Why Walmart keeps winning

[Mark]

Since my dad died back in the spring, I've inherited the maintenance duties for my mom's car. When I looked everything over a few weeks ago, I decided that since her battery is nearly four years old, I need to proactively replace it. This vehicle has that stupid start/stop "feature," and it's my mom, so I don't want to cut any corners. A good AGM battery is a must.

So when comparing apples to apples, here is what I've come up with. These are all top of the line AGM batteries in the same size group...

Toyota dealer, OE Toyota/Yuasa battery: $351, not sure of the warranty

O'Reilly Super Start: $245, three year free replacement warranty

Auto Zone Duralast: $245, three year free replacement warranty

Walmart Everstart: $180, four year free replacement warranty


I can't think of any good reason to recommend anything other than the Walmart battery for her. There was a time that I preferred the O'Reilly AGM batteries because there were manufactured exclusively by East Penn, but recent info indicates that this is no longer true.

The battery on my dad's pickup is completely dead, and it will also be getting a new Walmart battery for the same reasons, and it will also be getting a Battery Tender dedicated to it.

I went through this same exercise when I proactively replaced the battery in the wife's car a few months ago, and I reached the exact same answer then.

I'm fairly certain the Auto Zone and Walmart batteries come out of the same Clarios (formerly Johnson Control) manufacturing facility. There isn't any reason they shouldn't be the same price. Based on the reason I gave above, we know that at least a portion of the O'Reilly batteries also come from that facility.

Instead of hating on Walmart, maybe more people should just emulate them.

[Sangersteve]

Just had a battery issue with Donna's Jeep

The battery was replaced about a year ago with an O'reilly.

It just did the clickey thing

Since the car only gets driven about half a mile a day

I threw a charger on it

It worked a couple of days

Then quit

O'reilly wanted to charge it

I just said been there done that.

Got a new battery, no charge, and on my way.

I agree with your assessment of Walmart