Time for a new Battery, any reconmendation's.

galaxy xr8 · 23-07-2009, 08:04 PM

Hey guy's my battery in the XR8 has died, only 2 yrs old, what brand of batteries are people getting these day's that they get a good life out of ??.
I was looking into the Century high performance for $112, most other's are around $130-$160.

CAMS290 · 23-07-2009, 08:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by galaxy xr8

Hey guy's my battery in the XR8 has died, only 2 yrs old, what brand of batteries are people getting these day's that they get a good life out of ??.
I was looking into the Century high performance for $112, most other's are around $130-$160.

Exide, Century or Besco......stay away from the el cheapo auto elec ones.

Also get one with a higher CCA rating than the original Ford one if you can, as it will give you a bit in reserve.

Mr Hardware · 23-07-2009, 08:08 PM

If you were in QLD i'd say a Comet
but you're not so thats a bit of a moot point.

Don't buy a cheap battery, largely you get what you pay for, you don't want to be let down.

platinumXR · 23-07-2009, 08:15 PM

Try a Rocket Calcium/Calcium battery supplied by Apollo. Slightly more than an lead/acid but will last about a billion times longer.

galaxy xr8 · 23-07-2009, 08:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CAMS290

Exide, Century or Besco......stay away from the el cheapo auto elec ones.

Also get one with a higher CCA rating than the original Ford one if you can, as it will give you a bit in reserve.

I was told about Besco aswell, that they are not a bad battery, I can get a heavy duty one for $110 or the century one for $112, neither are maintence free but I don't think that will be a problem,
Do you know what the CCA rating is for the original Ford batteries ??.

galaxy xr8 · 23-07-2009, 08:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by platinumXR

Try a Rocket Calcium/Calcium battery supplied by Apollo. Slightly more than an lead/acid but will last about a billion times longer.

I've never heard of them, where do you get them from??.

Green X · 23-07-2009, 08:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by galaxy xr8

Do you know what the CCA rating is for the original Ford batteries ??.

550CCA i think

WindsorXR · 23-07-2009, 08:34 PM

I have always used Century Heavy Duty batteries for all my cars. They do a great job, not bad priced and they are reliable.

**Silver Ghia** · 23-07-2009, 08:39 PM

Here's a thread on this subject:

http://www.fordforums.com.au/showthread.php?t=11250120

I believe Century aren't the most reliable these days.

galaxy xr8 · 23-07-2009, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Green X

550CCA i think

Are you sure as the new ones I am looking at range from 450CCA to a highest of 530CCA, thats the besco and century's high performance range, which I believe are made from the same company, as their web pages and spec sheet's are identical, as I have found.

galaxy xr8 · 23-07-2009, 08:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silver Ghia

Here's a thread on this subject:

http://www.fordforums.com.au/showthread.php?t=11250120

I believe Century aren't the most reliable these days.

Thank's for that mate, seem's like a 50/50 split, some think century are good whereas other's believe in supercharge gold, hmmm ???.

Blue Ice · 23-07-2009, 08:53 PM

430CCA are what Ford put in Falcons from new.

galaxy xr8 · 23-07-2009, 09:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blue Ice

430CCA are what Ford put in Falcons from new.

Thank's mate.

GUTLES · 23-07-2009, 09:07 PM

I've got a Delkor Calcuim Battery in mine, its great, I've left my car for 6 weeks a few times & it starts no problems.

Cost me $100.00, can organise one for anyone on here.

LOWBA6 · 23-07-2009, 09:11 PM

Century are ok, The one in my EF only lasted about 3 years. It had been on its way out for over 6 months of that. Now its no good at all, even if left on charge overnight it still wont go. A friend had one called a Calcium King, reckons its was really good even with his big stereo

**data_mine** · 23-07-2009, 10:15 PM

Optima

/thread

They're kinda pricey though.

But they last, and take lots of punishment. My first one (a Yellow Top D34) lasted 3 cars, and only died when the alt in the GT-P died. Now have a Blue Top D34 going strong, and matches the blue in the engine bay.

**Bluehoon** · 23-07-2009, 10:31 PM

Centruy 21, Get the 67EF, it's the high performance one made for falcons.

I run it and the car starts hard and instantly in the cold. Has a long battery life as well. Century are Go Yuasa as well so teh quality is top notch.

