So, I leased another battery last night from O'Reilley Auto parts...

This makes battery #4...I got the 84 month battery...this is the 3rd replacement to the original bought in December 12//10/08...so, it looks like I'm probably SOL on the warranty...

The last replacement was bought/leased 12/01/13...

Should I have sprung the extra $100 + dollars for an Optima...Would it have made any difference? I spent $ 79.99 for the original + $80 over 5 years for prorated replacements...


The Original Motorcraft lasted approximately 38 months...

Regards!

 

You can "lease" a battery????

I didn't know that.

Those who have had good luck will say "yes", those who have had "not" good luck will say "no".

I replaced the small battery in my 2007 FX4 in 2010 with a Kirkland Group 65, Consumer Reports rated it tops ..... it has been superb.

Likewise, in my '77 I have a Napa legend 75 that is date coded May 2003, it was installed in June 2003 as a warranty replacement for the prior battery that failed in just over a year. It has gone some winters and summers for a few months at a time with no charging, just sitting there under the hood of the cold truck. I've never had one last so long, but then neither did the Napa Legend 75 that it replaced.

The key I believe is 70% having a good charging system and NEVER letting the battery discharge to the point it needs a jump .... and maybe 30% simple luck.

My "percentages" may be flawed, it's just what I think.

 

If yer going to spend money on a AGM battery look at the Sears Diehard Platinum....imo

Better quality and reliability....made by Odessy to Sears specs

The optima is made by Johnson Controls the same company makes battery's for a lot of other companies too even the motorcraft

 

I'm still running a seven year old Optima red top without any issues but my truck sits in the garage allot with a battery tender. I researched this topic a couple of years ago and will be looking at the Sears Platinum my next go around, they just don't have a sales outlet close to me. I have had pretty good luck with the Exide marine batteries in my boat and in my Jeep, seem to last and are not expensive.

 

Optima batteries was sold out to Johnson Controls about 2000. Production was moved to Mexico about 2 years ago. Quality is in the toilet and few last more than 2 years. Johnson Controls makes good batteries with others name on the side. The Optima is not one of them. I run the best Walmart battery with zero issues and it's made by Johnson.
For you to be replacing batteries so often, I'd have the charging system checked and make sure they do a driving charging test. Might consider a volt meter in the truck for a while. If the alternator has more than 100,000 miles on it, it's highly suspect. It can charge erratically causing the issues you have.

 

Been running wally world EverStart in my vehicles/toys and never had an issue. Battery lasts about 5-7 years and I buy a new one. Buying 2 at $80 is cheaper than one Odyssey or Optima, and if you let most AGM (especially Optimas) discharge even once, you've done the battery in. I personally don't think they're worth it in this application (aircraft and marine environments open the debate more). The EverStart is prorated for 3 years I believe.

I'd pass on it personally, as it doesn't provide any performance gain aside from the intangible argument of: would it last longer than a lead-acid? No way to prove it unless you had two identical trucks in identical environments.

 

My original motorcraft still cranked strong after 6 years when I replaced it. I put an 850 cca motorcraft in recently. Only $119. I'll stick with them.

 

Good news! I put a Odyssey built to Odyssey's standards in my 1997 GL1500 SE Trike in August 2004. Never before have I had a MC battery last over ten years, but it shows no signs of let up.

I know a lot of companies are now under the Johnson Controls corporate umbrella, but I wonder if it's Johnson that makes them all? Certainly .... as we can see here .... not all are made to the same specs.

We bought a 2001 Mercury Grand Marquis in 2001, it had a Motorcraft 850 CCA Group 65 in it. In 2006 we were getting all ready for a 3+ week long trip west and so I put a new Everstart in it before the trip. I turned in an old POS core and kept the MC battery and made a small cart to keep it in and pull to where ever I needed it in shop or yard. Three times it has been put back in a vehicle and used short term when a battery failed, my '07 FX4, my '95 Tbird, and once in my '06 CVPI assigned car when it's battery failed on a midnight shift. It's still my backup battery (I have 4 vehicles it'll fit), still has a "green eye" ..... but I've already again replaced that Everstart that was new in 2006 in the Merc last year.

 

Just gotta throw this out here

 

Lol, just in case you're rollin' through the 'hood and take a few bullets to the battery, you'll be safe.

 

Last time I checked, an Optima battery was about twice the cost of an ordinary flooded cell battery. If this is still the case, it would only make sense to get an Optima if it would last at least twice as long. It clearly should have a warranty that is twice as long too, with a refund value that is correspondingly higher.

- Jack

 

Thanks for all the replies...

The replacement battery I bought Sunday night was a 850cca 1000ca battery..I pulled the battery out of my truck and it was a 650cca and 800ca battery...

Altenator was replaced june 2013 with a O'reilleys replacement...its 120amp...I don't think the supposed 130 amp altenator that the truck came with is available...

It was an urgent situation sunday night...had to take my son back to his moms at 7...truck no start...borrowed daughters car....I thought O'reilleys closed at 7, but drove by after dropping kid off,and they were open...bought a new battery because I had an appointment monday morn at 8...

My multimeter shows 14.1v at the battery at idle...wish my scanner showed volts in the live data field, so I could see what it is doing driviing...

Happy Holidays y'all!

 

LOL! Nails it!

Also funny that they talk about how hot it CAN get in the Mojove but no one in the video is breaking a sweat!

 

Interesting video, but I'm not sure what it proves.

Last time I bought an AGM from Sam's club for about $159. Since I replaced my motorcycle battery with an AGM, it made a believer out of me.

 

I just replaced my 6 year old original Motorcraft battery with a heavy duty 850cca Interstate battery from Costco for ~$90. I couldn't beat the price anywhere. I have used Interstate batteries once before and never had any issues.