Do you have a Costco nearby? They sell Interstates, with a 42 month warranty. Before, they didn't even offer the correct size for most Toyotas (Group 24F), but they do now.

 

If you do some research, which I did, you'll find that both Interstate and Everstart are both made by Johnson Controls. So, I would find out which has the better warranty in your size and pick that one over the other. Also, be sure to choose one that's not been sitting too long on the shelf. There should be a sticker on the outer shell to signify when it was made.

 

Agree with Allen, battery freshness is very often overlooked.

Interstate FTMFW.

 

From my experience, even the el cheapo Autozone battery brands lasts at least 48 months. Buying the extended warranty is just money wasted.
Heck, even the OEM (FB, Fukuwara , or some shit like that) battery from the wife's Toyota became a boat anchor after just a bit over 38 months. Of course it was out of warranty.

 

Asking how long a battery will last is like asking when am I going to die. You could buy the most expensive brand out there and have trouble with it a week later.

I'm with got-rice.

Get a Costco battery. In my area, they have a 36 month free replacement warranty, but there is no proration after that. Strange.
So...when it's 2 yrs. 11 months old - take it back. get another. I was told by the Costco employee who sold me the battery they do not test batteries when returned. They simply give you a new one if it's less than 36 months old(my area).

Costco set themselves up for this by not including proration.

They may have offered a proration in your area; they did not in mine. Read the long ticket that was printed out when you purchased your battery at Costco.

 

Costco should be the way to go now. Like I mentioned, they finally carry the battery size (24F) that fits most Toyota models, meaning Camry, Sienna and the like.

When they were selling their own Kirkland branded batteries (also made by JCI), they didn't have that size available, which for me at the time sucked. I went to Sam's Club instead and bought their Energizer branded battery (JCI too) for more, but it was the correct size. Now I don't have to do that anymore. While the battery performance is YMMV, the clubs will give you a better battery warranty than Walmart IMO.

 

Battery discussions usually are like discussing religion or politics. Bring a flak jacket and kevlar helmet. :lol:

 

Hands down, you simply cannot beat Costcos insanely low price & superior customer service.

 

Hands down, you simply cannot beat Costcos insanely low price on hot dogs & superior pizza.

:grin::grin:

 

Actually, "you get what you pay for" is more true with batteries than most things. Batteries are like computer chips, the mfr can do a little beforehand to push quality one direction or the other but the ratings are largely determined after manufacturing. they make a bunch and due to little variations in manufacturing, chemistry, luck, some are better than others. After a lot of batteries is made, they're charged and tested. the ones that do well get the higher rating and warranty. the lower performers get sold cheaper with less rating and warranty. That's why a JCI (Johnson controls) battery from one provider isn't necessarily equal to another, even though both are probably better than the batteries from some shop in China.

The microchip reference particularly applies to when Intel came out with the Celeron chips. They wanted to reduce waste in manufacturing so rather than throwing out the chips that weren't good enough to be Pentiums, they sold them at a discount as celerons. Better to be sold cheap than thrown in the trash.

 

Johnson Controls makes a lot of batteries for a lot of places - Walmart, AutoZone, etc., but they work off of different specs for each. I used to work at AutoZone and learned a couple of things.

First, an Everstart Maxx would have been equivalent to our Duralast Gold. But it was lighter...thinner plates, meaning less resistance to vibration and corrosion, thus, not as durable.

Second, I got a LOT of complaints about exchanging an Everstart under warrantee. Best advice I have is if you buy the Everstart, keep the receipt. Keep the receipt. KEEP THE RECEIPT. And keep it at home, not in the car. Hear will fade the printing on the receipt and make it useless.

We replaced more Everstarts than any other brand - though maybe they were just more popular. We called 'em Neverstarts.

The usual caveat - batteries are kinda finicky. Some will last a week, others practically forever. Kind of a crapshoot. Whatever battery you choose, take it from the back of the rack, it's probably the freshest one. Check the manufacture date.

FWIW I have a 15 year old Optima red top in my Mustang. It's starting to get weak (probably from disuse), but still gets the job done as long as I don't have to crank it till the fuel pumps up to the carb.

 

How would you sell a car?

Through craigslist or like one of those sites like autotrader?

 

Through craigslist or like one of those sites like autotrader?

