Series 2 Battery Recommendations
#1
Registered
Thread Starter
Series 2 Battery Recommendations
Anyone know what would be a good replacement battery for our cars? Mine came with a Duralast, more like dura-don’t-last, that was put in Dec/18 and it is failing. I’ve had someone try to sell me a regular interstate battery but I told him I wanted to do some research. I searched through a thread talking about the OE battery specs and I looked up said battery and they seemed to be ones not applicable to our cars...
I’ve used Optima yellowtop in the past and it worked great for over 7 years but I’ve also heard since then that company was bought out and they’ve gone to garbage quality.
What batteries have you guys had success with?
I’ve used Optima yellowtop in the past and it worked great for over 7 years but I’ve also heard since then that company was bought out and they’ve gone to garbage quality.
What batteries have you guys had success with?
#2
Registered
I use and recommend Deka batteries. They have both normal and AGM variants (stick with traditional for the heat tolerance) and a couple CCA rating options in the form-factor.
Optima is now owned by Johnson Controls, and while their product is a 'good' AGM product, I've found they aren't durable, unable to tolerate any drain-down, with a short life, but a high cost of entry. Part of it may be quality control, but they market an AGM product to all use cases when in reality, a hot engine bay with no insulation/protection for the battery is a bad place to use an AGM unit. Standard lead-acid batteries handle it far better. If doing a trunk-mount, the Optima may be a good option again, as would any AGM.
Optima is now owned by Johnson Controls, and while their product is a 'good' AGM product, I've found they aren't durable, unable to tolerate any drain-down, with a short life, but a high cost of entry. Part of it may be quality control, but they market an AGM product to all use cases when in reality, a hot engine bay with no insulation/protection for the battery is a bad place to use an AGM unit. Standard lead-acid batteries handle it far better. If doing a trunk-mount, the Optima may be a good option again, as would any AGM.
The following users liked this post:
Nopstnz (10-14-2019)
#3
///// Upscale Zoom-Zoom
Cheapest Group 35 battery I got was from Costco and made by Interstate. Two years and no issues even after it sat for 117 days (moving) and the battery was dead. Charged and working well ever since.
#4
Registered
Thread Starter
I use and recommend Deka batteries. They have both normal and AGM variants (stick with traditional for the heat tolerance) and a couple CCA rating options in the form-factor.
Optima is now owned by Johnson Controls, and while their product is a 'good' AGM product, I've found they aren't durable, unable to tolerate any drain-down, with a short life, but a high cost of entry. Part of it may be quality control, but they market an AGM product to all use cases when in reality, a hot engine bay with no insulation/protection for the battery is a bad place to use an AGM unit. Standard lead-acid batteries handle it far better. If doing a trunk-mount, the Optima may be a good option again, as would any AGM.
Optima is now owned by Johnson Controls, and while their product is a 'good' AGM product, I've found they aren't durable, unable to tolerate any drain-down, with a short life, but a high cost of entry. Part of it may be quality control, but they market an AGM product to all use cases when in reality, a hot engine bay with no insulation/protection for the battery is a bad place to use an AGM unit. Standard lead-acid batteries handle it far better. If doing a trunk-mount, the Optima may be a good option again, as would any AGM.
I was getting quotes and kept thinking, "Why are car batteries so much pricier now than 6 years ago?"
Really appreciate your response. It was exactly the info I wanted.
Cheers
#6
///// Upscale Zoom-Zoom
My Group 35 battery Costco is made by Interstate and is still going strong - even after two (oops) full drains and hot stop-and-go traffic in the Boston metro this Summer. I forgot and left the map light on for a week and charged it for 20 min, got the car started, and drove it hard all weekend in the Lakes region of New Hampshire. Sadly no RX-8 sightings and only 2 Miatas? I had a lot of compliments on the RX-8 at stops (hardly anyone knew what it was).
Frankly if I get two-three full years out of this battery in the RX-8 (given what other have said about the RX-8 battery torture test of a engine compartment) - I'll be happy.
Frankly if I get two-three full years out of this battery in the RX-8 (given what other have said about the RX-8 battery torture test of a engine compartment) - I'll be happy.
#7
Registered
iTrader: (2)
My Group 35 battery Costco is made by Interstate and is still going strong - even after two (oops) full drains and hot stop-and-go traffic in the Boston metro this Summer. I forgot and left the map light on for a week and charged it for 20 min, got the car started, and drove it hard all weekend in the Lakes region of New Hampshire. Sadly no RX-8 sightings and only 2 Miatas? I had a lot of compliments on the RX-8 at stops (hardly anyone knew what it was).
Frankly if I get two-three full years out of this battery in the RX-8 (given what other have said about the RX-8 battery torture test of a engine compartment) - I'll be happy.
Frankly if I get two-three full years out of this battery in the RX-8 (given what other have said about the RX-8 battery torture test of a engine compartment) - I'll be happy.
Interstates have been my selection for years and have provided seriously long life and even with a few instances of drain down. Everything from my company Sprinter to my multitude of Mazda vehicles.
#9
Smoking turbo yay
It might just be me, but I'd rather not have to deal with corrosion on batteries(which is a problem lead-acid batteries have, but not AGM). On my current car, I just had to have one post replaced due to corrosion.
#10
Water Foul
I used an AGM unit on my RX-8 for two years without issues. It wasn't an Optima, though. It was one from Canadian Tire Eliminator line. My climate is fairly mild, but I go for Autocross and spirited drives time to time so it can still get toasty in there.
