Need batteries

[BSeyler]

I'd have tried a different Wal-Mart. I had a set of batteries that died within warranty and got free replacements with a brand new warranty. It wasn't the batteries' fault they failed. It was mine, but that's a whole long story and I won't bore you with the telling.

 

[Bill Stockard]

I had a set of batteries that died within warranty and got free replacements with a brand new warranty.

Yep, that's been my experience too. Also the same with Sears batteries. No hassles at either store.



Bill

 

[mwilson]

Wal-Mart took care of the year old battery in my Caddy that was trashed due to a malfunctioning power antenna.

No hassle at all.



They (Wal-Mart) use a Midtronics Tester just like mine, go or no go. If no go it prints a failure ticket, stick it on the battery and apologize for the failure. Give them another one, figure out the pro-rate if any and send them out the door.



Mike.

 

[Regcabguy]

I live five minutes fom Costco so that'll probably be my next source for batteries. I met a guy there who was returning his batteries. His glowplugged pre-Superduty kills them just under two years everytime. He's at Costco for replacements at that interval.

 

[jhenderson]

The problem is their tester couldn't detect a poor cell. All it said was passed, even though, with a full charge, it only had 70% of rated CCA. This was at 2 different stores. I will never go back!

 

[makelemen]

Years ago, maybe 15, I got a Costco battery and they didn't have a core charge. One morning I dropped the battery off at Auto Zone. Last summer I bought a RV battery from Wallmart. Kind of a pain in the ***. Although I brought the battery to the auto department I had to bring the old one to the service counter to get my core charge back.

 

[ddivinia]

What is the difference between Platnium P1 and P2? Just size?

D.

 

[TimothyLong]

What is the difference between Platnium P1 and P2? Just size?



D.

The P-1 is a Group 34 battery (880 CCA) and the P-2 is a Group 65 battery (930 CCA). I believe that the Group 65 batteries are also a bit larger in size than the Group 34's, but the biggest difference is the CCA's

 

[ddivinia]

OK - I am going to go big. I think I will go get them tomorrow.



D.

 

[TimothyLong]

The Group 65 batteries are what is called for in our trucks. The Group 34 is an alternate, but the size may not work in the battery tray. I know that Optima does not make a Group 65 battery and they recommend a Group 34 instead. It works, but not as well as a Group 65.

 

[ddivinia]

Man - these Die hard Platniums are expensive. I am on my original batteries - almost 7 yrs old. I put the conditioner on them - they are about shot. Cold weather - slow cranking. I don't mind paying the extra if it is worth it.

D.

 

[Bill Stockard]

Years ago, maybe 15, I got a Costco battery and they didn't have a core charge. One morning I dropped the battery off at Auto Zone. Last summer I bought a RV battery from Wallmart. Kind of a pain in the ***. Although I brought the battery to the auto department I had to bring the old one to the service counter to get my core charge back.

I buy my replacement batteries at Wal-Mart (if they are made by Johnson Controls) and enter and exit through the Auto Service area walk in door. The service desk is just inside and I don't have to lug batteries through the store to get there. I think most states now require a core charge on batteries in order to get the lead recycled.



Bill

 

[ddivinia]

Well, I called Sears and they had the batteries in stock. I cruised down and they had them installed in an hour. I don't remember the last time my truck spun over so fast. I guess batteries are somewhat like shocks - you don't realize how bad they have gotten until you get new ones.

Original batteries lasted almost 7 years - I hope these last that long.

Platnium P-2s installed - $502.

D.

 

[CookJ]

This morning i had two interstate batteries replaced at no charge. I bought them in Dec 2009 and both tested bad at the local battery/alternator shop i bought them from; the technician couldn't understand and said this was a first for him. Anyway, truck now turnsover great. James

 

[rscurtis]

Well, I called Sears and they had the batteries in stock. I cruised down and they had them installed in an hour. I don't remember the last time my truck spun over so fast. I guess batteries are somewhat like shocks - you don't realize how bad they have gotten until you get new ones.



Original batteries lasted almost 7 years - I hope these last that long.



Platnium P-2s installed - $502.



D.

Wow. For that kind of coin I would expect them to last the life of the truck. I got Mopar replacements at my local dealer for $80. 00 each plus the $12/each core charge. I hope they last as long as the originals did, which were still fine when I removed them.

 

[ddivinia]

I hear - it is a lot of coin. My deal wanted $140 each plus install. My truck needs to start every time. Yeah - it was still turning over but man it was slow compared to these new batteries. Almost 7 yrs on the originals - I hope these last as well.

D.

 

[Loren]

I hear - it is a lot of coin. My deal wanted $140 each plus install. My truck needs to start every time. Yeah - it was still turning over but man it was slow compared to these new batteries. Almost 7 yrs on the originals - I hope these last as well.



D.

D.



If those are re-labeled Odyssey batteries, as was stated earlier, you should get more than seven years out of them, as long as you take care of them.



Keep 'em charged, preferably with occasional use of an actual three-stage battery charger rather than the truck's alternator, and they should last a long, long while.



Good luck,

-- Loren

 

[ddivinia]

D.



If those are re-labeled Odyssey batteries, as was stated earlier, you should get more than seven years out of them, as long as you take care of them.



Keep 'em charged, preferably with occasional use of an actual three-stage battery charger rather than the truck's alternator, and they should last a long, long while.



Good luck,

-- Loren

So far, so good.



I have a battery conditioner from Northern that i use on all our batteries on a regular occasion.



Thanks,

D.

 

[Crunch]

Just replaced my batteries last week. I went with the OEM stock batteries. $117. 00 each. The price was reasonable and I can't argue with 8 solid years of performance. The green light was still glowing, but on cold mornings they didn't have enough juice to start the truck. On warm days they still worked fine. I also noticed that the negative post on the passenger side battery was slightly depressed and it appeared to have spider cracks around the post. The only real difference I noticed between the new batteries and the original batteries was that the new ones didn't have the green light, but they did have the handy carrying/lift straps, which made dropping them in a lot easier. Getting the originals out was kind of a PITA without the straps and the hood supports in the way. For what it's worth, I also found out on the day I changed them that my hood supports are wearing out. Almost got smacked in the head by the hood and had to prop it up with a 2x4. Like the batteries, the hood supports seem to work fine on warm days, but not cold days.

 

[RVTRKN]

This comment probably belongs in the 2nd gen, but my buddy with the last of a 2nd gen build date, kept having a trany or fuel problem. He thought it was in the fuel system and I thought it was in the trany, (auto) it seemed to shift odd to me. He had checked all of his chasse grounds, and it seemed to help a bit. Well it turned out to be a weak battery, he changed out both Batteries and problem solved. Unbelievable, I didn't realize it could cause that sort of an issue. I will change mine when the expected battery life is up.