Diehard Platinum Batteries - As Good As They Once Were?

13bullets

13bullets

Chris
Joined
Dec 14, 2008
Location
Lincolnton
My truck battery isn't holding a charge like it used to and seems to be on its last leg. It's a Diehard Platinum AGM that I bought from Sears in Hickory way back in 2012, so I've gotten my money's worth out of it by far.

I'd really like to buy another but now there is no Sears and Diehard is sold at Advance, and I'm hesitant. Are they the same quality they used to be? If not, what's the go-to brand for AGM batteries these days? I've seen a lot of people online mention Odyssey? Or maybe something else all together?

No winching or any other heavy loads/discharging, just normal use in an 05 Silverado.
 
I got 2 in my f250 diesel not even 2 years old. I’m not impressed had too jump it twice just cause it sat for a week but it was around Christmas when it was really cold but still feel like it should do better, just my opinion
 
Go to Walmart and get a 3 year EverStart and swap it out every 2 years and 11 months. 120 bucks and there's Walmarts everywhere.
 
Croatan_Kid said:
Go to Walmart and get a 3 year EverStart and swap it out every 2 years and 11 months. 120 bucks and there's Walmarts everywhere.
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This. These days the sales guys are lazy and will not bother to do a test. Just say it is bad and you're good
 
NOTHING is as good as it used to be these days!


 
I know everyone likes to shit on Optima, but I got one in each car (buggy included) and I've been happy with them.

I always get the yellow tops, never the red ones.
 
Bebop said:
I know everyone likes to shit on Optima, but I got one in each car (buggy included) and I've been happy with them.

I always get the yellow tops, never the red ones.
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Yep, I got a couple yellow tops older than my kids lol. I contract for the postal who use red tops. They seem to do well till you kill them a couple times. But my yellow top has been left for dead many times and comes right back to life
 
13bullets said:
It's a Diehard Platinum AGM that I bought from Sears in Hickory way back in 2012, so I've gotten my money's worth out of it by far.
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This is an Odyssey AGM. They don't make the Sears Diehard batteries anymore.
 
I had good luck with my Oreilys AGM. Which is made by Johnson Controls who owns and makes Optima I believe.
 
For stuff driven regularly, Die Hard Silvers have done me well in recent years. I tend to see more of them on the shelf than the AGM's so if one does shit the bed its easier to get a replacement in a timely fashion.

For equipment and stuff that sits from time to time I tend to just throw in whatever is on sale from RK, WalMart etc like others have mentioned as I swap them out a lot. Keeping stuff on a trickle charger helps longevity, but I still tend to swap out 3-4 a year between tractors, skid steer and the two day cab trucks. Typically in the cold months.
 
I have went back to Gm battery's for my gm vehicles they cost a little more but i usually get 7 to 10 years out of them. The advance and Orielly's i was lucky to get 2 years out of them and got tired of the hassle of dealing with them. They always went bad when i didn;t have time to deal with them. I think i got a 36 or 39 month warranty on the battery i put in my 2010 Camaro last year the orginal one lasted 12 years.
I was big diehard battery person 25 years ago not sure how they are now. Optima battery's are junk to me i have had several and got better luck out of the cheap advance battery's
 
Bebop said:
I know everyone likes to shit on Optima, but I got one in each car (buggy included) and I've been happy with them.

I always get the yellow tops, never the red ones.
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I went to drive my 2500 XL yesterday and the 10/21 red top was dead. I will continue to shit on modern Optimas. It was the only thing I could get at the time with dual posts.

I had one purchased around 2009 that lasted to 2016 or beyond (went with a vehicle I sold) that saw huge loads, shock, and killed multiple times but kept on going.
 
LBarr2002 said:
I went to drive my 2500 XL yesterday and the 10/21 red top was dead. I will continue to shit on modern Optimas. It was the only thing I could get at the time with dual posts.

I had one purchased around 2009 that lasted to 2016 or beyond (went with a vehicle I sold) that saw huge loads, shock, and killed multiple times but kept on going.
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Why dual post?
 
Because 34/78 batteries are awesome in a GM vehicle. Side post and top post!

I recently ditched some red tops for DieHard 34/78s. We'll see how they do in the long run.
 
LBarr2002 said:
Winch on top post, factory terminals on side.
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So the GM uses the side post for starter and engine power? Didn't realize that. Of course I've never owned anything GM.
 
I've been using napa agm batteries.
They are made by Deka/East Penn.
Usually pay 120-150 for a battery depending on size/model.
 
I've been getting the Duracell AGMs from batteries plus, it's made by East Penn (who still isn't owned by Johnson Controls). I haven't been running them long enough to really say the longevity, but in three years they haven't let me down yet.
 
I've had a hard time giving Advance my money since they've removed batteries from any kind of discounts except Speedperks, but the recent ones I've had from there have lasted. The Duracell battery in my Tacoma from Sam's lasted six years, then just lost a cell.
 
zuke said:
I've been getting the Duracell AGMs from batteries plus, it's made by East Penn (who still isn't owned by Johnson Controls). I haven't been running them long enough to really say the longevity, but in three years they haven't let me down yet.
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FYI JCi sold their auto battery business and exited the market in 2019.
BBP - now clarios- bought them
 
LBarr2002 said:
I went to drive my 2500 XL yesterday and the 10/21 red top was dead. I will continue to shit on modern Optimas. It was the only thing I could get at the time with dual posts.

I had one purchased around 2009 that lasted to 2016 or beyond (went with a vehicle I sold) that saw huge loads, shock, and killed multiple times but kept on going.
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Red tops suck.
Get a Yellow. It's meant for shit that sits and don't move for a while.

My buggy's is dated from 2005. I'm gonna be sad when she goes.
 
skyhighZJ said:
Dad has bought Duracell from Sams for both his Michigan and Arizona golf carts. A couple vehicles in Mi and Az have them too. Trickle chargers on the ones that get stored and has had great luck/price point.
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Duracells from Sams are in almost all my vehicles. I like them and Sams is easy for warranty stuff if it comes up. Batteries plus sells those too. Sams does a sale on them a couple times a year if you catch it right.
 
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