Toyota Battery, or Interstate Battery?

[UoD]

I usually swear by Interstate brand batteries --- I have used them in all of my previous vehicles.

The stock battery on my 2005 4Runner finally needs to be changed out. I called to check prices at the local Interstate store and the Toyota dealership (fully expecting the dealership to be crazy expensive) ..... and I was a bit surprised :


Toyota Dealership :
72 month : 79.95
84 month : 99.95

Interstate :
75month : 99.95
85 month : 113.95


So -- now I am a bit torn. I gotta figure that Toyota is using good batteries in their vehicles. So, the battery from the dealership can't be that bad. But, I usually do swear by Interstate. Do I go with the cheaper Toyota branded battery, or do I shell out a bit more for Interstate? This would be an easy choice if the Interstate was the cheaper of the two ... but now I don't know.

Hopefully someone with a good opinion can answer soon I am going to try to run out during lunch and pick one up.

 

[UoD]

Ok --- spent a good 30 minutes searching around other forums and what not.

From what I gather, the original Panasonic branded battery (which is what is currently in my TR4... dead) is not a bad battery. BUT --- Toyota dealerships don't actually carry this battery as a replacement. They usually carry some cheaper, Toyota branded battery. Apparently, these suck pretty hard. Can anyone here confirm this?

I am thinking an Interstate Megatron Plus is in my future.

 

[CJ3Flyr]

Ok --- spent a good 30 minutes searching around other forums and what not.

From what I gather, the original Panasonic branded battery (which is what is currently in my TR4... dead) is not a bad battery. BUT --- Toyota dealerships don't actually carry this battery as a replacement. They usually carry some cheaper, Toyota branded battery. Apparently, these suck pretty hard. Can anyone here confirm this?

I am thinking an Interstate Megatron Plus is in my future.

True... The OE Panasonic is not available in the US. I can't speak for the quality of the Toyota replacement batteries. I can say many go with Optima's and others. I am sure the Interstate is a fine choice.

 

[wolfgang]

Interstate batteries are rated good as are COSTCO (Johnson Controls make them) batteries. Consumer Reports did recent test. I think the COSTCO one is $65 if you are a member.

 

[Uneek]

Check this thread, http://www.toyota-4runner.org/4th-gen-t4rs/56604-05-battery-life.html

Supposedly, the battery at the Toyota dealer has the same or better specs than OEM Panasonic.

 

[raydouble]

I'd say you didn't get the 72 months out of the OE battery.

5 years isn't great for battery life.

 

[UoD]

Thanks for the info everyone. I ended up getting an Interstate MTP-27F. It seems to match the original Pansonic specs just exactly.


It scared me for a bit when I first drove it after replacing the battery. The auto window features didn't work, and the car shifted weird. Then, I remembered that the windows needed to be reprogrammed, and the car had to relearn my driving habits.

 

[buch75]

I got 8yrs out of my Panasonic OE battery. (have an '02 Limited)

bought the replacement battery from the dealer, works fine.

 

[K.C.]

I'm still on my original OEM Panasonic Battery.

On my other cars...I've replaced them w/ Costco because of the price.

However...w/ my 4Runner when I need to replace the battery, I'm most likely going w/ Interstate or Die Hard.

Things to consider when buying a battery are...

...
- How long you're going to keep the vehicle
- If you are running a lot of electronics
- Cranking Amp
- Cold Cranking Amp

 

[toto]

I've seen good comments in other forums about the better battery at the Toyota dealers (the 84 month). It's not identical to the Panasonic from Japan, but it's darn close. Price is reasonable, too, unlike many OEM parts.

 

[chayos00]

Whenever I've replaced batteries on my other previous vehicles I've always used the Autozone Duralast Gold batteries with the most CCA that I can fit in those vehicles! Never had a problem with them.

 

[Will_4R]

Whenever I've replaced batteries on my other previous vehicles I've always used the Autozone Duralast Gold batteries with the most CCA that I can fit in those vehicles! Never had a problem with them.

Why do you care about CCA if you are in AZ? Wouldn't you rather maximize your RC?

 

[krravi]

What do you guys think about this Panasonic Battery?

Amazon.com: Panasonic LC-R1233P Black Large 12V 33Ah VRLA Battery with Nut and Bolt Terminal: Automotive

 

[chayos00]

Why do you care about CCA if you are in AZ? Wouldn't you rather maximize your RC?

Since I lived in AZ, I haven't had to replace any batteries yet, when I lived in Clovis, NM (high desert). It would get down to sub zero temps, sometimes we would get in the single digits, I do even remember sub 0 temps once. I could feel my truck wouldn't even roll out of our sloped driveway when it was around zero degrees, I had to put in reverse and back down my hill instead of just in neutral. lol

I also go for higher CCA, as I've always had 500-1000W amps running in my truck. I wouldn't get any dimming of my headlights after getting those kind of batteries.

 

[chayos00]

What do you guys think about this Panasonic Battery?

