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BJ's Wholesale Club - $90 Battery - What?

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DerbyDad03

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
I need a battery for my 17 EX-L. I don't have a Costco membership, just BJ's. AGM, Optima, OEM are all over $200.

BJ's has a Group 24F 700 CCA IBX (Interstate) battery, 30 month warranty, $90. Even with the shorter warranty, I could buy 2 and keep one as a spare. ;)

I told the tire shop guy that the price was so low that it scared me and he understood where I was coming from. He said he uses Optima batteries and when I asked him why he didn't use BJ's batteries he said "I drive high performance vehicles." OK...no need to get into the weeds with him.

How fast should I run away from a $90 battery?
 
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#2 ·
DerbyDad03 said:
I need a battery for my 17 EX-L. I don't have a Costco membership, just BJ's. AGM, Optima, OEM are all over $200.

BJ's has a Group 24F 700 CCA IBX (Interstate) battery, 30 month warranty, $90. Even with the shorter warranty, I could buy 2 and keep one as a spare. ;)

I told the tire shop guy that the price was so low that it scared me and he understood where I was coming from. He said he uses Optima batteries and when I asked him why he didn't use BJ's batteries he said "I drive high performance vehicles." OK...no need to get into the weeds with him.

How fast should I run away from a $90 battery?
Click to expand...
Costco's batteries are Interstate, so what you're looking at from BJ's seems similar. I've run the Interstate from Costco in my 4runner with no issues after having shorter-than-expected lifespans with OEM Toyota batteries.

That said, I just had the battery replaced by Honda in our '14 EX-L for $140 out the door. Maybe pricing is different in your neck of the woods, but it was close enough to the DIY price to make me not mess with it (plus 3 years, no-questions-asked replacement at any Honda dealer in the country).
 
#4 ·
DerbyDad03 said:
I need a battery for my 17 EX-L. I don't have a Costco membership, just BJ's. AGM, Optima, OEM are all over $200.

BJ's has a Group 24F 700 CCA IBX (Interstate) battery, 30 month warranty, $90. Even with the shorter warranty, I could buy 2 and keep one as a spare. ;)

I told the tire shop guy that the price was so low that it scared me and he understood where I was coming from. He said he uses Optima batteries and when I asked him why he didn't use BJ's batteries he said "I drive high performance vehicles." OK...no need to get into the weeds with him.

How fast should I run away from a $90 battery?
Click to expand...
I think it should be fine.

AGM batteries should cost a lot more, explaining much of the difference you are seeing. You need (should have) AGM batteries when the battery is inside the passenger compartment (as it is for 3 of my 4 other cars). German cars in particular seem to like to do that - the battery is inside, requiring AGM, not FLA.

The AGM is less likely to vent poisonous gas (and is vented to the outside just in case, anyway), and also being gel rather than liquid acid, in the event of a crash where the battery is ripped open, it will not spray acid all over the passengers.

Also, if there is a voltage regulator problem that overcharges the battery, it may want to overflow and leak acid. In the engine bay, that's not such a big of a deal as it is if it's inside.
 
#5 ·
$90 doesn't seem crazy low to me. I think the Interstate battery that I put in my Camry last year from Costco was $85.
 
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Discussion starter · #6 ·
eleven14 said:
Costco's batteries are Interstate, so what you're looking at from BJ's seems similar. I've run the Interstate from Costco in my 4runner with no issues after having shorter-than-expected lifespans with OEM Toyota batteries.

That said, I just had the battery replaced by Honda in our '14 EX-L for $140 out the door. Maybe pricing is different in your neck of the woods, but it was close enough to the DIY price to make me not mess with it (plus 3 years, no-questions-asked replacement at any Honda dealer in the country).
Click to expand...
Interesting. After hearing that I called a different Honda dealer. The first one said it was $205, the second said $119. When I asked #2 why #1 would have quoted $205, he checked his price and said "I don't know".

However ~$20 for a dealer install seems really low. Perhaps you got some kind of warranty refund on the battery itself?
 
