New Battery?? Denso plugs?

[Aquabear]

Hey all. I have a 2008 4R with 74,000 miles. Have Multiple road trips planned from 100 to 3000 miles, camping, offroad Rausch creek, florida blah blah blah. I'm starting my maintenance and have 2 questions- battery and plugs. I still have my OEM Panasonic and really is the best battery I have ever had and it appears to be working fine but at 74k miles I don't want to be stuck on one my many road trips or offroad. Last year I filled up the fluid level and was looking to do the same this year OR buy a new one- Sears Platinum or Sears Platinum Marine. Posts say OEM will last more than an a normal battery but......
So questions....
1. Keep OEM, fill and be happy.
2. Buy Sear Platinum Auto.
3. Buy Sears Platinum Marine - 75lbs is a FAT battery?! Worth the weight?

I bought Denso Iridium long life plugs to put in tomorrow. Any feedback on them? Lots of positive posts on NGK's. Should I order NGK's online and return the Denso's?
HELP, thank you everyone.

 

[03_4x4Runner]

I replaced the Panasonic battery on my 03 after about 5 years even though it worked fine. I off road a lot and do not like acid leaks. I installed an optima 34R battery and it has worked fine. I may replace it in 5 years also but not sure yet. The Panasonics are good and some have went many years with them but I like to keep a relatively freash non acid battery in mine especially since I am far from help at times.
I do not know about the plugs. I have the V8 and the factory plugs are good to 100k miles, I am only at 66k.
.

 

[oljedi11950]

Batt. & plugs

Best to check maintenance forum, 2 excellent threads on both !!

 

[Gecko123]

Hey all. I have a 2008 4R with 74,000 miles. Have Multiple road trips planned from 100 to 3000 miles, camping, offroad Rausch creek, florida blah blah blah. I'm starting my maintenance and have 2 questions- battery and plugs. I still have my OEM Panasonic and really is the best battery I have ever had and it appears to be working fine but at 74k miles I don't want to be stuck on one my many road trips or offroad. Last year I filled up the fluid level and was looking to do the same this year OR buy a new one- Sears Platinum or Sears Platinum Marine. Posts say OEM will last more than an a normal battery but......
So questions....
1. Keep OEM, fill and be happy.
2. Buy Sear Platinum Auto.
3. Buy Sears Platinum Marine - 75lbs is a FAT battery?! Worth the weight?

I bought Denso Iridium long life plugs to put in tomorrow. Any feedback on them? Lots of positive posts on NGK's. Should I order NGK's online and return the Denso's?
HELP, thank you everyone.

My previos car was a 2002 Camry and I used the battery for 7 years before I changed it out because like you I was going on a road trip. Yours is only 4 years so I don't think you will have issues.

 

[crackiswack]

Nothing wrong with Denso or NGK, I've used both pretty interchangeably on various import cars for over a decade. If this is the first time you've changed them then the stock coppers are pretty worn anyways so anything will be better. I don't know if they will actually last longer than the 30k service interval though, there is a lot of speculation in previous threads as to why the V6 got copper plugs and that some people haven't gotten extended life out of iridium/platinum plugs in the V6, so it won't hurt to use them but don't necessarily expect them to last longer. Personally I like to use the good old cheap coppers and replace every 20-30k, it takes ~45 mins so no big deal every couple years

 

[Atlanta_man]

If you get a new battery, try to get it several weeks before your trip.
Some have a significant infant mortality factor. The current Toyota battery that replaces the Panasonic lasted me about a month. I was away from home and had to buy another without any benefit of the warranty.

 

[MikeInNH]

Depending on where you live has a big influence on battery longevity. Heat kills batteries. Cold will show a weak battery...but the battery will last longer.

If you live in places like Texas....4-5 years is pretty much the max you'll see out of a battery. Here in the North East....I've had batteries that were still running strong after 10 years.

 

[Sungod]

Mileage has nothing to do with a batteries life. Environmental factors like heat and cold dictate life.

1. The OE battery is made in Japan. A replacement battery from Toyota will not be the same battery.

2. Sears Die Hard Platinum is a good battery. It is made by Johnson Controls.

3. Why would you need a deep cycle marine battery? Are you buying a winch? Big stereo system? Unless you need it, there is no need in buying it. I can keep my dog in my yard with a 4ft fence. Would building a 8ft fence keep him in any better? Get what you need. There is no need to spend more on something you won't see a return in value in.

Denso and NGK both supply plugs to Toyota. You can't go wrong with either nor would you notice any difference what so ever between the two. My old truck had Denso on one side and NGK on the other. Replacement plugs from Toyota are Denso. Probably the only OEM part I have seen that has the manufacturer name still on it aside from tires. They usually brand everything 'Toyota', but for some reason the plugs in a Toyota box have the Denso brand on them.

