Haven't posted for awhile, so happy New Year everybody! My 4 year old Optima Red Top battery isn't cutting it anymore. I have had it on a battery tender ever since I bought it new, as I only use my W250 to tow a boat once in a while, as well as a car trailer etc. Lately; the battery is only holding about 9.5 volts, with the truck off. The truck cranks, but not fast enough to start the truck. I even have the starter on a 30 amp relay, per Jim B's website.
So; to get to my question - what's the best battery for the $, with the most CCA's (cold cranking amps). I think I am through with Optima, as I have heard they went down hill after Johnson Controls bought them out. Surprisingly; Consumer Reports rate's the Sears DieHards better than Interstate????

 

I went with Kirkland (Costco), $65.00 for 975 cca, if it dies within 3 years I get a new one free.

 

DEKA!!! Around here you can buy them at those cheapo battery wharehouses but they are not cheapo batteries, Made in Pa.

 

I'll second the Deka... Maybe I'm biased, my mother in law works there, but then again so does half of the neighborhood that lives near the plant. Deka 1231 pmf group 31 , 1125 cca. fits perfectly in our battery tray.

 

Just doesn't seem right.

 

Sears Die Hard Platinum's are rebadged odysseys, which are amazing batteries. Their group 31 is rated for 1150 CCA's.

Is it a quality tender? It could be causing premature failure.

 

I have the Die Hard Platinum Marine group 31m in my 92 and I'm putting one in my 91. Spendy but it hold up to the cold well.

 

I just bought a new NAPA commercial battery, it has 1225cca at 0*. my old battery must have been really weak because this new battery just whip my cold motor over and starts right up.

 

now I no why my batteries cost so much

 

Napa group 31. Cables needed to be routed a little bit since the battery is taller than stock, but that's a 2 min. job...

 

Deka hands down. Won't find any battery close to the cca for the price. It's a 1125cca at 0*, 1260cca at 32*.

 

Tied the rope and kicked the chair on yourself with this one...

 

Soooooo....integrity means nothing I guess. Ok

 

I just replaced my main battery 3 weeks ago my last Interstate Workaholic battery only lasted 19 months and with the pro-rating a replacement cost me $82.65, kind of expensive for that short of service yet my axillary battery from Auto Zone last 3-4 years easy.

I am not hard on my batteries but I do use them with my inverter and work lights so I must have a system that works all of the time.

I will load test my batteries and when they start to fail I will have them replaced.

I go to Auto Zone and have them check my charging system with their tester, they really do not know what they are doing or how to test on a diesel but they always replace my battery when I need it.

I ask the manager at Interstate about the short lifespan of my battery and he told me to bring them in around 16 months and have them load/stress tested so it can be replaced while it is still within the free replacement period.

I hate paying good money for a quality product only to have it fail 1 day after the warranty expires, believe me I have paid out thousands of dollars, yes thousands on extended warranties only to have it fail 1 week after the expiration date.

Jim.

 

Personal belief is that OPTIMA is a good choice.