Battery Question

Pulled out 2 Delco Batteries from my diesel a few months ago...one was 7 and the other was 10. Don't ask me how I ended up with batteries that were 3 years apart! Probably put the newest one in the wife's Durango some years back when hers died and then just left it in it and the new one went into the diesel when it came in. Anyways, the 7 year old battery is now in my 95 Dakota and the 10 year old got traded in on a deep cycle battery which was starting up the diesel just fine until about 2 weeks ago.....but haven't taken the time to see what's up with it. Sounds like the 16 year old starter is dragging pretty bad. Right now the deep cycle battery is in the 96 Dakota (it sits a lot) and the Napa battery from the 96 is sitting in the diesel disconnected. The starter did the same thing with the Napa battery and the 100 amp engine start booster on my charger didn't make any difference.

Everyone is going to have their own opinion and different luck with batteries. I had a repo group 27 from the place in Hudson Ohio and it was the worst battery I've ever bought. NEVER had enough power to crank more than 3 times. Cut it open and there were 2 tiny little orange batteries inside, POS. I had a a Diehard gold last over ten years in a truck that only got drove every two to 3 weeks. Walmarts best batteries are garbage. Optima red tops are a crap shoot anymore, specially for the ridiculous money. I now by ACDELCO 42 month from a local parts store. They last years, the one in my 82 Vette is 8 yrs and always cranks. Just bought one in January and it was only $125. Best price of any battery and they last.

I have used the small weather resistant battery tenders on both cars when they are sitting for extended periods. Keeps battery warm and fully charged. Both batteries are over 8 years old and still going.
As for car batteries in general, like many other parts they’re not made like they used to be. Just my opinion.

On another note, when I bought my Road Runner in Dec. '15 it had a NO NAME "remanufactured" battery in it. When I replaced it 2 or 3 years later I asked how old it was when I traded it in. Turns out it was 8 years old. Whoda thunk a no name reman battery would ever last that long.

My box truck has four batteries and two alternators. Two new batteries for the lift gate, and two Champions under the hood for the engine. I really dont know much about them, a new purchase, but it starts great.
My diesel pickup had one or both red top optimas go bad, but my friend at the shop where i bought it adjusted them. When one of the replacements went bad, i found it was nine years old. Not bad. But when i found out two new optima red tops would be $500+, i got two interstates from costco for under $200. If they last half as long as the red tops, i figure i'm ahead.
The savoy, with the battery in the trunk, i use the biggest heaviest i can find, i think that one has a interstate too.
The 2012 camaro still has the battery GM put in it, i guess. Never yet lifted the panel in the trunk to look at it.
The opel has the battery in the back too, a red top. This car has the worst battery access of any car ivevever owned, and when the red top in it quits, its gonna get another red top.
To the op, with a battery in the trunk, get the biggest heaviest strongest battery you can find or afford.

PRND21 said:

I’ve got a red top Optima in my 65 that is over 13 years old, still going strong. Now that I’ve said that, it’ll probably take a crap now.

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I've heard the newer ones are hecho in Mejico and aren't as good as your edition. I considered one as well but the only thing I want from down south in my car is some of their women and tacos...

Thanks, all. I ended up getting a 27F. Having it in the trunk the post locations don’t matter and the F is significantly cheaper with all the same specs as the regular 27. Pretty odd.

if you use a battery Tender during the winters and down times they all will do better!

I have a herd of them... they save me a lot of $$$