[Badhobz]

Gents,

My sc430 battery is going. I just recharged it with the ctek a week ago but yesterday it was hard to crank. I'll check for drains but I doubt it. It's probably just the age of the damn thing.

Going to buy a new battery today so the mother in law isn't stranded.

Which battery ?

Interstate
Kirkland
motormaster

[68style]

As the owner of a car that rarely gets driven (Mustang) and having far too much experience with dead car batteries, I will probably be going against the grain in saying no to Costco and their warranty, the batteries are shit. Likewise for Crappy Tire unless you buy one of their expensive lines. Cheaper ones are shit as well.

That said, I've always loved the Interstate in my MR2 Turbo, lots of discharges not being driven (MR2's have massive latent power draws), lots of abuse, 8+ years old now and still going strong. Also, when I worked at the police we put Interstate in all our cars when the lights/siren systems quickly killed the factory battery.

Sounds like it's just a daily with an old battery and it doesn't sit much though? You're probably okay to just buy the cheapest one.

Also, factory Toyota batteries are terrible, don't bother.

[Badhobz]

It sits alot because they are in Hong Kong for half the year. I guess I'll grab an interstate battery just for my own convenience. You guys know of any place in Richmond that sells it at a reasonable price ?

[68style]

It sits alot because they are in Hong Kong for half the year. I guess I'll grab an interstate battery just for my own convenience. You guys know of any place in Richmond that sells it at a reasonable price ?

They closed their nice store on Broadway near Boundary... I think they're only in Langley now last I checked?

If they pull one of the terminals off when they leave, it will fare much better. I do that with my MR2 any time I am gone for more than a week and never have discharge issues anymore.

Convenience... get the upgraded Motomaster the blue/white lightning style label... it's solid. About $140ish I think.

[Badhobz]

I heard from a buddy of mine that all the batteries are made by only a few giant conglomerate. He bought some ghetto ass 80 dollar Walmart battery and it was made by Johnston controls (same guys who make interstate?). Anyways the battery lasted him 10 years on his daily but he replaced it with another one and it went in 6 month. I guess luck of the draw.

[68style]

Yah I got that impression too... it has to be that way, they can't all be making their own moulds. Note with Crappy Tire there's an advantage to bringing your old battery with you IIRC as far as core charges/refunds or disposal fees go -- can't remember exactly.

[RRxtar]

Costco used to be highly rated batteries and were a kirkland branded version of a good johnson controls line, but i think that has changed and I've had alot of problems with them. Been replacing them on average every 3 years on my trucks that have them. Costco's return/warranty is nice, but dealing with costco and the return line is not worth the time.

I now spend the extra couple bucks for Interstate with the added benefit that the stores are easily accessible and the people working there, generally, know what they're talking about. They even gave me a loaner battery for my dump trailer while mine needed an over night charge one time.

Anywhere that sells batteries I think is obligated to give you a core refund on your old one, fyi.

[coneZONE]

Canadian Tire batteries are currently supplied by East Penn, the same supplier that makes batteries for Toyota, Honda, Nissan, etc. Actually pretty good quality now. The Motomaster Eliminator is 4 year warranty iirc, and approx $140. Dealer battery is about $160 and 3 year warranty afaik.

You don't have to worry about those older Motomaster batteries made by Exide... absolutely garbage. They changed to East Penn approximately 2-3 years ago

However, my dad is a big fan of interstate. I think we changed out the OE battery in our Matrix about 8-9 years ago for a green top interstate, drained to nothing two or three times due to long term parking, and brought it back to life each time LOL

[bcrdukes]

I'm a big fan of Interstate batteries. They have never failed me whatsoever. Their added benefit is also a big bonus, as RRxter pointed out.

Go to a shop of your preference who carries Interstate batteries. They will likely give you a better rate than buying from the retail location in Langley. The one that closed at Broadway and Renfrew only sold at retail prices, and was a complete rip off.

