GenVibe - Community for Pontiac Vibe Enthusiasts

what does everyone reccommend for a battery? i know mine is on its way out, it doesnt hold a charge ( at least thats what autozone said ). i was looking at autozone, and probably going to get their brand of battery. is that one ok? with this cold weather lately, its been starting hard...any advice would be cool.

i have found out that optima seems the best, which one though? advance auto parts recommends the red top? i was reading another thread about the yellow top, never got a clear answer...which one?

Consumer Reports recently gave the Autozone regular batteries a good rating. I thinkthey are about $50-60. Last I heard Autozone installs free - but do they have people who know how?

red top is better for a car, yellow top is a deep cycle which (when completely exhausted) will be very difficult for your alternator to recharge.I was comparing prices and warranties for my battery replacement and ended up with a 640cca Farm & Fleet branded platinum battery at 1/2 the cost of an equally powerful Ultima. It's a relabeled Energizer brand battery and comes with an 84 month warranty - which is much longer than the ACDelco came with.

Quote, originally posted by jake75 »Consumer Reports recently gave the Autozone regular batteries a good rating. I thinkthey are about $50-60. Last I heard Autozone installs free - but do they have people who know how?has anyone used the autozone batteries? how do they rate?

Autozone batteries are fine. I went through three of them in my last car - but all were replaced with very little hassle under warranty (read on though).On the third one they wanted to test my alternator - but I told them I was trading the car in a few weeks, so they didn't bother. So I don't know if it was the battery or (more likely) something else in the charging system. Anything is going to be better than your factory 330cca battery when it gets really cold out.

should i tell them i want a better one than the factory? or will the one they recommend be better than factory

I use them all the time with no problems. I just bought one for my Ford tractor last week.

Personally, I like AC Delco batteries (aka factory batteries). The first one in my G6 was a dud, but it was replaced, and has been trouble-free ever since. My parents just replaced the battery in their 01 GP for the first time (since purchase) last month. So they got 6 years on a 4-5 year battery. Not bad IMHO!Only reason I'd consider changing out to an optima is to be able to use my accessories with the engine off for a longer period of time. But to me, that convenience doesn't justify the cost of the optimas. So I stick with my ACDs.

Quote, originally posted by ragingfish »Personally, I like AC Delco batteries (aka factory batteries). The first one in my G6 was a dud, but it was replaced, and has been trouble-free ever since. aren't the acdelco batteries the ones that don't work right in the vibes? not enough power or something? with mine, if i am idling, my headlights dim...is that the battery? or is that just cuz its not getting enough juice to power them?

Quote, originally posted by melders »aren't the acdelco batteries the ones that don't work right in the vibes? not enough power or something? with mine, if i am idling, my headlights dim...is that the battery? or is that just cuz its not getting enough juice to power them?The vibe is the only car I ever experienced those issues with. Perhaps it's the alternator that isn't keeping up, I don't know. Every "true" GM I've ever driven, however, has not really had any battery issues (only issue being the one dud in my G6).

Optima Red will be the last battery you buy. I have one 12 years old that starts my tractor every time. BTW I only use it once a year. It is the best built battery in the world.

IF I ran a car company, I would offer the options of (1) a really good battery like the Optima Red, and (2) really good tires. The base model MSRP would not reflect those options so the advertising would compare apples to apples with competitors, but I'd bet the dealers would order vehicles with these options as most buyers would recognize the real value of these upgrades and gladly pay the modest premium. It takes time as well as money to maintain a car. Brake pads that last longer; lamps that last longer; plugs that last longer; tires that last longer, batteries that last longer; etc. What about an option of a 6 year 72,000 mile complete factory warranty. If it's an option the dealer profit is 15%. If sold separately the dealer profit is what - 50%?

I plan on getting a new battery with my next oil change (which is 1.5 months overdue!). 5 years on the stock 310 is pushing it methinks... How many CCAs should I get...? 560 like the new Vibes have now?

i just got the one that auto zone recommended, man, does that make a difference. the car starts so much better, and it just seems to run better.