Post your battery brand, type, size, and age for comparison. (1 Viewer)

[outdoort]

Hey everyone. So there is a Ton of info floating around the internet about what battery is best, and what battery type/size/brand you should get. A lot of people seem to like the Odyssey brand/Sears Die hard platinum (odyssey with different label), but, I know a lot of people who just can't justify spending around $300 on a ABM battery, and have been well served using lead acid type batteries.
To eliminate any internet hype, and prove/disprove what really works and what doesn't, lets post what batteries we have used OURSELVES and how they have performed for us.

Lets please Post only:
Batteries we have used PERSONALLY (NOT WHAT YOU HAVE HEARD).
Brand, Type, and Size. Plus the use and weather conditions it has endured (in use or parked).
Kind of vehicle it is/was in and accessories in your vehicle that require your batteries power.

I think that about covers it. I think anyone in the market for a new battery would be well served with some hard data that they can reference. I'm also particularly interested in if the Sears die hard platinum group 31 will really last the 8-10 years that people say they should last (anyone own one for this long?).
Thanks for anyone's input

 

[mr jits]

Les Schwab special. 850cca. I've left the truck with the lights on for well over an hour and it started right up. This was a replacement for a LS battery installed by the PO. That battery lasted seven years before this one was installed. Not bad for a store brand.

 

[outdoort]

So I'm going to go first: I just bought my 1997 fzj 80 a couple months ago and the battery that is still currently under the hood from when I bought it from the previous owner is:
AAA brand, Size 24, 2007. This is a starting battery. This battery still works just fine even though its 5 years old. I assume, because I bought it from a P.O. in Southern California that the battery was used in my 80 under warm weather conditions. Also, I don't believe the P.O. off-roaded this vehicle at all. Essentially highway conditions. No crazy accessories. All stock electronics.

 

[Pin_Head]

So I'm going to go first:

Not!

I have a stock Lexus brand battery in my LX450 that is dated 2005, so it is about 7 years old. It is not a daily driver, but it is occasionally used for winching. In sunny So. Cal.

I had an Optima red top in my FJ40 when I sold it 2 years ago. It was 11 years old.

 

[jvazquez53]

Costco Kirkland $70.00 about three years.

 

[mmml4]

Optima Red Top installed July of 2006 in my daughters 99 4runner, as you can see in the pic she tried to destroy it. The bottom corner was mashed in and I was leary of using it so I put it on a shelf in the garage for about a year and then decided to run it in my truck just to see if it was still good. After several months in my truck I took it out and put it in my daughters new 99 4runner and it has been going strong ever since.

 

[thadscottmoore]

1992 fj80 with dual odyssey pc1200 batteries. Love them! I will buy another set when I buy me a tundra next year, as I am not going to get rid of my fj80.

Sent from my iPod touch using IH8MUD

 

[TexasJack]

I just did a hoard of research on batteries. While you will certainly pay for the extra quality, the Odyssey battery seems to be the winner. It is also the most expensive battery on the market. I plan to put in two 31 Odysseys sometime in the very near future.

For normal batteries at a reasonable price, the Sears platinum batteries are recommended by Consumer Reports.

The Optima batteries are the other highly recommended batteries.

Sorry I didn't follow your direction. No one really wants to know anything about the batteries I have used since I bought this vehicle in 97. They have all been your common variety and nothing special.

 

[98 SNAKE EATER]

A pair of Optima D31M's

One 3 y/o, the other 2 y/o, with zero issues and I've got accessories running 24/7

 

[gotmud]

Both the 93 & 94 run dual Toyota (aka Interstate) group 27's & 27F's. Price is better than buying from Interstate, decent warranty and hold up pretty well even here in Phoenix.

 

[ray6]

I've replaced a good working 7 year old interstate with a big Costco group 64/74? 1000 cca. Spins up like non other. versus the other 80 which has a 2 year old interstate with 650 cca. Both start up, but a 1000 cca makes me feel like I can listen to the radio with the truck off for a while and not worry.

 

[jakesiar]

Die Hard PLATINUM GRP 65, about 6 mnths old... Used in my 80 and the only accessories are the fog lights.

 

[yoopercharged]

Deka Intimidator. ~9 years old and abused. -30F starting Diesel Mercedes. Now in Lexus. 9A78DT. http://www.dekabatteries.com/assets/base/1737.pdf

 

[93yotasr5]

red top optima was mounted on its side for 3 years in my mustang, then transferred to my 80 for a total of 5 years old and its holding up great!!!

 

[livinoffroad]

Die Hard PLATINUM GRP 65, about 6 mnths old... Used in my 80 and the only accessories are the fog lights.

x2...mine is a DD used thru Idaho winters, 2000 mi road trips to So. Cal, camping, off roading, off road lights, 2yrs of service so far, and 79%of new starting capacity left, according to the tester. Starts right up in all conditions. Very happy with this battery. Made by Odyssey, and I prefer it to the Odyssey I had before this. Purchased for $177.89 on sale. Zero maintenance.

 

[Splittilps]

I have had two yellow tops that only lasted two years, left me stranded in a not so nice place. Replaced them with the Costco Kirkland batteries and they have been good for three years. They start the truck in -30 no problem, truck doesn't like it but it starts. I also have two marine batteries that I have used for the last 4 years with no problems.

Cheers

 

[KS-Ryan]

Vehicle 1991 FJ80
Battery Sears Diehard Platinum Group 34
Duties Main battery in vehicle, also powers fridge when out on on trips
Temperature 32*-100*

Notes---
I have been very happy with this battery. I've been able to run my fridge all evening, while also running the radio and charging a laptop and have the vehicle start the next morning. At this point, I do not plan to run a dual battery setup, as I see no need too.

 

[kidglove13]

Duralast, about 3 years old

work like a battery is supposed to work

 

[outdoort]

Thanks for everyone's input so far. I just wanted to get a idea of what brands/AGM or lead acid people where using.

 

[greentruck]

I came in late, but will add my 2 cents.

I'm a longtime Interstate battery user. In a previous career, I was a parts/inventory manager in a heavy truck fleet garage. One of the toughest services for any battery is use in Thermoking, Carrier or other reefer units. It's beaten to death riding in a semi, either is little used or run a lot, and is installed in a place that doesn't see service in most cases until something breaks so it gets on the dead line.

We went through a period where we were having lots of starting problems, so the boss tried several well known brands. In the end, Interstate wasn't the cheapest, but also wasn't the most expensive and it held up better than the others, with fewer failures, warranty issues, etc.

I've used Interstate in my vehicles for the last 15 years, with never a problem. Yes, you can spend more on a battery and potentially get better ultimate performance. Whether that's a good return on your investment depends. Certainly, in your 80 you want superior performance and reliability. Interstate gives you that.

I'm currently running an Interstate Megatron Plus MTP27F (710 CCA) as the primary battery and an Interstate Marine Cranking 24M-XHD (800 CCA) as my backup. Both fit in the standard Toyota battery boxes.

One thing that I found was a good bit of advice for ultimate dependability, if that's your goal in a battery, is to simply replace it -- no matter what the brand -- every four years. While there are some new developments in batteries, for the standard lead-acid chemistry typically used for starting purposes it's a fact that pushing the life of these sorts of batteries past four years gets iffy. Sure , there's the guarantee. Many batteries easily exceed 4 years of good use. But that doesn't help you in the woods or on the below zero morning in a blizzard, no matter how good a warranty or design is.