WALLYWORLD now carries both type 49 batteries - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

vstech · #1 07-28-2009, 10:08 AM

not bad prices, I've not bought any from them, but they carry both styles, the black and the white with the integrated handles...
I'm just sayin'

Jeremy5848 · #2 07-28-2009, 11:24 AM

Good to know. Any idea who makes them? There are supposed to be only a couple of battery mfrs in the country. They put on whatever "house brand" label that you want. It would be interesting to have a spy in such a factory, get the inside poop on whether any of the batteries are really made better than others.

TX76513 · #3 07-28-2009, 11:33 AM

The majority of car batteries are created by 3 manufacturers - Delphi, Exide and Johnson Controls Industries. Delphi makes some EverStart models sold in Walmart and ACDelco. Johnson Control Industries makes Duralast seen in Autozone stores, Diehard - sold in Sears, Kirkland - the Costco brand, Motorcraft - which Ford sells, some of the EverStarts, and Interstate. Exide makes Exide batteries, Champion, Napa and even a % of the EverStart batteries

-US Retailers Asoc.

mytimeyet · #4 07-28-2009, 12:03 PM

I just got one last week! It has a Johnson Controls stamp on it.

kingdoc1 · #5 07-28-2009, 12:24 PM

Johnson Controls makes the Everstart batteries sold at Walmart. Ever since they started making them, I have used them in all my vehicles.

Diehards used to be manufactured by Johnson Controls, back when they used to last --remember? I was employed at Sears Auto Center when they switched manufacturers. The quality went way down when Exide started making them, and Sears lost alot of loyal Diehard battery customers. Exide also makes Autozone's batteries.

IMO the Everstart batteries are among the best values on the market today as far as automotive batteries goes.

Brandon_SLC · #6 07-28-2009, 02:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kingdoc1

Diehards used to be manufactured by Johnson Controls, back when they used to last --remember?

When was that? A friend of mine bought a Die-Hard in the mid 80s and had nothing but problems. Since every time he went in to get his battery checked, (sometimes on a tow truck he had to pay for.) they inspected the whole car and often recommended hundreds of dollars in repairs, I assumed it was a scam. They sometimes kept his car all day, which sometimes forced him to come get it the next day. I decided way back then, that I would never buy one. Looked like a scam to me.

Then, fast forward to 1996. My mom bought a Lexus that had just had a brand new Sears Diehard put in it. In 1 month it was dead. Her experiences at Sears were much the same as my friend had had 10 years earlier. They kept charging or replacing her battery, only to have it go dead in a few days to a few months.

I'm not sure who built Autozone Batteries in the 90's but I had 2 of them last me 6 to 7 years. They were their top of the line, gold series. I still use them, but their longevity is much shorter these days. I keep getting new batteries from them for $10 to $20 bucks. But they don't try to sell me un-needed services every-time I go in.

I'd like to go back to a battery that will last 6 or 7 years, and start my car when it's sat outside overnight when it's 20 below zero F. While I had that first AZ battery I left my car at the airport for 2 1/2 months, and when I returned, it started right up! I was so sure I would need a jump start, that I had already inquired from the shuttle driver, how to get one.

kingdoc1 · #7 07-28-2009, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brandon_SLC

When was that? A friend of mine bought a Die-Hard in the mid 80s and had nothing but problems. Since every time he went in to get his battery checked, (sometimes on a tow truck he had to pay for.) they inspected the whole car and often recommended hundreds of dollars in repairs, I assumed it was a scam. They sometimes kept his car all day, which sometimes forced him to come get it the next day. I decided way back then, that I would never buy one. Looked like a scam to me.

Then, fast forward to 1996. My mom bought a Lexus that had just had a brand new Sears Diehard put in it. In 1 month it was dead. Her experiences at Sears were much the same as my friend had had 10 years earlier. They kept charging or replacing her battery, only to have it go dead in a few days to a few months.

I'm not sure who built Autozone Batteries in the 90's but I had 2 of them last me 6 to 7 years. They were their top of the line, gold series. I still use them, but their longevity is much shorter these days. I keep getting new batteries from them for $10 to $20 bucks. But they don't try to sell me un-needed services every-time I go in.

I'd like to go back to a battery that will last 6 or 7 years, and start my car when it's sat outside overnight when it's 20 below zero F. While I had that first AZ battery I left my car at the airport for 2 1/2 months, and when I returned, it started right up! I was so sure I would need a jump start, that I had already inquired from the shuttle driver, how to get one.

