quote:

Originally posted by maladat:

quote:

Originally posted by BurtonRW:
IMHO, there's no benefit to the extra $$$ for AGM if you don't need it (per OEM specs). I've always had great luck with Autozone's batteries, and they're easy to deal with if you have a warranty claim.

-Rob

Besides OEM specs, the other reason to get AGM would be for an occasional use vehicle - standard car batteries lose 10-20% charge per month, good AGM batteries lose 1-2% per month.

You can also install them sideways or upside down, but that's generally more useful for boats.

Another benefit of an AGM battery is that the terminals won't corrode as much as a regular battery.

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Not to mention they've been just as good as any other battery I have used in the past from a variety of other sources.

Yep. Like many things these days they are all made in a few factories and branded by whoever sells them.

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But the fact they stick their name on it and their sticker, it becomes their baby.

So go pay more for a battery with a high-end name that was made on the same assembly line in China the cheap battery was made on... or go buy a less expensive one made on the same assembly line as the expensive battery, from a store you can find anywhere in the US for warranty coverage.

Suit yourself

quote:

Originally posted by sourdough44:
I usually get one made by 'Johnson Controls', no adverse issues.

Last I looked, there were only 3 battery makers in the USA, standard auto batteries.

That would be a Walmart battery, I have never had a problem with any I have bought.

Plus Walmart is everywhere. If you need a replacement, you can find an open Walmart some place just about everywhere.

As to the OP, get the highest CCA rated battery in your size group.

ARman

I wish we could get the factory Panosonic battery's that came in my 4th gen 4Runner here in the states. That battery lasted every bit of 9 years. I've read they can't be imported for various reasons, but never a defenitive answer as to why.

My factory Panasonic lasted 4.5 years in my 4Runner which is more than acceptable to me. I replaced it with an Interstate (buy it at Costco, great deal). The aftermarket Toyota batteries are not Panasonic, so I wouldn't purchase one from the dealer.

I'm a bit sour on Toyota electronics at the moment... Just traded in my wife's RAV4 due to a flaky alternator. Mind you, this was the THIRD alternator in less than 2 years. And it's a bear to replace.
Twice I had to jump start it after building up enough charge to get it home after it stranded her on the interstate. Parallel parking for 45 minutes on I95 charging her battery from mine is no bueno. And when the battery gets low and the electric power steering decides to stop working... that's fun too. As soon as the alternator light started flickering, on the charger it went, and shortly thereafter to the Honda dealership went us.

... The point being, the next owner of that Toyota will probably be bitching about his battery too. It was definitely abused.

OEM battery on the Outback is going on five year, and still going strong. My bike battery is an AGM and is three years old. The bike battery is starting to show signs of a low cell, but BMW's are hard on their batteries. I would go AGM and not look back.

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Originally posted by 94hokie:
My factory Panasonic lasted 4.5 years in my 4Runner which is more than acceptable to me. I replaced it with an Interstate (buy it at Costco, great deal). The aftermarket Toyota batteries are not Panasonic, so I wouldn't purchase one from the dealer.

I get my car batteries at Costco.

One time a battery I bought at Costco failed early. So I went and bought a replacement to get my car running again. That done, I brought in the old failed battery..... They looked at it, said "hey wait this is still under warranty" and gave me my money back for the new battery I had already purchased. I hadn't realized it was still under warranty - the warranty period was longer than I thought.

You don't often see that kind of service.

Tires are covered by the manufacture of the tire not the manufacture of the vehicle. All new vehicles will have tire paper work with the owners manual stating such. Most dealers will take care of tire if it's a few miles on it but if it's been months and several thousands miles, most will send you to the manufacture of tire. Such as the local Goodyear, Firestone or local well known tire shops. The manufacture of your vehicle has nothing to do with the warranty on the tires.

Batteries typically last on average 3 years despite any lengthy warranty monthly claims. YMMV. And most are only covered in full replacement for the first 12 months. After that the remainder months are always pro rated. And if it's a Honda battery. If you replace it under the pro rate period with another Honda battery, the warranty doesn't start over with new battery. It keeps going from original battery date. So if you pro rate replacement at month 30 and think you now have a new battery with 100 months, think again. That new battery will stay under the original start date of old battery, so you realy only have 70 months and all those are pro rated. It's best just to buy a new battery with new warranty honored.

I've been in the service industry of new vehicles for many years. The replacement of tires and batteries and brakes are always a hard item to have the customer understand how the warranty works on those.

If your not pushing a honking big ass big amped stereo system or plan on being upside down on a trail, then don't spend the money on the AGM. Save that money for those wheels and suspension work.

