this post was submitted on 07 Feb 2025
6 points (100.0% liked)

Automotive Repair

86 readers
1 users here now

In the shop, under the hood, and between the valves. A place for showcasing busted knuckles, discussing the regrettable career choice, and finding out where the tick noise is coming from.

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
piranhaphish
6
Do car battery warranties reflect actual physical differences? (sh.itjust.works)
submitted 2 days ago by [email protected] to c/auto_repair
3 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

For my particular car, Walmart seems to sell batteries with 1 year, 2 year, and 3 year warranties. ~$70 for the 1 year, ~$110 for the 2 year, and ~$150 for the 3 year. Are these batteries actually different? If the battery with the 3 year warranty actually lasts 3x longer than the battery with a 1 year warranty, I guess it'd be the better deal, but I'm suspicious if they're actually much different.

It looks like batteries at most other stores are even more expensive with the same warranties.

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[โ€“] Intheflsun 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

As for the Walmart batteries, if the cold cranking amps are the same on the all 3 versions, no, there isn't, you're just "extending" the warranty. They all last around 3 years now, and are prorated. The exchange cost on a gold battery at 3 years is only going to be a few dollars different from strait up buying the replacement battery. Usually they have a chart with what it is per age. The one year will be like 100% in month one, next to nothing by month 12. Gold will be like 100% for year one then drop to next to nothing by month 36. Amazing how their pricing of tiers corresponds to how many they're likely to need to replace or exchange.

[โ€“] [email protected] 1 points 1 day ago

I don't think walmart's warranties are pro-rated. They advertise "3 year free replacement." A couple years ago, I brought in a ~2 year old battery, and they just gave me a free replacement. All 3 batteries I was looking at have different CCA ratings, but I'm guessing ratings can be fudged too.