Brandon,
1996-1997 was about the time Sears switched from Johnson Controls to Exide, and about the time angry customers started flooding in with battery problems. I can remember several times pulling a new battery off the rack to replace a customer's defective battery, only to find the new battery failed a load test immediately. Reportedly, the switch of manufacturers occured because Johnson Controls told Sears they were going to have to increase their prices slightly, and Sears didn't want to pay, so they switched to Exide.
Remember, the average expected life of a car battery is 3 years. Because of varying conditions and temperatures, some batteries last a little longer than others. If you get three years out of a battery, consider it normal. Also remember, some cars, (including MB) have electrical equipment that cause a small but constant electrical drain on the battery(the clock). If a battery is not maintained in a fully charged state, sulfate will build up on the plates and reduce it's capacity. One of the small solar maintainers like Harbor Freight sells can help by constantly trickle-charging your battery any time the car is sitting and the sun is shining.

Brandon_SLC · #8 07-28-2009, 06:40 PM

Sears must have done the same thing in the 80s. The same thing described by Kingdoc1 happened then as well. That is taking a battery from a new shipment, straight off the pallet and finding it defective. It would not surprise me at all to find ouot Sears has switched manufacturers at many times in the past.

Costco used to sell batteries labeled Eveready.

I was just at Costco. I asked one of the guys in the tire department who made their batteries, and he said Johnson controls. They also had a few Optimas, both yellow and blue.

I am really not trying to be argumentative, but....

That first Duralast Gold I bought lasted 7 years, 6 of which were in Hellacious climates. I went to School in Logan Utah, where below Zero nights are the norm during mid winter, but I spent the summers working in Arizona. Of course, the car went back and forth with me. The one + is, that my battery was always well charged, from daily driving, so the Sulfate issue would not apply.

I know temperature is a factor. I've heard lots of stories of Audis that have the battery under the back seat having long lived batteries. They are well protected from temperature extremes.

barry123400 · #9 07-28-2009, 08:08 PM

Well canadian tire up in canada has type 49 batteries on their shelves now. For 9.00 more I got a free replacement clause with no pro rating just last week. I figure I will get one free battery at some point.

Of course marketing being what it is I would be lucky to get the second replacement if required in the initial nine years. Yet would still try if the second one failed in the nine year period.

zeke · #10 07-29-2009, 11:32 AM

Well, looks like I need a new battery in the 240D - what is the difference between the black and white types mentioned?

lupin..the..3rd · #11 07-29-2009, 11:50 AM

I'm always hesitant to buy anything from wal-mart. how do you think they sell these things for such low prices? wal-mart makes deals with the big manufacturers to create special "wal-mart only" models of products that have less features and/or lesser build quality, so they can sell it at a lower price than their competitors who sell the "normal" version of the same product. classic bait-n-switch.

lonewolftek · #12 07-29-2009, 04:35 PM

I may have to go see what kind of prices Wally-World has on type 49's. I'm trying a BatteryMinder to bring my old, discharged, sulfated battery back from the dead, but I may go get another if the price is right. I don't have high hopes, since I had to add almost half a gallon of distilled water to bring the level over the plates.

I might go nuts and spend the $$$ on a Deka AGM battery....

Rafi · #13 07-29-2009, 05:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by barry123400

Well canadian tire up in canada has type 49 batteries on their shelves now. For 9.00 more I got a free replacement clause with no pro rating just last week. I figure I will get one free battery at some point.

Of course marketing being what it is I would be lucky to get the second replacement if required in the initial nine years. Yet would still try if the second one failed in the nine year period.

Or they go bankrupt.

TheDon · #14 07-29-2009, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zeke

Well, looks like I need a new battery in the 240D - what is the difference between the black and white types mentioned?

dunno, my mercedes battery is white.. maybe for the poseurs out there.

kingdoc1 · #15 07-29-2009, 05:49 PM

Judging from my own personal experience, I would personally recommend batteries made by Johnson Controls over the other brands.

That being said, I know that there are some who have experienced the unusual good luck of having a battery last 6-7 years, but just remember, that is not the norm. If a properly maintained battery(of any brand) lasts 3 years, that is the normal life expectancy, and I would be happy with it.