So it's been mentioned on here before that the Sears Platinum is just a relabeled Odeysey. I did some shopping and discovered the Sears brand is about $60+ cheaper than the Odeyssey label...wonder why?? Marketing? And is the label truly the only difference?

 

Is it really just a relabeled Odyssey or is it manufactured by Odyssey and Odyssey has a similar battery in their line ?

This seems to be a big misconception that just because a company contract manufactures something similar to their own line, that they are the same thing and that if the manufacture makes a crap line for a company, everything they produce is crap.

Odyssey might be the company supplying them to Sears but they have them made by another company for sears ( or a bit of both to keep with swing demand ).

Look at Snap-On.
If you buy their mechanic's line ( and pay dearly for it ) you get a solid US made wrench, where Snap on makes wrenches for other companies that are made over seas or not as well as their own.

Look at the other delta, Sears from month 49 to month 100 gives a pro-rated warranty amount, Odyssey only 48 months warranty that Sears also gives you.

Hard to have the same battery 1:1 when Odyssey charges more and provides less warranty, else that only makes Odyssey's customers suckers that like paying more for less. The old adage applies, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.

Nothing wrong with Sears diehard batteries, just don't expect these 2 to be identical.
When it comes down to it, you need to ask why you are going with this battery type. If one of the deciding factors is something that only Odyssey offers, then that is your answer.

Also, keep in mind you need to change your battery charger to an AGM type charger, you cannot use a standard charger on AGM batteries ( Odyssey makes note that this voids the warranty ).

 

WOW...interesting read. So you recommend stay clear then??

 

I know you asked Steve the question and I'll let him answer that, but I don't necessarily think he said stay clear, just educate yourself about whatever you buy, especially in batteries in today's market. It's hard to find a good battery today because so very few (if any) are made that meet the quality of past batteries (some anyway). Come to think about it, that's true about an awful lot today. They can't stay out of your wallet for too long or they will go broke (or they think so anyway).

 

EnerSys systems manufacture both the Odyssey and the Sears Diehard Platinum battery ( same specs, same warranty) http://coldfusion.sys-con.com/node/342669 . The regular diehard batterys are manufactured by Johnson Controls

 

Nonsense, they are identical. They are less expensive because Sears provides the marketing to a broad audience. It's the numbers. Buy in very large lots and get a better wholesale price. Somewhere on the net there was someone that opened both batteries, they were identical...........

 

I never said they did not make them. Warranty, not the same. Sears gives a prorated warranty from months 49 to 100 ( as I posted above ).
Both have the same 48 month warranty. Same specs, kind of hard to say this with any level of detail. The Odyssey specs in the handbook are in greater detail, where Sears provides none of this. Marketing specs, yes they are the same.
Take a close read to the press release:

The remainder of the press release says the same thing, manufacture for, not relabel the existing 1750 battery.

All in the numbers is correct. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
How is it the manufacture cannot get to the same cost point of Sears with the "identical battery" ?

Got a link to this. All I see is supposition here, which is how internet rumors start.
Also when the "someone" cut it open, did he just look at it and call it the same, and did he cut open a 3rd AGM battery to compare to those ( only so many ways to make a battery in terms of looks. ). A lot more goes into a battery build other than "looks".

I pour brand x oil from the local water-mart gas station in a pan, and Motorcraft synthetic blend in a pan next to it, they both look the same, does that make them the same ?

 

code58 got it correct.
As I posted above, nothing wrong with Sears diehard batteries.
The Mrs' car has a northern Diehard Gold in it, and it works great, not a lick of trouble.
Don't know if I will get 6 yrs -11 months out of it like the factory Motorcraft battery in my '06, but it is beyond the full replacement warranty already and holds a steady full charge on it's own.
Johnson Controls makes some really crappy batteries, but the Sears one the Mrs has is a solid battery, which costs 40% more than the JCI junk knock off made for other places.
Example of just because it came from the same contract manufacture, does not mean it is identical.

I was only pointing out to check your list of why you are purchasing an AGM battery and make sure the battery you are purchasing fills all the requirements you have.
If that is the Sears one, then go for it.

 

I got Odessey on my F150 and Sears diehard on my Jeep 2.8 Diesel .We put then on the weight scale . they weighed same . its gonna be same made .

