Lets talk batterys

[48ford]

I always got the best battery ,with the most CCA that I could fit in the car/truck when i had to replace one.
But I'm thinking that Ford puts the cheapest one that they can get in it new and it last 5-6 years.
was I wasting money all these years?
Your thoughts
Russ

[Carnut]

heh, heh, batteries can be a bit of a religious discussion.

My best friend has always been of the opinion of buying the cheapest battery he can find and always reminds of it.

I'm a buy the biggest CCA bat that I can find kind of guy.

We've been going at it for 40 yrs or so and I'm still not sure who's winning.

My thoughts have always been that big engines (in the old days with high compression), somewhat less than top of the line connections and aged components need all the help they can get to make things turn over.

Course I've got a PT Cruiser out in the garage with a 5yr old factory original battery that I'm wondering when it's gonna fail.

One of those your mileage may vary kind of things.

[58 Yeoman]

I've got the original battery in my 99 Ranger that I bought new in 99....but, then, its' only got 55,000 miles on it.  But, it sits outside under the carport (truckport?).

[Dave]

I've got the original battery in my 99 Ranger that I bought new in 99....but, then, its' only got 55,000 miles on it.  But, it sits outside under the carport (truckport?).

Im not gonna even mention the one in the wifes malibu cause tommrrow it will be dead if i do.. Your gonna have problems now that you told us about yours..
Dave  

[UGLY OLDS]

I always got the best battery ,with the most CCA that I could fit in the car/truck when i had to replace one.
But I'm thinking that Ford puts the cheapest one that they can get in it new and it last 5-6 years.
was I wasting money all these years?
Your thoughts
Russ

I replaced to OE one in my '00 Merc last fall out of fear.It hadn't failed ..."yet".....Got the most CCA I could "fit in the box" ...( 850 CCA ) ..During our recent "chilly spell" , it spun over soooo nice at -14 degrees sitting in the wind.....  

[enjenjo]

I always get the biggest battery I can find. In 65, Dad bought a new Buick, for some reason it had an Autolite battery in it. he drive it until 72, when he bought another new Buick. I bought it from him, and drove it a couple years. The body was pretty rusty by then, so I installed the engine and trans in a 52 Ford truck. When I scrapped it, it still had that same Autolite battery in it.

[Crosley.In.AZ]

Lead acid batterys do not last real long here in the heat.

I've used Optima batteries for about 10 yrs now.  Good luck with them.  

One of my Optima batterys around here I bought in 2001.. still works.

On the flip side my diehard battery in my lawn tractor has puked.  I have a battery tender device on it .

Went to fire the tractor up this eve and the battery is dead as can be.  Will not jump with the bad battery hooked up it is so dead.

Guess I will run to Wally World for  a new battery for the lawn tractor.

[40]

I bought a new little Mazda B2200 pickup in 92 that I used at work.....I put a new battery in it in 2005....Got 13+ years out of the original Toshiba battery.Carried it into the auto parts house and told them I wanted another just like it.....needless to say,that didn't happen.Probably never really taxed that battery turning over that little 4 cyl and there was nothing on it electronic.The battery in my 67 Cad was nearly 9 years old when it gave up.....again,nothing electronic.

[Pep]

It's not a simple answer...The life of a battery will depend on many things...duty cycle, temperature, charge rate, load....The CCA is critical if you are cranking a high current drain starter. The next thing is how fast it will charge. Optima batteries will charge fairly quick compared to old lead acid batteries. Basically, Optima, or jelly batteries, will out perform old lead acid batteries in every aspect.

[Carnut]

Glad to hear the encouraging words about Optimas. Have one in my 40 Ford and my 61 Chrysler, gonna get one for my 67 Charger as soon as I feel the need to drive it, since the Die Hard in it is dead.

[Crosley.In.AZ]

Glad to hear the encouraging words about Optimas. Have one in my 40 Ford and my 61 Chrysler, gonna get one for my 67 Charger as soon as I feel the need to drive it, since the Die Hard in it is dead.

I looked.  Optima was bought in march 2001.  

It is in my 61 Morris Minor.  So I turned the key and  pulled the start button.  The motor spun over and fired up.

:!:

[river1]

and, at least at my local costco, you can get an optima battery fpr $99.99

later jim

[Crosley.In.AZ]

and, at least at my local costco, you can get an optima battery fpr $99.99

later jim

hmmmmmmmmm , they are 109.99 out here.


:?

[58 Yeoman]

I've got the original battery in my 99 Ranger that I bought new in 99....but, then, its' only got 55,000 miles on it.  But, it sits outside under the carport (truckport?).

Im not gonna even mention the one in the wifes malibu cause tommrrow it will be dead if i do.. Your gonna have problems now that you told us about yours..
Dave  

Dave, I'm bending over....give me a swift kick.  Went to use the truck this am, 6*, battery died.  The truck sits so much, that I had charged it up a couple times last winter, so I replaced it with a stocker.  Oh well, don't want Sam's kids to go hungry.

[UGLY OLDS]

I've got the original battery in my 99 Ranger that I bought new in 99....but, then, its' only got 55,000 miles on it.  But, it sits outside under the carport (truckport?).

Im not gonna even mention the one in the wifes malibu cause tommrrow it will be dead if i do.. Your gonna have problems now that you told us about yours..
Dave  

Dave, I'm bending over....give me a swift kick.  Went to use the truck this am, 6*, battery died.  The truck sits so much, that I had charged it up a couple times last winter, so I replaced it with a stocker.  Oh well, don't want Sam's kids to go hungry.

Gee Phil......You just made feel Soooooooo much better......   ( I was afraid I wasted my $$$$$$$$$) .....