After a rash of car battery questions tonight it got me wondering. I know that the average life span of a lead-acid battery is 2-4 years depending on the quality of the battery (at Advance Auto Parts we used to say that after three years, replace at the first sign of trouble).
But I have no idea the average life of the AGM batteries. Are they longer than Lead Acid?
Robert M
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The best ones are probably the Ultima battery, which uses a charging gel. THe truth is that your car dealership actually has the BEST battery for you. THe O.E.M. batteries will usually last the longest. THe factory (OEM) last at least 5 years. Aftermarket batteries are usually a compromise to save money. The DEKA battery is a VERY good replacement. Try to get a battery that has actual battery cell caps instead of a so-called "maintenance free" battery. This is just another phrase for "cheaper to manufacture!"
Anonymous
Really there's only like a couple companies that make batteries and they're just distributed and branded differently. Johnson Controls is one and they make the Optima batteries and I forgot the other. There's growing smaller companies in the market but the big ones like Interstate, Autocraft, Duralast, Diehard and even Everstart are one in the same. The only thing that matters to the lifespan of a battery is how you treat it. Brand has nothing to do with it.