Date:         Sun, 28 Jan 2007 17:11:08 -0800
Reply-To:     John Bange <jbange@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         John Bange <jbange@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Interstate Battery Update
In-Reply-To:  <2F1378A9-9B62-45DE-BFE0-9233732A413E@mac.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

> Many years ago (20?) Consumer Reports decided to check into car
> batteries. They entered the study with the preconceived expectation
> that all car batteries would be the same, and were planning on coming
> up with evidence to support their idea that you should just buy the
> cheapest battery, without regard to brand.
>
>
One thing worth noting is that in retail situations, "brand" sometimes means
little more than "sticker". When you go to the FLAPS and the plastic case of
the Bosch battery looks just like the Energizer, which looks just like the
"ProStart" no-name generic, only with a different sticker, that's because
they are. The parts guy at my FLAPS informed me they all came from Johnson
Controls and only differed in warranty. So in reality, at that FLAPS they
only carry two batteries: Optima, and Johnson Controls. I opted for the
Bosch because I figure I'll kill the battery somehow long before the
warranty is up and get more than the $15 higher price from the prorated
value remaining.

--
John Bange
'90 Vanagon - "Geldsauger"