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#7 ·
DerbyDad03 said:
Interesting. After hearing that I called a different Honda dealer. The first one said it was $205, the second said $119. When I asked #2 why #1 would have quoted $205, he checked his price and said "I don't know".

However ~$20 for a dealer install seems really low. Perhaps you got some kind of warranty refund on the battery itself?
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Nothing was prorated as the previous owner had purchased the battery and Honda refused to honor it (would have credited me $20 but voided the 3-year warranty). So that was full price, installed and out the door. But that's the game dealers play, you're smart in calling around.
 
#8 ·
DerbyDad03 said:
I need a battery for my 17 EX-L. I don't have a Costco membership, just BJ's. AGM, Optima, OEM are all over $200.

BJ's has a Group 24F 700 CCA IBX (Interstate) battery, 30 month warranty, $90. Even with the shorter warranty, I could buy 2 and keep one as a spare. ;)

I told the tire shop guy that the price was so low that it scared me and he understood where I was coming from. He said he uses Optima batteries and when I asked him why he didn't use BJ's batteries he said "I drive high performance vehicles." OK...no need to get into the weeds with him.

How fast should I run away from a $90 battery?
Click to expand...
The Walmart Everstart Maxx one should be $99 so $9 or so dollars more. I have a BJ's membership but I have always bought my batteries at Walmart as the ones at Walmart are 36 months replacement v/s the 30 months at BJ's. They also have 50 more CCAs and I get the largest CCA ones. :)
 
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Discussion starter · #9 ·
dvpatel said:
The Walmart Everstart Maxx one should be $99 so $9 or so dollars more. I have a BJ's membership but I have always bought my batteries at Walmart as the ones at Walmart are 36 months replacement v/s the 30 months at BJ's. They also have 50 more CCAs and I get the largest CCA ones. :)
Click to expand...
Actually, it's currently (no pun intended) on sale for $88.


Interestingly enough, the page includes this little gem:

"This item fits your 2017 Honda Odyssey
Note : AGM RECOMMENDED: this vehicle is identified as having high electrical loads by a leading researcher"

I'll swing by tomorrow and pick one up. Thanks!
 
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#10 ·
DerbyDad03 said:
Actually, it's currently (no pun intended) on sale for $88.


Interestingly enough, the page includes this little gem:

"This item fits your 2017 Honda Odyssey
Note : AGM RECOMMENDED: this vehicle is identified as having high electrical loads by a leading researcher"

I'll swing by tomorrow and pick one up. Thanks!
Click to expand...
Must be a regional sale. I had looked it up right before I posted. It is $98.76 at my local wally land in zip 28134

If your Ody came with an AGM battery, you should go with the AGM battery I suppose. The upper trims have the AGM batteries but I thought that started with the 2020 or so model year.
 
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#11 ·
Interesting, I thought the AGM batteries didn't come on Odysseys until the auto-stop-start thing (2018+ Touring and Elite, 2020+ all other trims). The 2017 should use a regular battery.
 
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#12 ·
It's possible that they flag newer vans with that in general just because of all the electrical loads they have. It did say it was identified by a researcher.

It looks like it, because it says the same for my 06. It even has a note about the vent caps.

Note : OE battery has flush vents. Check battery box before installing; On the raised vent cap batteries, remove the vent cap to fit the positive connector on securely. IMPORTANT TO PLACE THE VENT CAP BACK ON THE BATTERY ONCE THE CONNECTOR IS SECURED., AGM RECOMMENDED: this vehicle is identified as having high electrical loads by a leading researcher,
 
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#13 ·
WiiMaster said:
It's possible that they flag newer vans with that in general just because of all the electrical loads they have. It did say it was identified by a researcher.

It looks like it, because it says the same for my 06. It even has a note about the vent caps.

