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Whoa.....have you priced car batteries lately?

From what I’ve heard- there are only a couple companies that actually manufacture batteries. Out of the dozens of brands, they only come out of 2 or 3 factories.
 
I usually go middle of the road on most parts, batteries I always use Interstate, first 2 yrs you get a new one if it has a problem then pro-rated after that - batteries take alot of abuse and alot of times it can be attributed to dirty connections, weak charging systems, a worn out starter that can suck all the juice out then the car isn't driven long enough to properly charge battery back up - you get what you pay for and you need to remember it's a complete system keeping your battery functioning - 1 dirty bad ground cable can seriously interfere with keeping your from cranking over and sometimes it is hidden under insulation in the form of corrosion not @ a terminal, those electrons flow on the outside of the strands of wire and that causes a ton of resistance - doesn't "fix" alot to put a new terminal on that wire w/green dust crumbling off bc the end was cleaned B4 new terminal was clamped on - Big $$$ battery can't do it without the rest of the system working properly
 
like everything prices are going crazy. I was at the farmers market and filet mignon is now $50.00 dollars a pound, need a new roof you don't want to know how much that went up......
 
I recommend local Salvage yard if you're looking for a quality battery and don't want to spend a lot. Sometimes, they'll even let you look at them to pick one out.
 
Remember we can no longer process lead ore here in the States. Ore is mined in MO and shipped to Mexico for smelting and then shipped back.
Everything else is recycled lead.
The former battery unit of Johnson controls was sold in 2019 to Brookfield Business Partners, a Canadian company and is now called Clarios.
 
Seconding the costco recommendation. Replaced a couple redtop optimas a couple years ago for three hundred less than the optimas would have cost.
I checked there recently for batteries for my f550, still under a hundred bucks each (need two).
Im not looking forward to replacing the redtop in my opel. It will have to be a new redtop, almost inaccessible.
 
I think the duralast gold battery i bought for my grand cherokee was $250.00 My bowtie car has a 2009 yellow top optima that is starting to show some age.
 
Let's think about all this for a moment.

1. the economy, and inflation. $100 plywood? Food is up (on average, by my personal experience and tracking) more than 17% across the board. $3 gas. $3.15 diesel (as of yesterday, here in Maryland). A dollar don't get you what it used to, six months ago.

2. the "green" push, for more EV's. How do you think those are powered? Yes...with batteries. LOTS of batteries. Demand is way up.

3. The "green" push for "renewable" energy. Windmills and solar require battery storage, because if they produce more than demand at any given time, that excess power is just...pissed away. Lost. If they feed the grid, and there is extra, they need battery banks to store the excess for when demand exceeds supply (i.e. no wind, no sun). Again - demand is way up.

4. the state of production in general, in the USA and across the globe, because of the scamdemic. Production capacities are decimated because of the shutdowns. Pipelines are still not filled back up. Staffing is still short. Vehicle production is behind. Computer chip production is behind. Parts supply is all backordered. Batteries are as well - demand is up, manufacturing/production is down.

It ain't just batteries, folks...
 
Just bought an Optima deep cycle for the boat. 289, shipped.
Same price I paid 5 years ago.
 
vintage chromoly said:
Just bought an Optima deep cycle for the boat. 289, shipped.
Same price I paid 5 years ago.
Click to expand...
The deep cycle batteries at O'Rielleys was $90. I asked the clerk why they were so much cheaper. He did not know.
 
I drove through there 2 weeks ago...
 
Industrial metals are going up as China reboots there factory's.
Brass and lead are in demand for ammo for the record amount of guns being sold today.
We sell 95% of are industrial metals China/India/Pakistan because of regulations that don't allow the states to refine here.
 
Yep Kern...They are out of control as far as pricing goes. The last battery I bought was in March of this year and it was an Interstate for my F150. The top of the line was 189.00 and the next lower was 149.00. I used my usual 10% discount so out the door it wasn't too bad. Asa for Costco??? I have never used them even though I am a member. But I just might have to the next time I need one. As for Wally World??? The only automotive stuff I will buy from them is washing soap and Chamois, plus oil filters...Motorcraft as the local store near me sells those. Yep everything is going through the roof. To the poster that went to the Farmers Market for a Steak and was told 50.00/lb!!! Only in my dreams would I pony up for a piece of Beef. Shop the cheaper cuts and save some $$'s as I can make a cheaper piece of Beef taste just as good and done to perfection...Just sayin' is allcr8crshr.Bill:usflag::usflag::usflag:
 
In regard to battery warranties I had a Motorcraft (at that time made by Johnson Controls) shoot craps at 5 years. Took it to the dealer I bought it from and was told I would be better off buying a new one. Why? Even with the pro-rated warranty saving some coin the new battery would be warrantied only for the balance of the original battery's warranty. With a new battery I got a full replacement warranty for two years.
Btw-the Interstate I bought for the Dakota arount the same time crapped out a month later. Replaced with an Exide from Rural King at a good price.
 
2 words:

Battery.
Tender.

They're like $19 for the 'junior'; you can get multi-output 'banks' for more. Outstanding for maintaining good batteries when not driving the vehicle. My motorcycles typically go six years or so on a battery, with tender use. 2 years without.

If you need to resurrect a flat battery, I recommend the NoCo battery chargers. I have a small one that I use in the garage. Typically if I've let one of the vehicles go too long during off-season, and it's flat come springtime...the NoCo will bring it back to life after 12 hours (overnight), and I'll never have to touch it again that season.
 
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