I have heard (not confirmed) that a Toyota logo'd battery of the same physical [24] size comes with only a 60 month warranty and based on discounts offered is about the same price as the 84 month warranty from Lexus.

Do owners of other luxury vehicles like BMW, Audi, Mercedes, Infiniti, Volvo, Porsche, Jaguar, Range Rover, Maserati, Bentley, etc. try to pinch-pennies to save a few dollars (literally) when buying relatively low-cost items? I should know - and I actually do know...

 

To answer your last question .. yes ... lol

 

100%. Money is money and its as simple as that. I want to keep more of it.

 

Mercedes owners love to save money. I can't tell you how many times I see them at the gas station only putting in $10 or $20 worth of gas. LOL

 

I agree. There is nothing wrong with saving money or otherwise, 'penny pinching.' I wonder why other people care so much about what other people do. I think they just have their own insecurities.

 

With my Infiniti I replaced the battery with an Infiniti battery mainly because it fit properly. I hate how after market batteries often don't quite fit with the brackets and covers and things. I realize that's all cosmetic but I still don't like it.

The Infiniti batteries had an 84 month warranty with 2 year complete replacement at the time. They always seemed to work very well and cost was competive. That said, the last time I replaced it I did end up going with Interstate because I HATE the Infiniti dealer here. Numerous bad experiences, probably worse than if I had purchased a Nissan so I won't spend my money there. I've had excellent luck with Interstate batteries on other vehicles and other family members have used them for years as well. The one I purchased actually ended up fitting almost perfectly so I was happy all around. I made it clear that that was important to me so maybe they found one closer to the shape and size?

I definitely echo the comments about cold cranking amps - they're important.

I also agree with the trying to save money comment to an extent.... First, it's not saving money if the quality is different. All things being equal, including service, then of course save some money. Second, my time has value and is often worth more than a few dollars by going to a different place or having to go back more often for replacements because the quality wasn't quite as good. Third, I support good service and local businesses.

And also, to me, the pro-rated thing is all about keeping you in that companies battery line. Yes it's nice to know it's there but it's that 2 year full replacement I really care about. If it's an 84 month battery but it always goes out at 72 months that sucks. I want an 84 month battery that I never have to use the pro-rated warranty on and with the Infiniti ones they always went past 84 months. I suspect Lexus ones are similar.

 

Exactly! For busy people with excellent incomes, wasting time to save a few dollars or having to go back because of poor service or quality is not smart...and they know it.

I believe the Lexus battery is made for Lexus by Interstate.

 

My Lexus battery was made by Panasonic. I do my own work when I can and a lot of that has zero to do with saving money. I spend more money on gardening for example then if I just went to Whole Foods.

 

The OE battery is made by Panasonic, but the U.S. replacement (Lexus logo'd) battery I believe is made by Interstate.

 

As you say, that work you do is because you enjoy doing it, not to save money. I suspect your gardening is a hobby and is rewarding as well as fun to do.

 

Yes. I'm in Chicago and I grow my own lemons even in the dead on winter. LOL I'm quite certain there isn't much money saved doing my own oil either but I still enjoy doing it.

 

I totally understand. Those lemons you grow probably end up costing $10 apiece, but that's not what is important. It's the experience, reward and satisfaction that can't have a price put on its importance and value to you.

 

I had to learn that from a friend who had his own company. He convinced me it was smarter to take my work clothes (button down shirts/slacks) to the cleaners. Even though my grandmother (who was a military housewife) taught me how to iron a shirt with perfect creases in about 3-5 minutes each, it made much more sense for me to be billing clients than worrying about the $1/$1.25 cost of having a shirt done at the cleaners. The trick was finding a cleaners who didn't press the crap out of my shirts and pop all the buttons from using too high of heat.

Other grandparents/family owned their own businesses so they taught me both about customer service, doing work you're proud of, and showing appreciation to those who help you and go that extra mile. My specific team at my Infiniti dealer before I moved were always great and went the extra mile so there was always a box from the local bakery in the back seat for them when the car went in for service. To be clear....the good service came first...it was not a quid pro quo LOL <JK> (sorry, I couldn't resist).

PS - I wouldn't say I had an excellent income but it was decent, I think my consulting rate at the time was like $30/hour so take out all the self employment tax, etc... and it was probably minimum wage! LOL

 

My Lexus-logo battery is made by Panasonic.

 

You should have created a business entity and "paid" yourself a "reasonable" salary, trying to keep as much of that money in the "business" to save money on not having to pay self employment tax on that portion of the money. Then of course you can use that money in the business for "business expenses". Sometimes "business expenses" are questionable, just list it as something the sounds reasonable, nobody's checking. There are other loopholes to reduce your taxes, things turbotax will never tell you.