funny thing is, almost every battery mentioned in this thread so far is manufactured by Johnson Controls.

- American Hardware
- Ames
- DieHard
- DuraLast
- Energizer
- Equalizer
- Eveready
- Evercycle
- (some) EverStart
- (some) Firestone
- (some) Globe-Union
- Honda
- Hoppecke
- Inspira [AGM]
- Interstate
- Kirkland Signature (Costco)
- Madza
- Mitsubishi
- Motorcraft
- Optima
- Power Connection
- Battery Alliance
- LTH
- ProStart
- Sentry
- (some) Tough One
- Triathlon
- TrueStart
- Varta [automotive] (pending acquisition)

http://www.uuhome.de/william.darden/batbrand.htm
http://www.uuhome.de/william.darden/

Johnson Controls Inc., http://www.jci.com/bg and http://www.autobatteries.com/

now, of course this does not take into consideration that different companies (i.e. Sears or Costco or AutoZone) have JCI make their batteries to different specs (DieHard > Kirkland > DuraLast, etc.).

in my opinion, just pick a battery in your price range from the brand list above, and know that a $60 battery (DuraLast) is probably not going to outlast a $110 battery (Interstate).