Hey, folks, I had some questions regarding batteries. (I did do a search, but found only snippets of info here and there, with no detailed discussion of the pros/cons of different brands.) The one that’s dying on me (it came with the car--- a 2001 S---when bought in ’06) is an
Interstate “MegaTron Plus”. I considered switching to one of the lighter weight batteries, like
Braille (see
http://www.tirerack.com/accessories/brand.jsp?brand=Braille), but I started to wonder what the trade-offs would be in dropping a few pounds. It looks like one is warranty: most “standard” batteries are warranted for several years (pro rated after the first 2-3), but Braille’s is only fully warranted for a year, pro rated up to 2 years. Generally speaking, how long do they actually last? Has anyone gone with a
Deka (see
http://www.remybattery.com/Products/AGM-European-Performance-Battery__9AGM48.aspx) ? What did you think of it? I live in NE Ohio where it gets pretty cold (but not super cold), and I do drive some in the winter. I’m thinkin’ the super-light batteries aren’t going to be a good choice for me. They have one that’s 11.5 lbs that seems like might work well (see
http://www.tirerack.com/accessories/detail.jsp?ID=28&cat=Batteries).
If I decide not to worry about the weight, is there much of an advantage to brands like
Optima or
Odyssey over an
AutoZone Duralast or another
Interstate? (For example, do they appreciably handle weeks/months of disuse better?)
I guess I’d just like to get input as to what people have used as replacement batteries (specific model where possible) and what were the pros/cons (price, reliability/longevity, ease of installation, weight, etc.)
(BTW, Brucelee---your preference for
Costco batteries @ $60 is duly noted.
)
Threaded Mode
