buying a new battery

[pontifex]

I need to get a new battery for my 2004 Saturn L300 4 cylinder. I have no idea what to buy. how are Advance Auto Parts batteries? I don't want to spend a fortune, but I don't want to get a junky battery.

any suggestions?

 

[ChaosDivine]

There's the premium Walmart batts (3 year warranty - works pretty well in my 98 Cavvy for midwest winters). You could also get a NAPA Gold batt or if you want to get really fancy, an Optima redtop.

 

[LTC8K6]

Most car batteries are made by the same 3 companies, regardless of the name on them.

So don't worry too much about the name.

 

[StageLeft]

Go to walmart and grab one

 

[ChaosDivine]

Originally posted by: Skoorb
Go to walmart and grab one

Some people also keep swapping the battery for a fresh one before the 3-year warranty is up.

 

[ja1484]

Sears current DieHard line is made by Odyssey which is an AWESOME battery brand. IMO, it's the best deal out there in vehicle batteries right now.

 

[Vetterin]

Autozone Duralast $69 with a 7 year warranty and 2 year free replacement.

 

[Eli]

Two companies make Wal-Mart batteries; Johnson Controls and Exide. It will be marked on the battery label who manufactured it.

Avoid Exide like the plague. They consistently last around 2 years. Which is fine, if you're going to exercise the "replace before warranty is up" practice.

Their deep-cycles are especially craptacular.

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

IMO Costco is the best place to get a battery if you're a member.

 

[sonoma1993]

Originally posted by: pontifex
I need to get a new battery for my 2004 Saturn L300 4 cylinder. I have no idea what to buy. how are Advance Auto Parts batteries? I don't want to spend a fortune, but I don't want to get a junky battery.

any suggestions?

not sure where you live at, but if you live somewhere that get cold winters seasons, look for a battery that has alot of cold cranking amps. somethen like 800+ cold cranking amps.

 

[pontifex]

Originally posted by: Don Vito Corleone
IMO Costco is the best place to get a battery if you're a member.

I am a member, why is costco the best?

 

[Eli]

Originally posted by: pontifex

Originally posted by: Don Vito Corleone
IMO Costco is the best place to get a battery if you're a member.

I am a member, why is costco the best?

Because they have good brands for cheap.

Sam's Club carries Interstate batteries for damn cheap, and while not the best brand, they aren't total crap either.

 

[marvdmartian]

Originally posted by: Eli
Two companies make Wal-Mart batteries; Johnson Controls and Exide. It will be marked on the battery label who manufactured it.

Avoid Exide like the plague. They consistently last around 2 years. Which is fine, if you're going to exercise the "replace before warranty is up" practice.

Their deep-cycles are especially craptacular.

Not sure who makes 'em, but Walmart carries a battery that's yellow bodied, with a black top on it. Darn things last forever! I replaced the factory battery on my old Nissan Frontier, probably back in 2002 or 2003, with one of these. Here in Texas, the summer heat is killer on batteries, but that one lasted through this year, when I traded in the truck on a new car, and still started the engine first crank, every time, year round.

To say I highly recommend them would be an understatement! :thumbsup:

 

[QueBert]

Originally posted by: Eli

Originally posted by: pontifex

Originally posted by: Don Vito Corleone
IMO Costco is the best place to get a battery if you're a member.

I am a member, why is costco the best?

Because they have good brands for cheap.

Sam's Club carries Interstate batteries for damn cheap, and while not the best brand, they aren't total crap either.

Unless their quality has gone way downhill in the past 5 years. Interstates are outstanding batteries.

 

[hito]

I've always used DieHard Gold and Duralast Gold batteries. Both work great, the Duralast seem to have a higher CCA though, which is what I need for the winters here in NY.

Both have survived the winters just fine though.

 

[bruceb]

Diehard is goood, so is AC Delco. But they do cost a bit more than Diehard (I have a Delco in my car with a 5 year warranty on it)
Interstate is said to be fine, but I have never used them.