Battery Suggestions

Flip a coin.

 

Interstate

 

Seriously, I think the 12 and 24 month batteries are better than the rest, even the 72 month ones. I put a 24 month Delco battery in the JD mower in 2001, and it just sits all winter long. I dont unhook it or charge it or anything. Last spring I thought it was a goner when it would barely turn over. But a lil twist on the pos cable and vrooom. Cleaned the cables, checked the water, it ran all last summer. Went and started it two weeks ago, it has to crank fuel up to the carb, I really thought after six and a half years it would die, but it was cranking just as fast when it lit off as when it first started cranking. I parked it in early October, so thats almost 7 months of sitting.

When I had the diesel Mercedes and a few diesel Fords, I kept buying $100 plus batteries for them, damn things woundnt last a year. But the truck with old rag junk yard batteries never gave me trouble. I was always going to put some good ones in but it would always start, even really cold. Think about it. You pay $70 for a 60 month battery with full two year replacement, 50% the third year. If it dies at the 26th month, you are going to pay $35 to replace it, they make money. But if the 24 month battery dies at 22 months, they give you a free one and they lose money. Make the cheap batteries good, and the spendy ones crappy. Those Optimas started out good to suck everyone in. Now theyre crap. Spend your money on better things than expensive batteries, like better cables, Birdmans fuse blocks or a good alternator rebuild. A lot of people seem to like Interstates, but I have no experience with them. I just wont buy expensive ones anymore.

 

I put an Interstate in my 360 and had good luck with it. Others maybe as good but zero problems is hard to beat.

Lee

 

Paul, you are not far off on that thought...Consumer Reports once said that many of the high Cold Cranking Amp batteries would fail early...the reason? To get the high CCA ratings, manufacturers pack extra lead plates inside the case...they are so close together, as some sulfation builds up, it is very easy for the plates to short together, causing early failure. The less expensive, lower CCA batteries tended to last longer. Latest tests do not seem to follow that theory any longer, perhaps battery technology is improving. Bottom line, in the Group 34R and 34/75 batteries that fit in most Ferraris, there is not a lot of choices available in CCA ratings...you take what you can get. The WalMart battery is probably the best one...and highest rated by CR.