New AGM H8 battery for W124 E300 for $133 all in!
 

The Autocraft Gold (flooded cell type) from Advance Auto in my '95 E300 Diesel lasted 9 years in Ohio! It lasted while the car was stored outside for several winters for 4 months at a time. One winter saw 2-3 days where it did not get above -10F. The car otherwise saw regular use during hot summers.

It died when I left the dome light on when putting it in inside storage for winter back in last October.

Given that lifespan of this battery, I decided to get another Autocraft battery from Advance Auto. I decided to get the AGM style battery this time (same battery as specified for the W211 E320 CDI). Both the gold (flooded cell ) and Platinum (AGM) in H8 size fit (most of our MBs take the h8 size). Both types are made in Germany so...I wonder if they are from same supplier that makes them for MB??

Wonder how the AGM will last compared to the flooded cell? With the AGM you get the benefit of no maintenance, no acid gassing and less discharge while sitting for longer periods of time. If I get another 9 years in OH, I will be happy :-)

I ended up paying about $133 after a 20% off on-line coupon, using a speedperks award of $20 I had from my last purchase, and Ebates refund. This is all in including tax!

I got another $20 speedperks for the purchase which is good for 6 months so I consider the coupon a wash in total cost (spent one and got one).

FYI: The Gold Autocraft version would have been $35 less so....if you use some of these same saving strategies, I am guessing you might be able to get it for just under $100 including tax!

If you do not already an Advance Auto speedperks member, you can join here and save $30 off your first purchase: Speedperks

Ebates gives you 4% back just by shopping through their site. You can sign up for eBates here and get another $10 back too: Ebates

Hope this post helps some other MB Diesel owner save some money the next time they need a battery.

On a typical day, one can save an additional 25% off regular prices (sometimes more) by ordering from Advance Auto online and using a discount code. (The discount is applied to the post-Speedperks balance and does not apply to sale prices.)

I am guessing that you are NOT an accountant. (It would only be a wash if it cost $20 to receive the $20 coupon, which is not the case.)

TopCashback is currently kicking back 8% for Advance Auto.

Thanks for the clarification. Yes, online, you can typically get 20-25% off using a coupon. It really is beneficial to buy online and pick the order up at the store (or have it shipped). You do not get the coupon savings in person at the store. I guess they figure if you walk into the store without an order already, you are more likely to pay a higher price.

My local store actually asked me to stop ordering online. They offered to give me the discount at the counter. It seems that the store employees don't get the same "benefits" from online purchases as they do from in-store purchases.

My store told me they were not able to match the price online.

Notwithstanding the discount, online prices and store prices are generally the same. Maybe they meant that they could not match the online prices of other vendors. In any case, my observations suggest that some Advance employees have a lot of discretion when it come to price. For example, when there is a warranty issue with an online order, they refund the original purchase and require the customer to repurchase the part in store. In my experience, they have always matched the original price for the replacement part.

Prices are the same but the discount is not the same. The 20-25% that they run online is not applicable in store usually. I think this is a poor policy as I like to be able to go into the store to make my purchases.

I dunno how it affects their budgeting or whatever, but the point of the online order discount is to incentivize online orders and reduce the customer service requirement at the brick&mortar.

As for AGM battery prices. I got a Bosch AGM from PepBoys for just under $160 out the door with online discount plus a $30 rebate I didn't know existed til I went to pick it up, so about $130 all in. FWIW, this was not an H8 or compatible battery. Not sure how that price compares or availability of current discounts/rebates, so YMMV.

At Advance, an online order with in-store pick-up would seem to significantly increase the store workload. The order gets "picked" by a store employee instead of being picked by the customer.

The batteries can't be shipped hence the in-store pick-up requirement. On a lot of other parts, Advance Auto sometimes includes free shipping.

I think it may be worth paying an extra $30 for the AGM batteries given the potential benefits and lower discharge rate especially if you have many vehicles as some of use do which may result in long periods of non-use. Jay Leno says he now uses AGM batteries in his collection of cars.

Still, for under a $100, the traditional flooded cell H8 Autocraft from Advance Auto is a good buy too! Given I got 9 years of use out of the last one I had in OH, that indicates they last!

Fact is, AGM batteries can be shipped.

Note the "Ship to Home" option:

https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/autocraft-platinum-agm-battery-group-size-h8-900-cca-h8-agm/10210828-P?navigationPath=L1*14920%7CL2*15000%7CL3*15597

For things like oil and wiper blades, sure, but we've all stood at a parts store counter while the guy behind the screen takes forever to look up whatever it is we need as the line builds up. Being an auto parts sales associate requires a certain general understanding of basic mechanics that is not necessary for parts pickers who only need to able to read a SKU. This is a job that can be more easily automated.

When I checked out, it did not give a shipping option even for the AGM. If you pick up in store, you also get the benefit of picking a battery with the newest production (per the sticker on the side of battery) and you can have the battery installed if you want to for most of our vehicles.

Advanxe Auto / Car Quest H8 Batteries
 

? Where's the discount you alls mention ? .

I looked and got this :

Regular Price
$194.99
Core charge (refundable)
+$22.00
Regular Price Plus Core
$216.99

Looks like I can order it and pick it up in Burbank, Ca, not too
far away .

I'd like to try an AGM H8 battery the next time but TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS ?! :eek: .

Some of us here are Blue Collar types......

I bought a 000-982-33-08 in January at my MB dealer for $155 out the door with my MBCA discount. Core charge not included in this, I swapped him the dead one over the counter in the same transaction.