How To Buy A Car Battery
Step 4: Find a battery with a high rating. If you live in a cold climate with several months well below the freezing point, you may want to look for a battery with a higher CCA rating for easier cold-weather starts.
how to buy a car battery
Most car batteries in use are known as a conventional lead-acid battery. They have cells inside the battery made of positive and negative lead plates in battery acid in a case. They are reliable and have been around a very long time, and are the least expensive type of battery. Most cars will operate without a problem with a conventional lead-acid battery.
Enhanced flooded batteries, or EFB batteries, are a step up from a standard conventional lead-acid design. They are built more sturdy inside and provide double the cyclical stability of the standard battery. They can withstand severe discharges better and can even be used for one of the most demanding technologies now available, stop-start technology. EFB batteries are more expensive than a conventional car battery but you should expect it to last longer on average.
Absorbent glass mat batteries, or AGM batteries, are among the highest quality batteries on the market. They can withstand the most aggressive on and off-road use you can throw at them without skipping a beat including stop-start technology. They can withstand the rigors of high-demand electrical components like DVD players and custom audio systems, and can recover the best from severe battery discharges. AGM batteries are among the most expensive batteries and are used in high-performance, luxury, and exotic cars primarily.
Step 1: Pick a recognized brand of battery manufacturer. While the quality of the battery may or may not be any better, a recognized name brand will have better customer support in the event you have battery problems while you are under warranty.
Your car's engine may run on gas but its electrical components, including the headlights, interior electronics and turn signal lights, run off a battery. When your car's battery is old, drained or otherwise not working properly, you may experience problems ranging from a sluggish engine start to leaking battery acid or a "check engine" light on your dashboard.
Whether you're performing routine maintenance or trying to quickly solve an unexpected battery problem, Walmart has the supplies you need to get the job done at Every Day Low Prices. Walmart's automotive department offers a variety of car battery options in different sizes and voltages in addition to useful battery-related accessories such as portable battery chargers, jumper cables and charging system monitors.
Car and truck batteries aren't the only vehicle battery options available. You can a find a variety of battery options for other vehicles, adding convenience and efficiency to your shopping experience. You don't have to look anywhere else for your vehicle battery shopping needs.
In most cases, a car battery should be properly disposed of and replaced with a brand-new battery after three years of use. If your battery is three years old or older and you're experiencing issues like sluggish engine ignition or a complete electrical failure caused by a dead battery, it's worth it to simply replace the old model rather than trying to jump start or charge.
In some cases, your car's battery may need to be replaced sooner. For example, if your battery is being drained by a faulty electrical component in the car's audio system, that could lead to the need for early replacement. Multimeters and other battery testers can tell you when your battery is nearing the end of its lifespan, but you can also err on the side of caution and opt for replacement if you know your battery is nearing the three year mark or if you have some sort of electrical system issue that's causing a drain. Recommended replacement times for other vehicle battery types may vary.
While you can often determine what kind of battery to buy for your vehicle by looking at what's currently under the hood, that's not always sufficient. If you aren't sure what kind of replacement battery you need for a given car, truck, lawnmower, boat or power sport vehicle, Walmart offers assistance both online and in store.
Our online Walmart Battery Finder tool allows you to input information like vehicle type, make, model and engine type to determine the right battery match for your needs. It's a simple way to ensure you don't accidentally pick out the wrong battery, which can actually be dangerous to install.
This article was co-authored by Hovig Manouchekian. Hovig Manouchekian is an Auto Repair and Design Specialist and the Manager of Funk Brothers Auto, a family-owned business operated since 1925. With over 30 years of experience in the automotive industry, Hovig specializes in the process of auto repair and maintenance. He is also very knowledgeable in common automotive issues and needs including engine repair, battery replacement, and windshield accessory and maintenance. Hovig's knowledge and hard work have contributed to Funk Brothers Auto winning Angie's List Super Service Award for five consecutive years.There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 213,640 times.
In my experience, successful battery replacement comes down to the quality of the battery, its cost, and the convenience of replacing it. Most places sell good-quality batteries and offer different tiers of prices and warranties. The difference between those places comes down to convenience. With that in mind, I researched places that provide options for people who are comfortable replacing a car battery and people who barely know how to open their hood. I also focused on national chains that everyone knows. Finally, I read professional and individual reviews of those places and the brand they offer. The goal was to find the place with the best combination of product, price, and service.
No matter what car I used in my search, Amazon had many batteries available. The search process, however, was frustrating. When I searched for a car battery, the results included battery chargers, car battery jump-starters, and half a dozen other products in addition to car batteries. Searching by a specific make and model yielded similar results and included items such as alternators and floor mats.
Advance Auto Parts provides the best mix of quality, price, and convenience. They carry Autocraft, Die Hard, and Optima batteries, name brands that consistently get high ratings. Most of their batteries come with a three-year replacement warranty, meaning if the battery fails during that time, you can replace it at no cost. While Advance Auto Parts is not as cheap as Walmart, you can save up to 30 percent if you order online from their website.
Convenience separates Advance Auto Parts from the other stores. They offer free battery testing and installation. You also can replace the battery in their parking lot, and they will even let you borrow their tools. The company specializes in auto parts and caters to the DIY crowd. Many people who work there also wrench on their own cars and are knowledgeable about auto repair. In addition to batteries, they stock a wide variety of auto parts, including parts for older vehicles.
Walmart is hands down the cheapest place to buy a car battery. They carry EverStart batteries, their in-store brand manufactured by Clarios, which also makes Optima batteries. In addition to EverStart, some Walmart stores carry other brands such as Bosch and Optima. Most of their batteries carry two or three-year replacement warranties. 041b061a72