Some people swear by the Costco and Canadian Tire warranty, however, I value my time and do not enjoy the headache of lining up at Costco's return/refund lineup or dealing with Canadian Tire. Some people enjoy that, and if that's their thing, then it is what it is. I prefer something that just works, as opposed to waiting for that exciting moment when it fails and the pleasure of telling the internet that Costco's warranty is the bees knees. Some people are just masochists.

[JDMDreams]

If you don't drive the car for 6 months just disconnect the battery unless you're able to get it plugged in with a tender

[bcrdukes]

You may also want to consider a battery tender to maintain the battery if the SC isn't' being driven often. It's nice car. Would suck not to be able to fire it up when you want to drive it.

I have the older version of this model (http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/motomaster-eliminator-intelligent-battery-charger-75-25-12-4a-0111519p.html#srp) from Canadian Tire and it has been awesome. Have had it for 10+ years and still going strong. Great price too!

[Badhobz]

It's not a bad idea for sure. I'm worried about leaving a charger outside though. They have a carport and I'm worried some asshole is going to cut the wire or try and steal the damn charger.

[Manic!]

Another option could be a solar trickle charger. Mount it to the roof of your carport so its harder to steel.

Coleman Solar Battery Trickle Charger, 7 Watt 12 Volt | Canadian Tire (http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/coleman-solar-battery-trickle-charger-7-watt-12-volt-0112017p.html#Reviews)

[The Producer]

costco batteries - easiest to deal with when they do fail. in and out in 10 mins. Last time I even got money back because the price had gone down.

i put a cheap CT battery twist off disconnect on my e36. it has a habit of draining batteries.

takes 1 second to hook back up and added bonus theft deterrent.

[Badhobz]

So I shopped around trying to find interstate batteries and they were all hovering around 180 clams. Decided to cheap out and buy the Kirkland for 120 including core charge. The warranty is pretty amazing and manufacture date was June 2018. It also says made in Spain on the side (why do they need to advertise that ?).

Install was a sinch and everything works perfectly. I just hope it doesn't die after 2-3 years.

[AzNightmare]

Are these batteries from CT, Costco, etc generally what most of you guys buy?

I've always stuck to oem, I was able to buy them for under $100 at the dealer which seemed to be cheaper... And I figured can't go wrong with oem.

[twitchyzero]

bought Costco last time...I changed it out at 5 years to diagnose another problem so it could've lasted longer I think...still got like $30 back for the pro-rated warranty

the latest one seems to be going out at 3.5 years...the return/warranty is so hassle-free I agree it's in and out in 10 minutes...I doubt Interstate is drastically better in support

that said if the battery itself is quality then i'd like to try it esp if this vehicle may no longer be driven daily soon/possibly kept outdoors...where can I buy it at a reasonable price without driving to Langley?

[bcrdukes]

Guys, this isn't rocket science.

If you are not driving the vehicle, and planning to keep it outdoors, then no matter the battery, it will affect the life expectancy of the battery. The same will happen even if you keep it indoors, except the death of the battery will not be as accelerated. If your car is draining the battery at an accelerated rate, then you have an electrical issue that needs to be diagnosed and addressed.

If you are happy with the in/out in 10 minutes switcharoo with Costco, and accept that it will last you between 3 - 5 years, then that is fine. My Interstate battery in my MR2 was about 7 years old and still fired up after a recharge. I think SpuGen may still even have it!

Try the usual suspects like The Speed Syndicate etc. I'm pretty sure they carry Interstate batteries. Most shops do.

[Hondaracer]

Never had an issue with Costco batteries personally, and I shop there enough to justify buying from them

[hud 91gt]

Just bought a deep cycle for my boat which will not be cared for and driven a couple times a year. Guess I’ll buy an interstate next year :p. Honestly though, I have a battery switch and a small solar panel to keep the battery in tip top shape. If it’s shit by next year I’ll update the thread. Lol

[Mr.Money]

bought the cheapest ass one at walmart for $100 on a mustang,cranked up fine,we'll see how long it lasts

EverStart MAXX - 5 Year Warranty program with 3 years free replacement

[TypeRNammer]

Under the hood there's a 3 or 4 year old Interstate battery, kids drained the crap out of it watching movies and played with the lights.

