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Gen 2 (2019) battery, which brand to buy

12K views 36 replies 28 participants last post by  RxRC  
#1 ·
2019 SV CC 4L. I'm entering my 4th winter on the stock battery and my truck is parked outside overnight in the Minnesota winter (sub. Minneapolis) about half the time. My truck is my only winter vehicle and I want to replace the battery at 30,000 miles as preventative maintenance. And to gain CCAs.

I've decided to also move from the OEM Group 35 to a Group 24 (24, maybe 24F if the 1-11/16" longer 24F drops right in). I am not interested in modifying the truck for even larger batteries.

I am not a member of the big box stores (Costco, etc.), and have no plan to shop any of them.

I'm looking for the good reputation/reliability battery brands and models to install. And for that matter, which brands to stay away from. I've searched previous threads but some are so old that battery brand reputation may have changed. Thanks for your thoughts.
 
#5 ·
No such thing as a good battery anymore. The days of getting 9 years out of a battery are gone. It’s funny too because somehow batteries have doubled in price in the last baker’s half dozen years.
That said I like your style on the preventative action of replacing your battery before it goes bad. Not many people would do that.
All that aside, since you don’t like big box stores, check out Batteries Plus Bulbs store if you have them in your area. I really enjoy doing business with them. Easy ways to get discounts from them too like setting up a business account for free or ordering it online and going in to pick it up.
 
#7 ·
I recently (a month ago) installed a $120 Walmart Maxx 24F. It has 725 CCA even though the website shows 750. The factory battery was 550 CCA. Dropped right in, no modification at all, it even fit in the flimsy plastic tray.
Looks like its made by East Penn. In Mexico.

BUT, in full disclosure, over the last 18 months I bought 2 other Walmart batteries. Both failed within 6 months.

I didn't fight with the battery diaper, seemed like it would tear if I tried to get it on. So I folded it up and stuffed it between the battery and the hot coolant reservoir. Batteries, for the most part, have been in hot engine bays since day one. Not sure why they suddenly need a half-assed insulating wrap around them.
 
#10 ·
I went with my friend to Costco and got him his battery, none of your friends have an hour free? It was about $110 for his wrangler, the Frontier might be less but they absolutely stand behind their products which in their case is Interstate Batteries.

Clint
 
#11 ·
If you're looking at a 24 / 24F, Consumer Reports recommends the following (in order of preference): NAPA Legend Premium 8424F, Duralast Platinum 24F-AGM, EverStart MAXX-24FN (Best Buy), Interstate Mega-Tron Plus MTP-24, Super Start Extreme 24EXT, Exide Marathon Max AGM MX24F, Bosch 24-700B. Based on list prices, the EverStart is a bargain at WalMart.
 
#12 ·
Travel much? If so, then buy the new battery from a well represented vendor - since batteries always fail at an inconvenient time.
 
#13 ·
I got only 6 years out of the OEM battery, it still had plenty of power but I had to replace it because it was leaking around the + post. I bought an Interstate group 24F replacement from Costco. In this part of Oregon we have cold winters and hot summers but I park in my garage every night and most days so I expect long life from my batteries.
 
#14 ·
Thank you all for your replies. I'll research if they are available, and I didn't mention it earlier, but I'd really like a battery that is serviceable, that I can add water to. Although I can't objectively defend this notion, my impression is that batteries that can be serviced last longer than maintenance-free batteries.

My summer fun car (2017 Fiat 124 Spider convertible) has just finished its 6th driving season (just about 30,000 miles) with such a battery and it is in fine shape. Top off the cells with a dash of distilled water a couple times per season and all is well.
 
#16 ·
My OE battery lasted 9 or 10 years. But I live in a cold climate (high heat really kills batteries). The 24 was the stock battery on the earlier gen2, before they moved to the smaller battery. So the 24 fits perfectly. My 2nd battery was some napa brand. Bought lower CCA rating but was still above stock. Battery lasted 5 years but was slowly down in the winter. Just bought the Walmart Everstart Maxx (higher cca) about a year ago. Working great.
 
#18 · (Edited)
I'm due for a new battery too, but from running mine completely out of juice so many times over 40,000 miles. It keeps on kicking somehow but when it gets cold it makes me glad to have one of these capacitor jumpers that are super affordable these days - can't beat 50 bucks


As far as the battery, Optima, Odyssee, AC Delco, XS Power, Any AGM battery will be fine really. Surprised there's no lithium battery fans here though, expensive, but apparently nothing holds a candle to them from owners I talk to who have them in offshore boats.
 
#19 ·
Size-wise, the OEM group 35 battery is said to be 9-1/16" long, allowing room for the battery blanket wrap (which may or may not be a necessary component?), and a group 24F is 10-3/4" long. I did not pull my battery to measure the tray, but it does not look long enough to fit a 24F. (A group 24 is said to be 10-1/4" long, but I'm not finding it at NAPA.)

Are you all saying the battery shelf is long enough to take the 1-11/16" longer 24F (probably without the blanket)? Or should I shop for the straight group 24 (no letter suffix)? Thanks.
 
#20 ·
Are you all saying the battery shelf is long enough to take the 1-11/16" longer 24F...
I don't know what others are saying, but I am saying I removed my 2017 OE group 35, washed the tray down, cleaned up the terminals and hold down, and dropped in a Walmart Maxx 24F with absolutely no modification to cables, tray, or hold-down.
Be advised the plastic tray has no supportive strength, it more of an anti-chafe mat. It's very flimsy. Easy to trim with a razor if needed.

I have no loyalty to this, but this is the one I got HERE. Again, it is now only 725 cca, not the 750 shown in the ad.
 
#21 ·
Aren't 24 and 24F same with reversed terminal position?

Anyway, I use Everstart from Walmart these days; 3 year replacement, and made by Johnson Control/Clarios, like most others.
 
#32 ·
Had to buy a new one for my 2013 Frontier King Cab 2.5L and I went to O'Reilly's where they installed the new one, a three-year life Super Start 35EXT with 640 CCA at 0 degrees. There are a lot of O'Reilly's stores here in Oklahoma, so I am covered as far as going to the same chain of stores for good warranty and replacement if necessary. Having grown up working in my dad's five NAPA stores, I learned to care for my batteries at an early age. I kept them full of electrolytes and/or distilled water and made sure the cables and terminals had good contact by cleaning them as needed or once a year, depending on which came first. I still do that if I have a battery with removeable "caps" like the older one on our Altima, and I still keep the terminals and cables clean. I also put both our vehicles on the trickle charger at the beginning of every season and make sure they have a fresh charge for summer and winter in particular. This is really necessary for my Frontier as I put only 3,500 to 5,000 miles per year on it. Never have an issue with it. My wife's Altima has a six-year-old battery in it but during the school year, she puts at least 40 miles a day on it Monday through Friday driving back and forth to her teaching job. She regularly puts 12,000 to 15,000 miles on it annually, so the battery gets lots of use and is regularly charged up by the alternator. However, I still trickle charge hers to full four times a year, like I do my truck. I also check my charging system monthly to assure both batteries are getting the proper charge from the alternator. I really do recommend the periodic slow charging back to full charge, especially if you live where it is very cold and/or hot during winter and summer. Both our vehicles are garage dwellers, so this contributes to long battery life, too. Being 75 now and retired, I have an abundance of time to spend piddling around so maintaining my vehicles is not a burden for me. All you young bucks may not have a lot of free time because you are hitting it from daylight to dark.