Best Car Battery

How to select the best car battery for your vehicle.

Selecting the best car battery for your vehicle is an important task, as without a quality unit your car will cease to function. There are many features and options you need to consider, if you are to purchase the correct battery for your specific needs. These include an examination of the group sizes, power needs of your accessories, the fit of the battery, and its life span as well. Also, the storage power, accompanying warranty, shelf life and even your climate must be considered. To help you in the selection process, each of these topics will be covered in more detail below.

Group sizes.

When searching for the best car battery you can find, you must first take into account the group size which you require. These sizing categories are used by battery makers to identify their products, and they give you the measurements of the item in question. As different vehicles have unique space allotments for a battery installation, this is an important detail to be aware of. The most common sizes are 75, 65, 35, and 34 and one of these four batteries will typically fit most vehicles. Yet, if you are unsure of what size battery will fit in your tray, you should always look this information up in your owner’s manual.

Location of posts.

While most battery models have top posts included, there are some specific designs with a side post construction instead. These while often fit in specialized vehicles, such as cars which are foreign made. If your vehicle uses a side post style of battery, you may need to special order it straight from the manufacturer.

Power Needs of Your Accessories.

In most cases the best car battery for a standard automobile, while have average cranking power and storage. However, if you have many after market accessories in your car or truck, you may require more amps to get the job done. This doesn’t include standard options like your factory stereo and speakers. Yet, if you have some power drawing extras like a DVD screen, built in GPS unit, or a high volume amplifier, you may need a more substantial battery to meet your needs.

Reserve Capacity.

The best car battery for your vehicle will provide sufficient reserve power as well. This is measured as a Reserve Capacity or RC rating, and is the number of minutes the battery can supply your vehicle power without being charged. Why is this information important? The RC rating will inform you how long your car will continue to run, if your alternator stops providing power to your battery. The higher the RC number, the better quality the battery is. However, purchasing an item with the most substantial Reserve Capacity isn’t always best, as your vehicle will have specific requirements. Again, it is wise to check your owner’s manual, to determine the optimum RC rating for your situation.

Life span

The life span of a battery refers to how many years it is rated to last. A quality unit will provide a good level of power for between three and four years. Inferior models may only last for two years or less, and these products should be avoided.

Shortest Time on the Shelf.

This factor goes hand in hand with the life span as well. The best car battery will have the least time on the shelf, as this will eat into the life span of the product. For example, a three year rated battery which has been sitting for six months, will only last you for 2.5 years. It is better to select one which has been on the shelf for far less time, such as only two months. How can you determine this information? Most manufacturers include a special date code, which is typically printed on the label or the battery case. This is usually made up of a letter, followed by a digit, which represents the month and the year. For example, the letter B stands for February, and 1 would indicate the year of production was 2011.

Warranty.

Nearly all car batteries today come with a warranty, though their duration can be widely variable. The best car battery will be guaranteed to last for 2 years or more, though these will generally cost more money upfront. However, they can be cheaper in the long run, as if your battery fails for any reason, they will replace it free of charge. Often times this is a simple process, and you only need to visit the store where you purchased the battery and present your receipt. They will then give you a replacement on the spot, no questions asked.

Cold-Cranking Amps.

If you live in a cold climate, you may need more amps to get your vehicle started. When the weather turns frosty your car or truck’s oil becomes thicker, and therefore the engine is harder to turn over. Cold-cranking amps or CCA, indicates how many amps a battery can provide for half a minute at 0 degrees Fahrenheit. The higher the CCA value, the more effective the battery is at starting a vehicle in winter conditions. However, it is important to be aware that you shouldn’t stray much from the manufacturer’s recommendations for your vehicle. If you can’t find a battery with a CCA rating which matches the manufacturer’s instructions exactly, then purchase one with a slightly higher number. Never buy a battery with a lower than recommended CCA rating.

Factor in Your Climate.

While Cold-cranking amps are important if you experience cold weather in your region, other factors may come into play as well. How so? Not only is your engine harder to start in freezing conditions, but you will often use your accessories more often as well. Examples include running your heater and defroster on a continuous basis, which will take more battery power even when the engine is running. Therefore, the best car battery for winter weather, will have the highest RC rating as well.

Never Buy Used.

While most stores won’t even offer this option, some garages or repair shops may have a selection of used batteries. This is a poor choice, and the best car battery for your situation will never be used.

Condition Meter.

Some maintenance free batteries have a special feature, which gives you the ability to monitor its status on an ongoing basis. These have a meter on the top of the battery, which shows how much life is left in the unit. This can be an excellent tool, and will give you advanced warning before your battery needs to be replaced.

Conclusion.

When you take all of the above factors into consideration, you will be able to purchase the best car battery for your situation. This includes the right battery size, post location, sufficient power to run your accessories, and proper reserve capacity for emergencies. Also, a quality item will have a superior life span, warranty and Cold-cranking amps as well. If you buy a battery which has all of these features, you are sure to enjoy excellent performance for years to come.