Car Battery Tips?

[RandomFact314]

When your choosing a car battery, what are you looking for exactly?

I came across some post somewhere that said to ONLY use a certain car battery for the dodge neon, Is this possible that you can only use a certain battery? I cant find the post online so I don't know what the battery was they mentioned, I think it was a interstate 750 or something.

[Daox]

If you don't P&G, I'd just get the cheapest one. For P&G its helpful to have something a little heftier for driving with headlights on in winter. For people with alternator deletes, you need a deep cycle battery.

[JohnNeiferd]

Any 12V battery with enough power to turn the starter over will be ok to use. The only special batteries in cars are the batteries the electric motors in hybrid vehicles use.

I would recommend going with a deep cycle battery. Since it is a neon, and not a large diesel engine, it should still have enough power to crank the engine over. A deep cycle battery will last you longer than a standard car battery, it'll give you a longer driving distance if your alternator ever dies on you somewhere, and it'll stand up to large loads a lot better if you ever put in a large stereo system.

[Unforgiven]

Originally Posted by RandomFact314

When your choosing a car battery, what are you looking for exactly?

I came across some post somewhere that said to ONLY use a certain car battery for the dodge neon, Is this possible that you can only use a certain battery? I cant find the post online so I don't know what the battery was they mentioned, I think it was a interstate 750 or something.

Interstate 750 is a brand and rough crank size designation. I searched O'Reilly auto parts for you, using a 2003 Dodge Neon as an example and came up with the following...
2003 Dodge Neon Battery | O'Reilly Auto Parts

It appears that the group size is "26R" or sometimes called "26r72"
The cranking amperage on this particular battery is shown to be 540cca
(540 available "cold cranking amps" meaning expects to put out that much amperage at 0 degrees F.)
This is above the minimum requirement for a Neon, so you will be fine in installing something like this. When you go to your local auto parts store for a new battery, just make sure to ask for the group size "26r" and that will ensure the correct dimensions (size) of the battery.

(editorial addition) It will not matter the brand you use... Interstate, Exide, Sears, AutoZone, etc etc, only the group sizing and minimum CCA rating. Just about any auto parts store can verify that for you. Have fun.

[RobertSmalls]

If you're in to recycling, go to the junkyard and buy the freshest battery they have that you can fit in the car. There's a date code on most batteries, and C8 would indicate it was made in March 2008. If it's more than, say, two years old, I'd pass on it.

Aside from that, a smaller battery will weigh less, but it will give a shorter service life due to being cycled to a greater depth of discharge. Size 51 (Honda Civic) batteries in non-Hondas are fun.

If you've got a hybrid and you need a vestigal 12V battery, why not get one of these: Braille ''No Weight'' Batteries - JEGS

[Sulfuric]

I went to Advance Auto Parts to get some brake parts a few days ago, and I got my battery checked (always good to know how it's surviving), but the terminals were too messy/corroded and I needed to clean them off for a good reading.

I came back yesterday, got my alternator checked, and it's great! However, something was bugging me . . . in a very good/odd way.
I believe my battery has 550 CCA (Cold cranking amps), but when we tested it it had 1100 CCA
The person that checked my battery was soooooo confused but didn't think there was an error. She even told me my battery was superman.

Any idea how my 550 CCA battery could possibly have 1100 CCA? I rather like it, but it seems a little off.

[Daox]

CCA is rated at 32F, or something cold thus the rating Cold Cranking Amps. A battery doesn't put out nearly as much amperage at lower temperatures. Obviously it was warmer than 32F out.

[JohnNeiferd]

CCA is rated at 0F. CA is rated at 32F.

[bgd73]

I learned with a small subaru..
motorcycle batteries are so close to the CCA number..but so far away...


anyway. if there is a listing for your car stick with it.
and I chose to make a cover..but not completely, to cut back on venting.
As one paints and welds, and gets the system going again, the battery changes.,..because the chassis is the ground.
the all sealed batteries has had my imagination. Not good reviews, but my engine is tiny. could work...don't know yet.

the big lesson was: never go too big. find specs work with them as close as possible.
the old gm /ford routine doesnot apply anymore. get that big truck battery out of the little ricer bay!

[Ryland]

I always pick a battery with the best warranty and from a place that the battery is stamped with that store brand and the date, if they require to you keep your receipt then go some place else, if the warranty doesn't cover full replacement then avoid it.
As far as deep cycle batteries go, they have a rated discharge rate and a normal car starter is a higher load then alot of deep cycle batteries can handle, thus you can kill a deep cycle battery by using it as a starting battery if it's not rated for the load.