Can anyone recomend a good replacment battery

Not anymore. I used to buy as good of battery as I thought reasonable, thats how my Dad taught me, always buy the best. But while I was spending good money on "the best" batteries over the years, it was always the cheap POS ones that seemed to hold up. I bought 3 expensive brand new batteries for the few MB diesels I owned, well over $100 each, not a one was worth a dang nickle. The final straw was buying two new 72 month batteries for an Ford with a 7.3 diesel, and they went south on me in BFE just past the 24 month point, and I ended up with two junk yard batteries to get me home. I ran that truck another 4 years on those old junk batteries and they went with the truck when I sold it. And unlike the ones that cost me an arm and a leg, they never failed to start it even below zero. I finally decided id just buy the cheap 24 month ones from then on, and I havnt had any more battery issues. I have a 24 month Delco in my lawn tractor, its actually out of another tractor I owned years back, its currently going on nine years. This will be its eighth winter, and for all I know come spring it will crank and crank it for fuel and run another summer. It sits dormant in storage all winter, I dont even disconnect the cables, and come spring VROOOM. We'll see what happens come April or May.

And I have a theory. The battery people build the cheap 24 month batteries to go past warrantee, because they dont want them back and they dont want to keep handing you free batteries. But the expensive 72 month batteries, they want those to fail just past 24 months so you keep coming back and paying them $50 for another battery. Over and over and over. I was just about to bite and buy a Optima battery, but shortly after I joined Fchat too many people were saying they were crap, at least the red top ones. No way Jose, not gonna happen. But hey, buy whatever floats your boat. I seen there were some good looking racing batteries you can buy for about $400 or $500. But its probably a 24 month Walmart in a different case. But hey, it would sure look real good when were standing around admiring each others cars. Well, at least after you pull out the spare to show everyone you bought a $500 car battery, lol.

 

INTERSTATE BATTERY

 

Cheapest battery that is the right size physically and electrically. Check water level at least twice a year and top up only with distilled water. Use the cash saved to buy a micro-processor controlled battery tender (NOT a simple battery charger or basic trickle charger) for long periods of non-use.... say more than a month.

 

I had an Interstate MT-34 and after asking around bought another one. Plug and play and good reputation. I also got a trickle charger with an auto-off from Sears. When the weather broke after maybe 6 weeks of the car in the garage it started and ran great (after I remembered to connect the ground plug...)

 

I bought an interstate for my 77 back in 2000. It's still working well and has never had a charger on it. I think it cost me $50 then. Top post mount.

 

Interstate MT-34 or MT-34R (posts reversed) has more CCA than you'll ever need. Plus, the 308 mounting is on the base lip of the battery, not the top clamp, so the shorter MT-34 (over the stock 24 size) doesn't matter. When I had my shop, I was a dealer for Interstate for over two decades and everyone I know uses them, they build batteries for other minor and major labels..

 

In my opinion there's no question at all that Odyssey make the best batteries. I put an Odyssey PC925 in mine last year -- it's small, light, and very powerful. You'll have to rig something up to keep it planted on the battery tray -- I used a couple of rubber straps with mine. You won't believe that a battery of this physical dimension can kick out enough power to start a car, but the guy who sold me mine told me that the PC925 has more than enough juice to start a big diesel truck.

 

Here's a little secret. Interstate builds NO batteries. They are not a manufacturer. Virtually all of their automotive batteries are produced by Johnson Controls, who also make them for Sears, AutoZone, Wal-Mart, etc., etc.

How do I know? I used to work for Interstate.

 

Realistically this is about half the battery of the MT-34R in every single category except weight, at almost three times the cost.

 

I've had Interstate, Sears, Delco, etc., and they all seem to last around 4 to 5 years. Currently, I have an Interstate in the 308 because that's what I could readily find available locally when I needed one. I had put a Sears Diehard in the Mondial a few years back, again, because it's what I could find quickly when I needed it.

 

+1 (x3)

No trickle charger/battery tender here because I drive the car every week. My Ferrari tech recommended Interstate over Optima.

 

IIRC, if you go on the Interstate Batteries web site, you can look up the application for your car.

Also, the dealer should have a Ferrari 308 listing in his book.

For my 328, it was an MT34-R, with the terminals reversed from standard.

 

You're right, looks like the site was changed. In any event you'll need to bring your old battery in to exchange it, so you'll see how the terminals are oriented.

 

Autozone has the battery that will fit your car. I just bought one last spring. The poles are in fact reverse from normal US cars (US and Euro model 308s).

Take it out, go to Autozone and search the rack to find a match.

~$50.

 

Couldn't find a interstate in my area so i just went with the NAPA store 34-r. Turns out my old interstate was fine and now i got two batteries.r

 

interstate battery stores sell any size scratch & dent for 29$ 2 year no questions asked replacement. A fab deal & Imjust have the paper taped on wrong

 

My 308 GTB needed a battery, so decided to get one from Interstate. Returned the core, and paid $62 to Interstate distributor here in Jersey for a 34 size. So far the battery is great. That might be another trick. Input into the google what battery you want and your state after it (ie: Interstate battery/ NJ outlets) and many times you'll get a distributor and the distributors will sell a few directly to the public. So, saved about $12-15 that way and got a super fresh, just off the truck battery. Not that its a huge deal, but always something. My 2 cents.

 

Very interesting! Well that being said; their batteries have always been good to me however I think you can use the 'small' Mercedes battery (the dealers sell two sizes; big and small). Their batteries are silver calcium and are made in Germany by either Varta or Hoppecke. I have always used factory MB batteries in my MBs and at present the one in my diesel has been going strong for at least seven years! They're about $120 at any dealer.

Cheers;
Aaron
'82 GTSi

 

went to wal mart this year and bought something that fits in the plastic boat battery box i'm using to cut down on corrosion. the positive terminal on my 81 gtsi is on the driver's side. as for cca i bought a size that was recommended for the audi a6 (about the same displacement). at 30 degrees f the engine spins more than fast enough. i used a side terminal to avoid ever hittting the hood. jon s.

 

My car sits more often than I like, and with the supercharger it often takes more cranking to get it started, so I use an Optima YELLOW top. Had an Optima Red Top previously, and it worked well also.