Walmart Battery?

I am in the market for a new battery for my XJ, after 5 + years of no complaints service my red top Optima is on its way out (It sat for the last week & This morning I had to jump start it). I have heard the new Optimas are not the greatest.
Consumer reports rates the Wally world Ever Start batteries highly,
From what I have seen the prices are right! What is the consensus on these batteries?
Another choice would be the Deka's AGM type, How do you guys like these?

I like mine, the first one died on me after 2.5 years but after it sat untouched for 2 summers while I was gone, it was still under warranty and I got a new one for free.

The Deka Intimidator is a great battery. Mine is branded for my state's Farmers Cooperative. I've used them for about 7 years. Great batteries and they are Made In USA.

Optimas are great because you can turn them upside down and they won't leak, but otherwise they're not as reliable as a standard battery and they cost twice as much. Most standard automotive batteries are made by the same company (Johnson Controls), so there isn't a whole lot of difference among brands. Walmart batteries are fine, Autozone batteries are fine, Diehard (sears) batteries are fine. Green top Interstates are good, i've seen worse results with the grey top Interstates (they're from different factories). Personally i like Autozone because they track your warranty in the system--no receipt needed. They were also recommended by Consumer Reports a few years back.

I worked in auto parts sales through college so i've seen/warranteed a lot of batteries. Most 7-year batteries last 6.5-7.5 years, so i wouldn't sweat the details.

Yeah I had an Autozone battery go out that was a 7 year battery in like 4 years. Went in and they tested it and it was bad, walked out with a new one

There was a Wall-Mart Everstart in a XJ i bought about 6 years ago, destroyed the XJ battery went into my mom's minivan and is still going strong who knows how old it is haha

Untouched for 2 years? Where in tarnations were ya?

whitexj98 said:

I like mine, the first one died on me after 2.5 years but after it sat untouched for 2 summers while I was gone, it was still under warranty and I got a new one for free.

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misterjeeper said:

Untouched for 2 years? Where in tarnations were ya?

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Internships... but i still bought stuff for it, it was better then christmas coming back

Porch951 said:

Optimas are great because you can turn them upside down and they won't leak, but otherwise they're not as reliable as a standard battery and they cost twice as much. Most standard automotive batteries are made by the same company (Johnson Controls), so there isn't a whole lot of difference among brands.

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just a heads up, Optimas are produced by Johnson controls They got a bad rap in the last 4 or 5 years or so, but that was mainly due to the lack of availability of AGM type specific battery chargers. I have 2 optimas that are over 7 years old and still going strong and another that is 3 years old and in great shape. If an optima (or any AGM type battery) gets discharged below 10v it will read as bad on both a load tester and trip the internal short circuits inside a non-AGM charger. Check out optima's website for tips on how to charge a discharged optima on a non-AGM charger... I've saved 11 batteries so far using their charging guides. Also there is an optima rep who is a member of this forum and he is very helpful, feel free to send him a PM his username is "Optima Jim"

walmart has a no recept nessicary policy on theyre batteries, so if one was to say have its lights on till it has zero power before its warranty was void....

warranty starts over too...

but then again napa does the same thing with optimas, but you have to have the recept..

this is all from what im told though

i run optima red top 1000ca 800cca, no problems

Everstart batteries are all I have ever ran when given a choice. I have only lost one and they replaced it free... I run them in all my ATVs too

GrimmJeeper said:

just a heads up, Optimas are produced by Johnson controls They got a bad rap in the last 4 or 5 years or so, but that was mainly due to the lack of availability of AGM type specific battery chargers. I have 2 optimas that are over 7 years old and still going strong and another that is 3 years old and in great shape. If an optima (or any AGM type battery) gets discharged below 10v it will read as bad on both a load tester and trip the internal short circuits inside a non-AGM charger. Check out optima's website for tips on how to charge a discharged optima on a non-AGM charger... I've saved 11 batteries so far using their charging guides. Also there is an optima rep who is a member of this forum and he is very helpful, feel free to send him a PM his username is "Optima Jim"

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Ah, good to know! Knowing that, i'd consider buying one!

If you get the everstart get the better of th 65 series. I have had no problems with them at all.