Another battery thread, but this one is different AND for the good.

[kevman65]

Just had to replace the battery in my wife's 2015 ScoobieDoo Legacy.

This is a 2015, 4 cylinder, battery group 24. OEM lasted until Dec 2018. It was replaced with an Interstate Battery, lead and acid.

That 30 month battery lasted from Dec 2018 until Aug 2025. Yes I put the same exact thing back in.
Biggest part of that reasoning, Interstate doesn't make (have made for them) a group 24 AGM with battery posts in the right direction for this application.

But the biggest part of this, yes, there ARE still good batteries out there.

Have a great day.

Sponsored

 

[Lost1wing]

Just had to replace the battery in my wife's 2015 ScoobieDoo Legacy.

This is a 2015, 4 cylinder, battery group 24. OEM lasted until Dec 2018. It was replaced with an Interstate Battery, lead and acid.

That 30 month battery lasted from Dec 2018 until Aug 2025. Yes I put the same exact thing back in.
Biggest part of that reasoning, Interstate doesn't make (have made for them) a group 24 AGM with battery posts in the right direction for this application.

But the biggest part of this, yes, there ARE still good batteries out there.

Have a great day.

I like interstate batteries. They are what I use most.

 

[Janster]

We have Interstates on our boat…….

 

[Hunter#1]

I have always had good luck using Interstate batteries.

 

[Verne]

Are you inferring there is some extra planned obsolescence in the Mopar batteries? I'm going into year 5 of ownership soon and I was going to have the dealer pre-emptively swap the battery out for me (did the dead aux last month) during my next oil change in preparation for my next trip down south. Any advice would be welcomed.

 

[PuddleJumper]

I've never had a bad battery. from walmart to 1500 dollar lithiums. I just took care of em for what i was doing. Tenders, terminal cleaning, etc.

 

[oldironsights]

Kudos to kevman65.
Outstanding.
The key to longer lead acid battery life for me is as follows.
Keep the + & - posts clean. I use dow corning dielectric grease on mine.
Keep the battery surfaces clean & free of dirt that can cause power to "leak" out by providing a voltage path between + & - posts.
Keep the engine ground, the frame ground & the body ground corrosion free & tight.
Most modern batteries have the cell caps pressed in & covered to prevent adding distilled water.
Manufacturers want to sell you a new one in three years or less.
I have had to break into my old Mopar batteries to add distilled water.
Not pretty, but I usually get seven years from my OEM Mopar batts.
I can purchase my OEM batteries & tires from my dealers for lower cost than most aftermarket retailers.
I have the receipts to prove it.
You just need to pay attention to dealer special sales & ASK for rebates.
Just had my Ford dealer install a set of OEM Firestone destination A/T2's for a total bill of $583.00
My battery was $42.00 & some change.
Oh, almost forgot.
Always tip the mechanics that service your vehicles if the dealer/owner approves.
Especially if it is warranty work.
Some locally owned dealerships treat their employees like family.
I get invited to employee functions & get discounts because I treat them as I want to be treated.
Dealerships are there to MAKE MONEY. They will NOT always offer you the lowest cost option.
You may be required to do your own research & provide your own part numbers to present to the parts counter person to "educate them" on the lower priced option for THE SAME DAMN PART!

You DID do your research on the Glad before purchase, didn't you?

oldironsights out..................................

 

[kevman65]

