How Reliable Are Costco Interstate Batteries
Im going to be throwing facts at you without wasting your time. Among various automotive batteries, the most common type is the Standard Flooded battery. They are constructed with durable grids and a free-flowing liquid design.You wouldnt need to perform any maintenance. Because the battery is sealed.
Next comes the AGM-type batteries. They tend to the greater engine power demand of the vehicle. Typically they are expensive. But you dont have that problem with Costco.
While the standard ones tend to the electric supply needs, the AGM fully blasts the engine with energy.
They come with a 36-month limited replacement warranty. A battery used regularly can last up to 3-5 years. So most of your batterys lifespan is covered. Although other retailers give a better period of warranty. But you have to look at the competitive prices too.
How Good Costco Interstate Batteries Are
Lets start with why Costco batteries are so sought after. The first is that they are cheaper than other interstate batteries in the market. This is due to the careful selection of batteries by Costco. They also keep a lower amount of batteries in stock .
Costco Interstate batteries are perfectly suitable for different weathers. In fact, Costco chose these batteries due to their high performance and popularity. The cost of these batteries falls between $50 to $100 US Dollars. But this battery sometimes comes with an expense called core charge. Battery cores cost between $10-14. This can be retrieved when recycling the battery.
The downside is, however, the warranty of the battery. The warranty is as little as 3 years. Whereas each battery is supposed to last 2-6 years.
Moreover, Costco offers interstate batteries that fit a various range of vehicles within RVs, cars, and trucks.
Best Green/most Sustainable: Antigravity Lithium Batteries
Antigravity Batteries
Why it made the cut: Moving away from lead and acid can only be a good thing in the long run, and this batterys feature set really puts it ahead of the competition.
Specs
- RE-START tech means no dead battery
Cons
- Expensive by any standard
- Limited to certain applicationsfor now
Antigravity Batteries markets several lines of lithium-ion batteries, from powersports to race-car applications. Lithium-Ion is one of the most popular battery types on the market today for everything from smartphones to jump starters, but its relatively new to car batteries. In comparison to the often 40-pound lead bricks that were used to, getting 1,200 cranking amps out of a sub-12-pound battery seems miraculous. Indeed, it would be for traditional tech, which this battery is not. The coolest feature in my opinion, and the one that piques my interest the most, is their RE-START feature, which the battery utilizes to send itself into hibernation so it always has enough energy to start the car. If this happens you can push a button on a key fob, or on the battery itself, and then start the car.
Read Also: Rechargeable Batteries Lithium Ion Aa
How Long Does A Costco Car Batteries Last
Costco Interstate car batteries typically last between 3 to 5 years, but several factors will affect the life of a battery, including:
- Hot and cold temperature extremes
- High electrical use
Extreme hot and cold weather negatively affects car batteries. Depending on where you live, this can be a major issue.
If your vehicle has many electrical devices and uses them all at the time, the battery will drain faster, and it will stay half charged, which is not good for the battery.
And lastly, If you constantly go on short trips, for example, around the town, the battery will also not get enough time to charge fully, and it will stay only half charged, which will shorten the lifespan of a car battery.
Why Does Anyone Need This
Consider it. Your car battery has died in the midst of the road? You need to get to an important meeting, but your car won’t start due to a dead battery? I’m sure you’d never want to be in such a predicament. However, most people have this experience since they never buy a car battery in advance.
Your day might be entirely ruined by a faulty or dead automobile battery. As a result, it’s wise to plan ahead of time. While you are in the market, you can find countless types of batteries for purchase.
So, which one to choose? Well, the choice is up to you in the end, but I recommend buying Interstate batteries.
Well, you would want to know why? So, check out my opinion on the best car batteries review and why I believe these are the best to go for!
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Are All Interstate Batteries Maintenance Free
Not all batteries made by Interstate are maintenance-free. All AGM batteries are maintenance-free, but you should top up and regularly check non-AGMs. But you can consider them all maintenance-free under normal conditions.
Standard deep cycle models require regular watering to maintain their optimum performance.
Are Costco Interstate Battery Good And Reliable
Looking for some inexpensive interstate car batteries for short trips? Your local Costco can help. But are they the same as other interstate batteries? How reliable are they? Are they long-lasting?
Well, yes! But the difference lies in the details. Moreover, while researching for this article, I found out that there are as many fans of this battery as there are haters.
Why is that? Lets debunk that in this blog right here!
Contents
Don’t Miss: Kidde Smoke Alarm Battery Change
Interstate Golf Cart Batteries Features And Benefits
AGM Deep Cycle
AGM Deep Cycle batteries are non-hazardous and will not leak even if they are damaged. Which means that they are often more durable than gel batteries.
They also offer a low self-discharge, between 1-3% per month. That means that if you dont use your golf cart during the winter. You can be confident the battery will be ready for action for golf in the Spring and Summer.