 

[Aquabear]

Thanks everyone, I really appreciate all the feedback, well almost all. I'll keep the plugs and buy a battery. I don't have a big electric load so I'll go with the sears platinum auto since my laptop does not warrant a 75lb battery. For warranty, I like the fact that sears is all over the place like a cockroach or walmart.
Thanks again.

 

[Aquabear]

Mileage has nothing to do with a batteries life. Environmental factors like heat and cold dictate life.

1. The OE battery is made in Japan. A replacement battery from Toyota will not be the same battery.

2. Sears Die Hard Platinum is a good battery. It is made by Johnson Controls.

3. Why would you need a deep cycle marine battery? Are you buying a winch? Big stereo system? Unless you need it, there is no need in buying it. I can keep my dog in my yard with a 4ft fence. Would building a 8ft fence keep him in any better? Get what you need. There is no need to spend more on something you won't see a return in value in.

Denso and NGK both supply plugs to Toyota. You can't go wrong with either nor would you notice any difference what so ever between the two. My old truck had Denso on one side and NGK on the other. Replacement plugs from Toyota are Denso. Probably the only OEM part I have seen that has the manufacturer name still on it aside from tires. They usually brand everything 'Toyota', but for some reason the plugs in a Toyota box have the Denso brand on them.

WHOOOOAAAA BOY:jaw drop: calm down:redbrick:. Didn't get laid last night, Holy Chitz man! Thanks for the write up but maybe I need to buy you a beer instead.

 

[Ross]

Sears makes great batteries, but DO NOT GET A MARINE BATTERY, to run your vehicle. They are designed to run for longer periods of time and to be drained down and recharged but not for starting motors. DO NOT GET A MARINE BATTERY. Now if you need/want to run accessories for long periods of time without the vehicle running get a marine battery.

Even for winching DO NOT GET A MARINE BATTERY. While you winch, or run other vehicle accessories, you want the vehicle running. There is no battery that will fit in your 4Runner, whatever type that will run a winch very long. You run your vehicle while you winch so you have the aid of the alternator.

By a marine battery to run trolling motors and lights on your boat or to run light in your camper, but not for your vehicle.

It takes allot off juice to start a vehicle, marine batteries are not designed to deliver their power that way, auto batteries are. Auto batteries are not designed to be run all the way down and then be recharged, marine batteries are.

 

[MikeInNH]

Optima makes deep cycle batteries for cars/trucks. But IMHO they are a waste of money. They do come in handy if you leave your lights on and completely drain your battery. Batteries don't like to be drained....so don't do that.

I usually buy what-ever sears battery is on sale. I've yet to buy more then one replacement battery for any vehicle I've owned....even when the vehicles have over 300k miles and 10+ years. There really isn't much difference between different battery brands.

 

[Aquabear]

Thanks Ross n Mike. Even if I add some lights on the bumper, I dont think it'll still warrant a big battery.
I almost bought a Yellow top but something in my head stopped me, even for offroading I don't think I do it as much to have a ton of vibration. Sears Platinum and a smart head on should keep me running for long time.
Thanks guys!:hatsoff:

 

[Whitebeauty]

Hey Aquabear. Just wanted to put my 2 cents in. I run a redtop Optima And have the denso ikh20 plugs gapped at .035. Love the battery i have let it run my radio with the key off for hours..And then turn the key and vroom.. Have fun bro..

 

[Ross]

Thanks Ross n Mike. Even if I add some lights on the bumper, I dont think it'll still warrant a big battery.
I almost bought a Yellow top but something in my head stopped me, even for offroading I don't think I do it as much to have a ton of vibration. Sears Platinum and a smart head on should keep me running for long time.
Thanks guys!:hatsoff:

Optima changed its manufacturing a few years back and its quality supposedly suffered greatly. I have had good luck with Sears and Oriely’s higher end batteries. I have a Oriley 86 month batter in my tractor for a few years. That tractor will sit outside with the battery in it though freezing cold winters and start make up in a only a few tries. The tractor is late forties early 50 Alice Chalmers and is not the easiest when it comes to starting but the Orielys battery is easily up to the task.

 

[Sungod]

WHOOOOAAAA BOY:jaw drop: calm down:redbrick:. Didn't get laid last night, Holy Chitz man! Thanks for the write up but maybe I need to buy you a beer instead.

Que? Just stating the facts. Nothing but the facts. :bigok:

But I will take the beer.

In addition to those facts, Sears sells two different batteries depending on where you live. They make a northern battery that is designed for cold and a southern battery that is designed for heat. I don't know if anyone else does that, but that is another plus for the Die Hard.

 

[Ross]

Thanks Ross n Mike. Even if I add some lights on the bumper, I dont think it'll still warrant a big battery.
I almost bought a Yellow top but something in my head stopped me, even for offroading I don't think I do it as much to have a ton of vibration. Sears Platinum and a smart head on should keep me running for long time.
Thanks guys!:hatsoff:

You still want the biggest (CCA and Reserve) best performing quality battery you can fit. If you get the sears Platinum that is exactly what you will get.