Kudos to kevman65.
Outstanding.
The key to longer lead acid battery life for me is as follows.
Keep the + & - posts clean. I use dow corning dielectric grease on mine.
Keep the battery surfaces clean & free of dirt that can cause power to "leak" out by providing a voltage path between + & - posts.
Keep the engine ground, the frame ground & the body ground corrosion free & tight.
Most modern batteries have the cell caps pressed in & covered to prevent adding distilled water.
Manufacturers want to sell you a new one in three years or less.
I have had to break into my old Mopar batteries to add distilled water.
Not pretty, but I usually get seven years from my OEM Mopar batts.
I can purchase my OEM batteries & tires from my dealers for lower cost than most aftermarket retailers.
I have the receipts to prove it.
You just need to pay attention to dealer special sales & ASK for rebates.
Just had my Ford dealer install a set of OEM Firestone destination A/T2's for a total bill of $583.00
My battery was $42.00 & some change.
Oh, almost forgot.
Always tip the mechanics that service your vehicles if the dealer/owner approves.
Especially if it is warranty work.
Some locally owned dealerships treat their employees like family.
I get invited to employee functions & get discounts because I treat them as I want to be treated.
Dealerships are there to MAKE MONEY. They will NOT always offer you the lowest cost option.
You may be required to do your own research & provide your own part numbers to present to the parts counter person to "educate them" on the lower priced option for THE SAME DAMN PART!

You DID do your research on the Glad before purchase, didn't you?

oldironsights out..................................

You DID see this was the wife's car, right? There was no preventive battery maintenance. She drives around everywhere for no reason. I don't get a chance to look at the car until "the car is broke".

I had to almost chisel the corrosion off the positive side to get it off the post.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

There are so many variables, it's crazy. I've seen some nasty batteries greatly outlive their "warranty period" and I've seen batteries die at 4 years that should have gone 6 or more.
The walmart battery in my 1936 F20 tractor (which would normally never have a battery but it was a factory experimental model with a starter on it) had a wonderful, efficient generator (yeah, right) to keep it up when using it. It sat around a lot. It was one of Walmart's bargain batteries and that thing went 7 years with being ignored and abused. But - the battery in my SX4 went barely 4 and died, always kept clean as heck for shows, well cared for, frequently used and so on. So the ignored battery exceeded, the clean, cared-for battery died in its youth.

Yes, it's a good rule and absolutely makes sense - keep them charged, keep them clean, don't deep-cycle them. That's a "duh!" from a guy who has dealt with batteries of all types in all sorts of equipment over the years.
It's nothing new. In fact, it predates me - that you should keep them clean, keep them charged and keep the terminals clean. That's as basic as your oven needs to be hot in order to bake anything.

(anyone here old enough to remember testing the voltage of the individual cells of a battery? Specific gravity? Or the 8 volt batteries you put in a 6 volt car to boost the cranking power?)

 

[oldironsights]

(anyone here old enough to remember testing the voltage of the individual cells of a battery? Specific gravity? Or the 8 volt batteries you put in a 6 volt car to boost the cranking power?)

@66yo, I do.

 

[oldironsights]

One can also visually check for sulfation & plate warping after removing the cell caps/covers.
Batteries tend to favor consistent charging/discharging rates.
Charge/discharge spikes create heat that if too high, can cause damage.
They also require DISTILLED water; not municipal.

 

[Chasm]

Interstate Battery, lead and acid.

I've used interstate since I was a broke teen with cars that had to run 20-50 to keep the oil in and needed to crank in the winter. They sell "blems" for almost nothing. Still have one in my Fairlane actually.

 

[Blade1668]

Not long ago I had to replace one of my Optima batteries it gave up on me, it was made in Colorado, and over 20 years old. Definitely not well maintained or lightly used been used to weld many many times including deep discharged. I had 5 Optima batteries, red tops and blue tops one blue top was in my TJ after the stock one died I was driving near a Bass Pro so in it went. It's not currently there now setting on my porch and over 10 years old. The current battery is from Walmart (actually a JT configuration) battery and a recommend type to use in TJ's IMHO. Current main battery in JT Walmart, ESS battery is O'Reilly's (they had one in stock) and a "nice walk" carrying a dead battery then back.
Interstate batteries have been good for me in the past, but I changed over to AGM batteries back in 90s. Orbital made good AGM batteries after Optima batteries started being manufactured in Mexico. The question now is where are the companies manufacturing batteries getting the lead from. Damn I probably need to start my Gladiator today, it's been a few days, oh yeah I've got a solar system maintaining it.

Sponsored