grunner58

The LS was dead as a door nail this AM. I had a Interstate 24F 600CCA battery from Firestone installed in Aug 2011.
Started looking around and learned of a relatively new battery technology entitled Absorbed Glass Mat batteries which are constructed differently than the traditional flooded battery.

I narrowed it down to three choices in a hurry:

Interstate AGM MT7-34R 46 lbs. 48-month free replacement warranty $255 + tax + Install http://www.interstatebatteries.com/p...855-2147384906

Northstar X2Power 58lbs. https://www.batteriesplus.com/batter...ca/sli24fagmdp $250 + tax + install. I believe this to be the premium AGM battery as it is 99.9% lead, made in USA and 58 lbs. 60 month free replacement

Autocraft Platinum AGM (Advance Auto Parts) 24FAGM Battery (Weight ??) $189.99 less 30% of (TRT30 code) = $139.99 + tax. 36 month free replacement.and free installation.

I went the cheapo route (Autocraft) but if you're looking for a premium AGM battery, I would go with Northstar X@ Power out of Missouri. A 58lb behemoth!! and priced in-inline with the Interstate at a meekly 46 lbs.

semar

tz, tz, tz
with all your elaboration about other products, you let us hang here.
Give us the lowdown about this new technology, please.
If the new battery will be exchanged after 4 years, how is it different from the batteries that Costco exchanges after 4 years at half the cost of the battery?

campisi

AGM batteries are useful in that they can be deep-discharged repeatedly and not suffer permanent degradation like a flooded lead-acid battery will. They've been around for a long time and are used in marine and RV applications (where you run electronics without the engine running). Flooded cell batteries are cheaper and meant for starting purposes and then recharge immediately via the alternator.
To me, AGM's are not worth the extra money in something like an LS430 where the consequences of a failed battery are that you call your tow truck to come jump you and then you drive over to where you bought it and get another. The consequences of a failed battery if you are out on the ocean or a big lake or way out in the backcountry are much more dire. I run an Odyssey AGM battery in my Nissan Xterra 4X4 because we go on backcountry camping trips and run a refrigerator/freezer as well as some other electronics off the battery and need deep-discharge capability.

tradosauru

The Walmart Everstart Maxx received good reviews and at $115 will be my battery of choice.

Brewmyown

You shouldn't have to spend more than $100 - $110 +or- on a battery. Most battery companies have changed from a full replacement time frame (say 36 month) plus a prorated time frame (60 - 84 months, mine had a 36/84) to just a full refund time frame and no longer prorate. Costco changed brands recently and they give a full refund (not replacement) up to 42 months and its under $100 I believe. I just had a dead battery after 44 months which was purchased at Advance Auto at the time (30% off discount). I brought it in, it was tested and failed which I knew because my battery scanner said it failed the test). They scanned my receipt and it indicated a full refund (not replacement) which was great because I expected to pay for half (42 of the 84 month prorate). The same battery is $20 more now (even with the 30% discount) so it cost me $20 for a battery 44 months later ($94 refund for old and new was $108 ish). As stated above there's no need for a marine type battery in a car, especially at those prices. IMO, $100 for a 42 month battery with 700 CCA just makes sense AND most auto parts stores (at least in my area) install batteries for free if you need it done (I install my own).

fensterlip

The AGM batteries need a matched charging system to be happy long term. Their charging voltage and cycle needs are different. Many people have put AGM batteries in but they won't last as long as in a car designed for them. My Mercedes has an AGM and is designed for it and is now 6 years old and working like a champ (knock on wood). They are not a silver bullet here and are considerably more expensive. I vote for Costco or checking with your local Interstate store for deals also.

grunner58

The Autocraft AGM Platinum is made by Enersys and is probably identical to Sears' DieHard Platinum. (they look exactly alike aside from the stickers)

Here's basic intro to Northstar AGM:
Here's a load test on a Northstar AGM:

grunner58

Costco is half the price of $139 installed? That's $70 for a fully replaced battery for 36 months. Have you ever bought a battery for LS430 at Costco?

campisi

Right you are. Enersys makes the Die hard Plat as well as the Autocraft AGM Plat as well as the Odyssey AGM (the one I have in my Nissan Xterra). I would have bought the Sears Die Hard Plat instead of the Odyssey since it's cheaper but they didn't make it in the group size I needed. There are differences in all these batteries though, size available being one of them. If you ever discharge an AGM battery completely your alternator will not bring it back to life nor will most standard car battery chargers (see post by fensterlip). You'll have to get a special charger or rig up a charger. See this link: http://www.hotrod.com/how-to/interior-electrical/hrdp-1009-how-to-charge-a-agm-battery/
Never tried that trick above but I would before I replaced my AGM!
For my LS430 I'd just buy a good 'value' normal flooded cell battery as they are definitely cheaper than AGM.

BradTank

According to Consumer Reports, many of the AGM batteries actually did WORSE than the traditional batteries.

Personally, I'd rather just buy a traditional battery at some place like Costco and replace at an earlier interval. Where I live, the heat kills batteries quickly regardless of how expensive they are.

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/n...test/index.htm

Absorbent Glass Mat, or AGM, batteries are touted by manufacturers as being more capable of meeting the demanding electrical needs of modern cars—from powering infotainment systems to fuel-saving start-and-stop engine operation at traffic lights. The downside is that AGM batteries typically cost more than old-fashioned “flooded” batteries. And they don’t always deliver on their performance promise.

In our latest battery tests, not only did some Duralast Platinum AGM batteries not perform as well as other AGM batteries but they also didn’t measure up to less expensive conventional batteries (including those from Duralast). This is even more surprising given that other Duralast batteries have been regular Best Buys in our Ratings. (Duralast batteries are sold only at AutoZone.)

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/n...rand/index.htm

"One of our evaluations, called a "life test," involves repeatedly draining and recharging batteries while they are immersed in 167-degree water—a protocol based on an industry test. This simulates the taxing cycles batteries go through while subjected to high underhood temperatures. We extended the test from 10 to 15 weeks last year, to more accurately reflect battery life over a longer period.

Two samples of the DieHard Advanced Gold 50748 in Group 48 failed this test after just six and seven weeks—not even halfway through our stringent test regimen. Two more examples purchased for retesting also failed.

The failures are especially noteworthy because the DieHard Advanced Gold is an AGM (absorbed glass mat) design, which typically makes for a more rugged and longer-lasting battery than a conventional battery. Our test samples of the DieHard Advanced Gold 50748 were the only AGM batteries that did not to survive on average 13 weeks or more of the life test, and they would not have lasted even through the old 10-week test."

semar

Battery with 3 years replacement C$ 139 =US 97.30
Replacement is 5 min labor. They won't do it at Christmas time because they are too busy installing wintertires

grunner58

That sounds more like it and toss in $15 to install and you're at 110 USD. So, for the extra $30, I think the AGM is worth the cost.

Lavrishevo

iTrader: (1)

Plus one on a great battery. Very good reviews from Consumer Reports. It's made by Johnson Controls I believe. This is what I replaced my Interstate battery.

semar

you guys are lucky
here they want C$ 440 for the AMG Lexus battery.
That is a lot of leeway for your wallet

jayclapp

In Arizona a Costo battery has a life of a little over two years. That's the bad news. Here's the good news. If you take the battery in every two years, they will replace it free. They don't test the battery and it doesn't have to have failed. The warranty starts over new with the replacement battery.

Where can you get a better deal than that? Free batteries for life after initial purchase!