Amazon.com: Panasonic LC-R1233P Black Large 12V 33Ah VRLA Battery with Nut and Bolt Terminal: Automotive

Doesn't look like it's designed for car purposes. Check out the spec sheet on it. Appears to be used for main and standby power supplies.

http://www.panasonic.com/industrial/includes/pdf/Panasonic_VRLA_LC-R1233P.pdf

Plus you could buy the duralast batteries cheaper at autozone, they have been champs for me. The only problem I have had with one was when my wife rear ended a car, the headlight bolt pushed through the battery, and autozone warrantied the battery as damaged.... lol, I only had to pay the prorated price for a new one. This was on her old Toyota Tercel.

 

[SurfingDrunk]

Interstate batteries are made by the same company/plant and way as autozone, and walmart batteries.

 

[laigman]

04' SR-5 needs new btty?

Bought my 04' SR-5 V6 in Sept. of 03'. Of the 60 sumthin vehicles I've owned in my life THIS is the best built, BY FAR, of ANY of them. I have 26K miles on the WHITE rig and it has the original OEM BTTY! I've never spent a dime on it other than oil and filter changes evry 5k mi.! I DID remove the roof rack first thing after I bought it! I retired as a travelin industrial equipment slsman 25 years ago and obviously "had my fill" of travel! Considered a LS before buying this rig but couldnt justify letting $65K "rot & depreciate" in my garage. That LS demo was the MOST IMPRESSIVE vehicle I ever test drove! The ONLY thing lacking in my rig is the RIDE of that LS, but all things considered, I made the right decision. I did replace the 5 orig. BRIDGESTONES recently with B.F. GOODRICH (MICHELINS), $180 apiece, "out the door" from DISCOUNT TIRE.

Now, back to the OEM PANASONIC BTTY. I added some distilled water to it for the FIRST time a couple weeks ago and it still indicates "charging necessary". Even though the rig is garaged 99% of the time, I do live here in the desert of LAS VEGAS, NEVADA. We have 9 months of NICE weather here and 3 months of "BLAZING HOT" so its like an oven in my garage in summer. My question is; Should I simply hook up my charger to the btty. overnite and chek it the next morning or just go ahead and replace the btty.? I have had no problems at all (yet) with the rig startin up but am gittin a bit NERVOUS. I was surprized by the difference between the dealer and INTERSTATE price! I cant imagine getting any better battery than this OEM PANASONIC. The average life of a btty. here is about 3 years. My previous "ride" was a GMC SIERRA and I had to replace that btty. a year and a half after I bought it new.

 

[fourwd1]

Doesn't matter if its a Panasonic from Toyota or a Costco battery, if its in the $100 range it's a remanned battery. A NEW Panasonic battery is going to be in the $500 range.

 

[pengy]

I am posting a follow up after looking through the series of replacement battery messages last night. My factory OEM Panasonic battery (for 2004 4runner purchased in Aug. 05) for the first time was unable to crank and start up last night.

The first indication was that I pressed the remote "unlock" button and nothing happened.. I thought that the remote's battery ran out, and grabbed 2nd keyfob, and pressed, nothing happened... That old girl was so drained down, there was absolutely no power left it seems (opened door, no lights), no security red LED blinker flash on dash.

I can not place the blame on the battery, because I don't run my 4runner that often (last time I drove it was right before St. Patrick's day (3/17'ish)), and she only has maybe 25.4K miles on it. I had the red eye and the white surrounds (which indicates needs charging). I gave the battery a good charge over 6-7 hours, and even though I'm still seeing the red/white indicator, I gave her a good turn of the key, and she turned over, enough to start the V-8 running.

Knowing that I might only had one chance to start the V8 with the charging, I looked around for a good battery, and this morning called the toyota dealer, and they wanted I think $110 (before the $15 discount coupon which brought the price down to $95 + Tax + $15 Core fee.

I was able to search a bit last night and found an Autocraft 27F battery (see attached picture) with a $40 off coupon code that brought the out the door cost to about $98 (including the $15 core fee).

I'm attaching this picture because it seems to have good CCA 885A @ 32F / CCA 710A at 0F and reserve of 165, which seems to be excellent considering I paid way less than $100 (going to get another $15 back after core return bringing down price to $84.

Coupon code to try: DOW21 or A124 (A124 gave me $40 off)

AutoCraft Gold Battery, Group Size 27, 710 CCA-27F-1 - Advance Auto Parts

Hope this is helpful for others as well looking for a high CCA & a nice reserve without paying an arm and a leg.

Pengy

 

[MNB777]

Tru-Start

Toyota dealer sells Tru-Start, original replacement. My 96 Camry is on its second Toyota battery. At 18 years old / 2 batteries = 9 years / battery. The cold January caused me to replace my 2005 Tundra battery today. It was still on the original Tru-Start, 9 years old. Called Interstate, Sears, and Toyota Dealer. Toyota was $5 less. So lowest cost, 9 year average life in upstate NY, fits perfectly. Very suprised that dealer had the lowest cost too!