Best Low Buck Battery ?

[427HISS]

I have a thread on relocating a battery kit, and could have asked this question, but what the heck.   
What is the best, low buck, ....battery and why ?

[Rory428]

Not really sure what you mean by a "low buck" battery, but I really like the DieHard batteries. I installed a new 27 series DieHard in my 74 F350 in 2000, and when I sold the truck in 2014, it was still working fine. The new owner drove the truck for 2 more years, before the battery just stopped working. That truck would sit outside all winter, normally not getting started from early October until mid April, and it always started the 390 just fine after a long sleep. I now have a Diehard in my 99 F350, and after that truck sat outside all winter, 6 1/2 months, it cranked over the V10 no problem.

[chilly460]

Seems like a really odd place to try to save a few bucks.  I’ve tried to skimp by with WalMart batteries or trying to buy the cheapie line at Autozone when in a pinch.  Especially on vehicles that sit awhile between use, cheap batteries never lasted more than a year, and were a pain in the butt and hassle during that time having to use jumper boxes and  just worry about them in general. 

[machoneman]

I've used the base Duralast from AutoZone with good luck. They have a gold and platinum line too. 

[shady]

Walmart.   Deka makes Walmart, Auto Zone, Advanced Auto, Duracell and probably dozens more. I buy the cheap line usually around $45. & never had one fail under 5 years & am running one now in my Ranger that is 8 years old. Maybe I am just lucky too.

[427HISS]

Seems like a really odd place to try to save a few bucks.  I’ve tried to skimp by with WalMart batteries or trying to buy the cheapie line at Autozone when in a pinch.  Especially on vehicles that sit awhile between use, cheap batteries never lasted more than a year, and were a pain in the butt and hassle during that time having to use jumper boxes and  just worry about them in general.

"Odd place" 

Well, just because a $1,000 (+) battery (and most everything else in life)  doesen't mean it's any better than a "low buck" battery.
So, shop around for the best price possible on a good battery. Unless you're rich enough not to care.

[chilly460]

Who pays $1000 for a battery?

I didn't say anything about not shopping around for the best deal on a battery, by all means get the best price you can. 

What I did say, in summary, was that for our "weekend" toy type cars, I don't like using cheap batteries, as in "budget line" batteries.  Our toys inevitably end up sitting around for 2-4 weeks without being started and seems the cheaper batteries don't deal with this situation as well, throw in a bit more finicky starting routine, large displacement, etc, and I find that the budget stuff has a harder time handling this scenario well.  Then once they are discharged, they don't seem to recover as well. Then you have the nagging "Is it going to start without a jump box" hassle every time you want to start it. 

Same thing with my lawn tractors over the years.  Go buy a cheapie battery at Lowes and let it run down, it never seems to recover fully and starts weak.  I had a WalMart tractor battery that never would recover from being discharged just once. 

I finally gave up on the cheaper batteries for my "weekend" cars and lawn tractors and buy DieHard or Napa premium line, and have had much better luck.  They deal with sitting for 2-3wks at a time, and seems that if I do neglect them, they stand up to being discharged much better. 

Cheap batteries in an everyday, easy starting car is a different deal as they're not seeing the rougher conditions as a weekend car.  I run a Sam's Club Duracell in my beater '96 Sierra with 355k on it because the truck is worth maybe $500, but I drive it daily and the battery works absolutely fine for that scenario. 

I'm sure a dozen guys will reply that they start their 13:1 compression 482 in -20* weather after it's been sitting for three months with their 10yr old $65 battery, but in my experience it never seems to work out that way.   
 

[Lenz]

I've used the base Duralast from AutoZone with good luck. They have a gold and platinum line too.

2x on the Duralast from AutoZone.  Only mention it because I did have an issue with one that was in an old plow truck I maintain for our local church, the last operator didn't plug in the battery minder and drained the thing stone dead.  Hooked it up in series with another battery and charger to try to bring it back to life, no-go.  They gave me a 100% even trade on a new one when it was 10 months old, no questions.  Other than that I have 2 of the "silver" ones in service, including the Galaxie, no issues.

[427HISS]

I'm not talking about the cheaply made batteries, but low cost of good quality, batteries. I'm not going to buy one at our neighborhood $1.00 store.
There are extreme batteries that cost over $1,000.

[wayne]

Just get the factory ones ford john deere( rod knocker chevy) mopar ect they last longer and cost no more in the long run.

[BattlestarGalactic]

Summit now carries Interstate batteries.   I put them in most everything now.  Just got two 1000 CCA group 27 "Megatron", one for '69 pickup and one for wagon.  $123 each and the money goes towards my Summit bucks.  The std 27(800 cca) battery was $109. I have two deep cycles in the trailer also.

Typically batteries are made by only a couple manufactures, it just depends on what name they put on the box.

I've run Napa and Azone batteries without much fail, as long as they are treated correctly.  I used to be big on Sears Diehards, but just not as convenient to buy.

[427HISS]

I think I'll stick with the Interstate.

Does anyone make a battery hold down like the Optima ? I've never seen any for them.

This snake looks great for a Cobra, 2nd choice is the Ford. But

The very thin aluminum box type looks to weak ?

[BattlestarGalactic]

Ya, most I see are just plastic generics for a std batteries.  Everything else lists for an Optima.  I'm sure there is something out there.

[machoneman]

That Ford Racing 'box' you posted looks mighty beefy to me. Blow up that pic and you'll see it's made of some pretty thick CNC'ed aluminum plate.

Check this search link for a whole bunch of boxes:

https://www.google.com/search?q=racing+battery+box&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS768US768&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi5g6DCwrnaAhXJ3YMKHQJHByMQ_AUICygC&biw=1280&bih=669

I think I'll stick with the Interstate.

Does anyone make a battery hold down like the Optima ? I've never seen any for them.

This snake looks great for a Cobra, 2nd choice is the Ford. But

The very thin aluminum box type looks to weak ?

[427HISS]

It looks nice. I'm waiting until I deside on using a Optima battery or not. A lot of mixed views, so I just started a new thread as s poll.,
Seem's like really nice & cool are made for that type vs very little for the group 34 style ?