I've used both over the years with great luck. Craigslist is free but Autotrader will cost a few bucks.

 

Got an everstart max battery and hoping it last because i spent $110 on it D:

 

Optima FTW! :grin:

 

I've always used AutoTrader. I find I get more serious buyers through that method, as opposed to Craigslist. That's my observation anyway. :dunno:

 

Autotrader and Cars.com come to mind for websites, not sure who is more competitive in terms of cost of a listing. carsforsale.com seems to mostly be dealers. I also agree with Craigslist being for tire kickers but the average vehicle price on there tends to be pretty low so it appeals to budget shoppers. Depending on how much you need out of it consider getting an offer from Carmax though it seems like the quality of the offer really comes down to the mood of the appraiser that day. I'm not saying it will be always be great (it's based on trade in after all) but it might be competitive enough that depending on what you want out of the car the frustration of a private sale may not be worth it. Just depends on what you need out of it, how fast you want to sell it, and the vehicle age/condition/modifications. Of course if it's a classic or something collectible Hemmings may be worth a look too. Don't forget about eBay either though their catch is that while I believe listings for cars are free, they charge you after it sells based on the selling price which may not be a very good deal.

 

@TrailDust

Funny you should say that, Kev. I've sold both of my previous vehicles through Cragislist and none through AutoTrader. Go figure...

 

:lol: I was going to say the same thing, go figure.

 

I sold my 2007 Matrix XR in 2012 on Craigslist. I bought it new for $18k and sold it for $14k with 55k miles on it. First person that came bought it. As with any car ad it's how you word the ad and describe the car along with posting good pics.

 

Now when selling something like a car through craigslist do you meet them like at a bank etc.. to make sure the cash is legit?

 

I usually ask for cash or a bank/cashier's check.

 

But how to tell if cash is real and not get robbed at the same time? I know there are some crimes like that, that is why I am asking. Nervous bout selling a car.

 

You can always ask only for a bank/cashier's check. If they have the money to buy your vehicle, they can get a bank/cashier's check.

 

Don't know about your personal situation, but you could check with coworkers, friends, classmates, family, etc., and see if anyone is looking for a decent used car.

 

Drive to CarMax. They'll make you an offer and your choice to take it or walk.

 

Use the local PD parking lot as meeting place, any one looking to scam or rob you will likely just pull a U turn and drive away when they realize where you're meeting up.

 

I've had very good luck with cash and public locations. I check the bills for US stripe. And make sure it feels right. Most fake bills aren't made with proper paper, and tend to feel different than true currency. I also get all of their information from their driver's license and what not for the bill of sale. I ALWAYS also type up something for both of us to sign, and most importantly, at least one or two witness signatures as well, again with proof of ID. Never sell alone.

 

Why do car dealerships make tpms?

I mean its pretty useless and if someone mess it up it shows a triangle error which is pretty stupid. TPMS is not needed and its for stupid people that don't know to put air in regularly.

 

Sure... a federal mandate, because some dumb-a$$ that didn't properly maintain their car, probably got killed and now the rest of us are paying the price.

Ridiculous!

I mean its pretty useless and if someone mess it up it shows a triangle error which is pretty stupid. TPMS is not needed and its for stupid people that don't know to put air in regularly.

It's a federal mandate. Most people wouldn't know they had a flat tire or one with low pressure unless they had a light telling them. It's helpful if you're one of those people, or someone who doesn't check them very often.

 

It's a federal mandate. Most people wouldn't know they had a flat tire or one with low pressure unless they had a light telling them. It's helpful if you're one of those people, or someone who doesn't check them very often.

 

Safety glass was for idiots who can't stay in their seats.
Seat belts were for idiots who don't know how to drive.
Air bags were for idiots who didn't know how to not crash.
ABS was for idiots who don't know how to work their brakes.
Traction control was for idiots who can't work their throttle.
Stability control was for idiots who can't control their cars.
Reverse cameras were for idiots who can't see behind themselves.

point is, every thing incrementally makes cars safer. Low tires are dangerous, if a simple system puts a light on and gets 9/10 people to air their tire back up then it's a good thing. Less crashes means less insurance claims which overall lowers the cost of insurance not to mention less people getting injured and claiming disability. Also those TPMS sensors are a great seller!