LS430Lexus

It's winter and time for a new battery. Just wondering what everyone else is using. The Interstate Megatron seems to be the best choice, Kirkland the best value and I wonder if Optima Yellow top is worth it. Maybe I should consider some others. Opinions are welcome.

I am also curious if anyone has a recommendation for a tender or charger, is it worthwhile?

yuri.ber

iTrader: (7)

Interstate green battery here. Don't know the model but works great for 3+ years.

mattbeeezy

iTrader: (26)

I've had my optima yellow top for 4 years now... and it still works perfectly fine

Real671

iTrader: (2)

Optima yellow top its well worth the price I promise you

playa3uhh

I've had Bosch in my SC for about 4+ years now. Still strong, no problems.

rogzballz

iTrader: (9)

Sears diehard has always started my cars. I tried interstate a couple times and they've always flickered with my audio systems. Now I am a big boy and use Optima batteries in all my cars.

Jabberwock

There are only a couple of battery makers left in the US in terms of conventional lead acid core batteries. Most battery "brands" being sold today at multiple outlets are made in the exact same factory using identical materials and then differentiated with heavy branding - sold as different batteries with the aid of lots of marketing hype.

Check out consumer reports to see battery ratings. For conventional batteries the best battery tends to be the one that weighs the most. Also good to pay attention to climate type for battery - harshest climate for a battery is opposite of what most believe - its super hot climate that is toughest on batteries, not extreme cold. So if you live in the South buy a battery specifically made for high heat climates.

Kira X

iTrader: (24)

I've got a Megatron in my SC and it seems to get the job done just fine. I haven't had any issues with it.

My LS has an Optima Redtop and it's been good so far.

toyo

It all depends on how much you want to spend. You definitely can't go wrong with the Optima. The Sears is also a pretty good battery as well.

In regards to a charger/maintainer. The CTEK is by far the cat's ***. Comes standard on a lot of your exotic cars. I have 2 of them and they are simply amazing.
www.ctek.com

AlexusAnja

Jabberwock is right, there are NOT 50 manufacturers making each of these batteries. Only a handful of suppliers make batteries according to spec. Same goes with clothing, samr vendor making you Ralph Lauren sweateris making the Gap or Target sweaters. Rule of thumb, you get what you pay for so dont expect a $50 Kurkland battery (which i use) to last more than 3 years of solid performance, but a $120 dealer battery will not last 6 years anyway.

toyo

Johnson Controls makes about 90% of all the batteries out there.

Bocatrip

+1 Very Accurate and informative info. Yes there are only a few manufacturers out there that making most of the different brand batteries. Try to get the longest warranties possible and also check the manufacturer date which is a code on top of the battery. You want a fresh battery not older than a few months. The bigger shops rotate their stock often with less chance of getting an old battery (6 months or more). Also, it is absolutely correct that the warm weather plays havoc on batteries. Up north in the cold weather an owner might be lucky to hear some slower cranking before the battery fails. Here in Florida, tlhere will usually be no warning and just fail. Get the proper battery for your location with the longest warranty if possible. I just replaced my battery a few months ago, only because of it's age and nothing else. I put in the same battery that was installed before, an AC Delco Professional 7 year which has one of the longest full return policy warranties out there. Good luck.

thequickad

I also have the Bosch Premium from Pep Boys. Works great!

ipwn

I only ever use Bosch.

However, I checked the price the other day...£60.

From Toyota £70.

OptimaJim

Hello, I noticed your conversation involving our batteries and wanted to offer some assistance. As others have indicated, most of the batteries available domestically are produced by one of three companies. However, there are many more manufacturers both here and abroad that also produce products that may show up here.

While comparison testing can be helpful in accumulating information, it is probably a good idea to consider a multitude of factors when making a purchase. Every time we see Consumer Reports test data, our engineers tell us what they could do differently to make batteries perform even better in laboratory tests, although it would probably end up compromising their ability to perform in real-life conditions.

The key for long battery life, regardless of brand, is proper voltage maintenance. Fully-charged, our RedTops will measure about 12.6-12.8 volts and our YellowTops will measure about 13.0-13.2 volts. Whenever any battery is discharged below 12.4 volts and left sitting in that state, sulfation begins to form, which diminishes both capacity and lifespan. That makes a quality battery maintenance device an excellent investment for any vehicle that doesn't see regular use.

Battery warranties themselves largely serve a marketing function and do not necessarily reflect product quality. For some private label brands, the only differences between two batteries in their line are the price and the length of the warranty. Some consumers are so captivated by a specific number of years of warranty coverage, they don't realize they will have to pay a pro-rated fee for warranty service for more than half of that warranty term. Meanwhile, the retailer gets you back in their store and possibly buying other products from them, while you get warranty service on your battery. If any battery fails from a manufacturing defect, it is likely to do so well within it's first year of use, if not the first month.

Beyond finding a battery that fits in your vehicle and meets or exceeds the engine's cranking requirements, most folks may want to look at their intended use. If they have significant aftermarket electrical accessories, they may want a battery designed for starting and deep-cycle use, like our YellowTops. If they have sensitive electronics located directly below the battery tray (like C5 owners) or immaculate paint, they may want an AGM product that is far less likely to leak, than a flooded products. However, an increasing number of AGM batteries are now made with recycled lead (we still use 99.99% pure lead). AGM batteries with recycled lead are still better than flooded batteries (which also probably use recycled lead), but won't perform as well or last as long as batteries that use pure lead.

If someone can't seem to get any battery to last more than a year or don't plan on keeping a vehicle, they may be better off finding the cheapest battery they can, with the longest free replacement warranty coverage and the most-liberal return policy. If anyone has any questions about our products, I'll do my best to answer them.

Jim McIlvaine
eCare Manager, OPTIMA Batteries, Inc.
www.pinterest.com/optimabatteries