docmirror

I had to get a battery for my Dodge so I went to WalMart. Just for giggles, I took my 928 battery cause it's getting weak. Hey - it lasted three years, I figure that was pretty good for an Interstate battery.

Little did I know that the 928 Interstate battery isn't made by Interstate! I called my buddy in SoCal who is in the parts biz and he told me that Interstate only makes a few series of most popular batts for cars, like group 24, 27 etc. And most likely, my "Interstate" was built by GNB or Exide and re-branded with a Interstate label.

So I grabs the Wal Mart Ever Start brand, and sits it next to my $98 Interstate to compare. Same exact size, shape, post location, cover, same flashing on the plastic mold, same stamp in the lid edge, and same engraving on the side. Sure looks like they came off the same production line to me. Hmmmmm,,,, looks like my buddy was right. It even weighs the same. And has the same vent tube in a baggie like the Interstate.

Well, I paid $46.95 for the Wal Mart and we'll see if it lasts three years. I'm betting it does. Note: This is in no way an endorsement of Wal Mart, but consider it an indictment of Interstate.

Big Dave

They're all from the same company, Johnson Controls.

http://www.jci.com/bg/About_Us.htm

Bill Ball

I've had my Autozone Duralast version of the Bosch battery for 5 years. The clerk bought both batteries out - same specs, same case, Autozone was 1/2 the price.

Richard S

Wally World battery all the way. Besides, if it ever dies, there's a Wally World in every town for replacement.

Rich

docmirror

Not this one. It's stamped in the plastic "GNB", so it's made by Exide. I don't Johnson makes this size or style?

Big Dave

Yeah, GNB would be Exide although Johnson Controls does make some Interstate batteries. Here's a list of the JCI brands...

Johnson Controls Inc. [JCI], (US) +1-414-524-2434, 1-888-867-8462 or http://www.jci.com/bg/ or http://www.autobatteries.com/

Amara Raja Batteries Ltd. (Joint Venture with Johnson Controls), (India) +91-44-821-3270

some American Hardware

some Ames

some AutoCraft, (US) contact local Advance Auto Parts store http://www.advanceautoparts.com/ or Discount Auto Parts store; http://www.partsamerica.com; 1-800-383-7323; or http://www.autobatteries.com/brands/index.asp

Titanium

Bosch, (US) contact local Pep Boys Auto Parts store http://www.pepboys.com or Bosch dealer

some Carrefour, (Europe) contact local Carrefour store http://www.carrefour.com/

new Champion [beginning April, 2007], (US)

some DieHard, (US) 1-800-349-4358, contact local Sears store, 1-800-383-7323 or http://www.autobatteries.com/brands/index.asp

Gold, (Non-sealed)

Delphi Automotive, (US) +1-248-813-2000

some ACDelco, (US) 1-800-223-3526 or http://www.acdelco.com/html/pi_batt_main.htm, please see General Motors

some Amoco

Atlas

BlueStar, (Canada) +1-604-543-4350

Platinum

PlatinumMax

some BJ's Wholesale Club

Delkor, (South Korea) +82-2-529-8976 or http://www.delkor.com/

2000

Cene

Hexa

Magic Power

Puma

Royal

Shark

Yano

some Pep Boys, contact local Pep Boys Auto Parts store or http://www.pepboys.com

some wet Maintenance Free DieHard SLI, please see Sears

Gold [Sealed Maintenance Free SLI]

Dynavolts, (Truck)

Delco Freedom

Deltek, (South Africa)

Double Eagle, (US) contact local Goodyear Auto Service store or http://www.goodyeardealers.com/

Dura-Power

some EverStart, (US) contact local U.S. Wal*Mart store

some MAXX

Extra

some Ford, contact local Ford dealer

Freedom [Maintenance Free SLI]

Extra [AGM]

Plus, (Europe)

some sealed DieHard, please see Sears

Freedom Intelli-Guard

International, (Truck)

Freedom LiPo Tek

some Goodyear, (US) contact local Goodyear Auto Service store or http://www.goodyeardealers.com/

some Kmart, contact local Kmart store or http://www.kmart.com/

Middle East Battery Company (Joint Venture with Delphi), (India)

Opel Freedom (Europe)[SLI]

some O'Reilly Auto Parts, (US) http://www.oreillyauto.com/

Professional

Platinum [AGM]

Marine Freedom

some Tough One, contact local Advance Auto Parts, Western Auto store or Avance Auto Parts http://www.advance-auto-parts.com/

some Sam's Club

some Shell, contact Shell service station

Standard, (Europe)

some Trak-Auto, contact local Trak Auto Parts store

Lastcell

Permacell

Ultracell

TSC patrouille (Europe)[SLI]

Voyager Marine

some Western Auto, contact local Advance Auto Parts, Western Auto store or Advance Auto Parts http://www.advance-auto-parts.com/