Durable Batteries
Plates within the Interstate AGM deep cycle batteries are compactly positioned and statically mounted to shield against vibration damage and shock damage.
Reduced Maintenance
The greatest advantage of the Interstate golf cart batteries is the reduced level of maintenance. They do not require constant watering, nor do they require weekly inspections, standard AGM batteries demand.
Volt Options
Interstate offers golf cart batteries in three voltage choices. 6-volt, 8-volt, and 12-volt. Extreme Deep Cycle batteries from Interstate are only available in a 6-volt option.
While 12-volt batteries are only found in the High Cycle range. For the rest, you will be able to take your pick of a 6-volt or 8-volt golf cart battery.
Amp Hours
As is the case with volt options, the amp hours vary by battery model. Their 6-volt AMG Deep Cycle batteries will carry you for 11 hours, at 20 amps per hour. Whereas, with the rest of Interstates golf cart batteries, you are looking at an average of 10 hours of run time at 20 a/h.
Price
Agm Technology Now Available
Absorbed glass-mat batteries are designed to offer ultimate performance for power-hungry luxury vehicles and vehicles with plenty of aftermarket accessories. If your car came with an AGM, or you find yourself regularly replacing your battery due to accessory power drain, look into an AGM today.PLEASE NOTE: AGM technology is not suitable for every application, so check the online Costco battery finder or battery fitment guide at the Costco Tire Desk to ensure that the AGM option is right for you.
Also Check: Battery Power Generator For Home
How Long Do Interstate Batteries Last
If used well, expect the battery to last between three and seven years, depending on the series you went for. A good way to estimate the bare minimum is the warranty interstate gives you.
This is the minimum lifespan they expect from the batteries as long as you treat them right. I found this is a conservative amount, and you can easily add half or double the months on the warranty to get a true lifespan.
Are Costco Batteries Fully Charged
Many people buy car batteries from Costco, so they almost always have fresh car batteries which are fully charged from the factory.
So, in any case, the battery you bought from Costco is not fully charged somehow, which usually means the battery is already on the shelf for a couple of months just sitting there.
That can happen in rare cases if theres a specific car battery only some vehicles accept.
Also Check: Sam’s Tire And Battery
Are Agm Interstate Batteries Any Good
We never really recommended AGM batteries when I worked in the aftermarket industry unless:A: The battery was inside the vehicleORB: The car came with an AGM originally.Also a flat battery isn’t going to harm your car, and by the looks of it, its a 2021? Why do you think the battery is already on its way out, it should in theory last for ~5 years.
Never argue with an idiot. They will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.
We never really recommended AGM batteries when I worked in the aftermarket industry unless:A: The battery was inside the vehicleORB: The car came with an AGM originally.Also a flat battery isn’t going to harm your car, and by the looks of it, its a 2021? Why do you think the battery is already on its way out, it should in theory last for ~5 years.
19 Corolla HB SE 6-spd
680 CCA
| Price |
FVP P47AGM Platinum AGM BCI Group 47 680 CCA Automotive Platinum AGM Batteries | FVP Passenger Car & Light Truck Batteries
Price
M Line Car And Truck Batteries
Equipped with more than enough cranking power, the Interstate Batteries M Line is ideal for the value-minded buyer. This battery provides dependable performance to get you to your destination.
M line Interstate batteries are standard flooded battery types and will provide standard performance life with sufficient cranking power.
With a normal cycle life for accessories, they are perfect for customers who want as much for the money. M line Interstate car batteries also come with 18 months free replacement warranty.
They are completely sealed and require no maintenance, and the grids are constructed to survive for many years. They are built with a free-flowing liquid design and safety ventilation, which is useful for charging.
Interstate M line automotive batteries come in thirty three different sizes ranging from 425 to 850 in Cold Cranking Amps with a peak of range from 530 to 1000 CA.
Reserve capacity comes from 75 to 150 RC.
The weight range of M line series batteries is from 26.6 to 50.4 lb.
Read Also: How To Jump Start Dead Battery
Final Thoughts On The Best Car Batteries
Getting the right car battery can make the difference when youre dealing with some of the extremes the country can throw at you. As you start researching and shopping for a battery, take into consideration where youll be spending most of your time, how much you value a free replacement warranty, and how much you can spend. If you decide to buy one of the car batteries on this list make sure youre paying for the features you need, and not wasting money on things you dont.
Are Interstate Batteries Made In China
Interstate Batteries are not made in China. They are made in the United States and Mexico and they have several plants located across North America. But 98% of their batteries are made in the United States.
Interstate Battery contracts with regional battery manufacturers to make their batteries. This is primarily due to high shipping costs, the weight of the batteries, and hazardous material shipping regulations.
While the majority of batteries are made in the US, some of them are made in Mexico.
