I am going to pick up my "new" 1997 Cherokee from the auction yard today.

I am bringing a new battery with me since the one in it is old, crusty and stone dead.


Yesterday, I shopped for a Group 34 battery. Here's what I found:

Wal Mart: $79.97 with a 36 month free replacement and then no proration warranty. If it fails in month 37, too bad for you.

Costco: $78.87 with a 30 month free replacement and then prorated through month 84.

Sam's Club: $74.88 with 36 month free replacement and then the 84 month prorate.

So, Sam's had the best price and also the best warranty.

 

Cool.

I went with an Optima red top. Got it for $125.

 

don't go for a bottom of the barrel battery - get at least the "gold" level on these trucks - they need a decent amount of juice to crank and power the electronics. My current one is a Duralast Gold from autozone - 36 month replacement, then prorated though month 96 (8 years)

 

Like Dukie said, don't skimp on a battery. You'll regret it. Buy the cheapest thing you can and I will almost guarantee that you'll be using that warranty, at least once.

Proration is ridiculous anyway. It's a discount towards a new battery with NO NEW WARRANTY.

I'll be going with a dry cell like Gee Oh Dee when the funds allow it, but I work at a battery store, so my prices are better then most consumers. ;]

 

The Sam's club one is 880 CCA and made by Johnson Controls.

Also, "Proration is ridiculous anyway. It's a discount towards a new battery with NO NEW WARRANTY. "

Not true.

At Sam's/Wal Mart The warranty starts over on the date on your replacement receipt or if you have no paperwork at all, they base it on the date sticker on the battery.
And sure, I'll take a 60%-70% discount on a new one if it fails after 3 years.

 

Try 30%, and if that's how they do their warranties, how do they ever sell new ones? Johnson Controls batteries are fine as long as their made at one of the American plants. Do any of the places maintain their batteries?

 

That is how it works, and yet somehow Wal-mart scratches out a meager profit.

 

89XJDan is correct - if the battery fails within the replacement period, they'll give you a new one free, but the free replacement period picks up where the other left off - so if it fails after 2 years, you'll get a new one, with a 1 year replacement warranty on that one. If the second one fails again in 3 years lets say, then you'll pay the pro-rated amount towards a new one, and the prorate warranty continues again.

The only time the warranty resets is is you don't file a warranty claim, and just cough up the money for a new battery

 

Pretty shure the jeeps are a 58 series too! I used to work at auto parts stores!

 

It depends on where u go. I manage a battery store and yes if it is a free replace ur current warrnty continues but any time u spend money on proration the warnty resets and come on there are only 3 major battery manufactours johnson control, exide and deka everything u see is one of them with the stores stickers on it

 

Nope, you need to buy your batteries somewhere else.

The new warranty starts when Sam's/Wal Mart hands you a new battery. That's why I have them in 8 cars.

 

I like NAPA and the Sears Diehard batteries.

I had a Sears Diehard Silver (mid-line choice) that I just replaced at 8.5 years. Not bad!

Went with a NAPA (mfg. by Deka). Good battery as well......

 

Walmart has changed this recently. The warranty was only supposed to be from the original purchase date, but they never kept track of it, until they started putting serial numbers on them last year.

The more expensive ones (maxx) are a 3 year free replacement and prorated for another couple years past that.

[edit] Figured I would mention that all the batteries at my walmart are currently from Johnson Controls, but the first couple characters in the serial number will tell you if they're Johnson Controls or Exide.

 

34 still fits in most. But you're right. I have a 34 in my Jeep.

 

I got a fresh battery the day I purchased my 98, went with a DieHard Platinum 34/78dt. Really helps keep the terminals clean looking especially with 00g upgraded/overkilled cables. The price & warranty and power is what tipped the scales vs the yellow tops.