# Car batteries



## Camper6 (Jan 4, 2018)

It has been my experience that car batteries no matter where they come from are just as good as one another.

I'm suspecting tthey are all made in the same place for the most part and just relableled.

For instance Walmart batteries.  You can select a battery from the shelf.

These are one of the easiest do it yourself items on a new vehicle.

Look up your battery\ on the chart for your replacement.  Select the one given.  Take it home. 

Install it yourself.  There's nothing to it.

Take the old clamps off.  Unscrew the one bolt holding it in. 
Put the new battery in.  Put the bold holding the battery on.  Put the clamps back on positive first , negative second.

That's all there's to it.

Savings.  $80. installation charge.


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## Kadee (Jan 4, 2018)

Last time we needed a battery we shopped around and we ended up,getting one at Costco for $75 ,compared to most other places wanting close to $160 for a battery with the same warranty 
Costco has a 3 year warranty and we haven’t had any trouble with it nor the other one we got for daughters car or our car that sits most of the time beacuse it’s heavy on fuel ,but we keep,it for towing the caravan ...so we have tested Costco battries out without any problems 
My hubs is a retired machanic so he fits them himself


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## HipGnosis (Jan 4, 2018)

It's not easy in all cars.
The battery of my car is in the wheel well.  You have to take the passenger front wheel off and take of an access panel.
The worst part of that; I can't easily look at it to see what side the positive and negative posts are on.
It was -4 (F) yest morning and the car started right up, so I'm not worried about it for another year.


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## IKE (Jan 4, 2018)

For several years I've purchased batteries for our three vehicles either from Auto Zone or O'reilly's and although the installation free I always discreetly give the fella $5.00 that actually does the changing.


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## Camper6 (Jan 4, 2018)

HipGnosis said:


> It's not easy in all cars.
> The battery of my car is in the wheel well.  You have to take the passenger front wheel off and take of an access panel.
> The worst part of that; I can't easily look at it to see what side the positive and negative posts are on.
> It was -4 (F) yest morning and the car started right up, so I'm not worried about it for another year.



A voltmeter can tell you the positive and negative posts. Everyone should have a voltmeter. They are so handy for checking voltages and continuity.


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## Falcon (Jan 4, 2018)

I bought a couple @  Sears.  They were always helpful  by checking that it was the battery
and not the alternator.


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## nvtribefan (Jan 4, 2018)

Camper6 said:


> These are one of the easiest do it yourself items on a new vehicle.
> 
> Look up your battery\ on the chart for your replacement.  Select the one given.  Take it home.
> 
> ...



Apparently your car battery isn't under the back seat.


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## Camper6 (Jan 5, 2018)

Ah the joy of an older vehicle.

The battery is under the hood at the front.  Just lift the hood. You can charge it or replace it.

I never heard of a battery under the back seat.  Wouldn't that be dangerous for fumes if the battery goes faulty.

I had a battery once that was emitting sulfur fumes.


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## HipGnosis (Jan 5, 2018)

Camper6 said:


> A voltmeter can tell you the positive and negative posts. Everyone should have a voltmeter. They are so handy for checking voltages and continuity.


I'd still have to jack the car up, take that wheel off and open the access panel to use the meter - I have a very good meter and I know how to use it for multiple things.


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## HazyDavey (Jan 5, 2018)

Camper6 said:


> Ah the joy of an older vehicle.
> 
> The battery is under the hood at the front.  Just lift the hood. You can charge it or replace it.
> 
> ...



I've owned two, a Volkswagen and a Buick. Never have had a problem with fumes, but they are a little more work when changing out the battery.


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## Camper6 (Jan 5, 2018)

HipGnosis said:


> I'd still have to jack the car up, take that wheel off and open the access panel to use the meter - I have a very good meter and I know how to use it for multiple things.



So every three or four years you have to do that?  Depending on the usage of the battery.


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## Don M. (Jan 5, 2018)

Camper6 said:


> These are one of the easiest do it yourself items on a new vehicle. Install it yourself.  There's nothing to it.



Replacing a battery is fairly easy on Most vehicles.  However, some vehicles must have been designed by a masochist when it comes to the battery.  The worst one I've seen is a late model Ford Escape...they put the battery way to the back of the engine compartment...almost under the windshield.  It can take a half hour just to remove all the housings, etc., which allow access to the battery...and then, you are working right under the fulcrum of the hood.  Even experienced auto mechanics curse the day they have to replace a battery in these SUV's.  

Whenever I get ready to buy a new vehicle, I spend some quality time under the hood...looking at the location of the common maintenance items...filters, belts, battery, etc., etc.  If it looks like a pain in the A$$, I close the hood and move on to another vehicle.


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## Camper6 (Jan 5, 2018)

Having to jack a car up to change a battery? What if you just need a boost?


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## retiredtraveler (Jan 5, 2018)

Camper6 said:


> Ah the joy of an older vehicle. The battery is under the hood at the front.  Just lift the hood. You can charge it or replace it.
> I never heard of a battery under the back seat.  Wouldn't that be dangerous for fumes if the battery goes faulty......



I drive a hybrid, as many people do. The entire back of the car is a battery bank.


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## Camper6 (Jan 5, 2018)

retiredtraveler said:


> I drive a hybrid, as many people do. The entire back of the car is a battery bank.



I don't think I could live with that.


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## oldman (Jan 6, 2018)

I have found that the price of a car battery is determined by the number of "CCA." The "Cold Cranking Amps" is what gives the battery the output number of volts at 0° for 30 seconds, or something like that. The CCA is especially important if you live in a cold climate area of the country. Usually, the number 660 is the minimum number for my area of the U.S. The higher the CCA, the more expensive the battery. I generally try to buy a battery close to the 800 number. Several years ago while I was in Florida, my battery died and I went to the local auto parts store to purchase another. It was very difficult to find a battery above the minimum of 660, so I bought what was available. I think it lasted maybe two years. Cold weather can really drain a battery.


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## rkunsaw (Jan 6, 2018)

You need to get the right size battery for your car. CCA, as oldman said is the measure of a battery's power. A large engine will need a stronger battery than a small engine. Every place that sells batteries will have a chart that shows what your car needs. I always buy more than the minimum CCA for my cars


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## Aunt Bea (Jan 6, 2018)

This link helps to determine a good starting point/minimum CCA for a replacement battery.

https://www.autobatteries.com/en-us...ry-replacement/battery-cold-cranking-amps-cca


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## Camper6 (Jan 6, 2018)

But as demonstrated the CCA may not be available for your vehicle.

You might have to settle for less. 

Where I live it is really cold.   What we have is block heaters.  You plug the car in overnight and it warms the engine by circulating the cooling fluid throughout the engine.

Then we have battery chargers to keep the battery charged up when it's not being used.

And I also have a portable battery booster to connect which I keep charged up.

So far these all work.  The biggest drain when starting up a car is the starter.  That too can be faulty.  

And the alternator has to be putting out the correct voltage to keep the battery charged up.

Plenty of cars have not been starting in the terribly cold weather we have been having.

When it's -40 F with the windchill, don't expect great results like summer weather.


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## Aunt Bea (Jan 6, 2018)

Years ago I always depended on a mechanics lead light with a 100 watt bulb under the hood, the small amount of heat from the bulb provided just enough heat to keep the cold from getting into the bones and fluids of my old car.


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## Falcon (Jan 6, 2018)

The battery is only used to start the engine.  After it is running, it's the alternator  that  serves all the other needs.


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