Batteries made in Mexico are required by law to be labeled. So, if you purchase an Interstate battery without a sticker on it, it is made in the USA.
Approximately 98% of batteries that Interstate sells are made in the USA.
This includes automotive batteries and small engine/lawn mower batteries. The exception being power sport batteries .
Always wanted to head down the coast camping at all the best beaches? Load up the RV check the battery and make this summer the one where you finally make it happen!
Battery Town
Also Check: How Long Electric Car Battery Last
Who Makes Car Batteries For Costco
Costco made an agreement with Interstate to sell their batteries but with a different warranty policy.
But who manufactures Costco Interstate Batteries?
Interstate automotive batteries are made at the Johnson Controls factory in Monterrey, Mexico. This is the primary producer of Interstate car batteries.
Cons Of Interstate Batteries
There are a few downsides to using Interstate batteries, and one of them is the complaint from most reviews, relaying that these batteries tend to expire before the stipulated warranties. Nevertheless, they still last long and duly serve their purposes compared to other options in the industry.
Again, some folks complain about the poor customer service from new staff. But, these staffs tend to learn more with time and treat their customers with high esteem as the firm has always done.
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What Causes Car Batteries To Go Bad
One of the primary battery killers is beyond any individual’s immediate control, and it was the same 20 or 30 years ago. That would be climate, or at least ambient temperatures. No battery, whether it’s AAA alkaline, mobile-phone lithium or 12-volt automotive, likes extremes in temperature. They don’t like subfreezing temperatures, and they like 100 F even less. Automotive batteries, whatever the type, are going to generally last longer in Portland, Oregon, than in Alaska or Phoenix.
The biggest controllable threat to your battery’s life is excessive discharge. If the battery charge level drops to the point where you need a jump to start your car, you’ve already done damage. Allow that to happen multiple times and your battery won’t be long for this world. Put another way, the shallower the average discharge, the longer a 12-volt battery will last. Automotive batteries of all types last longest if they consistently stay near a full charge. That’s one reason it’s hard to over-battery your car. The larger the reserve capacity, the smaller a given discharge is, relative to the total available energy.
Must Have Battery Accessories
A good battery charger/maintainer is essential for people whose batteries might sit for extended periods of time or be used in applications without an alternator or other form of generator, like for boats with trolling motors or in RV or other recreational uses.
Optima recently released two excellent models to do just that. These arent just basic trickle chargers either, they automatically monitor and adjust the voltage applied when charging depending on the charge level and battery health. With this capability, theyre able to charge dead batteries that more basic chargers cant revive.
Often other chargers will just have a 2v mode to revive deeply drained batteries, but sometimes that just wont cut it, and still requires you to monitor the battery to make sure its working correctly as it slowly charges. Otherwise, all they give you to go on for the status of the battery is a blinking light. Not very intuitive if you ask me.
Optima Digital 400 Charger:A 4-amp output charger with LCD display to give you information on the batterys health, current charge level, and charge rate. The 400 has a small =footprint and has a built-in hook/stand combo for easy use where it wont get in the way and allow for easy monitoring.
Read Also: Solid State Battery Vs Lithium
The Quality Of Costco Interstate Car Batteries
The same company manufactures Costco Interstate car batteries in the same factory as regular Interstate car batteries.
This will raise another question are Interstate car batteries good?
Regular Interstate car batteries are also reliable and good performers in any conditions and situation, with the excellent build quality.
This means both companies share the same build quality and performance for their car batteries.
The only thing that separates them is a different warranty policy for both companies.
How Can I Tell When My Interstate Battery Was Made
Fortunately, theres a simple way of checking when an Interstate battery was manufactured, which is helpful if youre in the process of buying a used cart.
Every Interstate battery is labeled with a code, and this is how to find and understand it with a 4 step process:
So, by working out the alphanumerical code printed on your Interstate battery, you can work out the month and the year it was manufactured, with B9, in this example, referring to a manufacture date of February 2019.
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What Is Acid Layering
The shortcomings of the traditional lead-acid battery design come into play with the issue of layering, also referred to as stratification. For example, suppose one of these batteries is subjected to a low voltage charge or drain. In that case, the sulfuric acid electrolyte can become poorly mixed with the water, leaving stratified layers of high and low concentration. As a result, the sulfuric acid settles at the bottom, leaving nothing but water up at the top.
The result of this process is sulfation. Sulfation is when lead sulfate crystallizes on the electrodes and blocks the conversion of lead sulfate back into the original lead, lead oxide, and sulfuric acid. As a result, the battery takes less and less charge over time. And because of the lower viable surface area on the cells, worse cold start performance.
With AGM batteries, acid layering is no longer possible. Instead, the electrolyte is suspended in the glass mat, bound with the electrode plates. This prevents degradation, makes the battery virtually spill proof, has higher charge acceptance, and lends itself to higher durability.