Best new battery for a 2001 Ford Taurus?

[dennis thompson]

I think my daughter's car needs a new battery, does anyone have any sugestions as to what the best brand might be?
Thanks
Dennis

[Chris Damm]

I've had good luck with the batteries from Autozone. I used to get Diehards but about 15 years ago I had nothing but problems with them.

[Jason Roehl]

Optima batteries are considered by many to be among the very best, but you pay for the privilege of saying so--50% more and up.

Personally, I use DieHards (whatever their mid-line is), just because they're decent batteries (I did have one that developed a short after less than 2 years and I had to get a pro-rated replacement last year), and Sears is all over the country, should I have trouble. If I were going to use something else, I would probably go with Interstate Batteries, they seem to have a good reputation from what I understand.

Part of it also depends on what part of the country you live in. Around here, I expect 5-7 years out of a battery. I have a retired friend who used to live in Phoenix, AZ, and he said that they never got more than 2 years out of a battery due to the heat. If that were the case, I would be inclined to buy the absolute cheapest one I could find that would still start my vehicle.

[Lee Schierer]

On a car that is already 9 years old, you wouldn't want to install a premium battery. I would go with a Die Hard or Interstate battery in the mid price range. In most of New Jersey you aren't going to need a lot of cold cranking amps.

[Pat Germain]

I'm a stickler for buying good tires and good batteries. I have personally experienced many a failed tire and battery. And man, do I HATE being stuck with a dead battery! Thus, I will always buy a decent battery and never a very cheap example. If I'm putting the battery into a vehicle which I will be driving for awhile, I will install a very good battery. For $80 to $100, it's money very well spent.

I have had good luck with the mid-range and high-end batteries from Auto Zone. They also sell a low-end battery which I would not put in my lawn mower. As I recall, I've had only one Auto Zone battery fail before the warranty was up. Auto Zone exchanged and pro-rated the battery no trouble at all.

NAPA batteries are very good. I would highly recommend them as long as you have a NAPA store nearby for the initial purchase and any possible returns.

Interestingly, many people and magazines recommend Interstate batteries. When I was younger and living in Oklahoma, my brother and I owned several cars with Interstate batteries. (Just about every gas station in the state sold Interstate batteries.) Both my brother and I were left stranded by an Interstate battery again and again. Thus, I will not buy or recommend them.

[Paul Ryan]

I would suggest buying a good battery as well. Perferably a name brand. There is only about 4 battery manufacturers around. Exide is one of the largest. They make die hard batteries, and a bunch of others. Interstate is another. If they have their own name on the battery it is a preimun line. The "Never starts" and things like that are still made by the same companies but they put cheaper materials into the battery to make it cheaper. Die hards are and exception they are generally a very good battery. The thing to remember about a battery they can last 10 years. And they can last a month. I have had a new exide battery short out on me after only 6 months. I also had a die hard that was 10 years old. So you never know what you are going to get. But in general the more that battery costs the longer it will last, but not always. If you buy a cheap battery it may last forever but it could easily leave you sit a lot sooner than expected too. I would spend the extra $20 and buy a better one.

[Stan Johnsey]

Motorcraft batteries are very good.

[Michael Wetzel]

http://www.eastpenn-deka.com/

I might be biased since I can drive there in about 10minutes.

I wouldn't touch an Exide battery. They are local to me also.

[Scott T Smith]

Most of the 4 major battery companies have different grades of batteries. For automotive applications, you need something that is vibration resistant.

The very best vibration resistant batteries that I've found are sold by Caterpillar. I run them in a lot of my different pieces of farm equipment, and typically the parts man at my local dealer can find a match for my needs. The are very expensive, but in 10 years of farming I've only replaced one set of them, and those were already installed in a piece of equipment that I bought used (they were 7 years old when I replaced them).

Farm Bureau sells excellent batteries; as I recall they are made by Dekka. Dekka batteries also have a great reputation.

Optima batteries have a great reputation - except in one area. If you let them run totally dead, it will usually damage the battery. As long as you keep them charged, they are usually good for several years.

Just about anything that you buy from NAPA will be top quality.

[Randy Cohen]

The '00 4runner had a Panasonic battery in it originally that gave up a couple of months ago. I had an extra battery around that says Economy on it from Advance Auto that I used to keep an electric fence charged. Luckily the terminals were on the correct sides to stick it in the 4runner and it has performed well so far. I wouldn't shop brands but I would shop price and cranking power.

[Tom Godley]

We have been buying all our company car batteries from Pep Boys for the last ten years or so - I use them in my personal cars also.

Quite a few Mercury Sables in the company fleet -- never any problems.

As others have said not many manufacturers actually make them.

I normally buy the Ever ready or Bosch model that they sell -- these normally have a few more CCA and a better warranty for about $10.00 more. But depending on the amount of time you will have the car - do you need a 7 year battery? I am sure the basic battery would be fine

PB now sells the battery that fits in the trunk of many European cars -- I have three of them and they were around $100.00 vs upwards of $300.00 from a dealer.

[Dan Mitchell]

From Consumer Reports. Apparently, WalMart's Everstart brand rates near the top.

[bill kiss]

Panasonic (USA), Interstate, Bosch, Motorcraft, AutoZone and a number of other top batteries are all made by Johnson Controls. All of them are top notch. However like all other electric devices, you can have problems, especially in cars where many other factors come into play. Boy a JC made battery where it's most convenient to have it warranted if necessary. For me, that was at AutoZone since they have long opening hours and many locations. (and they installed it free too)

[whit richardson]

Interstate. I've done the Sears and Walmart ones and they usually croak before their time.

[Dave Lehnert]

I use to sell car batteries in our store. I don't recall the manufacture but he had all the cells blank in his truck. When we took delivery, he would look up what brand our store sold, take a large brand sticker out of his drawer and slap it on the cell. So I would not get too hung up on what brand to buy. You most likely are buying the exact same battery.

One tip I will give. Check the price at your local family owned auto parts store. I got my car battery at one after a tip from a friend. They were WAY CHEAPER than the national chains auto stores and Wal-Mart. I saved like $25 and the warranty was not pro rated. They will just replace it.