Consumer Reports constantly rates the Walmart Ever Start at the the top every year. And everywhere there is a Walmart for replacement or warranty.

quote:

Originally posted by motor59:
I'm a bit sour on Toyota electronics at the moment... Just traded in my wife's RAV4 due to a flaky alternator. Mind you, this was the THIRD alternator in less than 2 years. And it's a bear to replace.
Twice I had to jump start it after building up enough charge to get it home after it stranded her on the interstate. Parallel parking for 45 minutes on I95 charging her battery from mine is no bueno. And when the battery gets low and the electric power steering decides to stop working... that's fun too. As soon as the alternator light started flickering, on the charger it went, and shortly thereafter to the Honda dealership went us.

... The point being, the next owner of that Toyota will probably be bitching about his battery too. It was definitely abused.

I had been having some issues with my Navigation unit for a month or so and mentioned it on this trip as well.
They are ordering a new unit to be replaced. I asked what made them think it was the unit and not the wiring elsewhere. He said that they are replacing the newer nav units like crazy. And they automatically swap it out first when foks have the complaints like I do.

I just priced the display unit online and it is $4,000!!!!
The CPO warranty has now paid for itself many times over.
Though it worries me this one won't last too long either. Good thing this unit can be swapped for any aftermarket unit with ease and does not take some crazy custom fit unit or none at all.

quote:

Originally posted by rangeme101:
Tires are covered by the manufacture of the tire not the manufacture of the vehicle. All new vehicles will have tire paper work with the owners manual stating such. Most dealers will take care of tire if it's a few miles on it but if it's been months and several thousands miles, most will send you to the manufacture of tire. Such as the local Goodyear, Firestone or local well known tire shops. The manufacture of your vehicle has nothing to do with the warranty on the tires.

Batteries typically last on average 3 years despite any lengthy warranty monthly claims. YMMV. And most are only covered in full replacement for the first 12 months. After that the remainder months are always pro rated. And if it's a Honda battery. If you replace it under the pro rate period with another Honda battery, the warranty doesn't start over with new battery. It keeps going from original battery date. So if you pro rate replacement at month 30 and think you now have a new battery with 100 months, think again. That new battery will stay under the original start date of old battery, so you realy only have 70 months and all those are pro rated. It's best just to buy a new battery with new warranty honored.

I've been in the service industry of new vehicles for many years. The replacement of tires and batteries and brakes are always a hard item to have the customer understand how the warranty works on those.

If your not pushing a honking big ass big amped stereo system or plan on being upside down on a trail, then don't spend the money on the AGM. Save that money for those wheels and suspension work.

Consumer Reports constantly rates the Walmart Ever Start at the the top every year. And everywhere there is a Walmart for replacement or warranty.

While in the end the tire manufacturer handles it. If there is an issue under the vehicle manufacturers warranty I take it to them 1st.

My issue with the battery is that I bought a CPO vehicle if they have so little faith in the battery why not just put a new one in during the certification. Just like they do with brakes and tires. Out of warranty is one thing but they advertise the CPO as having the SAME warranty as new for the first 12 months/12k miles which turns out to not actually be the case.

I ended up with the AGM battery because I got one for the same price that Toyota wanted for their battery and a longer warranty minus towing.

while under warranty yes you should definitely take it to Toyota. but they will send it off to the tire shop if its tire related. unless they sell tires, like Ford does. but I have had Service Managers send new customers to the tire shop on tire concerns since the tire is covered under the tire manufacture warranty not the automotive maker warranty. this information is in the owners manual of all new car sales. this is just FYI for future issues. but if a customer insist on a new vehicle that the selling dealer take the vehicle to tire shop most will as a common courtesy to the customer.

I hear you on the battery. I am sure somewhere in the fine print it has a clause about the battery coverage. like my example of how Honda handles warranty on their batteries, they all have a different take on battery warranties. and the battery in a CPO may or may not be a new battery at time of selling the CPO unit. so if the battery is the original battery the warranty starts when the vehicle was first registered to the original owner. it doesn't start over/again when sold to the CPO owner. unless it was a new battery placed in CPO when the CPO inspection was done. if the battery failed the CPO inspection then a new battery would have been installed. then you would have a new battery warranty starting from the sell date of the CPO unit.

warranties are confusing. most don't read all the fine print. even being in the business I still cant keep up with all the details. but I do do my best to educate the customer as much as possible to avoid confusions in the future. and if the original battery goes bad and is in the pro rate months, unless its an original battery still under full replacement warranty, I usually suggest that the customer go to a parts house and have a battery install there. it will usually cost less and be a better battery with better warranty and free install. I have seen shop labor on replacing a battery almost as much as the battery. and that's just a simple replacement. not one of those vehicles where you have to remove an inner fender well or go under the rear seat.