Brian,

Battery warrenties have more to do with keeping you coming back to the store than they have to do with the durability of the battery. A 5 year battery is usually lucky to make 3 years. After they go out you take the battery and your receipt back to the store and they pro-rate the difference, usually about $9, and sell you a new battery. You are in the store, they are offering you some money, and you need a new battery so you buy a new 5 year battery from them. Three years later you are back in there and the cycle goes on.

Certainly there are super batteries out there but most mortal men can not afford them. If you realize that your battery is mostly only going to last 3 to 4 years and it is going to cost you about $10 a year then all this cost vs. life span vs. CCA is meaningless.

Well Kip, if this were true, then the battery manufacturers would simply provide cheap 5 year batteries and know full well that most of them will only last three years. This way, they can ensure that you come back to the store and they will have to prorate the final two years on the battery. This is senseless. If the battery manufacturers were to prorate every battery they sell, for two years on average, then they would all be out of business.

They set a warranty based upon what a typical battery is expected to last under "typical conditions". If you take reasonable care of their battery and do not fully discharge it, there is every likelyhood that the battery will go the distance. In fact, most of the batteries that I have owned went slightly beyond the warranty period. So, the manufacturer did not get the benefit of me returning for my $9.00.

All other factors being equal, the warranty clearly tells you what the manufacturer believes the durability of the battery is. They do not want you coming back with a warranty claim, without a doubt.

Thursday I bought an auto zone battery to replace my interstate the interstate was a little heavier and the auto zone battery was all I could afford, but with the warranty I’ll keep it.
It was $70 after tax here in FLA, and I think it was 8 years prorated 2-year free replacement.

The guy at the auto shop did not provide enough information..... They've got hand-held electronic diagnostic tools that can tell exactly how many amps the battery is putting out both under load with headlights on and while idling with no lights on. The same instrument can also tell exactly how many volts your alternator is producing both at idling speed or at high rpm's.

For example, when my alternator died at about 140k miles I was driving the car on battery power alone for nearly a week - generally getting about 3 days of juice from each of two out-of-car battery charges driven at daylight hours without using headlights, radio, A/C etc.

I had it checked professionally using the instrument mentioned above. My mechanic who knows how to check batteries and electrics told me the battery was producing slightly more than 500 amps whereas it should be kickin at about 900 amps or better...... understandably it was low because it was the 2nd day on my first 3 day charge. Batteries lose amps under load when they run low.

Then he told me the alternator and/or regulator were toast - measuring at only 12.3 volts.

Bottom line - after replacing the regulator I found it didnt help. With a new alternator the battery quickly charged at/near full capacity on an hour and half, back country leisurely trip to the rifle range.

Have you had the battery completely charged since your rock'n roll, hoops-shooting daughter drained it?? And what the hell do you mean by the car not speakin?? C'mon man, take some diagnostic measures like see if the headlights dim, the starter motor clicks or something.

My advice to you is get the existing battery professionally charged out of the car instead of relying on a possibly weak alternator and/or regulator to completely charge the battery. Then find a competent mechanic who can measure battery amps and alternator volts... then get back to us on this thread with specific readings and/or symptoms of what you've got.

has anyone ever thought of trying this?

Hello,
My 300d has an AUTOZONE group 49 and I like it. Last winter was very COLD. When my glowplugs were acting up, I went to autozone and b-tched my -ss off for over half an hour. The manager kept saying NO, the battery is good......I kept saying that I DRIVE A DIESEL.....you know the deal......FINALLY, he got the regional manager on the phone........After 10 MORE minutes of my b-tching...............NEW BATTERY. The old one was 2 years old. Actually, I had damaged 2 of my glowplugs from REPEATED attempts to start at -5F last winter. I was at "THE RED LION INN" in Sturbridge, Mass. (in business since the mid 1700's) AND HAD THE DIESEL STRATEGICALLY parked in a saved spot with an extension cord for the BLOCK HEATER..............However, my block heater plug near the radiator had a SHORT in the wire just before the connector...........This was NOT realised until after testing the outlet etc. with the complimentary hairdryer. The hairdryer was alos used in a FUTILE attempt at starting withe the glow plug control RELAY DISCONNECTED and STARTER FLUID (ETHER) used. Fortunately, I keep a COMMERCIAL jumper pack in the trunk in winter months. This allowed MORE cranking..........NADA......TOO COLD....especially with 15/40 dino. I fully expected to have NO trouble....D-MN short.
The maintinence man got me a NEW COMMERCIAL AC connector.....Attatchment was difficult after 2.5 hours on a Sunday HOLIDAY morning...........COLD FINGERS...........NEW PLUG installed
4 hours later, one shot of ETHER, somewhat warmed oil, a jump from the maintinance pick up and compression/ FIRE!
By the way, I was able to RECHARGE the battery jumper pack by connecting the the pick up truck battery for 10 minutes or so.
Drove all day and even would SHUT THE CAR OFF.........That B-TCH would fire quickly, even with the 2 dead glow plugs.
5 new BOSCH glowplugs later..............smooth firings.
So let that be a lesson to any of y'all.........check for shorts in the BLOCK HEATER wiring early in the season...........Apartment living without a garage requires being creative with the long extension cord out the window. With 2 diesels....especially creative. The car WAS HEATING FINE via the BLOCK HEATER before this trip............who woudda thunk?
Best wished always, and prepare for WINTER early.
spo out

Tangent,

You got the best buy on a battery for your MB. I have been using AutoZone batteries for years and never had one fail. I had 3 Excide batteries and they all failed.

I also had a PepBoys battery that went bad. They would not honor the warranty because I lost the paperwork. All you need at AutoZone for a warranty replacement is your phone number.

P E H

battery check
 

Ddog, the starter does click when trying to start so there is some juice going to the starter. I'm going to run it by my mb repair shop on tuesday. I'll know more then.

Check this out and have a good laugh!
 

Enjoy... this was the interesting discovery/experience I had today!

Aaron

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/139206-what-powered-my-300sdl.html#post1033326

Sears Diehard 700cca bought two yesterday. 190.00. 3 year unconditional warranty +100 moth pro rated thereafter. I thought it was a good deal. I hate batteries.

Get an Optima Yellow Top these are the best batteries for diesels, It never leaks acid and has plenty of power. This is the best battery you can buy. PERIOD.

Where to find a REALLY GOOD battery?
 

Where to find a REALLY GOOD battery?
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/91924-where-find-really-good-battery.html#post610038


Have a great day.

Where get Optima yellow for MB diesel?
 

If Optima yellow top is best battery for our diesels (and they have incredible reserve as well as CCA), what size? I don't believe Optima makes a Group 49.

The Optima batteries I have seen cost twice as much as an AutoZone group 49. Since the warranty is about the same for the 2 batteries, I would expect the life to be about the same.

The AutoZone batteries have served me well starting my Diesels, so I will stick with them.

P E H

I agree with PEH.

Why search around and pay more money for a battery when the Duralast group 49 battery from AutoZone has an 84 month warranty and will do a fine job in starting any diesel.

Should you decide to change the battery at 60 months (a wise move), you are way ahead of the game versus paying $110. for an Optima that may go longer than 60 months............but may not.