Auto barn stock the 67EF, Around $160.00

For boss motor, it is recommended as it has 480CCA and will easily produce the amps to turn it...

Cheers

1LOUDXFUTE · 23-07-2009, 11:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by data_mine

Optima

/thread

They're kinda pricey though.

But they last, and take lots of punishment. My first one (a Yellow Top D34) lasted 3 cars, and only died when the alt in the GT-P died. Now have a Blue Top D34 going strong, and matches the blue in the engine bay.

liiiiittle bit outta his price range though, fantastic batteries though. I have a blue top, can play the stereo without the car running for hours without it skipping a beat.

prydey · 24-07-2009, 12:22 AM

don't waste your time with anything less than 520cca.

Interceptor · 24-07-2009, 01:30 AM

i replaced the Delkor in my sprint when it died with another one..... i figured 5 years from a battery is a good run, considering everything else ive had lasts 12-18 months

wouldve considered a CAT battery, but the local delkor agent had one on the shelf unlike the local caterpillar dealer

a mate also has a couple of oddysseys, excellent batteries!

daikin · 24-07-2009, 02:27 AM

Century and exide are good bets. The last time i had a change was stuck out without a spare and had to get RAC down.

platinumXR · 24-07-2009, 06:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by galaxy xr8

I've never heard of them, where do you get them from??.

We used to sell them through Autopro's or just ring around local auto parts places for Apollo distributors. If they sell batteries they'll be able to get them. You'll pay about $40-60 more than a lead acid but definitely worth the extra dosh and effort. Never had a warranty claim either. They're more or less a sealed deep cycle but better technology not 19th Century technology lead acid. All new Euro cars have them (and a few others) standard as they can handle extreme conditions better.

Personally, I have a Odyssey (glass mat like Optima's etc) in the XR as I used to boil a battery every year from heat trapped in the engine bay and since I put the Odyssey in about 6 years ago...no probs at all but approx $300+ retail is the only drawback there.

And the XB has had a Rocket for about the same time and only got started once in a blue moon...no trickle charger either. Get's my vote.

fairmont1998 · 24-07-2009, 10:27 AM

Supercharge Gold. Well priced, 3 year warrenty and huge CCA. My EL 5L ate batteries constantly til I put one of them in it.
Another point worth mentioning, its a clean looking battery, Century batteries look hideous in my mind. Ruins a clean engine bay.

msman · 24-07-2009, 12:52 PM

+1 supercharge gold mf50 (i think thats the model) 600cca use these on the ba cabs no dramas so far been 12 months, exides would only last about 8 the 560cca models.

should be round the $110-120 mark. maintenance free as well

galaxy xr8 · 24-07-2009, 05:41 PM

Thank's guy's I have so far got a price of $128 for the supercharge gold , and like the sound of it, I just have to get the measurements to make sure it fit's in the plastic box that the battery sits in.

downthetrack · 24-07-2009, 06:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by galaxy xr8

Thank's guy's I have so far got a price of $128 for the supercharge gold , and like the sound of it, I just have to get the measurements to make sure it fit's in the plastic box that the battery sits in.

I've used the supercharge batteries before with no quality issues, and have managed to get around 3-4 years out of them (seems to be about right for battery life these days) I wouldn't go any cheaper quality wise though.
Also make sure the battery is not too tall either, shorting out on the bonnet is no fun.

spvd02 · 24-07-2009, 08:57 PM

My BF XT has done 80 000 km and has a 550CCA sealed battery in it. Looks like original equipment. They are definitely not 430CCA from the factory!

Blue Ice · 24-07-2009, 09:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spvd02

My BF XT has done 80 000 km and has a 550CCA sealed battery in it. Looks like original equipment. They are definitely not 430CCA from the factory!

Would you like me to go check again?

Mines still got the original battery in it, '08 Ghia

Dauphin · 25-07-2009, 09:59 AM

I just got a Delkor 610CCA for $115, came with a 3 year warranty. Made a huge difference compared to my old 450CCA one.

Green X · 25-07-2009, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blue Ice

430CCA are what Ford put in Falcons from new.

Wow that's Pi&* weak, that's the same size as the battery in my 4Cyl Hilux

, could have swan the Falcon is 550CCA

I had a 750CCA starting battery in my last 4WD that thing spun a engine over like lightning.