thoughts on the Duralast AGM batteries?

LandCruiserPhil

Expedition Leader
For me the warranty is the most important part of an expense battery. I see they list a 3 year warranty, does the warranty start over if you need a replacement or is a 3 year like Sears Platinum even if you need a replacement. Does the warranty pro-rate after the 3 years or is the warranty 100% over once you hit the 3 year mark like the Sears Marine platinum.


I have problem with Sear Platinum if you cant tell:sombrero:
 

jeep-N-montero

Expedition Leader
I inquired today and it is indeed a 3 year with no prorated period to follow. So I now have to choose between a standard battery for $80-100 or the AGM for $130, hmmm....
 

pods8

Explorer
For me the warranty is the most important part of an expense battery. I see they list a 3 year warranty, does the warranty start over if you need a replacement or is a 3 year like Sears Platinum even if you need a replacement. Does the warranty pro-rate after the 3 years or is the warranty 100% over once you hit the 3 year mark like the Sears Marine platinum.


I have problem with Sear Platinum if you cant tell:sombrero:

No battery manufacturer is going to keep rolling over the warranty. All you bought with your initial purchase is 3years of warranty from the date of purchase plain and simple. It would be ridiculous to expect anything else of a product that's life is affected by how the owner maintains it. You could make sure to kill your battery at the 2.5yr mark each time if they rolled over the warranty, it would be ripe for people to abuse it.

Batteries aren't going to last forever and their life is a function of how they were treated. If you're past the 3yr mark on your battery and are now having issues I would find it unlikely there was a manufacturing issue that has caused it to start dying... Something like that would likely show its colors sooner. Are you familiar with discharge % verse cycle life curves for batteries? (IE the lower you draw down a battery the less times you can repeatedly do it). So ask your self how have you used your battery? Do you draw it down 30-50% once a month? If so I'd be upset about premature failure too. Or do you draw it down 80% on a regular basis? Do you monitor the voltage readings to know how far you've drawn it down and ensure it's been fully charged after use?
 
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LandCruiserPhil

Expedition Leader
No battery manufacturer is going to keep rolling over the warranty. All you bought with your initial purchase is 3years of warranty from the date of purchase plain and simple. It would be ridiculous to expect anything else of a product that's life is affected by how the owner maintains it. You could make sure to kill your battery at the 2.5yr mark each time if they rolled over the warranty, it would be ripe for people to abuse it.

.......

Sorry Mr pods8 but simply not true.

Optima from Costco - I own several Optima's from Costco and over the years have warranty several all with new warranty. Same goes for the Interestate batteries they now carry.
 

LandCruiserPhil

Expedition Leader
I inquired today and it is indeed a 3 year with no prorated period to follow. So I now have to choose between a standard battery for $80-100 or the AGM for $130, hmmm....

My Sears Platinum Marine was 3 days over the 3 year period. After appealing to the district manager they offered me $25 off a new battery without a warranty. I now have a Blue top Optima from Costco.
 

jeep-N-montero

Expedition Leader
So I stopped by my local Interstate distributor today and picked up one of their good used batteries for $34, comes with a 90 day warranty and I'm not worried about it dieing anytime soon. It was shelved a year ago and still read 11.4 volts when he tested it when I picked it up.
 

pods8

Explorer
Sorry Mr pods8 but simply not true.

Optima from Costco - I own several Optima's from Costco and over the years have warranty several all with new warranty. Same goes for the Interestate batteries they now carry.

Pretty surprising but I'd say it's like the exception to the rule. Same deal with tires, they're not going to give you fresh ones repeatedly if you wear them out too soon.

Call it generous on costco's part, I certainly don't blame other vendors/manufacturers for not doing it, they have no control on how people beat up their batteries.

So I stopped by my local Interstate distributor today and picked up one of their good used batteries for $34, comes with a 90 day warranty and I'm not worried about it dieing anytime soon. It was shelved a year ago and still read 11.4 volts when he tested it when I picked it up.

11.4 volts isn't good, did you mean 12.4V? Otherwise a battery sitting that discharged long term isn't good for it. Granted you only spent $34 so no major loss if some capacity is gone now.
 

paranoid56

Adventurer
anybody else running these.
they had some H8 AGM
900CCA, 1000CA, 160 Reserve cap, 95amp hrs for $189 (made in germany)
I ran a yellow top in the last truck as my secondary battery and need something for the new truck. This mainly just powers my arb frige and some led lights. will be charged off the stock alt (still researching some solar panels)
 

b dkw1

Observer

As in since Johnson controls bought them they have gone from a first rate battery to something that Costco stopped selling due to all the warranty claims. Apparently laying off everyone that knew what they were doing and moving the production from Colorado to Mexico was not the best choice..........

Interesting fact, A pallet of batteries at this years SEMA show earmarked for racers had a Colorado shipping tag on it. When asked about it, they declined to answer........
 

TwinStick

Explorer
IMHO, it truly is a shame to see the quality of what was/used to be a good battery, go down the tubes. I have a 9 year old Sears DH Platinum Marine (the biggest one they made) & it is still being used as a second battery in our Power Wagon. Also have 1 in our Corolla. But the most recent one I got (a Sears DH Platinum Gp 65 for the Power Wagon), only lasted 1 month after the warranty was up. I replaced it with a Everlast Maxx Gp 65. I have heard the same about Optima. Was good but now is not ??? Any input on the new Optima's ?
 

Ducky's Dad

Explorer
Any input on the new Optima's ?
I have had a pair of Optima Yellows in my GMC for the last five or six years, no problems. Installed a pair of Optima Blue Dual Purpose in the Power Wagon in August 2015, so far so good as house batteries for the fridge and as backups for winching and starting.
 

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