Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Costco Interstate car batteries, any good?

Price is a lot cheaper than the Diehard I bought in Advance Auto Parts. I have a few vehicles in need.

AGM worth the extra cost?

Vehicles are an F150 and a couple of 4runners.

I'd think they would be just fine.

It’s what I typically buy if I can, have changed out several in their parking lot. (You might be a redneck, if...). The ones in the ‘96 7.3 F250 are at least 5 years old now, so I’m happy with that. The ones in the Taco lasted either five or six years. The price and warranty are attractive, and their mechanics appear to be able to walk and chew gum at the same time.

If they were closer I'd certainly consider using them, as I have in the past, their tires also.

But, being very rural and having a Les Schwab here, I gave up on the Costco auto stuff even given the good results I had with them over the years. A lot closer to go to the Schwabie's here, than take a 3 hr drive to the nearest Costco for a warranty or age related replacement.

Dutch, might be that Costco pays their mechanics a decent wage and can keep a suitable mechanic or two around?

I always go with the Costco batteries if they have what I need.
Was disappointed when they lowered the warranty on their deep cycle batteries to 1 year.
I guess there's too many idiots that don't know how to keep their boat or RV batteries charged and simply return them to Costco.

They may eve offer, shudder, BENEFITS!

Schwab has gone to heck since the old man died. I used to buy all my tires there, and running a 22 wheel semi rig, skid steers, a bunch of farm trucks, trailers, and personal vehicles, I used to spend as much as five figures a year there. I’d call, they’d send a guy to the farm, swap the tires, give me a decent case credit, and I’d send them money. Win-win.

Then the old man died, and they went full on accountant ruled. Went in there for a tire rotation, so I asked the mechanic to tell me what the pads looked like while he had it up and the wheels were off.

I was presented with a $80 “brake inspection” invoice. I asked the (new) manager if he was serious; he said he was. So I paid the bill and haven’t been back since.

Well scheidt,

I wonder if that's a "manager" issue as I just swapped the summers for winter treads on both the vehicles and there was no charge for the brake inspection.

The manager that was here when we arrived left for a bigger store in the Tacoma area, closer to his or his wife's family as I recall too. I'm not as much of a fan of the new manager.

Sad to hear it seems to have gone "corporate". I best hope they don't get bought out by Bass Pro Shops.

I've used nothing but costco battery for probably 15 years now across several vehicles and have had no problems.

Interstate batteries aren't a Costco house brand. They're a very good battery, however.

I've had good luck with them.

This ^^^^^^^^^^^^^

There are only 2 companies making batteries, Interstate is just branded as that to their specs.

MM

This. A best buy as far as I'm concerned.

Interstate is all I use on the farm for all of my trucks, my wife's Lexus, my equipment, tractors, etc., my 4 wheelers and golf cart and even my solar panels energy storage ... although I am going to be switching-over to more modern chemistry in 2022 for the solar energy storage.

I have bought quite a few batteries from Costco. The Interstate guarantee applies just like it does everywhere else.

You’d be a fool to buy anything else

Costco tires are "price point" tires.............Batteries probably are too.

Except you can only return a Costco Interstate battery to Costco. It's labeled right on the battery. It's not a big deal unless you are away from home and have a problem.

FWIW I have only had 1 problem with a Costco battery and it went bad in a little less than a year.

Even the high end Michelin tires?

No, the Interstate batteries are a premium brand. I buy nothing else.

Price is probably lower because Costco buys a kajillion of them at a time, just like everything else they sell.

Right. Interstate is top of the line until you start getting into the gel stuff.

Best part about them is there's no hassle when you want to warranty one. I get tired of arguing with the local tire shop trying to get a battery warrantied The local guys always say it's not completely gone yet. If you charge it overnight it'll still turn your starter over a few times. They always tried to push a darling battery just past warranty.

If a Costco one starts to go you just take it right in and they replace it.

Bb