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Thread: Paying for a Battery Warranty

  1. #1

    Paying for a Battery Warranty

    I may be in the market for a new battery in the not to distant future. I'm looking a group 65 batteries, with 650 CCA's. Duralast from Autozone, north side of $100, Interstate from COSTCO, right at $100. Duralast has free replacement for three years, while Interstate has one year free replacement. Walmart Valuecraft, $50 with one year free replacement. Next level of Walmart, $98 dollars with two year free replacement. Third (850 CCA's) from Walmart $120 with three year free replacement. All are made by Exide for Walmart. Fifty dollar and ninety eight dollar look to be the same, except for stickers. They both weigh the same amount, which means they contain the same amount of lead. So most likely I would be paying almost twice as much for identical batteries with differing lengths of warranty. No matter which I choose, I will use CC that extends manufacturer's warranty another year, so most likely I would buy cheaper one. While in Costco, I noticed they sell Interstate lawn tractor batteries, 230 CCA for around $35, with 6 month warranty. Go to Walmart and buy 230 CCA battery for $22 with one year warranty. At Walmart, for $30 I can jump up to 340 CCA battery. It definitely pays to shop around when buying a battery. FYI previous batteries have been Bosch Professionals which last on average nine years. Our 1994 (made in Aug 1993) Areostar has had three batteries in it, including the original
    Last edited by Bruce Wrenn; 04-24-2019 at 9:46 PM.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
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    I never buy a 1 or 2 year warrantied battery. Always the 3 year.
    For the autos I buy the larger/higher CCA if it will fit in the tray. Modern vehicles, with all the electronics in them, always have a draw on the battery.
    Being cheap on a battery will cost more in the long run.
    Never, under any circumstances, consume a laxative and sleeping pill, on the same night

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
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    I have a Walmart Ever Start battery in my ZTR. I noticed tonight it was purchased in 2012. 7 years old and still fires right up. I have had other brands in my mower that only lasted 2 years.
    "Remember back in the day, when things were made by hand, and people took pride in their work?"
    - Rick Dale

  4. #4
    Quote Originally Posted by Dave Lehnert View Post
    I have a Walmart Ever Start battery in my ZTR. I noticed tonight it was purchased in 2012. 7 years old and still fires right up. I have had other brands in my mower that only lasted 2 years.
    Understanding what kind of cost-cutting pressures Walmart puts on their suppliers, I would never buy another battery from them.

  5. #5
    Join Date
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    Medina Ohio
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    I buy all my batteries from Rural King they have Exide batteries and they seem to last a lot longer then the Walmart batteries I tried.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
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    Lafayette, IN
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    I buy my batteries now from an Interstate Batteries store. The last time I bought one (two, actually), I asked for one of their scratch'n'dent (they have another name for it that eludes me at the moment) for my truck, and, feeling generous, got one for my daughter's car as well. Neither of ours were totally dead, so I was able to wait for them to be shipped from their warehouse--I think they came in later that day. They're $40, and the warranty is short, but they both got through the north-central Indiana winter perfectly.
    Jason

    "Don't get stuck on stupid." --Lt. Gen. Russel Honore


  7. #7
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    E TN, near Knoxville
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    Do you have a Rural King in your area? Two people have told me lately their price was the cheapest around. One store owner told me he can't even get batteries wholesale for their retail price. The other person said they were brand name, relabeld for Rural King. I thought he said they were Interstate brand but I can't remember for sure. Might check.

    BTW, I've never bought an extended warranty since they seem to last so long. I just replaced the battery in my tractor after 16 years.

    JKJ

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Sep 2013
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    Wayland, MA
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    I've bought probably 100 batteries over the last five decades and have not yet had one fail in the first 2-3 years. Paying for a warranty to insure against such a small risk seems silly. Likewise for any extended warranty on anything-- they are always priced so that on average you will end up paying more than you will get in return-- the house always wins, as they say.

  9. #9
    Join Date
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    There are only something like three companies that make pretty much all the batteries, regardless of the label. I don't recall the brand distribution, however. I typically will buy a battery from a local auto parts store or Costco. I don't walk in the door of Walmart. Ever.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  10. #10
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    I would never pay for an extended warranty on a battery. Extended warranties in general are guaranteed to make the seller money, just like slot machines. The odds are in their favor. Buy a decent battery and they will last five years or better. My go-to lately has been Deca made by East Penn Manufacturing right here in the USA. Huge manufacturing facility, 520 acres in Pennsylvania. Interstate is good too, made in Mexico IIRC. That being said, I had to buy two batteries for my boat in FL. The ones I took out were still going strong after 8 years, they were DuraLast from AutoZone, replaced with the same as that is what was available locally.

    Edit: rereading the OP, he is not buying an extended warranty, he is using a CC that extends the warranty by a year, that is a good thing at no cost.
    Last edited by Ole Anderson; 04-25-2019 at 9:29 AM.
    NOW you tell me...

  11. #11
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    I bought 6 batteries fro Walmart and they all failed at about 26 months. just after the 2 year warranty ended. luckily all my trucks and tractors take the same size battery so I could change them out to get by till I got a new one. No more from Walmart.

  12. #12
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    My feelings exactly!

    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Becker View Post
    . . . I don't walk in the door of Walmart. Ever.

  13. #13
    Join Date
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    Speaking of batteries my truck was slow cranking just now time to get a new battery it is 7 years old.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
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    Cedar Park, TX (NW Austin)
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    What I like about Costco is that they keep track of the purchase date if you have a failure during the warranty period. They are truly no hassle. The last time they refunded me cash for the battery which would have allowed me to go somewhere else. I didn’t.

  15. #15
    Join Date
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    SE PA - Central Bucks County
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    Costco also is relatively lenient on returns, too, compared to many vendors when something happens just outside of a stated warranty period. They take very good care of customers because they make their money on folks signing up to be customers year-in, year-out. The products are sold at close to cost or sometimes even at cost or below cost.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

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