Interstate Batteries is a popular brand that makes batteries for cars and other vehicles. They are known for being dependable and can be found in many stores.
Group sizes are the different sizes and shapes of batteries that fit into cars. Each car needs a battery that matches its specific size to work properly.
AC Delco is a brand that makes car parts, including batteries, mainly for General Motors cars. They have different types of batteries for various needs.
An anti-gravity battery is a new kind of car battery that is lighter and better for the environment. It uses special technology to store power, similar to batteries you might use in your home.
AGM lead acid batteries are a special kind of car battery that lasts longer and can handle rough conditions better than regular batteries. They are often used in cars that need a lot of power.
XS Power is a brand that makes batteries for cars, especially those used in racing or with powerful sound systems. They are known for being strong and reliable.
Odyssey is another battery brand that makes strong batteries for cars. They focus on making their batteries very reliable and able to work well in tough situations.
Die Hard is a brand of car batteries that many people trust. It used to be sold at Sears stores, but now you can find it at other auto parts stores, and it still works well for cars.
Optima batteries are special car batteries that have a unique design, making them very reliable.
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Welcome to another in wheel time podcast.
You know, the rats ate into the wiring, which was underneath the batteries where that all
rats are possums. Well, it could have been any of the above. I didn't, I didn't take a picture
of them when we were down there gnawing on my wiring for that day we walked in here and there
partying with, you know, other animals. Anyway, so anyway, that's our lead in for Jeff in the
worst to best category of batteries. There it is. You're gonna start. Well, number 10, because
we're going to do 10 of these. Number 10 is Everstart. Everstart is a Walmart store brand.
Everstart is affordable. It's a lead acid variety, but buyers have encountered unreliable and short
lifespans with it. However, they're well reviewed on Walmart's website and Everstart has a fairly
wide variety of battery sizes. So it's 10 we're starting at the worst. Yeah, we're starting
at the worst. And I would say that that I just put one of those in one of my granddaughter's cars.
Oh, and because I've had good service out of them, but mainly because
Walmart's everywhere. Yeah. So if she's back in San Marcos or he's there someplace and she
needs a battery, we'll go get one. Number nine is Interstate. The green label and occasionally
green topped Interstate batteries are available at many independent shops and at their own
Interstate all battery centers and also Mike through Costco's. I did not know that. The reliable
battery replacement is an interesting history. Interstates are available in a large number of
group sizes and applications. So that's number nine on the list. I thought that they were good.
I had one one time many years ago. It worked out okay. No, we have an Interstate store there
in Beaumont and those guys are great to work with. The one that I did not know is this is
number eight. I didn't know it was in high on the worst list because Motorcraft I thought was a very
comparable brand, but the Ford Motor Company house brand of batteries is available at all four
dealerships as well as O'Reilly auto parts, allowing folks who want to maintain the OEM parts on
vehicles to access replacement batteries almost anywhere. That's why O'Reilly has it. Typically
the warranties are also accepted at all facilities. Here's the point with Motorcraft. The benefit is
that the decision was made that Ford knows what battery goes in each car. So if you'd have it
done by the dealership, they know it's right. If you have it done by an independent and they put
the wrong battery in, Ford's not going to warranty anything because they know what battery goes in
it. As an example, the battery for a like a 1996 Ford Ranger, whatever it is, small vehicle,
is like 250 bucks through the dealer. So keep that in mind when you buy these things that you
can get what you pay for. The next one on this is a GM brand. It's an AC Delco available from
third party retailers and directly from GM. The AC Delco batteries come in a variety of group
sizes and performance ratings and they're competitively priced. They offer a standard
warranty range of group sizes designed to fit GM vehicles and a few AGM options, which is the
I did not do that. They do that. While they're officially recognized by General Motors as the
only batteries recommended by GM sort of what Motorcraft does for the vehicles, they don't offer
any spectacular things when it comes to options and features. And again, the absorbent glass
matt is a fiber. They're fiber layers between the positive and negative plates in the battery. So
that's where they come up with that. And the Corvette went to an AGM battery in production.
Is that what they have now? Yeah, they do. So I could buy one for my 01.
You could probably pay a top dollar for it. You're gonna pay top dollar or anything. Yeah,
really. The number six on this list is a Bosch. Bosch lands in the middle of this ranking for a
good reason. They're a brand that provides a dependable, well regarded battery at a good price
from their affordable one year warranty up through batteries. Mike, they come with
four year full replacement coverage. Bosch runs the gamut of both quality tiers and group size.
German. Yeah, well, there you go. That's the quality. Here's one that I did not know even existed.
It's called an anti-gravity battery. Be me up, Scotty. A recent addition to the car battery
market is anti-gravity batteries. Their niche isn't in providing the most power like competitors,
but providing a greener solution to automotive power with lithium ion batteries. The same kind
of rechargeable batteries using products all around the house. Anti-gravity batteries are
primarily used in motor sports, not in passenger cars, as their batteries are significant significantly
lighter than the AGM led acid batteries. So there you go. So they're going to produce the same amount
of juice power, reliable. Number four on my list is XS power, XS. XS power is a newer automotive
battery brand. Cool logo. It's one that made its mark in the industry with some wildly
overpowered batteries. In fact, some of these batteries might even have excessive power.
