I was buying parts and asked the Parts guy for a quote and was surprised how competitive it was. It is nice that it fits in the hold down fixture with no problems. Sometimes generic batteries can have problems with installation. Slightly different height or molding differences for bottom clamps.
That’s all I’ve been buying. Are Walmart ever start value batteries for at least 10 years now for multiple vehicles. when I found out Johnson controls makes them and another thing you can’t beat is their super tech motor oil, which is made by warren distribution.
Well, I know where I'm getting a needed battery for my '92 Camaro. Ha ha. Thanks, Matt!
Up to a few years ago the value line on Walmart batteries was only $49!! And from what I understand the price increase from the value to plus to Max it's for the warranty... Not actually the battery quality!!