How to Select Battery Manufacturers

As the old saying goes, the time to buy a new battery is before the old one fails. But when you do decide to purchase a new battery, which one do you buy? There are many different types out there and if you have zero knowledge how will you pick the right one? Here are a few things that may help you in the process.

• Consider two major things when choosing a battery. Those are the ‘group size’ and the ‘cold cranking amps’. All batteries are not made equal and size, rated capacity and age will make a big difference in performance for your car. Group size defines the batteries outside dimensions and where the terminals are located.  Many recommendations are stated in group sizes. The cold cranking amps (CCA) measures how well the car will start in cold weather. The CCA will specify how much current the battery can deliver to a starter at 0 degrees Fahrenheit. This is not to be confused with CA – cranking amps – which is taken at 32 degrees, not 0 degrees.


• Search to see how many different types of batteries there are and you will find that three companies manufacture almost all batteries. Those would be Johnson Controls Industries, Delphi and Exide. Each one of these manufacturers make batteries sold under different brand names that are sold by other companies such as AC Delco, NAPA, Diehard, Motorcraft, Interstate, Kirkland and EverStart. Many of these you will recognize as products that are marketed by Sears, Wal-Mart, Ford and AutoZone and others.


• Make sure that where you purchase your battery maintains fresh stock. Most service centers will have a large inventory and fairly low pricing plus they handle installation as well and can dispose of the old battery. Some of the larger department stores may be cheaper but can’t install the battery or get rid of the old one. If your car is under warranty you may want to use a dealership although they are usually the highest in price.