Note : OE battery has flush vents. Check battery box before installing; On the raised vent cap batteries, remove the vent cap to fit the positive connector on securely. IMPORTANT TO PLACE THE VENT CAP BACK ON THE BATTERY ONCE THE CONNECTOR IS SECURED., AGM RECOMMENDED: this vehicle is identified as having high electrical loads by a leading researcher,
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The said leading researcher may be on the payroll of the foremost AGM battery maker. :D
 
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Discussion starter · #14 ·
dvpatel said:
Must be a regional sale. I had looked it up right before I posted. It is $98.76 at my local wally land in zip 28134

If your Ody came with an AGM battery, you should go with the AGM battery I suppose. The upper trims have the AGM batteries but I thought that started with the 2020 or so model year.
Click to expand...
I called a 3rd local dealer. No AGM for the 17 EX-L. $153.

So that's $119, $153 and $205 from my 3 closest dealers.

I'm going to try Walmart @ $88 today.
 
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#15 ·
DerbyDad03 said:
I called a 3rd local dealer. No AGM for the 17 EX-L. $153.

So that's $119, $153 and $205 from my 3 closest dealers.

I'm going to try Walmart @ $88 today.
Click to expand...
Yup. Don't try. I have always used an Advance Auto or a Walmart battery for 2 decades. It is fine. Infact, Honda batteries suck and the only one replacement I got was free under warranty for our Ody. Once that went switched to Advance. Now, Advance ones are still over 130 INCLUDING their coupons so I just use Walmart ones. I am on my 4th one between cars and one in the family.
 
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Discussion starter · #16 ·
dvpatel said:
Yup. Don't try. I have always used an Advance Auto or a Walmart battery for 2 decades. It is fine. Infact, Honda batteries suck and the only one replacement I got was free under warranty for our Ody. Once that went switched to Advance. Now, Advance ones are still over 130 INCLUDING their coupons so I just use Walmart ones. I am on my 4th one between cars and one in the family.
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I just bought the battery at Walmart with one minor issue:

The website lists the battery as 750 CCA, 925 CA

The label on the battery reads 725 CCA, 890 CA

When I mentioned it to the clerk, she scanned the barcode on the label itself and her image showed 750 CCA, 925 CA. Obviously they have an issue with their inventory database.

Still, 725 is better than the OEM 630 and it was $30 cheaper than the lowest dealer price I found.

I haven't changed a battery in the 17 EX-L yet. Is there anything I need to look out/be prepared for? (so many gotchas with cars theses days.)
 
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#17 ·
Does your Walmart install batteries for free? Can you start/jumpstart your Odyssey? If so, you could drive back to Walmart and get it installed and get your core charge back. If the installer is ocd he may use something akin to a mini jump battery pack on the terminals so the vehicle will retain all of the settings that usually get erased.

When I changed the battery on our ‘15 ex-l I just had to reset the clock—even the radio presets were intact. The vehicle somehow self detected the factory radio so I didn’t need to track down the code.
 
#18 ·
DerbyDad03 said:
I just bought the battery at Walmart with one minor issue:

The website lists the battery as 750 CCA, 925 CA

The label on the battery reads 725 CCA, 890 CA

When I mentioned it to the clerk, she scanned the barcode on the label itself and her image showed 750 CCA, 925 CA. Obviously they have an issue with their inventory database.

Still, 725 is better than the OEM 630 and it was $30 cheaper than the lowest dealer price I found.

I haven't changed a battery in the 17 EX-L yet. Is there anything I need to look out/be prepared for? (so many gotchas with cars theses days.)
Click to expand...
As I'm sure you're aware of from your old '06... make sure to have the radio code on hand :)
 
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#19 ·
jiantao said:
As I'm sure you're aware of from your old '06... make sure to have the radio code on hand :)
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Not needed on the '14+ vans. Worst case is pressing and holding the radio power button for a few seconds.

-Charlie
 
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#20 ·
My van is still stuck on the AutoZone Duralast proration loop. It lasts between 3 and 4 years for me, and when it dies I get a prorated replacement from AutoZone.
 
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