Another One Bites the Dust

[csxsfm]

Had to buy a battery for a daily driver.  As I had done in the past, I bought a Die Hard AGM thinking it would again be a rebranded Deka from PA.  Got it home and saw it had a little "made in china" sticker.  UGH! 

[2112]

It's getting really bad.

Bad for the quality of products

Bad for our country

[deathsled]

For a time we were moving away from the "Made in China" pitfall but I have a sneaking suspicion we are moving back to it all over again...

[Don Johnston]

After not being able to export toys in many other items with lead content, China find a better way to deal with the inventory.

[67 GT350]

Correction,
Communist China

[1109RWHP]

I guess I am lucky. I drive by the Deka factory and the warehouse every day. I can drive right into the plant to the little factory store they have and buy direct from them. They are even still warm when you get them. lol.

[69mach351w]

Question:
My repop Autolite which is 12 yrs old, yes 12 yrs, and I'm going to have to replace soon.  Not looking to replace with the $500 repop todays Autolite, just a regular name battery.

So is AGM the way to go for these older vehicles that sits more than drove?

Thanks for any advice,
Rich

[shelbymann1970]

I just bought 2 batteries from Costco(Interstate). A 24F for my GT350 and a 27F for my SCJ Mach1. My last Costco battery which is just old in the Shelby has a 9 09 date on it. Time will tell if it was the right choice. A friend paid around 50 bucks for one from Rural King(Excide rebranded) for his 71 Boss 351.

[oldcanuck]

The last 2 batteries I have purchased came from my local Home Depot.... great prices on standard Exide batteries and both have done very well in non-regular drivers. I like the fact that I can peel off one decal, and its a plain black battery suitable for your favorite topper. I have one in the GT350 and another in my 1966 Alfa Romeo boat tail convertible. Of course I do have a cut off switch on the Alfa, but not the Shelby.

[67 GT350]

Two words:

BATTERY TENDER

Un-used car batteries will last. The only car battery I had to replace in years was on my Toyota FJ Cruiser which sat for 2 months, thus dead battery. (2013 Original Battery). Tender on everything.

[427hunter]

AGM batteries need a special AGM battery tender, if you use a normal acid battery tender it will kill it.

[2112]

Battery tenders are also capable of killing batteries. They are not smart chargers.

Look at CTek or Optima.

[shelbymann1970]

Battery tenders are also capable of killing batteries. They are not smart chargers.

Look at CTek or Optima.

I put my Mach1 battery on my battery tender and had it on for a few years and the battery was dead when I decided to use it last winter. No charger on my Shelby for a few years now and would use the tender periodically over the years and at 12 years old replaced it a few weeks ago.

[69mach351w]

AGM batteries need a special AGM battery tender, if you use a normal acid battery tender it will kill it.

Ok, going back to my reply #6, My repop Autolite DID last 12 years but the place I bought it from(And I cannot remember who it was), told me to charge every 3 months for 1 hour with my Diehard charger set to AGM and 10 Amps. 

That has to be the reason I got 12 yrs out of it.

[69mach351w]

I just bought 2 batteries from Costco(Interstate). A 24F for my GT350 and a 27F for my SCJ Mach1. My last Costco battery which is just old in the Shelby has a 9 09 date on it. Time will tell if it was the right choice. A friend paid around 50 bucks for one from Rural King(Excide rebranded) for his 71 Boss 351.

Was your batteries AGM batteries?  How about the Rural King?