It's COLD. How is your car doing?

Holy BALLS it's cold today. I woke up and went to the store, it was about -10! I THINK someone told me it was down to -25 with windchill.

 

Anywho, my baby struggled a bit turning over today, and while we don't have subarctic temps all that often here in the downtown area, I was wondering what types of batteries everyone is using? I'm about due, and apparently the current one I'm using is the original!

 

So, whatcha got? How you likin it?

I've got an Optima Yellowtop. It works great, but it's overpriced and un-needed IMHO. I'll let the others speak to what they have, but I can tell you what is not needed.

Consumer reports always gives the Duralast Gold high marks.

 

It seems like lots of people are very happy with their Optima's also.

I would never buy a Duralast. I have a battery from NAPA in there right now. Interstates are really good as well.

Still stuck haha no really

use to have a yellow top in last car. great battery. most likely gonna get a red top for the subaru.

To be honest you shouldn't really rely on a single "brand" of battery as a recommendation. A lot of battery "brands" are actually just privately labelled batteries from various manufacturers. Even companies that make a line of batteries themselves may contract with another manufacturer to fill in gaps in their product lines when scaling their own facilities to manufacturer certain applications is not economical.

 

I'd say get the battery with the most CCA and best warranty in the size you can use.

 

That said, supposedly the dry-cell Odyssey batteries are the ultimate solution for extreme environments - they are generally heavier and more expensive, but employ different technology than a "conventional" car battery and offer substantially more cranking power for size.

 

Edit: Forgot to add, I don't know a lot about the Optima spiral batteries, though they use a similar glass mat technology to the Odysseys (in a different physical orientation). I have heard anecdotally in the Honda community that some of the Optimas at one time had a reputation for fractured cores, but have never known of someone who had that problem personally. I understand pricing is similar to the Odysseys.

I put an Interstate in my Legacy this year, never had any problems with interstate in any of my cars.

I did use a $40 off $100 coupon to get advance auto's gold series battery for my outback. I figured it was worth a try for $60 and it's been great. I had to leave the outback at work yesterday, got in today and it was buried under 2' of snow and it started right up.

Crappy one year old wal-mart battery is crap. Started the car but barely. I knew what I was getting into when I bought it.

 

Thank you. Denver CO -15

I had a yellow top in my old car. The car sat outside for 6 months through a winter. When I reconnected the battery, the car started right up like I had been driving it yesterday.

 

When the OE battery in my car goes out, a yellow top is going in.

Just replaced my oem battery with another Subaru oem. Didn't want to see if it would go a full 5 years. (bought my car Nov.06)

I never had a problem with the original one.

 

The new one has an 85 month prorated sticker on it , and it's stated CCA is 550. $115 installed at the dealer.

 

Edit / side note: While the mechanic was changing the battery we tried to find the CCA rating on the original one , but found nothing. No labels / info / logos....

Just mildly curious if anyone still has their 07 battery --that has any info on it.

I want to see if Subaru upped the CCA's in their replacement batteries.

I would never buy a Duralast. I have a battery from NAPA in there right now. Interstates are really good as well.

Hahahahaha. I would never buy anything else but my Duralast God battery. -35 this am and starts right up on stage 2 tune and no block heater!!!!!!!!!!

Starts fine...in the garage! Mobil 1 0W-30 helps when its outside!

The one day a week I drive the thing, doesnt seem to bother it any. On year 2 of the "higher end" walmart battery with no issues.

-11F this morning when I started the family truckster up... fired up no problem, just a lot of whining

Yellow top...starts right up in this -10 temps. I have had Optima batteries in every car and have been very pleased.

This is all good info...lemme ask you all this, is there a standard for CCA's when it comes to weather? Obviously, the more the better, but for someone without a tune, is there a particular range I should be looking for?

Tune has nothing to do with starting current requirements.

 

Most cars only draw ~80-100A when starting, so I guess look for a battery that has at least 100CCA... which is allmost all of them.

I think 450-500 cca's should be adequate for cold weather. (IIRC the stock batt is only 320 or so). I have an interstate megatron plus in mine. 640cca's. It cranks the same if it's 90 or 0 out.

Couple weekends ago, had the car outside all night, not plugged in. Looking back at the weather, said the low was -31F that Saturday. Temp gauge said -22F when I tried to start it (was probably colder than that). No go.

 

But that's the only time it hasn't started. Have started it after work in -teens a bunch of times, without issue. Starts a bit slow in -15, -20, but haven't needed to plug it in. Still on original battery. It's usually in the garage overnight.

I'm using an Optima Red Top. When it got to -10F, it was much better than my OEM battery that was on its way out. I am, however, getting the occasional starter motor grind and the engine taps in protest as it tries to warm up.

not good the bosch battery is doing its best ... the starter is strugling [slow turns] and makes EEEEEEK sound when its cold [starter needs rebuild] lol and my valve cover gasket is like cracked too ... i dunno who ever ssaid subies like cold ass weather is #$@$

 

my suby likes 50F..... not 5F

I am so freaking over this cold front. E85 + no block heater/-12 degrees(only 15 degrees in the garage) = FML. I had to pay $15 to park today so I could park my car in a heated parking garage.

I thought you guys may find this interesting... It is right from Consumer Reports..

I went with the duralast gold after much research. The duralast has more cca then the optima at 640 and is half the price at 99.00 and has a better warranty 8 years vs optimas 3 years. I always figured the optima is the best way to go but you cant argue with that warranty. Oh and your not kidding about this cold weather even with the block heater the subbie still doesnt sound right.