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Autozone Duralast battery or Wal Mart Ever Start Battery?

213K views 50 replies 34 participants last post by  docnabimmer 
#1 ·
Wal Mart has the correct size for about $79 dollars and Autozone $130 or $140. Everyone seems to talk about Autozone batteries....I was just wandering about how good are the Wal Mart brand ever Start Batteries
 
#2 ·
Ive never tried the Walmart one but I used the Duralast 48-DL for about 5 years it worked perfect until the other day but it was still under warranty so I went back and got another one....I believe the Duralast is about $110 without tradein of your old battery
 
#10 ·
The good thing about the Autozone batteries is they they are pretty much direct fit OEM style batteries with the vent tube and of good quality.

You could put just about any battery in there technically, but if you got for something cheaper from Walmart just don't expect as many years of service, and possibly having to adjust the battery holder to fit the battery nice and snugly.

By law, batteries inside the cabin have to have a vent tube on them for safety(autozone battery has this), but another benefit is if your alternator fails and overcharges the battery(rare), it will make your entire car reek strongly of rotten eggs for a week. :rofl:

If you are ok with these downsides, then I don't see a reason why not. :dunno:
 
#11 ·
Walmart Battery Died every 3 years...Ask me how I know...
 
#16 ·
Hell no!!!! Not for that price......and I am home.....LOL. Not like I got a roundel on my battery.:rofl:

Edit: but than again, with the money I saved.....I could put a BMW roundel on the top of the battery.
 
#15 ·
I got the Autozone Duralast, 49-DL if I remember. Perfect fit and great battery. Cost me about 90 bucks or so with the core I think. Guy insisted he install it for me, liked the car. Vent tube with universal fitting came taped to the battery. Was like a 3 minute install, no joke....granted, I took the OEM battery out in the parking lot so was really drop in and go. Great warranty on the DL, and CCA is better than stock. I need that for the Colorado winters. I am sure my OEM 2004 BMW battery could have lasted me a year more, but better safe than sorry as I do travel alot in the military. The Autozone computer now lists it as a direct replacement. I did put some folded up cardboard under the battery hold down to keep it snug. Since my car is now paid off, going to make it bullet proof little by little. Next step for me is a high performance Stuart water pump. I got a brand new radiator from the flashlight incident.....Grrrrrrr. Hope this helps. Also, check the sales with Autozone, sometimes batteries go on sale.
 
#22 ·
Most batteries available at autoparts stores are all made by the same people. The only difference is the sticker that they put on the battery. I don't know if it's still the same, but wal-mart batteries used to be made by Johnson Control, the same people that make Optimas. Autozone, Costco, Sears and several other places all used Johnson Control as well. Things may be different now, but that's how it was for years. Prior to using Johson Control, Wal-mart used Exide batteries.
 
#23 ·
I just bought and installed a Walmart Maxx 94R for $75. Autozone equivalent is $130. I've never had a problem with Walmart sourced battery. The Maxx 94R has the same specs as the OEM and has the vent holes. It was a perfect fit; it even has the holes for the red + shield. For those who bag on the quality of the battery, my OEM died without warning too. Then again I only drive my BMW once a week (30mi).

But hey for $75 even if I lasts only 3-4yrs, it's cheap enough that buying another one won't be so bad ( 2x75 = 150 6-8yr+).

Here's a pic of the installed battery
 
#32 ·
Looks like you have a vent connection on your righthand vent cap that needs to be connected to your vent tube. I had a similar issue with the NAPA battery I just installed and had to run both vent tubes from the battery caps to a new "T" connected to the single vent tube running outside the cargo wall on my 325XI SW. I replaced it free with the NAPA since the existing battery was a NAPA that died after only 6 months. They said they recently changed manufacturers to Johnson Control. We'll see if this one comes close to the 75 month warranty.
 
#25 ·
The original oem battery in my 03 325 is finally getting weak and takes a few extra seconds of cranking to start and the dead battery warning light came on. After seven years of trouble free service i am replacing with another oem battery. i got it for $130 so for $50 more i dont have to worry that the guy at autozone or wallmart gave me the wrong one. Looking forward to another 7 years of trouble free service, from the battery at least.
 
#26 ·
I went with walmart, for price alone. No issues at all and i have a pretty big amp hooked up. Has a 3 year warranty too, cant argue with that for 75 bucks.
 
#35 ·
AWDBMW,

Thanks for the heads-up. The OEM battery was vented on the + side and capped on the - side. The battery from wal-mart didn't have any of those fittings so I just removed them from the OEM battery and used them on the new one. My OEM battery actually started to leak. It could be that it was drained/charged twice in its life (left radar detector plugged in over a week) and may have been overcharged. I don't have the new "T" fittings but I'll look for them next time I go to the auto parts store.
 
#36 ·
I actually ended up using a sprinkler system 1/4" drip line T connection for the vent hose since I couldn't find them elsewhere. I also had to jury rig the connections to the battery vent caps using some other 1/4" drip line connectors. However, both battery cap vents are now connected to the single vent using some clear plastic tubing and the T connector. I bought the car used a few months ago and the previous owner didn't bother to vent the battery at all. Since it's a sport wagon, all of the hydrogen gas generated by the battery was being vented into the car's interior - definitely not good. :tsk:
 
#38 ·
I just swapped for the walmart in my 325, i had the OEM still from 04. It seems to be strong, I have a big system in the trunk. It came with the same warranty that the autozone did, so it was worth a try.
 
#40 ·
IIRC Consumer Reports had good things to say about Walmart batteries? And put the Autozone batteries mid pack to the bottom. For me, Autozone is a half mile from the house, and if I NEED a battery, guess where I go? I think I have them in just about all of my cars now. Not sure what is in the 330i, have not looked yet, guess that is something to do?
 
#44 · (Edited)
Walmart Maxx batteries 'were' manufactured by East Penn until about late 2009. East Penn made excellent batteries. Many of there batteries would last 8,9 years. Consumer Reports was right.

Johnson Controls now makes Walmart batteries and they are crap.

Compare this:
Walmart batteries use to give a 3 year free,9 year proration warranty until 2009
Walmart 'new' Maxx batteries give a 3 year warranty....thats it. Be lucky you get 3 years. If you get 3 years? on the morning of 3 years and one day and the warranty is over... start looking for a new battery by noontime.

Go with Durlast or Bosche for a low cost,good battery.
The Sears platinum are superb ..as long as you dont mind paying $300 for a battery
 
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