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Cheapy Battery OK?

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Old May 28, 2006 | 05:51 PM
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Default Cheapy Battery OK?

So before I picked my car up the dealer decided that my battery needed to be replaced, the car had been sitting and it was totally dead and they decided that I should take the car home with a new one. So they threw in a cheapy napa gold battery. Ive always spent good coin on batteries so my first instinct was to rip it out and get a decent one...but is there any reason to? Never had any problem with it in the last month...it charges at about 14 volts...I thought that's high, but thats been consistent...

So please..share your opinions!
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Old May 28, 2006 | 05:59 PM
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There is no point in replacing it now. Just because it is a "cheapie" doesn't mean it won't do what it is supposed to. It just won't do it for as long.
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Old May 28, 2006 | 06:47 PM
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I"ve heard that some Napa battires are OK, don't know which ones though. I'd say just keep an eye ball on it for leaks.

Last edited by 87SAM; May 28, 2006 at 07:18 PM.
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Old May 28, 2006 | 06:52 PM
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Is it a side post or top post battery.
The thing to watch for is leaks on the side posts because of over torquing the terminal bolts.
They should only be torqued to 11 ft-lbs.

Otherwise the Napa battery will be just fine.
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Old Jun 1, 2006 | 01:02 PM
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Cheap batterys are ok if they dont leak.Whud suggest not trying to take it to the limit though.When they start to get old & sulfation begins they will eat up everything in site.My s-10 gets all my vette rejects.Another good reason to by american.....Napa is all american too.
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Old Jun 1, 2006 | 01:27 PM
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If you realise that half of the brains of the car are located right under the battery, personally I would not put a cheap battery in my car... cheap batteries have less quality control, the percentage of failure is much higher, chances for leaking , total cell destruction or a potential to explode.. A High quality gel type battery is the best replacement.. The battery could be fine, but I would not chance a cheap battery.
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Old Jun 1, 2006 | 01:40 PM
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If you have to ask the question, then you probably already know the answer. It sounds like you would feel much better knowing that you have an AC Delco battery in your Corvette.
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Old Jun 1, 2006 | 02:01 PM
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Originally Posted by Evil-Twin
If you realise that half of the brains of the car are located right under the battery, personally I would not put a cheap battery in my car... cheap batteries have less quality control, the percentage of failure is much higher, chances for leaking , total cell destruction or a potential to explode.. A High quality gel type battery is the best replacement.. The battery could be fine, but I would not chance a cheap battery.
Haven't used a large gel battery before, but AGMs are pretty hard to bust too.
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Old Jun 1, 2006 | 03:03 PM
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If it's going to be a cheapy, Napa ain't so bad. I have had good luck with their products although I typically buy branded or OEM. I'll bet it's at least as good as comparable branded batteries.
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Old Jun 1, 2006 | 03:13 PM
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Chances are the NAPA battery is msde by the same company that makes the Delco branded battery.
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Old Jun 1, 2006 | 03:36 PM
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Just about every battery made is manufactured by Johnson Controls. Excluding the gel cell and spiral cell - they're all the same with different color cases.

ET makes a good point about a regular battery vs. a gel cell/mat style due to their excellent electrolite control.
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Old Jun 1, 2006 | 03:42 PM
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Like ET said, personally I wouldn't scrimp on the battery - sure wouldn't want it to leak and damage some vital components on the car.
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Old Jun 1, 2006 | 05:51 PM
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NAPA Gold is NAPA's high end battery made by Excide. I still prefer a AGM Battery because of the Brains of the Vette being under the battery. IMO
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Old Jun 1, 2006 | 05:59 PM
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Originally Posted by BELVIN20
NAPA Gold is NAPA's high end battery made by Excide. I still prefer a AGM Battery because of the Brains of the Vette being under the battery. IMO
Exide would have been my guess here too. Exide is a huge battery manufacturer and has been for years. They private label for a number of people, some high quality and some el-cheapos. NAPA's Gold series has a pretty decent reputation. Me? I like my Optima red top.

Markss: As far as I know, Delco has been making their own batteries for a very long time and they are not manufactured by another company for them.
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Old Jun 1, 2006 | 06:53 PM
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Originally Posted by BELVIN20
NAPA Gold is NAPA's high end battery made by Excide. I still prefer a AGM Battery because of the Brains of the Vette being under the battery. IMO
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Old Jun 1, 2006 | 07:59 PM
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Originally Posted by mirrorfinishman
If you have to ask the question, then you probably already know the answer. It sounds like you would feel much better knowing that you have an AC Delco battery in your Corvette.


I've had a leaker and a dead AC Delco

No way another AC D goes near the Vert
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Old Jun 1, 2006 | 08:56 PM
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Only issue I've seen with the gel cells that makes me lean to AGMs is that they are often kinda wimpy for their size. Apparently the gelling agent they pour in there has a high internal resistance.
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Old Jun 1, 2006 | 10:30 PM
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Although I have an Optima, I would be happy with a NAPA Gold provided it was a top post. I wouldn't feel comfortable with a side terminal conventional battery.
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Old Jun 1, 2006 | 10:53 PM
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I own a NapaAuto repair center and we sell a lot of these battery's with very little problems. They are made by Excide battery's and have a nation wide warranty. rest of sure you have a top of the line battery. As for the different in Delco and NapaGold you have the better of the two.
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Old Jun 2, 2006 | 03:38 AM
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what would be required to change to top posts from side posts?
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