Best car battery: any opinion!?
Thread Starter
Lead Lap
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 578
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From: Hong Kong
Best car battery: any opinion!?
During my life, I 've driven many different cars and Lexus is the one that I love the best.
However, do you guys know which brand(s) of car battery is(are) the best?
However, do you guys know which brand(s) of car battery is(are) the best?
Lexus Connoisseur
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 19,891
Likes: 606
From: USA
Today, most batteries are manufactured by certain manufacturers. One of the biggest battery manufacturers out there is Johnson Controls who actually makes products under these brand names...
Everstart, Motorcraft, Optima, TrueStart (Toyota), Duralast, Mitsubishi, Honda, Autocraft, Eveready, Energizer, Power Connnection, Die Hard, Equilizer, Kirland Signature and Interestate.
Optima batteries are great, but don't last from a longevity standpoint.
Everstart, Motorcraft, Optima, TrueStart (Toyota), Duralast, Mitsubishi, Honda, Autocraft, Eveready, Energizer, Power Connnection, Die Hard, Equilizer, Kirland Signature and Interestate.
Optima batteries are great, but don't last from a longevity standpoint.
Lexus Fanatic
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 9,392
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From: Florida
I have had my optima yellow top for 4 years now and no problems, although it is starting to drain. I am going to get either a new yellow top or red top, I dont have a lot of equipment to power, just one sub, so suppose I will go with the red top
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I've had mixed luck with Optima stuff personally... We sell Interstate at work (what I currently have in the Lex) and we have mixed luck with their stuff too... However, I see all brands of batteries fail on a daily basis, many are 1-2 years old or less. Granted the weather here in Vegas doesn't lend well to battery longevity of any kind (extreme heat, extreme dryness), but no battery has what I would call an excellent track record out here...
I personally think the Optimas are a waste of money... The red top boasts how many cranking amps? Big f'n deal - all you need cranking amp wise is enough to turn the starter, which is usually 100-150 amps... The yellow top has this awesome deep cycle ability - tell ya what, I've had two in a row that would never fully recover, and they are not a fully sealed design like many would have you believe...
I personally think the Optimas are a waste of money... The red top boasts how many cranking amps? Big f'n deal - all you need cranking amp wise is enough to turn the starter, which is usually 100-150 amps... The yellow top has this awesome deep cycle ability - tell ya what, I've had two in a row that would never fully recover, and they are not a fully sealed design like many would have you believe...
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CL Community Team
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 9,399
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From: IL
You can't really make a blanket recommendation of a brand (except for Optima in their specific applications), because the quality varies DRASTICALLY within a brand, and from year to year. Assuming you're looking for a battery for your '00 LS400, that's a Size 24F or a size 35, and here are some of the top rated batteries in those sizes:
24F:
Interstate Mega-Tron Plus MTP-24F
EverStart 24F-3N (North) --Walmart brand, only available in northern states
35:
NAPA Legend 7535
Duralast 35-D --Autozone brand
Of those, the Interstate Megatron is the best overall performer, while the Duralast is the best bargain at $60. All are rated Very Good by Consumer Reports, the 2nd highest rating. No batteries in either size rated Excellent, and all others besides these were rated Good or Fair.
Do not take these recommendations for any other size though, as a brand that performs well in one size may be a piece of crap in another. Let me know if you want me to look up any other sizes.
24F:
Interstate Mega-Tron Plus MTP-24F
EverStart 24F-3N (North) --Walmart brand, only available in northern states
35:
NAPA Legend 7535
Duralast 35-D --Autozone brand
Of those, the Interstate Megatron is the best overall performer, while the Duralast is the best bargain at $60. All are rated Very Good by Consumer Reports, the 2nd highest rating. No batteries in either size rated Excellent, and all others besides these were rated Good or Fair.
Do not take these recommendations for any other size though, as a brand that performs well in one size may be a piece of crap in another. Let me know if you want me to look up any other sizes.
Lexus Champion
Joined: Jan 2003
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From: NYC/ATL
Lexus Fanatic
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 94,541
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From: Virginia/D.C. suburbs
The Sears Die Hard has the best reputation I know of. There is a good reason why it it is not called Die Easy.
Unfortunately, it can be difficult to adapt aftermarket batteries to vehicles equipped with factory-original ones. Exterior battery dimensions, terminal locations, and attachment points don't always match...or are adaptable.
Unfortunately, it can be difficult to adapt aftermarket batteries to vehicles equipped with factory-original ones. Exterior battery dimensions, terminal locations, and attachment points don't always match...or are adaptable.
CL Community Team
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 9,399
Likes: 622
From: IL
Although the DieHards have always been made under contract, Sears used to have very strict tolerances on them. As a result, they were almost always quality batteries. However, like much everything else these days, profit has become king, and Sears is cashing in on the brand's reputation by getting its batteries from the lowest bidder, while selling them for the same price. Some years they do ok. This year was not one of them. Not one Die Hard of the 12 tested this year, in any of the 5 sizes tested, got a "very good" rating, and only one was in the top half in its particular class.
Last edited by geko29; Aug 6, 2007 at 06:38 PM.
Thread Starter
Lead Lap
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 578
Likes: 0
From: Hong Kong
thanks guys...i would try optima red or yellow...thanks
i have a LS400(YR2000): if i often turn on both the car and the air-con but at the same time wait for people 45-60mins(car not running on road), would that be real bad?
which type of batteries will suit such situation?
i have a LS400(YR2000): if i often turn on both the car and the air-con but at the same time wait for people 45-60mins(car not running on road), would that be real bad?
which type of batteries will suit such situation?