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Which battery replacement? ($100 budget)

B

BenS

CEG'er
Joined
Jun 10, 2003
Messages
76
Location
Southgate, Michigan
Need a new battery for my '96 GL it has some :censored::censored::censored::censored:ty no name brand in there and It looks to have taken a crap along time ago. So, what do you guy recommend as far as a replacement goes? OEM Motorcraft? Something else that is good in all weather?
 
You're had pressed to get an Optima for under $100 unless it's on sale. Go with Motorcraft... if you're really on a budget, get one of the ones with a good warranty from AAP or Autozone.
 
save some money and never buy a battery again: go to walmart buy one before the three year warrenty is up take it out run down the charge and dump some of the fluid.... LOL

PS if you do this you maybe a redneck!
 
Have you guys looked at batteries?!!! Freakin lead has sent them up $20-30 in the past few months. Don't know when it will stop. Ben, there is a brand new Optima Red Top at Steeda's. PM Rawburt and send him $100 and go pick it up. Then he can STFU!!!!!!!!! I don't know what the big fuggin deal is. I think they are $150 new new or more.
 
I would get a Motorcraft. They seem to last longer than any other aftermarket battery. My dad just replaced his original Motorcraft battery in his 1999 F150 last month. It still worked, but it was getting a little weak.
 
Advance Auto $80. Interstate $100. Used them both and liked them both.
 
Sears Diehard is not a bad choice. Both Motorcraft and Sears Diehard are made by the same supplier, Johnson Controls. They may very well be the same battery with a different label.
 
I know I may get flamed for this, but I use the Wal Mart battery. :eek: :shrug: Never had an issue with it, always starts, and it was cheap. I currently have two amps in the trunk, as well, and these never seemed affected by it. I guess if I had the $$ to spend, I'd get an Optima, but I don't, so it was Wal Mart for me. :laugh:
 
beyondloadedSE said:
I would get a Motorcraft. They seem to last longer than any other aftermarket battery. My dad just replaced his original Motorcraft battery in his 1999 F150 last month. It still worked, but it was getting a little weak.
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+1

My '99 Explorer still has the original battery in it. Starts with no issues.
 
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Motocraft. The one in my 95 lasted with 10 years of extream cold (-50F in winter) and the system in my car for 3 of those years. Never failed to start until it was basically dead. Even with out plugging the car in one time. I bought a new one from my dealer about a year ago for $85 with a 72 month warrenty.
 
beyondloadedSE said:
I would get a Motorcraft. They seem to last longer than any other aftermarket battery. My dad just replaced his original Motorcraft battery in his 1999 F150 last month. It still worked, but it was getting a little weak.
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lol, the Motorcraft battery in MY 99 f150 just went out on me too. i guess this is the year for us 99 owners, lol. :laugh:

i replaced it with a Die Hard. ive always had good experiences with their batteries. good to hear that they may actually be the same as the Motorcraft batteries. my brother-in-law used to work for Johnson Controls many moons ago.

Ive always heard good things about Interstate. a friend of mine was friends with the owners kid years ago. i was going to look into one but i need a battery STAT and you usually can only get Interstate batteries from mechanics/shops.
 
Big Jim said:
Sears Diehard is not a bad choice. Both Motorcraft and Sears Diehard are made by the same supplier, Johnson Controls. They may very well be the same battery with a different label.
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Good to know.
I've had great luck with the Sears battery. It's in two of my cars and they've been great. One is three years old and the other 5.

I went with Sears because that is the only place that had a battery in stock for the Contour and I haven't been disappointed.
 
I've been a big fan of the Wal-Mart batteries for years. I've never had a problem with them in any car or truck I've put them in.

I also have a Red top in my truck though it isn't a true fan of the cold it still does very well. The difference between cold startup and summer temps are very little really.
 
I had a Motorcraft explode in my '96. Heard a pop when I went to start it and when I opened up the hood the battery had a large crack in it. They are good batteries though.
 
Matt R said:
Wouldn't that be the capability of the alternator?
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partly ... the alternator charges the battery of course but that also turns the battery into a reserve so that if the alternator can't keep up the power comes from the battery and turning everything you can on at idle is a hugh power draw
 
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