Best Battery Available?

[dirtracr95]

From what i have seen from my parents and family members cars Motorcraft (yep thats right a ford brand) is by far the best battery available. Other than maybe an optima. The motorcraft batterys in my uncles truck is 16 years old now and still manages to start his 7.3 diesel. The motorcraft in our excursion is original and 8 years old still no problems or signs of problems. the one in our Grand Marquis is 9 years old and is still doing great.

[crash93ssei]

I have had extremely good luck with Duralast from Autozone and Interstate batteries. Both have lasted five + years going from car to car and taking severe abuse from off road, mud, stereo systems, etc...

[Alibi]

I think most of the guys here really like the Optima Red Top battery. Thats what I'm going to next whenever I have a battery die. I've been using crappy wally world batteries the last few years just because whenever I've needed a new battery I couldn't afford a decent one.

[Ragsdale]

Red Tops ftw.'
Although my Intrigue did have an interstate - But the intrigue had electrical problems so..

But my Jimmy had an interstate too - and it had the problem where the battery jumped out of the cradle.

I have to go buy one today actually the crappy kirkland (Costco brand) died when I was out today so I'm driving the truck around now.
Don't ask me why there's a kirkland in my Bonneville..

[captainmiller]

Suprisingly enough my factory AC Delco was still in my '96 the day I got rid of it. I was running amps and subs off that sucker too, and I never had a problem with it.

[laxmangl]

Still have the Delco battery in my 00 bonneville. Never had any problems with it, heck its never even died.

[wjcollier07]

Motorcraft batteries aren't made by ford though...they're made by Johnson Controls, so to say a Motorcraft battery has excellent longevity, you're also saying that DieHard, Duralast, Interstate, Kirkland and some Everstarts are excellent as well.

EverStart (Walmart's brand) are the only ones I know of that get their batteries from all three major manufacturers, (I'm guessing because one company probably offers one group size at a lower price than another.) so you never really know what you're getting.

I do agree with the statement that Johnson Controls makes some excellent batteries...I have had Interstate batteries in pretty much every GM car I've had so far...89 Cutlass, 90 Electra, 89 Bonneville, and now the 93. Awesome starting power even in the dead cold, and even excellent in the heat..can't seem to go wrong. I've got an EverStart MAXX on the truck (Johnson) that replaced the original Delco Freedom (Delphi) which wasn't really gone, but was probably going to need replacement someday...and so it was about that time to just have it be preventatively fixed.

So far, just adding electrolyte (distilled water) to them every 6 months or so, I've yet to have one fail.

Not yet done an Optima though....should probably try one out sometime.

[BonneMe]

Loved the Optima Red Top in my '93. Between that and the 5w30 it started up every time no matter how far below 0 the mercury had fallen. Power was always good, but also add in that it's sealed, doesn't need maintenance, etc..

When the GTI needs one, i'm sure i'll go Optima again.

[Ragsdale]

Accidently left the interior lights on over night and came in th emorning to start it - Battery was still charged.

[white06lacrossecxs]

I like the Delco Batteries the best. They seem to last the longest. The DieHard ones suck.

[willwren]

Optima Red Top has been the best battery I've owned. Die-Hard gold (if you're willing to pay through the nose) is a close second. I'll never use Delco maintenance-free batteries again.

I'm on my second red top. First one lasted 6 years, and I pulled it out about 3 months ago when it hit 36% capacity. But it would still start the car after sitting for a week. That battery remains charged to that level on a shelf in the garage as an emergency spare for either car.

[JMH1950]

While on the subject of batteries, what would be a good deep cycle battery for an RV? The one in my trailer won't take a charge any more.

[Ragsdale]

Theres an interstate on the rv here.
Holds its charge for almost a week on full load.

[Bonneville92V688]

Neighbor's '92 GMC 2500 had it's original 16 year old Delco Freedom battery. Still started on cold mornings with no effort. I couldn't believe it, until he showed me the battery. It's never been removed from the truck, and the truck had 186k on it when he sold it for a '96 GMC 2500 with 20k miles.

[Roadtech195]

I have an Interstate 1000 CCa and have had it in the last 2 cars I have owned. No problems with it at all.

[88bonnsse]

i,ve has durlast gold in my 88 since i owned it for about 4 yrs now and with all the crazy music i had in and the weather element in sat in outside ungaraged it still till this day hold a charge and hits 13.8 volts at idle..

but in my 95 i have 2 optima yellow tops that have been powering my insane car system and starting my car pretty good for baout a year so far..

i heard redtops are better then yellow tops..im not sure but i might try one out soon ..

[willwren]

Yellow tops should never be your primary starting battery. Only BEHIND AN ISOLATOR for a second audio battery.

Yellow tops stress standard automotive alternators beyond their design. Our local Autozone is now refusing alternator warranties for those cars with a yellow top battery installed.

[DarkShadow]

Ive seen alot of problems with optima batteries as of late (i work for sears auto).

The diehard platinum is a great alternative to them and it has a better warranty (4-Year Free Replacement; 100-Month Prorated Limited Warranty).

Tho you do pay for it, 190 a piece in my area...

[bobfather99]

The only brand of battery Ive ever heard of problems with is Exide.

I have a NAPA battery, its going on its 6th winter, no probems at all....

[Troyport]

I've owned so many different types I don't pay much attention anymore. Got a 10 year old die hard in the bonny project, just replaced the original delco in my 99 olds with a walmart battery, the minivan has it's original mopar battery at 5 years old. I've had delcos last only a year, die hards less than that, and obscure batteries with names I've never heard of with lower than needed CCAs that last for 6 -8 years. How they're treated is what dictates how long they last. Run them dead a few times and you've just shortened their lives quite a bit. Have a hard starting car, same thing. Crappy alternator puts strain on them too. Bad connections are hard on batteries also, you need to get the power in and out of them smoothly. Keep them off the big chargers too. You can cook them that way, even if they taper down the charge. If you have to charge them, or if they sit for a while (like in the bonny project) I keep it charged with a tiny trickle that I do not leave on even though the charger says you can do that. Whatever.