 

When I look for motorcycle parts, I can go online and purchase them from the manufacturer for full retail or I can buy them from a dealer for up to 20% less. Same part from the same manufacturer. Buy bulk and get a better price.............

 

Not to sound like an idiot, but I don't understand the question?? What are anyone's requirements for a battery?? I want an excellent battery; what else is there? AGM is the leading technology these days, correct? So let me ask you this…why not get AGM? What are your requirements for a battery? I don't need a deep cycle or anything special like that; I just enjoy spending my money for the best.

 

More reserve power, more CCA, longer lasting. Pure lead is used rather than a lead-tin mix like cheaper batteries. One can feel the difference in the weight.

 

Sears & Odyssey disagree with this statement.
The 2 batteries do not weight the same, per the specs for each from the 2 companies.

 

You decided on getting an AGM battery just because it is the new battery technology ?

Did you make a list of what you were looking for in a battery?

CCA
Diehard Platinum is 930
Diehard Gold is 850

Reserve Capacity
Diehard Platinum is 135
Diehard Gold is 150

Cost ( web site w/ exchange )
Diehard Platinum is 219.99
Diehard Gold is 134.99

Warranty
Diehard Platinum is 48 months exchange 49 to 100 prorated
Diehard Gold is 36 months exchange 37 to 100 prorated

Charger
Diehard Platinum is AGM specific battery charger ( cannot use std trickle chargers, noted as void of warranty with Odyssey branded 1750 battery, did not look to Sears specifics ).
Diehard Gold is the std battery charger you might already have on the shelf.

Duration : Hard to qualify this, can use warranty length for free replacement, but I have not had to replace the Mrs' Diehard Northern Gold, and it is outside the 36 month time frame. The Diehard Northern Gold I put in my old 2001 is still in there ( replaced factory at 4 years 10 months ). My factory Motorcraft just got replaced last week at 6 years 11 months ( truck is 7 years old later this month ). These are in the Odyssey AGM life estimates out of a std lead battery.

When comparing AGM to AGM, do you have any other requirements ?
- Extended Discharge characteristics
- Cycle Life & Depth of Discharge
- Storage time & Depth of discharge

These are towards the use case if you are going to be storing your truck for long amounts of time or using the battery for power without the engine running ( using a power inverter for something ).
These are items ( and others ) that the Odyssey technical manual covers in painful detail. Sears does not provide this information.
- I wonder why if it really is the same battery, with a different name on it, it is ~2 hours works to convert the Odyssey tech manual to a Sears Diehard tech manual. Don't get this info from Sears...

Myself, I compare cost to CCA and reserve capacity. I know the min from the factory specifications.
Being in the Northern climate, a higher CCA is better but at what cost ?
- I know to stay away from a battery that claims to have all the same numbers for under 100.00, so the Walmart / Autozone do not make the list to be looked at.
- I will go 200 additional CCA and an additional 18 months more replacement warranty for an additional $ 20.00 ( std diehard to diehard gold ) but would I go another 60% on top of this, for an additional 80 CCA and another 12 months of non prorated warranty, no I personally would not ( the AGM specific features are not use cases for me ).

This is what I was getting at with the questions, what do you actually need / want in a battery.

AGM batteries have features a lead battery does not, but do you have those requirements ?
If not, you are really just spending 60% more for the same thing.
i.e. You need to haul 5 sheets of plywood 1 time per month, do you buy a F150 or a F350 ?
- Both will do the same thing, the F350 just costs more, for features you are not using.

Marketing hype gets a lot of people.
- I know the Kawi ZG group went Odyssey battery crazy a few years back, just because it was the new hot thing. I never did it ( I got 6 years out of my factory battery and I run heated gear ).
I think at least half of them just overspent on a battery, they did not have AGM battery requirements.
I would take a SWAG that many of them did not understand what AGM technology brought to the table over a std lead battery. It is new, it costs more so it must be better I think is what got them.

Long post made slightly longer, become an educated consumer.

 

Same MSRP, same sticker on it, you know they are the same part 1:1.
- Dealer ( I hope ) is selling you factory parts in factory packaging.

If your dealer was selling you OEM parts ( same as Ford to Depot brand headlamps ) for 20% less, this would be the same analogy.

Got a URL yet ?
- Hope it is more than it 'looks the same'.