Now I can't leave the Odyssey in accessory mode for more than 10 minutes, did my kids kill the battery? Had to jump start it a few times

[bcrdukes]

lol rip honda odyssey and interstate battery

and fuck costco and fuck da police #nwa #vi

peace out

/thread

[bcrdukes]

@ TypeRNammer

Assuming your battery truly is 3 - 4 years old:

https://www.interstatebatteries.com/support/warranty

Good luck and enjoy. Or go to Costco. :inoutugh:

[Nlkko]

Interstate.

[UnknownJinX]

I bought an Eliminator Ultra AGM for my RX-8 a year ago. It's alright.

I use a maintenance charger on it once in a while, too.

[twitchyzero]

typernammer my rsx is the same way and I already replaced the 3-4 yr old battery
I disabled dashcam parking mode/and deactivated cruise control mode to see if it helps but I likely have to get it tested

[bcrdukes]

oh shit look at twitchyzero throw in his invaluable 2 cents as usual :rolleyes:
get yourself checked

[twitchyzero]

ban me with your mod powers please

[SSM_DC5]

Dukes with mod power? :awwyeah::lawl:

[bcrdukes]

i own this forum

[forcedot]

Honestly they are all the same, if you drive the car regularly, have no issues with your car, and have a trickle charger for when you are not using the vehicle. You will be fine.

If you get sloppy and don't take proper care of your battery, go with the one offering the longest battery warranty and just play dumb. lol

[Great68]

I'm a fan of whatever are sealed maintenance free type.

When my Mazda's original battery went last year I just got a new one from Mazda. It was competitively priced to CT & Costco, and more importantly sealed/maint free.

Definately a different manufacturer than what the car came with OEM though, which was a Panasonic built battery.

[forcedot]

I'm a fan of whatever are sealed maintenance free type.

When my Mazda's original battery went last year I just got a new one from Mazda. It was competitively priced to CT & Costco, and more importantly sealed/maint free.

Definately a different manufacturer than what the car came with OEM though, which was a Panasonic built battery.

Always be careful and double check when replacing OEM Panasonic batteries.

Majority of cars that come with them stock, Can't just be replaced with your standard Costco/Canadian tire batteries.

[Great68]

Always be careful and double check when replacing OEM Panasonic batteries.

Majority of cars that come with them stock, Can't just be replaced with your standard Costco/Canadian tire batteries.

From a technical standpoint, if dimensions, voltage and cranking amp ratings are the same why would they not work?

[forcedot]

From a technical standpoint, if dimensions, voltage and cranking amp ratings are the same why would they not work?

I mean to make sure it's the right battery type, all the OEM panasonic batteries I've seen were AGM. Such as the Mazda Miata, Mitsubishi Evos, Lexus hybrids, etc.

They require proper venting through tubes and must be spill proof, beyond your typical lead battery.

[Great68]

My stock one definately wasn't AGM, wasn't even maintenance free. Looked exactly like this:

http://www.panasonic.hk/usm.ashx/e/ax6Bgnt1zOKAv2fuNWSyt7kAYYqUlisu85XM2Aw26XO6FBiI~V 6URlpJxGQWm0HlTQrD1aMgr8fuPSt8a1b8UZSzuv8Xz3MCuH_k vVfQjjLG27wrEZ1v7Agi3sX871YgNvRFXSPbs9I1aeP6gjcL1A oo

[Berzerker]

I upgrade to Optima as soon as I can with every car I purchase. Never had a problem with them. Ever.

Berz out.

[cdizzle]

Bringing up an old thread and hoping to see if anybody has the same issue.

Anybody running a hard-wired dashcam with parking mode active; and using a Kirkland battery? Mine's died out twice in the past two years; last time I had to get it jump started and if this happens once every year... thinking about replacing the battery

[bcrdukes]

If you can, get your battery and alternator checked out before you replace it. Could be a number of things causing this. How often does the battery drain from when you aren't driving the car?