DuraLast, (US) 1-800-288-6966, contact local Auto Zone Parts store http://www.autozone.com/; 1-800-383-7323; or http://www.autobatteries.com/brands/index.asp

Energizer, (US) contact local Pep Boys Auto Parts store http://www.pepboys.com, Bain's Farm and Fleet, VIP Discout Auto Center, Weatbelt members, Wal*Mart Canada, Authorized Battery Alliance Distributors, or militay locations; 1-800-383-7323; or http://www.autobatteries.com/brands/index.asp or www.energizer.com

Enertec Mexico [formally Joint Venture with Grupo IMSA], (Mexico) +8-329-9500, 1-800-835-4800 or http://www.enertec.com.mx/

Advantage

América [SLI]

America 500 [SLI]

Celtik Y Nationwide

Cronos [SLI]

Diener [SLI]

some Duralast

Durex [SLI]

Everlite

some EverStart [SLI]

some MAXX

Fulgor [SLI]

Full Power

Full Tech

GES [Enertec], (US) +1-817-589-1225

some V Series [SLI] for Interstate

LTH

Bateria Marina [Marine Starting]

Hi-Tec [SLI]

Moto-Bateria [Motorcycle]

Monterrey

Nationwide

some Prestolite [SLI] for Exide

some Varta [SLI]

Enertec South America [formally Joint Venture with Grupo IMSA]

Bestia Negra [SLI]

Durex [SLI]

Fulgor [SLI]

Heliar [SLI]

Taxi [SLI]

Power [SLI]

Prestolite [SLI]

Equalizer, (US) contact local Murray's Discount Auto Store, Pep Boys, VIP Discout Auto Center, Weatbelt members, or military locations; 1-800-383-7323; or http://www.autobatteries.com/brands/index.asp

Evercycle

Eveready, (US) contact local Murray's Discount Auto Store, Pep Boys, Weatbelt members, Wal*Mart Canada, or militay locations; 1-800-383-7323; or http://www.autobatteries.com/brands/index.asp

some EverStart, (US) contact local U.S. Wal*Mart store, 1-800-383-7323 or http://www.autobatteries.com/brands/index.asp

High Power

Extreme

some MAXX

FIAMM SpA [Automotive SLA], (Italy) +39-0444-709721, http://www.fiamm.com/

AAA

Falcom series [wet MF SLI]

Suprema series [wet Truck SLI]

AKUMA a.s. [wet MF SLI], (Czech Republic) +420-326-721-314 or http://www.akuma.cz/

Truck series [wet Truck SLI]

Bären Batterie GmbH, (Austria) +43-4228-2036-0 or http://82.193.8.14/main/main_home.asp

LKW Profi series[wet Truck SLI]

Polar series[wet MF SLI]

Cyclop series [wet Truck SLI]

Cyclop SP [wet MF SLI]

Storm [AGM Motorcycle]

TitaniumCyclop SP [wet MF SLI]

Wind [Wet Motorcycle]

some Firestone, (US) contact local Firestone store

Globe-Union

Honda, (US) contact local Honda car dealer, 1-800-383-7323 or http://www.autobatteries.com/brands/index.asp

Hoppecke, (Germany) [SLI], +49-2961-7890 or http://www.hoppecke.de/

duplex [Starting]

duplex plus [Starting AGM]

Inspira [AGM]

some Interstate, (US) 1-888-772-3600 or http://www.interstatebatteries.com/

Kirkland Signature, (US) 1-800-955-2292; contact local Costco Warehouse store http://www.costco.com/, 1-800-383-7323, or http://www.autobatteries.com/brands/index.asp

some Kmart, (US) contact local Kmart store

Madza, (US) contact local Mazda Car dealer, 1-800-383-7323 or http://www.autobatteries.com/brands/index.asp

Mitsubishi [Diamond Car Care], (US) contact local Mitsubishi Car dealer, 1-800-383-7323 or http://www.autobatteries.com/brands/index.asp

Motorcraft, (US) 1-800-392-3673, contact local Ford, Lincoln or Mercury Car dealer http://www.motorcraft.com/ or O'Reilly Auto Parts store http://www.oreillyauto.com/; 1-800-383-7323; or http://www.autobatteries.com/brands/index.asp

Tested Tough

Optima, (US) +1-303-340-7440; 1-888-867-8462; http://www.optimabatteries.com/; contact local Auto Zone Parts store http://www.autozone.com/ 1-800-383-7323, Interstate distributor, Murray's Discount Auto Stores, Advance Auto Parts, Pep Boys Auto Parts http://www.pepboys.com, Sears, Batteries PLUS, Bain's Farm and Fleet, or Authorized Battery Alliance Distributors; 1-800-383-7323; or http://www.autobatteries.com/brands/index.asp

