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Consumer Reports November 2011 Battery Tests

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    Consumer Reports November 2011 Battery Tests

    Reported in the November 2011 issue of Consumer Reports (CR) magazine.

    CR believes the most important characteristic of a battery is longevity, so their ratings emphasize life-test results more than reserve capacity or cold-cranking performance. To evaluate battery life, CR tests involve partially draining and recharging each battery 3,000 times. The best performers in that test are able to maintain higher voltages and withstand more drain and recharge cycles than the others.

    The reserve-capacity test measures how long a battery can supply power if the charging system fails or the lights are left on.

    The cold-cranking-amps (CCA) is the main indicator of how a battery will perform when starting in cold climates and is a measure of battery current available at 0* F.

    Although CR tested a number of battery groups, only those in BCI Group 35 will be listed as this is the correct type for Proteges and 3s. In this group no Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM) batteries were tested, only conventional flooded-electrode types. In the table below, batteries are listed in order of performance from the top rated down. Although CR listed 14 batteries in this category, only the top 10 will be listed as those falling below were not recommended for consideration by CR.

    BCI Group 35
    1. Bosch
    Premium Power 35-640B [5]
    2. EverStart Maxx-35N (North) [6]
    3. Duralast Gold 35-DLG [3]
    4. Kirkland Signature 12865 [4]
    5. NAPA Legend premium 8435 [7]
    6. Plus Start 50235 [1]
    7. EverStart Maxx-35S (South) [6]
    8. DieHard Gold 50535 (South) [1]
    9. Autocraft Gold 35-2 [8]
    10. DieHard 50435 [1]

    [1] At Sears and Kmart only. [3] At Auto Zone only. [4] At Costco only. [5] At Pep Boys only. [6] At Walmart only. [7] At NAPA only. [8] At Advance Auto Parts only.

    CR emphasizes the importance of buying a fresh model as batteries lose their strength over time, even sitting on a store shelf. Look for a shipping code printed on the case. The code can be a letter for the month (A for January) and a number for the year (11 for 2011). Try to get a battery that's no more than 6-months old.

    Happy Motoring!
    02 DX Millenium Red - The Penultimate Driving Machine
    MP3 Strut Tower Bar kit; Cusco Front Lower Arm Tie Bar
    MSP Springs, Struts, Stabilizer Bars, Trailing Links, #3 Engine Mount
    Kartboy Stabilizer Bar Bushings; Nyloil Shifter Bushings; Red Line MT-90 Gear Oil
    MP3 Shifter, Knob and Aluminum Pedal Set
    Suvlights HD Wiring Harness; Osram Night Breaker H4 Bulbs; Exide Edge AGM Battery
    Summer: 5Zigen FN01R-C 16 x 7" Wheels; Yoko S.drive 205/45-16s
    Winter: Enkei OR52 16 x 7" Wheels; Falken Ziex ZE-912 205/45-16s
    Modified OEM Air Intake; Racing Beat Exhaust System; Techna-Fit SS Clutch Line
    Denso SKJ16CR-L11 Extended Tip Spark Plugs; Magnecor Wires
    Power Slot Front Brake Rotors; Techna-Fit SS Brake Lines; Hawk HPS Pads
    Red Line Synthetic Engine Oil; C/S Aluminum Oil Cap
    Cyberdyne Digital Gauges: Tach; Ambient Air Temp; Voltmeter

    #2
    Les Schwab isn't even on the list. Darn scammers anyway. I've found NAPA to be a nice compromise between $ and CCA. I'm glad to see they rate well on the list for reliance over time.

    Great information.
    1991 Protege LX with GTX swap, DD
    1990 4WD Protege with GTX swap, Project/garage decoration
    2006 Mazda 3 with 2.3, Her car
    1980 Ford F100 Short bed with 300ci 6 cylinder, work truck/home for moss

    Comment


      #3
      napa is pretty good and they also carry a good warranty .. when it comes to batteries i always go over board... i modified the battery tray a bit to fit a 1000cca napa premium battery . even at -40 the 323 always starts first crank..

      Comment


        #4
        I totally agree! It is important to buy a fresh model of batteries for their strength over time. We all have perceptions and ideas about vehicle brands. The best car brands today can be counted on your fingers and these are the brands that consistently deliver a blend of performance, safety and prestige with each and every model that they release. A survey last week revealed that most car purchasers today see little difference between major makes and models. All are manufactured for safety, efficiency, and power. Therefore, they all preform equally well in the public's eye. Article source: Consumers see little difference in car brands

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