Best brand battery

wepuckett · Nov 24, 2015

I am needing a new battery for my truck and am thinking of getting a gel one for the bronco instead while all the black friday sales are going on and then getting one for the truck when I get the bronco totally up and running in a month or two.

So what brand battery has everyone had good luck with?

langester · Nov 24, 2015

Haven't put one in my Bronco , but work trucks and atv's , mowers and such. Dekka is a great battery in my opinion. I used to be an optima fan but since the change over they have fallen down the list for me. I am sure others have different opinions, this is just my 2 cents.
Good luck!

jw0747 · Nov 24, 2015

Deka Intimidator. Way better than Optima. BC Broncos had one in their Baja racer and it never failed. You can order online from Remy Batteries.

gick70 · Nov 24, 2015

Deka,as I am an employee,we make motor crafts and Harley Davidson and on and on!!

wepuckett · Nov 24, 2015

Since your an employee what other brands are made by dekka with the same standards

hyghlndr · Nov 24, 2015

I have had ok luck with Optima. The quality was great, then bad, the good.

I also like the autocraft platinum agm (advance auto with 50 off coupon) and the Bosch agm (pepboys on sale).

AZ73 · Nov 24, 2015

Don't have one for the Bronco yet, but replaced my Factory BMW with an East-Penn Deka (Branded for O'Reilly Auto parts as Super Start). BMW told me Deka makes their factory batteries. It's an AGM style and works great. O'Reilly had it in stock with the best price when I needed it. Same battery as their Intimidator.

englewoodcowboy · Nov 24, 2015

I vote for the motorcraft. Have had excellent results with them in my truck.

MarsChariot · Nov 24, 2015

I only touch Odysseys. Just ordered a new one for the Chariot. Apparently the same as Deka, but around here no one knows what a Deka is. Surprised it is so common elsewhere. That said, I agree with englewoodcowboy that the Motorcraft battery is awesome. I have one in the Blue 76 and it is way past time to replace and still going strong (knock on wood).

sykanr0ng · Nov 24, 2015

I was a huge fan of Optima batteries, didn't buy one during the bad years (luck not planning)

Lately I have been looking at Odyssey Extreme series batteries, seem to be a good combination of high cranking power and deep discharge.

dave67fd · Nov 24, 2015

gick70 said:
Deka,as I am an employee,we make motor crafts and Harley Davidson and on and on!!

As exampled, many "manufaturer's" private label their batteries for other companies. Johnson controls is one of the bigger players for US products.

Many of the batteries of one group are in most cases the same battery. A batteries capabilities/performance is typically always directly related to it's level of care and abuse.

wepuckett · Nov 24, 2015

dave67fd said:
As exampled, many "manufaturer's" private label their batteries for other companies. Johnson controls is one of the bigger players for US products.

Many of the batteries of one group are in most cases the same battery. A batteries capabilities/performance is typically always directly related to it's level of care and abuse.

Isn't Johnson control who make Optima's and Interstate batteries?

Are they still having thier issues

wepuckett · Nov 24, 2015

I have been researching both Odyssy and Deka seems Oddessey has more cold cranking amps and reserve power.

Anyone have a favorite place to get the best price on thier battery?

dave67fd · Nov 24, 2015

wepuckett said:
Isn't Johnson control who make Optima's and Interstate batteries?

Are they still having thier issues

Yes, they do. Can't comment on their specific issues as all manufacturers have them.

wepuckett said:
I have been researching both Odyssy and Deka seems Oddessey has more cold cranking amps and reserve power.

Anyone have a favorite place to get the best price on thier battery?

I buy Walmart Everstart MAXX. They have a 3 year no questions asked/no receipt replacement warranty and are reasonably priced. Walmart also provides free installation and testing if you require it. Usually have a large selection for groups and CCA's.

Monster Mike · Nov 24, 2015

anybody here had much experience with XS power batteries?

jmangi62 · Nov 24, 2015

I bought a Interstate and love it,bought it at their warehouse, pretty good price too,way less than the optima.

Broncobowsher · Nov 24, 2015

Oddessey today is what Optima was 15 years ago, just cost a lot more. Then again a decent flooded cell battery costs a lot more today then it did 15 years ago as well.

A good battery that isn't as well known is Northstar. Had a nice chat with them at SEMA this year. I was impressed (and I am not usually impressed). They are not chasing every possible market (no powersports like Oddessey). They do make the big power supply batteries that keep cell towers running and auto/marine batteries.

At one time Sears was rebadging Oddessey batteries and selling them for 2/3s the price of an Oddessey brand. I have one of those. Too bad they are no longer available.

The new Optimas appear to be good again. I was burned a few too many times in the dark years when they first sold out to be comfortable going back. I am no longer calling them junk, but not something that I look for either.

If I had to buy a premium battery today, I would be getting a Northstar.

DirtDonk · Nov 25, 2015

One thing to watch out for these days, when comparing specifications, is the increasing use of "cranking amps" either in addition to, or instead of, the "cold cranking amps" rating.

Cranking amps (as well as Marine Cranking Amps) testing is done at a higher temperature (32° F I think?) than cold cranking amps (taken at 0°F), so the numbers are higher on paper, even though the battery would be weaker than one with the same number of cold cranking amps.
In other words, if it says "900 cranking amps" on the label, it's probably only got 750 or so "cold cranking amps" and is therefore less powerful.

Reserve capacity as far as I know uses the same criteria across the board, so a battery with 120 minute RC rating is still longer lasting than one with 100 minute RC.

Either way, more is usually better. Just watch for how it's worded.

Paul

grant_71 · Nov 25, 2015

I acquired a used Optima Yellow top years ago, it is still going strong with even the seasonal use my 71 sees, even with the long cranking sessions if it isn't driven in a while, I would guess it is 7-8 years old.

I am a big fan of Exide, they make the batteries John Deere uses and we have fantastic luck with them (you get what you pay for)

Final note, my 07 Dodge Charger still has the original battery in it, seasonal use as well, there were some winters it wasn't started for 6 months and it fired right up without missing a beat, not sure who makes the Mopar branded batteries

Glass Pony · Nov 25, 2015

gick70 said:
Deka,as I am an employee,we make motor crafts and Harley Davidson and on and on!!

Ahhh, This makes sense.
The 2 best brand batteries I had were Deka's and Motorcrafts.

Best brand battery

Sr. Member

MASTER OF MADNESS

Bronco Guru

Sr. Member

Sr. Member

Bronco Guru

Bronco Guru

Lick Creek Restorations

Planetary Offroader

Bronco Guru

Bronco Guru

Sr. Member

Sr. Member

Bronco Guru

Bronco Guru

Bronco Guru

Total hack

Bronco Guru

Bronco Guru

Bronco Guru

Similar threads