BlueTop [Marine Deep Cycle spiral wound AGM]

EverStart Ultra [SLI Sprial Cell AGM], (US) please see Wal*Mart

some GNB Technologies, (US) [Starting spiral wound AGM]

some Interstate, (US) [Extreme Performance, SC and AGM Series Starting, Marine and Deep Cycle spiral wound AGM]

OrangeTop [Starting spiral wound AGM]

RedTop [Starting spiral wound AGM]

TrollFury [Marine Deep Cycle spiral wound AGM]

YellowTop [Deep Cycle spiral wound AGM]

Power Connection, (US) 1-800-645-0779; contact local Battery Allience Distributor, 1-800-383-7323, or http://www.autobatteries.com/brands/index.asp

LTH by Enertec Grupo IMSA

Gold

ProStart, (US) contact local Pep Boys Auto Parts store http://www.pepboys.com, 1+800-737-2697 or http://www.autobatteries.com/brands/index.asp

Sentry

some Tough One, (US) contact local Advance Auto Parts, Western Auto store or http://www.advance-auto-parts.com/

Triathlon

TrueStart, (US) contact local Toyota dealer, 1-800-383-7323 or http://www.autobatteries.com/brands/index.asp

Valucraft, (US) contact local Auto Zone Parts store http://www.autozone.com/ or 1-800-383-7323

Varta Automotive [formally Varta Automotive GmbH and Joint Venture with VB Autobatterie GmbH, (80%) and Robert Bosch GmbH, (20%)], (Germany) +49-5-11-975-01 or http://www.http://www.varta-automotive.com/

Asia Dynamic [Wet Maintenance Free]

some Auto-Telie-Unger [ATU], (Germany) contact local store or http://www.atu.de/

Blue Dynamic [Wet Maintenance Free]

DRYMOBILE [Gel Cell VRLA Deep Cycle]

Heavy Duty

Motorcycle LF [AGM VRLA]

Motorcycle Standard [Wet Low Maintenance]

Pkw Standard [Wet Low Maintenance]

PRO motive

Silver dynamic [Wet Maintenance Free]

Simi-Traction

SOLAR [PV Deep Cycle]

Super Heavy Duty

ULTRA dynamic [AGM VRLA]

some Wal*Mart, (US) contact local Wal*Mart store)

Johnson Controls-Saft Advanced Power Solutions [JCS] (Joint Venture between Johnson Controls and Shaft for Li-ion hybrid), (US) +1-414-524-2434, 1-888-867-8462 or http://www.jci.com/bg/ or (France) +33-1-49-931795 or http://www.saftbatteries.com/

Bill Ball

That list explains why the Bosch and Autozone batteries for the 928 seemed identical, except for the price. They might have just as well listed the batteries they don't make. Jeez!

H2

Yes, but......is there a chance that the Bosch, Interstate, etc. batteries are built to a higher standard INSIDE? For example...thicker plates, etc.?

Harvey

Bill Ball

H2, I wondered that myself, but since the specs were the same I went with the Autozone. There have been many testimonials about these batteries lasting almost forever, and mine seems to be as good as new at 5 years.

IcemanG17

Bill
I have one in mine too....PO installed it in 12-03....still strong...never ever has it not started no problem....even when it sits for a couple weeks in winter...still cranks no problem! I'm impressed with it

H2

My last 928 Interstate battery cost me $112 four years ago. My next battery will have different "markings." Thanks for the tip, Doc.

Harvey

JHowell37

The longest I've seen from an Autozone battery is three years. Then again, I've had motorcycle batteries which are notorious for their short life span, last as long as 7. Oddly though, I replaced the 7 year old motorcycle battery with one that was identical (same size and maker) and it only lasted 3 years. In my experience there's no rhyme or reason to any of it.

H2

928s and their electrical issues are notorious for causing batteries to go "flat" particularly for cars that are only driven occasionally. It doesn't take many times of going totally dead and being recharged to shorten the life of a battery. I have an off brand battery in my 4WD pickup that's 7 years old...and I don't drive it all the time. Go figure.

Harvey

85fortheDrive

Okay, so following some leads from within this thread, I went out and purchased a 48-DL Duralast battery from AutoZone. I've been unhappy with the battery that Murray's sold me - an Autolite with 850 CCA. That battery never fit very well within the compartment.

The new Duralast battery is MUCH smaller - there's 2-3" of clearance in the compartment. JIt has 700 CCA. Just looking to see if anyone else has used this battery or can confirm it is okay for the 84 928.

Peace,
Tim

RyanPerrella

I went to start my car lastnight but it was a no go. Pulled the battery, took it to autozone for charging, came back and it wouldnt hold a charge, i got a free replacement and couldnt be happier!

I think my 2 year window was to expire in a couple months but i think they then prorate them for 6 or 8 years.

came with the vent tube and everything.