Trick lookin or cool lookin dont make it any better. The battery box is not that small to keep it from ratteling around. Good thing it`s only jelley and not liquid acid.

 

I know. Luckily it's good all by itself, and the cool looks are just a bonus.

 

AFAIK GM still manufactures Delco batteries in house and only manufactures "Delco" brand batteries, but it's been awhile since I've heard anything new on this front. They've never manufactured batteries for any other brand names.

The only other car battery manufacturers in North Amercia are Johnson Contols and Exide including the Exide-Yuasa joint venture. Johnson Controls does not offer batteries under their corporate name, however, they manufacture Optima batteries, which is a brand they own, and they manufacture most of the brand names you will run across in parts stores for customers who own those brand names.

Exide manufactures under their own name, subbrands, and also for other brands.

The clue as to whether a common lead acid battery was manufactured by Johnson Controls or Exide is the difference in case design details. Within the brands that each manufactures, the only real difference is the stick-on labels. And AFAIK the only difference between different warranty periods - 60, 72, 84 months,...whatever - is the price. A longer warranty period is essentially just a priced in "service contract", and you are usually better off buying the least expensive, lowest warranty period battery in the size group, especially if you understand how to maintain a battery to achieve maximum life.

If you want to "get smart" on automotive batteries, do some surfing on the following two sites.

www.johnsoncontrols.com

www.exide.com

from SWCDUKE

 

There are a LOT of batteries coming in from Korea these days. Can you say "Let's make them there and avoid EPA?". Even the big name guys.


There are differences in batteries. But they are subtle. For many years the trademark difference in a Delco was that each plate was placed in a plastic *baggie* that had holes to allow acid through. But the baggies would catch the flakes that inevitably fall off all battery plates during normal use. Those flakes pile up at bottom and cause a short between plates. That one trick made Delco's last a lot longer. There was a time when WalMart batteries were made by them. You could pull up the sticker and find the *Delco eye*.

There are also advantages of some others. You will find the better ones have a pad laid in bottom of case that supports plates to keep them from breaking in rough use.

The biggest difference is marketing. First...for a given case size..the only way to get more cold cranking amps is to make the plates thinner so you get more in there. That causes them to fail earlier. But people always go for the more CCA..often a bad mistake.

You also need to closely look at CCA ratings. These ratings are supposed to be at *0* degrees. What you will find is that many these days are advertising CCA at 32*..so they can advertise a higher rating and you think you're buying a comparable battery. Read the details!


Delco hasn't made any batteries in years...went to Delphi for awhile and they were subcontracting it out too.

Just get the best price on whatever size you really need. Don't overpay for warranty. Throw them on a scale and see how much difference there is between the 84 mo one and the 48 month one. You're jjust buying upfront warranty. Probably better to just buy a new battery every couple of years if you worry about them.

Deep Cycle batteries usually have a shorter life span too.

The Gel and Coil types are cool..but there are some interesting charging characteristics about them when you read up on them. But if you're going off road or doing violent stuff...they have their place.


JIM

 

In the late 70s & 80s a Delco Freedom would typically last 5 years.

The Optima Red top seem very good.

 

Did someone say Johnson Control makes Optima?

 

D_b why the yellow top and not the red? Isn't the red a car battery, the yellow an RV battery and the blue for boats.

 

Yellow is just as much of a car battery, it's just a deep cell that can recharge like a car battery with no ill effects on life. I spoke with a guy from Optima about a year ago, and anyone that has high system voltage needs could go with a Yellow top. Now, my situation was a little different since I have a big stereo, electric fans, auxiliary lights...blah blah...

For a stock Vette with stock needs...a Red top is fine.