Date:         Wed, 10 Nov 2010 17:41:46 -0500
Reply-To:     "Jack R." <jack007@COMCAST.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         "Jack R." <jack007@COMCAST.NET>
Subject:      Re: Group 41 Battery at Wal-Mart
In-Reply-To:  <AANLkTinf8GV3NsCrrRdxW5SC09qMhbqA_btxPs66YP1A@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Without a receipt they go by the date code on the battery.

So, if you bought a battery coded 1/09 in 11/10, and it failed in one
month... without a receipt you get nothing, since the battery is over a year
old... that's when you need the receipt, to prove you purchased it in Nov
2010!

And yet another reason to choose a battery with a recent date code.

Jack

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
craig cowan
Sent: Wednesday, November 10, 2010 11:54 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Group 41 Battery at Wal-Mart

They only need the receipt to do any pro-rating past the 3 year warranty
period. Without the receipt, when you battery fails one month out of
warranty (As mine did!) you get NOTHING!!!!!!! : )

It's fair, it's just annoying.
So, now I keep a copy of the receipt.

-Craig


On Wed, Nov 10, 2010 at 10:17 AM, Ken Wilford <kenwilfy@comcast.net> wrote:

> Jack, I have been using the Wal-mart batteries for years now just of the
> reason that they seem to hold up pretty well and if I have a problem I
> can just swap them with no hassle.  I will probably start a flame war
> but the batteries I take out and junk the most are Die Hard the irony of
> which is not lost on me :-)  They should be renamed Die Easy and I when
> I see one in a van now I automatically cringe.  Thanks for the tip on
> looking at the build date, I would have never thought of that.
>
> --
> Thanks,
> Ken Wilford
> John 3:16
> www.vanagain.com
> Phone: 856-327-4936
> Fax: 856-327-2242
>
>
>
>
> On 11/9/2010 8:04 PM, Jack R. wrote:
>
>> Just sharing a recent battery shopping experience... as winter is
>> approaching, some of you on the list may be in the market for a new
>> battery
>> for your Vanagon.
>>
>>
>>
>> I just picked up a battery at Wal-Mart for my 2000 Volvo XC70, group 48 -
>> -
>> 825 Amp / 700 CCA... Everstart Maxx - 3 year full replacement warranty
for
>> $77!  (Dealer charges over $300 for OEM).  The Wal-Mart batteries are now
>> made by Johnson Controls... and are typically very "Fresh" this one had a
>> date code of 10/10.
>>
>>
>>
>> So, checked on the cost of a Group 41 (Size for Vanagon)... and
discovered
>> that they had the basic "Everstart" with a 1 year full replacement
>> warranty,
>> also by Johnson Controls, 780 Amp / 650 CCA for only $67.00  Not bad, if
>> you
>> are on a budget and need to keep your vanagon going through the winter.
I
>> know other batteries have more amps... but for that price, hard to turn
>> down.  The data code was on the Group 41 in front of the rack was 1/09.
>> However, when I looked to the back and they had fresher batteries.  It is
>> worth pulling the old batteries off the rack, and digging for the
freshest
>> one.  The warranty is 1 year from date of purchase, so keep your receipt.
>>
>>
>>
>> Just as an FYI... be careful to also check the manufacturer name printed
>> on
>> the battery... They have some old Exide-made batteries, which are not as
>> good as the Johnson Controls batteries.
>>
>>
>>
>> Jack R.
>>
>> 84 Westy
>>
>>