One trick I learned at the Interstate distributor where I bought a genuine Mercedes H8 AGM battery for $40 was to shake the battery. I did not believe him when he told me the $40 battery is an AGM battery. He shook his battery and there was no liquid sloshing sound. He then shook my core, an AC Delco lead acid H8 and I heard the splashing.

They called it a Mercedes dealer "take off" as I recall and not a "blemish". They told me Interstate provides batteries for Mercedes in the US, batteries rejected by Mercedes for whatever reason are returned to Interstate. 10% of those returns after being tested are found to have nothing wrong with them and are sold at a great discount.

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85 300D turbo pristine w 157k when purchased 167,870 July 2025
83 300 D turbo 297K runs great. SOLD!
83 240D 4 spd manual- parted out then junked