Their batteries feature light gray design with aggressive labeling and unique connection terminals
for users connecting these batteries to expensive audio and electrical accessories. So these are
the guys that have the boom box. Yeah. So there you go. But that's number four on the list. Number
three on the list is Odyssey. Odyssey batteries have a number of features that have pushed them
high on the rankings. This is number three. And their commitment to over-engineering has given
them the battery reputation of reliability. They claim a longer life service, longer life cycle,
and a shelf life, too, because that's important with the battery sitting around.
In the event of a failure, Odyssey offers a four-year full replacement warranty on several
of their battery lines at least one year for most of their products. So Odyssey is number three.
Never heard of them. Number two, you heard of this next one. It's a Die Hard. Not the movie, Mike.
Not the movie. It used to be the Sears brand. Yep. And this battery is the one that your dad
told you to put in your first car when you bought it. Die Hard remains the great aftermarket option
even after Sears sold the brand to Advanced Auto Parts back in 2019. However, the new ownership,
it didn't affect the actual product because whether the Die Hard was purchased from a Sears Auto
Center or from an Auto Zone, the battery was still manufactured by Clarios. So you can get this?
Wait a minute. Clarios is the same company that makes... Go ahead. Go. No. Go. That makes optimal.
Yeah. AC Delco and Die Hard are made in the same factory on the East Coast. Back when I was with
XL Parts, that was one of the things, different lines. Okay. Drumroll and the number one battery
is Optima. Optima batteries use several unique design choices that move them to the top of this
list. Their six-pack design and spiral wound cells are used in both the lead-based and AGM
versions of the batteries, lead, or I'm sorry lead, leading to an instantaneously recognizable and
wholly unique battery in a world of heavy plastic boxes. They are not inexpensive. The most affordable
option for a 1996 Ford Ranger is $250. But the reliability is trusted. They have a good warranty
backing the product on your red top, yellow top, and blue top batteries. So there you go. Where can
you get those now though? You can actually buy them directly from the factory from about the same
price that you would pay at any retailer and they will mail it to you.
Did not know that. I did not know that either. How do you mail a battery? They do.
Lot of stamps. A lot of stamps. All right. Well, that was fun.
That's it for this podcast episode of the In Wheel Time Car Show. I'm Don Armstrong.
Inviting you to join us for our live show every Saturday morning on Facebook,
YouTube, Twitch, and our InWheelTime.com website. Podcasts are available on Apple podcast, Spotify,
Stitcher, iHeart podcast, podcast addict. Tune in Pandora and Amazon Music. Keep listening and
we'll see you soon.
About this episode
A detailed ranking of ten car battery brands reveals insights into their reliability, pricing, and ideal buyers. The discussion starts with Everstart, noted for affordability but criticized for short lifespan, and progresses to well-known names like Interstate and Motorcraft. Unique brands like Anti-Gravity and XS Power are highlighted for their niche offerings, while Odyssey and Die Hard are recognized for their reliability. Optima takes the top spot due to its innovative design and trusted performance. The hosts provide practical advice on choosing the right battery based on needs and vehicle compatibility.
With the weather changing toward Winter, it is a good time to check our batteries, so we decided to revisit an earlier discussion to start ... the discussion.
Ever wonder why your car starts strong some mornings and struggles on others? We take you under the hood of battery choices that actually affect daily reliability, from budget-friendly picks at big-box stores to premium designs built for harsh conditions, high-current audio builds, and weekend toys that sit for weeks at a time. Our goal is simple: help you pick a battery that fits your vehicle, your climate, and your lifestyle without wasting money on features you don’t need.
We move brand by brand through a no-nonsense ranking: EverStart and Interstate for accessible value, Motorcraft and AC Delco for OEM confidence, Bosch for dependable mid-tier coverage, and Antigravity for lithium lightness where every pound counts. For enthusiasts and workhorses, we break down why XS Power and Odyssey excel under heavy loads and frequent deep cycles, and how their warranties and construction translate into fewer headaches over years of use. Then we spotlight DieHard’s enduring reputation and Optima’s spiral-wound advantage, explaining RedTop vs YellowTop vs BlueTop so you match cranking power, deep-cycle resilience, and marine readiness to the job at hand.
Along the way, we unpack AGM versus traditional flooded lead-acid, when lithium makes sense, and how to read warranty terms that actually protect you. We also cover practical buying tips: verifying group size and reserve capacity, understanding OEM recommendations, and deciding when paying more now saves you from a tow later. If your vehicle has added lights, winches, or a big audio system, or if it sits for long stretches, you’ll walk away knowing which chemistry and brand can handle the load with fewer surprises.
If this helped you think smarter about batteries, subscribe for more straight-talk car guidance, share with a friend who loves a weekend project, and leave a quick review to tell us which brand has lasted the longest for you.
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
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