It might just be me, but I'd rather not have to deal with corrosion on batteries(which is a problem lead-acid batteries have, but not AGM). On my current car, I just had to have one post replaced due to corrosion.
It might just be me, but I'd rather not have to deal with corrosion on batteries(which is a problem lead-acid batteries have, but not AGM). On my current car, I just had to have one post replaced due to corrosion.
#11
Smoking turbo yay
Also, forgot to mention that I charge my battery once in a while just to be safe.
#12
Water Foul
[Come to think of it, my truck has a Walmart Neverstart lead acid battery with a 2012 date code on it under the hood.]
#13
Can someone drop a list of the top recommended batteries for the RX8s? i mean i was thinking an Optima as i have that on my 2013 GT and its been great for 3 years now.
I'm looking into replacing mine with something better than the duralast with high cranking power as well. My car still takes 3-5 secs to start and i have replaced plugs, coils, wires and starter in June.
I'm looking into replacing mine with something better than the duralast with high cranking power as well. My car still takes 3-5 secs to start and i have replaced plugs, coils, wires and starter in June.
#14
What am I doing here?
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: 2017 Miata RF Launch Edition
Posts: 3,606
Received 649 Likes
on
510 Posts
Any big-brand BCI group 35 with at least 640 CCA.
Unless you have a special needs (like need light weight for racing, etc) just get a Napa Legend, Duralast, Interstate, Odyssey, whatever.
Mine had a cheap-*** Wal*Mart battery for 4.5 flawless years (and .5 slow start years) and then just the cheapest O'Reilly battery that would fit for winter duty (summer was a superlight LiFePO4). My LeMons Del Sol has a Duralast. My Miata has a Panasonic.
Seriously, any big-brand battery will have a warranty. Keep the receipt and make use of the warranty if needed but I doubt it.
Unless you have a special needs (like need light weight for racing, etc) just get a Napa Legend, Duralast, Interstate, Odyssey, whatever.
Mine had a cheap-*** Wal*Mart battery for 4.5 flawless years (and .5 slow start years) and then just the cheapest O'Reilly battery that would fit for winter duty (summer was a superlight LiFePO4). My LeMons Del Sol has a Duralast. My Miata has a Panasonic.
Seriously, any big-brand battery will have a warranty. Keep the receipt and make use of the warranty if needed but I doubt it.
#15
Water Foul
Can someone drop a list of the top recommended batteries for the RX8s? i mean i was thinking an Optima as i have that on my 2013 GT and its been great for 3 years now.
I'm looking into replacing mine with something better than the duralast with high cranking power as well. My car still takes 3-5 secs to start and i have replaced plugs, coils, wires and starter in June.
I'm looking into replacing mine with something better than the duralast with high cranking power as well. My car still takes 3-5 secs to start and i have replaced plugs, coils, wires and starter in June.
Back to Optima... Three years is not all that impressive for a battery that costs $250. In my experience, that same $250 will buy you 15 years worth of standard batteries. Also, AGM does not do well under the hood of an RX-8. If you want to Run AGM, you need to relocate it to the trunk. I had 2 Optima Red Tops last ~1 year each under the hood of my 2011 GT. As noted above, I went back to LA.
#16
Registered
Thread Starter
I ended up just going with one from Advance Auto, was an autocraft that was specced for my car. Honestly, I felt like it started strong the first time and each time after that has felt weak. Fortunately if it fails I can just get refund.
#18
Registered
Thread Starter
More electrical issues
Reviving my old thread in lieu of starting another.
My battery is new and works but it’s having trouble holding a charge. The starter tests good and the battery has a good readout but I had the alternator tested at Advance Auto and the voltage was mostly consistent but every now and then it would briefly drop low to around 11 then jump back up to 14.4. He wondered if that was happening during driving which was prevented the battery from charging up.
Guy at the store said it might be an issue with the regulator? I don’t know much about auto electrical stuff.
My battery is new and works but it’s having trouble holding a charge. The starter tests good and the battery has a good readout but I had the alternator tested at Advance Auto and the voltage was mostly consistent but every now and then it would briefly drop low to around 11 then jump back up to 14.4. He wondered if that was happening during driving which was prevented the battery from charging up.
Guy at the store said it might be an issue with the regulator? I don’t know much about auto electrical stuff.
#19
///// Upscale Zoom-Zoom
My Group 35 battery Costco is made by Interstate and is still going strong - even after two (oops) full drains and hot stop-and-go traffic in the Boston metro this Summer. I forgot and left the map light on for a week and charged it for 20 min, got the car started, and drove it hard all weekend in the Lakes region of New Hampshire. Sadly no RX-8 sightings and only 2 Miatas? I had a lot of compliments on the RX-8 at stops (hardly anyone knew what it was).
Frankly if I get two-three full years out of this battery in the RX-8 (given what other have said about the RX-8 battery torture test of a engine compartment) - I'll be happy.
Frankly if I get two-three full years out of this battery in the RX-8 (given what other have said about the RX-8 battery torture test of a engine compartment) - I'll be happy.
#20
Rican
The alternator has a rectifier that converts the AC to DC, but in order to get clean DC voltage, it also has a voltage regulator. If that is failing, it could be the issue, but I'd start with the obvious, make sure your grounds are clean and tight.
#22
Smoking turbo yay
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Mazda_RX804
Canada For Sale/Wanted
3
05-01-2011 09:11 PM