Are platinum agm batteries worth it?
Posted by QuietRedding@reddit | askcarguys | View on Reddit | 32 comments
My car battery died. I found out part of the reason is my driving habits. I don't drive very often, and my trips are short, local trips to the store, then back, almost never long trips, which apparently is bad for the battery. A trickle charger is one solution, but I've also heard that a platinum agm battery will be helpful if for no other reason than it has a 4 year warranty so if my driving habits do kill it within four years I get a new one for free. I also live in a town with big temperature swings across the day and the year, cold winters, hot summers, cold nights and hot days, and I know those temp changes aren't great for batteries. So, should I spend a little extra on the agm, or would I be completely wasting my money?
AlphaDisconnect@reddit
Yes. And no. Let them go dead because of a parasitic power draw. They won't come back.
QuietRedding@reddit (OP)
I apologize but I am not smart enough to know what you mean. Can you rephrase?
AlphaDisconnect@reddit
Ok. Parasitic power draw means there is a slow 12v power draw because something is broken. When lead acids die. Normal ones. You might be able to recharge them.
If daily driving. Not a problem.
Agm. Let them go too low on charge. They will not recharge. But super strong when driving every day. Even in super cold weather.
QuietRedding@reddit (OP)
What about driving once a week? Am I just asking for trouble? Or is that often enough?
AlphaDisconnect@reddit
Once a week should be fine with normal car issues. Mine was sitting for 6 months. But some of these issues are worse than others.
4 amp battery tender (brand name). Leave that hooked up. Shouldn't have issues.
QuietRedding@reddit (OP)
So I should get a normal acid battery and a trickle charger in your opinion?
AlphaDisconnect@reddit
That would probably be fine. And battery tender is a super great brand. Would need to pop the hood on the regulat. Hardly a trickle charger at 4 amps. But everything is automatic. It just figures it out.
Captain3leg-s@reddit
They have the pigtails now that are easy to install.
QuietRedding@reddit (OP)
How do I know which volt and amp to get with battery tender?
AlphaDisconnect@reddit
4amp. 12v battery tender. Runs on 120 v ac in America. That thing has a computer.in it. You can not over charge your battery with it. It just computers it out. Should just work. Unless your car is more broken than mine.
QuietRedding@reddit (OP)
Thanks.
AlphaDisconnect@reddit
Thank you for not breaking a 130$ battery or a 250$ battery. And having a car.that just works.
Ok-Associate-5368@reddit
It may not be something broken. The OP didn't say what the car was but modern cars have all kinds of draws when the car is not operating. If the OP is driving a couple of miles once a week, the alternator won't be able to offset those power draws. As others have mentioned, a battery tender is probably the best option, assuming the car is parked near an outlet. Norco makes a great battery tender and it's surprisingly affordable. Norco Genius is what Car & Driver recommends. It's "smart" so you don't have to set anything; just plug it in and the tender figures out if the battery is lead/acid or AGM and if it's 12V or 6V (e.g. lawn equipment)
AlphaDisconnect@reddit
Sorry I go to what has worked. On a 2005 Chevy tahoe that absolutely destroyed a agm. And a ford flex tried to eat a regular battery.
ScaryfatkidGT@reddit
They handle it better than lead acids
objective_opinions@reddit
You should consider changing your habits. What you describe is also terrible for the engine. Once a week go for a 30+ minutes highway drive. Every part of your car will thank you and you will save a lot mlre than the gas costs in batteries, oil changes and engine repairs
Vegetable-Drive-2686@reddit
Trickle charger is like $30. The battery warranty wouldn’t hurt but batteries are consumables. Regular battery + trickle is fine.
Your short trips will also not allow the moisture to evaporate from your oil pan since you never hit running temp. That can lead to other problems like a clogged PCV valve which can cause crank case pressure issues.
Machines don’t like sitting a long time and short trips. Easiest thing to do: take a 30 minute drive once a week.
QuietRedding@reddit (OP)
>clogged PCV valve which can cause crank case pressure issues.
I don't know what that means but I'm open to learning if you tell me.
>take a 30 minute drive once a week.
With these gas prices?
ClickKlockTickTock@reddit
Gas prices are going to be cheaper than all the little problems that come with never getting long drives.
Your use qualifies as extremely hard on the engine in particular. Oil changes should be done more often if you don't allow moisture to burn off, and that still won't fix all the problems that come from short drives (it happens slowly, your car won't die in a weeks time, but your car in 5 years will have more problems than the same car with more miles but taking longer drives, in 5 years)
Short-Read4830@reddit
You might have luck with a dual purpose Start/Deep Cycle AGM… But have to say that in my experience AGMs can be less resilient than flooded when it comes to undercharged longevity.
QuietRedding@reddit (OP)
I'm not quite sure what you mean. My initial thought is the 4 year warranty protects me.
Short-Read4830@reddit
Warranties like the one on the Everstart Platinum from Walmart is truly amazing. No questions asked, show up at the Automotive counter with the battery and as long if it tested bad or even too low to test… you’re walking out with a brand new battery.
That being said the 2 issues with it are, if the store doesn’t have a tech on duty, you get stuck going through the regular customer service desk and I have not had a single good experience in those scenarios ever.
And that leads us to the second issue, chances are you’ll need to use the warranty with that particular brand more than likely multiple times. I pushed ever-start products hard for years, however post covid quality is horrible
QuietRedding@reddit (OP)
I don't mind going in once a year as long as they keep giving me new batteries.
tnsipla@reddit
Read the fine print on your warranty terms- most of these only cover the original battery that you bought, so you only get one replacement before you have to dish out cash
InsideAd2752@reddit
Alert! As of last week Walmart informed me all batteries, even $340 Odyssey AGM batteries past their 30 day warranty will have ALL warranty refused for sulphated / AGM batteries run to low.
They also stated that battery eligible for 30 day returns will only receive store credit.
All Odyssey batteries will only have warranty processed by a local, documented, battery store and interpreted by Odyssey Factory and their say is final.
Short-Read4830@reddit
That has been the official policy of Odyssey for years
InsideAd2752@reddit
I suspected this. Walmart acted like I took all their dilithium crystals when they cashed a store only battery credit and paid the refund in cash.
StuffIanWrote@reddit
The battery’s warranty is a form of protection. But a trickle charger is an affordable form of protection that gives you the best odds of the vehicle actually starting when you need it.
With that said, how old is the existing battery?
Anecdotally, I have a 2011 convertible whose AGM battery came with the car. It just sat from November to April in the Maine winter with no charger. It started slow, but it started on its own.
I’d check what the car calls for. If it’s fine with a lead-acid battery, I’d personally just buy another with a decent warranty. But again, invest in a small charger to maintain it. This is best practice for seldom-used or stored vehicles.
Finally, there are only two or three battery manufacturers cranking out all the brands you see. So when you’re shopping, if the case and specs look the same, it’s almost certainly because it is.
ScaryfatkidGT@reddit
Honestly unless you park on the street or something I’d invest in a trickle charger either way..
QuietRedding@reddit (OP)
Why's that?
harrys123456@reddit
if you can afford it , AGM good for your driving habid. i am using AGM on my hobby car , that only run few miles ayear
QuietRedding@reddit (OP)
It's not that much more, normal batter is over 100, AGM is over 200 but with a much better warranty so presumably I am locking in that I won't have to spend money on a battery again for at least four years.