So my start battery has been turning the motor over really slow this week in the first week of 30 degree temps in the morning. I looked it up; the battery is a little over 2.5 years old now. My old job had me starting up the motor a dozen times a day and not fully recharged every time so the start battery was abused pretty good. Now that I am not abusing my rig like that all the time I would not mind putting a better battery in it. Question is which battery? Optima Red Tops have a bad reputation since they went to Mexico. Anyone have bad experiences with the Yellow Top? Or is there another good option? Since I have a house battery for accessories I do not have to go with a huge start battery. Stock or compatible to stock is fine.
Last battery I got was at Advanced Auto for the F150screw, $146 AGM battery with 3 YR FREE REPLACEMENT) for the specs and price, there was no comparison battery out there that could beat these numbers below. Amp Hour: 80.0 AH Cold Cranking Amperage: 850 A Cranking Amperage: 1000 A Height: 7.5 in Length: 12.437 in Negative Terminal Location: Top Left Positive Terminal Location: Top Right Reserve Capacity: 140 min Terminal Type: Top Mount Voltage: 12.0 VDC Weight: 51.8 lb Width: 6.937 in
I would have to agree with @Taco Loco. Just get a battery that can replaced or swapped out at a popular auto parts store. I'm running Odyssey's but fuck them when you have to buy a $100 Odyssey specific battery charger and recondition them every 6 months. Optima's suck ass too. I think guys on here were saying the Everstart batteries were pretty good for the money?
Ive always had good luck with Duralast, but I do not tax my systems with any aux power sucking devises. Just put a new on in the Tacoma 2 months ago, and she can crank for a long time before she loses power Reminds me I need to plug my tender into her again.
The "available at any big auto store" route is how I am leaning. The more digging I do the more I think/read the era of +5 years from a battery are gone. A good battery with decent life is better than a great battery with crap life. Not even going into the $$ of it.
Duralast gold is 3 years - their normal are 2 year warranties. Use to be 5 years for their gold line I think.?.
Even the duralast gold's suck now. I had those in my step dad's diesel which we didn't start for a few months and both batteries had cells die in them. I had to fight autozone's manager to get them replaced under warranty too.
I never had an issue with their batteries, and I think the last one lasted almost 6 years, I’m currently running one in my Taco replaced in 2017. My future replacement of any Auto/RV etc. will be one the platinum AGM from Autocraft with 25% off.
Now that I think about it, my nephew had to replace his Duralast Gold around the same time I replaced the ones in the diesel. I don't know how old that battery was though. Hopefully you'll have a better experience with them than I did.