I don't have a dashcam, but had a similar problem where my factory radio was faulty, where a parasitic drain caused the battery to die out after a few days if the car weren't driven. I replaced the battery (because it was an 8 year old battery anyway) and it was the same result. My alternator and other electrical components were within spec when troubleshooting. I replaced the factory radio unit with an aftermarket, and all was well.

[JDMDreams]

A lot of modern cars has parasitic drain due to all the electronics. Are you sure you're dash cam isn't faulty? They should have a low voltage cut off to prevent draining the battery

[SSM_DC5]

^ not all dashcams do that. For example, blackvue uses the power magic pro(an accessory) to cut off voltage.

[cdizzle]

If you can, get your battery and alternator checked out before you replace it. Could be a number of things causing this. How often does the battery drain from when you aren't driving the car?

I don't have a dashcam, but had a similar problem where my factory radio was faulty, where a parasitic drain caused the battery to die out after a few days if the car weren't driven. I replaced the battery (because it was an 8 year old battery anyway) and it was the same result. My alternator and other electrical components were within spec when troubleshooting. I replaced the factory radio unit with an aftermarket, and all was well.

Should have been more specific...
First time it died; engine and electronics didn't start but I now remember that I may have left the cabin light on overnight. Got it jumpstarted and it's been fine until yesterday (at least a year since). This morning, electronics turned on, but engine didn't start.

And regarding the dash cam cut-off; I followed recommendations from local dashcam supplier and had it cut-off at 12.2V.

[bcrdukes]

It doesn't sound like your battery is faulty, but this is only based on what you are sharing with us. If you drive your car often enough, and not short 1KM drives, the alternator will keep the battery charged, but no way it should keep you in a position where you can't start the car. You may need to do some further troubleshooting to pin point what's causing this. I think the easiest is to start with your dash cam. Maybe share which model you have with others so they can chime in.

[cdizzle]

I've got a Blacksys CH-100b 2 channel installed.

While still have to do some digging around to find root cause, opening the hood revealed a battery with leaked and dried sulphuric acid....
Already got that replaced but haven't reinstalled it yet as the acid also got onto the tie-down bar and a replacement won't be here until tomorrow earliest.

By the way, thanks in advance for all the ppl who chimed in!

[SSM_DC5]

Did you actually test the voltage at all? Might have tossed a good battery due to a poor connection. Sounds like a physical cleaning or a mix of baking soda and water on the terminals would have been the right step before going straight to a new battery.

[cdizzle]

Did you actually test the voltage at all? Might have tossed a good battery due to a poor connection. Sounds like a physical cleaning or a mix of baking soda and water on the terminals would have been the right step before going straight to a new battery.

unfortunately i don't have a way to test it; but i didn't want to take any risk of it possibly being a bad battery...

[bcrdukes]

It's probably too late now, but if you ask a shop or mechanic nicely, they may help test the battery for you to tell if you do in fact have a bad battery, charging system, or what have you. Might be a bit tough these days due to COVID-19 and whatnot, but never hurts to try. Maybe someone on RS will be kind enough to offer help.

By the way, what make/model is your car?

[cdizzle]

I remember hearing good words about Edmonds Batterries, but alas like you said too late now :)

I drive a 2015 CX-5 GS

[bcrdukes]

Is this your original battery? I mean, 5 years isn't THAT old, but depending on conditions and circumstances, it's about time to replace it, considering it's leaked battery acid and whatnot.

Which battery are you replacing it with? You definitely should do some troubleshooting to understand what lead to this.

[cdizzle]

It's not the original battery; but the original was changed due to me being a bit less smart about these issues at that time. I replaced it with a Kirkland battery, and going back to it again due to the warranty.

From what I researched; it could be anywhere from poor QC from battery manufacturer, to alternator overcharging. The battery didn't look swelled so I don't think it's the alternator...

I have maintenance scheduled on the car two weeks from now so I'll definitely mention this issue though!

thanks for the advice dukes

[bcrdukes]

Let us know the outcome. Curious as to what the outcome is.