Lol.. I'll gladly save the $40 and "schlep in there and deal with the dolts". You're paying $110 for the same $70 Johnson Controls battery at Walmart. There are Walmarts everywhere, too.. and the exchange process is even simpler being as that most of the time they don't even check the battery.. just hand you a new one.

And HUGE lol at the OEM calcium batteries being "tuned for this precise type of battery chemistry". Give me a break. I would love to see some backup evidence with this one. Different type of battery, yes.. to a point. Compatibility issues? No way.

Please.. enlighten us with some linky links that support your statements.

Silver-Calcium battery FAQ - http://www.bosch.co.za/content/language1/html/5154.htm

 

Walmart Everstart has a bunch of 24 series batteries, 24FN, 24FS, 24N, 24S, but not a plain 24. So which one do I get?

 

invest in an agm batery. optima, xs power, ect.. they outlast lead acid batteries by 2-3 times, and most hold a 13v charge at rest. well worth the money imo. just for reference i have a yellow top optima up front and its been there for 4 years and counting

 

yeah I know about Optima batteries. I honestly dont need all that. Id go to the dealer and pay $150 for the OEM battery if I wanted to spend the money. The car is only driven on the weekends, 10-12k a year. Just looking for a slightly above average aftermarket replacement.

 

"S" is for "South" and "N" is for "North." The "North" batteries are designed more for cold climates and are maintenance-free. Judging from the pictures, it looks like the "F" means "Reverse Polarity," meaning the positive red pole is on the left side instead of the right side. Other manufacturers use an "R" for "Reverse" instead of an "F." Ask at the store to be sure.

You need an FN.

 

Sorry, but again not true. In the Group 24 size, "F" has always meant reverse polarity since manufacturer's went to 12 volt charging systems in the mid 1950s. As I recall it actually stands for Ford, because they were the first ones that started using that size with reverse polarity. A Group 24 and a Group 24F battery has always been exactly the same size, and within brands and model the same capacity and as I have said only differ in polarity.

And, as I have said, Lexus uses both Groups. My wife's ES takes a 24F while my F takes a Group 24.
Lou

 

He's right. You don't need a reverse polarity in a 2IS.

However, there are some specialty batteries that do use the "R" designation.

 

You are jumping to the conclusion that a Walmart and Autozone battery are the same internally just because they are made by Johnson Controls. What is your basis for that conclusion? Walmart and Autozone sell millions of batteries and they spec out their battery based on the price point they want to hit. Walmart is not going to leave $30 or $40 on the table if it is the same battery as Autozone's. House brands often spec out their products differently than other brands. They may well be the same inside, but I wouldn't assume that from the get go.

 

If you have AAA, give them a call. They use Interstate and will do a swap for you all for $99 and warrenty it for 3 years plus a full electrical test.

 

It's a fact. Do your own research and you'll see. They don't "spec out their battery" for anything.. they pay Johnson Controls to give them their X series battery in the X level with their sticker on it so they can sell it in their stores. It's how manufacturing in this day and age works for all kinds of products.

 

I've also been concerned about Group 24 battery size, as many sites list them at 10.75-11" long, but can tell you that at least AutoCraft Gold Group 24 Battery dimensions are virtually same, the extra length comes from the side handles. So I had to loose the plastic frame and add equivalent thickness shim under the metal bracket so it properly tightens the non-adjustable front edge. I could have reused the plastic frame by making cutouts to accommodate those handles, but figured it was not worth the hassle for the only benefit of securing positive battery cables to the side of the battery. BTW, my OEM battery lasted 9years 97K, still worked but had very little reserve left.