Technical When did batterie$ get ridiculou$?

Need a battery for the DD. Mind you its been like 5 years since I had to buy one but damnation, they are DOUBLE what they were.

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Yeah, they can be expensive. I just spent $140.00 a few weeks ago for a new Interstate.

You live in a warm part of the country. If I were you I would just buy a Napa brand or one from Walmart or Sam's Club and call it good.

Bring your old battery with you for the core charge. That should knock $10 to $15 off the price.

 

I would go for napa if i were you. Don't waste money on an interstate in my opinion anyway. I buy and sell a LOT of batteries a year and interstate batteries are not even in the ballpark of the quality they used to be. Most all manufacturers have outsourced to mexico, and as a result the batteries we receive are pretty much junk. Of the cheap batteries napa is by far the best from my experience (i don't even sell napa brand batteries) with sams brand being down toward the bottom. Optima is around the bottom as well.

 

Anybody price batteries lately

 

I buy all my batteries at O'Riellys'...they've lasted 5-7 years each...about $100 w/exhange

 

Same here Larry, but the OEM Ford/Motorcraft battery in my 2000 RaNGER lasted 13 years! Never had aftermarket do that.

 

Metal prices went up about 6 years ago, batteries have been high ever since. although metal prices went back down!

Still about $50 for the cheap ones at walmart. Compared to relative prices of everything else 35 years ago, batteries are really cheap now, they were $20 for the cheapest ones back then...everything else costs 5-10 times as much now.

 

About the same time break-in oil went to ten bucks a quart.

 

Gee I remember pay about $60 for a die hard or two 30 years ago. But hey--didn't know as much as I thought.

 

Prices are keeping pace with value drop of the Dollar. Or you could say the Rise of the Minimum wage.
The Wizzard

 

Priced a New Pickup Truck lately ?

 

Batteries are like everything else, they go up in price. The catch is that you don't buy one every year so the jump seems like a lot more.

 

if you are shocked about the current prices of batteries then count your lucky stars that your old battery lasted so long. I like the "recharged" batteries that sell for about $25 - a quick charge, fresh coat of black paint, new sticker & ready to go - ever wonder what happens to some of the batteries that you turn in for core deposit?

 

Ever thing is, yet we retirees got no cost of living raise.....again!

 

Yeah,batteries have gotten more expensive but based on my experience they seem to last a lot longer than the ones in the past. HRP

 

Get a magneto, push start your hot rod, and don't drive at night.

 

I recently bought a New Bat., the one I have is one of them Die-hard ones
that Don't Die but it was getting a little Low on Power, so I put it in
My Mark111.
and I was a little Shocked at the Price of a New Bat.
but if it Last as long as the Other one I will be Happy
I bought a Interstate it Cost $140. from a friend of mine
and it weight's a Lot.

Just my 3.5 cents
or when the Cows
come Home!

 

Same with tires. Maybe not double, but at least 50% more than 5 years ago. And a hot rodder favorite, the BFG Radial T/A, leads the pack. Wish my income would increase at that rate!

Regarding batteries, my son's 69 Chevy pickup has a Sam's Club battery (forgot the brand) that has lasted 6-7 years through Texas summers and New Jersey winters.

Also, a previous owner installed this el cheapo battery (with 12-month warranty) in my 82 Chevy pickup in 2011 and it still works great! However, I have no idea where he got it.

 

I went to my local "pic a part" they have the batteries removed and stacked up. You can go through them and pick the one you want, the manufacture dates are on each battery. I recently bought 2 very nice ones, an Interstate and an Exide, only 2 years old for $24.00 each. They work great! In Florida heat batteries only last 5-7 years anyway.

 

WalMart has a $44.00 battery to fit most sizes.

 

That's true. When I lived in Arizona in the 80's it seemed a battery would last around 3 to 4 years, if you were lucky. My Dad used to say "You never really buy batteries, you just rent them."

 

I see a few post about turning the cores in. I don't here, I get more money from the scrap yards or I resell them back directly to the battery plant located here then I do as core exchanges at napa, walmart or where ever I decide to buy them from. I even brought a few from people that were going to turn them in for core exchanges because I can give them more and it helps me get a higher price because I took a bigger load in.

 

Without getting political. Look around at what has recently changed in your environment and keep the laws of economics in mind. Price is directly proportional to demand. Everything is going up and fast. $500.00 beaters are $1200.00 now.

 

My friend had a 1 year old Napa 1000 amp battery with warranty in his truck that had a dead cell. He didn't know that was what was wrong with it. The guy who was putting a starter on it for him ripped the threads out of the block and tried to helicoil it but that didn't work so I bought the battery for $40 when he decided to part out the truck and I exchanged it for a new one at Napa. Cheapest and best battery I've ever had.

 

When I lived in Tucson, AZ they had a Couple of Bat. Rebuilding
Shops that would Sell then at a Great Rate
you could bye a Rebuilt Bat for 15-20 dollars & would last you a
couple of years!
I bought one on a Sunday that I Left Tuscon from the Rebuilder
to put in my Merc. so I could Drive it on the Auto Trailer
That Bat lasted 15 years
Squirrel Would know if the Are Still Making them!

Just my 3.5 cents
or when the Cows
come Home!

 

I just bought a group 58 [ot comet] $99.xx at Napa..

 

I've had great luck with the gold tops from autozone. Good exchange and decent price and lasting 8yrs
Interstate batteries constantly failed me. Kinda sad
I've yet to try a Costco or Walmart battery but it's the next one I want to try for cost efficiency

 

Lead prices went up awhile ago and there are only a few factories that make all the batteries. they just put different names on them for different retailers. The higher end ones have more plates and better quality materials in them

 

My opinion on batteries is buy the cheapest battery you can find. By doing this in the long run you will come out way ahead. BTW best battery prices are at Costco.

Gary

 

I used to work at an equipment dealer, we sold and installed a lot of batteries. I used to salvage used batteries all the time for myself. I'd turn them upside down and let all the acid drain out, then flush them with water and drain again, then refill with fresh acid and put on a charger at a low charge for a couple of days. Most of them would come back to life and be good to go for a couple of years.