Some of the Walmart Everstart batteries have been pretty highly rated in Consumer Reports, and the price for the Everstart group-49 battery to fit the W123 diesels is attractive - BUT...
According to the date-stickers on the two group-49 Everstarts I recently checked in my local South Alexandria - Hybla Valley Walmart, they had been on the shelf for about two years!
I imagine the group-49 size isn't a real hot-seller most places. So check the date-stickers on whatever battery you pick.

Happy Motoring, Mark

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DrDKW

Wal-Mart here carried Exide stuff, or did around a year ago. I don't know what else to say. I see that they must have sold some JC units according to the article, and now sell 100% JC units, but as I have already stated, that announcement predates my last trip to look at Wal-Mart batteries. At the time, everything on the shelf that I saw was an Exide.I paid very close attention to the batteries because I was there due to an Internet rumour that they were selling JC batteries, but they were not. Maybe they were in other parts of the country. I must admit that I did not consider the possibility until now that they were selling batteries from both JC and Exide, and which store got what brand may have been determined by locality.

Back then, I shopped them for a Kia battery, primarily just to get a price and warranty terms so that I could demonstrate to my wife that the lowest price is not always the best value. I already knew then that Wal-Mart was not a place I wanted to buy a battery. *Ahem!* Wal-Mart always has the lowest price, but rarely, in my experience, do they ever have the best value.

Anyway, Wal-Mart can suck an egg. Three times I have bought a battery from them that needed to be warrantied, and three times they screwed me on the warranty. I don't much like those odds, and I think that's all it's going to take for me to learn my lesson. The last time it was explained to me, getting a fresh warranty battery there means you are on your own with no warranty from then on out. It didn't read that way to me, but that's what the store manager told me. That manager and I could not agree on what the fine print said, because we couldn't seem to meet in the same reality. (He wouldn't leave La-La Land, and for that matter, would never even read the print, as he was convinced that he knew exactly what it said word for word, though he refused to recite it.) The Security guys that followed me out had no opinion on the matter.

If it says anything, the Wal-mart locations here do not even stock group 49 batteries, so they are not an option for the 300D. Even if they did - and maybe it's regional - they want a receipt to perform a battery warranty exchange. No receipt, no warranty. I had heard it differently, too, but when it comes down to actually needing a battery replaced, they want to see it. Have a receipt that has turned either completely white or completely black? Again, no warranty. Maybe some Wal-Marts still know what customer service is, but I'd put money on finding a stray unicorn in my yard tomorrow before I'd put money on finding a Wal-Mart where customers aren't lied to.

No, I'd rather pay Autozone the $134.99 for the fresh battery with an 8 year warranty that I can make use of with nothing more than my phone number. No receipts. No Paternity tests. No hassle. No having to stand in line at Wal-Mart behind some lady that smells like an ashtray with seven kids, each of which is from a different "baby daddy," while she tries to return something for cash that she shoplifted half an hour ago and still have enough time to make it home in time to record Jerry Springer. (True story, and no, I don't think the police cared how badly she needed to press record on the VCR!)

I was glad to pay Autozone a premium for their DuraLast Gold battery For my little Saturn several years ago, my wife's Kia last year, my Mercedes three years ago, and again just recently when my warranted battery in the Mercedes sprung a leak for no apparent reason. (Five minutes in and out for a warranty replacement!) I know that if I have a battery go bad, when I get a new one, my 8 year warranty resets, and always will no matter how many times it may be replaced under warranty by Autozone. I know that even though I will occasionally encounter idiots manning the counter at Autozone, I will still get what I need, and I know that my batteries will be fresh. You get what you pay for.

Wal-Mart is good for entertainment, though. Any of you guys checked out the peopleofwalmart site?

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- K.C.Adams

'77 300D Euro Delivery
OM617 turbo / 4-speed swap
404 Milanbraun Metallic / 134 Dattel MB-Tex

Current status:
* Undergoing body work

My '77 300D progress thread

I haven't bought a battery in years except the Advance Auto Parts in-house brand... I think they refer to our heavy duty ones as "Titanium" but I'm not sure. They've always had a group 49 in stock when I needed it, the posts are on the correct side (In contrast to the Exide that I've got in my 240D; came with the car; the posts are situated back almost against the firewall (not touching, or I'd have a mobile arc welder) instead of out in the open like they should be), they have a few years replacement and 7 years prorated, and I've had excellent service life from them.

Used to be a diehard DieHard fan and then they got fairly mediocre. Used to use Deka because that's what the local little man parts store sells (I try to do business with him just to help him out anytime I can afford the wait while he orders the part and gets it "tomorrow") as did most of my family for years and years and years --- but lately they've gotten mediocre as well. I think you just can't get a battery like you used to no matter what you buy, but my latest loyalty is to those Advance ones until I get a reason to distrust them as well.

I've read all the advertising claims about Optimas and a few people on here swear by them I think, but... I'm old-fashioned and I'm not paying that for a battery in any case.

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~Michael S.~
Past cars:

1986 300SDL
1987 300SDL
1982 240D
1982 300SD


Current:

1987 300SDL

Location undoubtedly is a factor. I have three WalMart batteries in service at the moment. One is dated 2004, one 2006 and one 2009. All are clearly marked "Distributed by Johnson Controls Battery Group."

When I have had a warranty issue on a WalMart battery, I was issued a cash refund. I have found that the process is less problematic if I take the problem battery to the customer service counter during the hours that the auto department is not open. Again, policies may vary by location, as do the laws pertaining to warranties.

That said, I do agree that Autozone is the hands down winner when it comes to honoring their warranties without complaint. Even there, however, I was once told that there would be no warranty on a replacement part, which certainly seemed contrary to the stated policy. In any case, my warranty information for the subject part was manually removed from their computer when the replacement part was provided.

Last weekend I stopped in a Virginia Beach Sam's Club. FWIW, they had some group-49 Energizers for $88, made by Johnson Controls, with current (11/10) date stickers on the couple I looked at.

Happy Motoring, Mark

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DrDKW

Todays batteries seem to have strange habits. Kept in daily service they will last fairly well . Only interm usage seems to shorten their lifespan or has for me to a great degree.

They also seem to intensly like any form of deep discharge. It may still work well after but my feeling is the practical lifespan has been seriously comprimised.

The technology of the lead acid battery is far from new. Something in my opinion has been changed as many of todays problems did not seem as common when I was younger. It may have just been luck of the draw though.

About the only belief I have left. If a battery is going into storage for several months or longer. Charge the battery or top it off. Drain the acid and put it into a glass bottle. When you re introduce the acid all will be well.

Wear at least a full face shield, rubber gloves and old clothes when draining the batery upside down.

This is how the US navy can get fifteen to twenty years out of there batteries. Trickle charging and many types of storage varients have been pretty well total failures with the newer type batteries.

around here, at most the 49's are two months out... most are current month stickers. I guess we have more MB buyers than your part of the country...
or maybe it's just me buying them...

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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 560SL convertible
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
2005 Dodge Sprinter 2500 158"WB
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!