Roosbok

Honda recommends only using Honda batteries as replacements and that this will help extend the life of the vehicle because Honda batteries are engineered to work specifically with Honda electrical systems.

Is this right? Is is not ok to use Die Hard or are Honda Batteries really that much better for the cars?

tacheon

The best battery for your car is the freshest battery which meets the appropriate CCA and size for your application. Also, a higher CCA doesn't mean it is better. In order to achieve a higher CCA and reserve capacity, thinner and more fragile plates have to be put inside the same space. Learn how to read the manufacturer's date code on the battery. There is no one brand which is superior to others. A stale battery is a more of a reliability concern rather than brand. Honda doesn't have its own battery factory, they're just contracted out by another company and Honda puts their label on it. Most battery brands in North America are manufactured by a small number of major manufacturers such as Johnson Controls.

CHUCKNOSIS

iTrader: (2)

iono if its good but honda battery goes out around 50,000 miles..mine did...ri

tacheon

Here's a website with most of the Johnson Controls brands. http://www.autobatteries.com/brands/index.asp
A lot of people will recognize these brands here in North America. And yes, Honda batteries are manufactured by Johnson Controls along with Die Hard, Optima, etc.

Jrfish007

iTrader: (3)

Yes, but just because they are manufactured by the same company does not mean they are the same. Lok at the Honda OEM filters, they're made by Fram, yet Fram has to conform to Honda's specs in order to keep Honda's contract, as a result the Honda OEM filters are superior to the general Fram filters even though they are made at the same location by the same company. I don't know enough about batteries to say if Honda's is better than the rest, but I know Honda does. If you are truely that worried about it, call Honda and ask them why their betteries are better. Don't call the dealer, call Honda corperate. Then let us know their reasponse.

Personally, I use the freshest battery I can find, I do know that a stale battery that has not been properly cycled is bad and I know how they deform inside.

tinman

I think among wet cells it's a toss-up. I switched to an optima, and I'm never going back. The optima will never leak, never corrode the terminals, and it does seem to have better capacity. I don't drive a lot, so for me the optima is perfect. The car always starts right up, even if I don't use the car for 2 months. (I use my truck a lot.)
In everyday use, the original Honda battery does just fine, but take a good look under that red cap for your positive cable. It tends to corrode under there after a few years.
Of course you can get a bad battery no matter what brand you buy. It's luck of the draw. I had expensive batteries that died in a year without warning, and cheap costco brands that lasted 8 years!

Jrfish007

iTrader: (3)

I know a guy that has the orginal battery in his 13 year old ranger.

tacheon

I don't think the people at www.bobistheoilguy.com will agree with your statement that Honda Honeywell (Fram) filters are superior. However, that's not to say that all batteries are created equal because they clearly are not. AGM batteries such as Optima and Delco are much more resistant to mechanical and chemical damage.

Jrfish007

iTrader: (3)

Uhmmmm..... I ment in retro spect to standard Fram filters you buy off the shelf they are superior. Take a look in the oil secition, if you really want I can dig up at least 4-5 studies showing the the OEM Honda filter is better than the standard Fram filter you find in the parts store.

Jrfish007

iTrader: (3)

Here, a pic of Fram versus the Honda OEM filter. Keep in mind both use the same material for the actual filteration, and in other test, more has shown to be more effective.



The point is, a manufacture can demand better quality from a company, better than what the company sells to the public. Tire companies do the same, your OEM tires go through FAR more regorous inspections and test than the SAME exact tire you can go buy at the tire store. So not all things are equal.

streetglower

iTrader: (13)

maybe I should start using OEM filters now. Never really took it into consideration before.

cambo

iTrader: (1)

are you sure that one isn't the honeywell version?

Remember, honda just switeched to fram as their oil filter supplier. Honda has several oil filter contracts.

Jrfish007

iTrader: (3)

Well, if you can get the buy 2 get one free they're not a bad deal. But if you pay the $4-5 for each one, there are better filters out there for the price. But I get them for a little under $3 a piece, so I think it's a good deal.

Jrfish007

iTrader: (3)

Honeywell = Fram (http://www.fram.com/about/findex.html)

But yes there are two main manufactures of Honda filters, that I believe is the Fram one. I'll check though.

tacheon

This is incorrect. The Honeywell (Fram) Honda filter is p/n 15400-PLM-A02. The picture you posted with p/n 15400-PLM-A01 is a Filtech. A Honeywell Honda (Fram) filter is nearly identical to an off the shelf Fram.
http://theoildrop.server101.com/cgi/...=001428#000004
http://www.tegger.com/hondafaq/oilfi...r_comparo.html

tacheon

This is another picture of a Honeywell Honda filter. If the can wasn't blue, you'd have a hard time telling it isn't an orange Fram filter.
http://elabfcsvrt.fdu.edu/bartsch/Pr...400PLMA02B.JPG

shroomster

nothing against you JRfish but I don't believe the rigorous testing of the tires...if they cared they'd put longer lasting tires on with higher treadwears ratings....stupid firestone fre's only last about 12,000 and had a 200 treadwear rating on them (o.e.m) for the '01 sedan down here in florida

Jrfish007

iTrader: (3)

Well, I was told (and this by a senior official in Goodyear) auto manufactures specify the tire to be within certian specs that are far greater than standard. He said this is to ensure that the car does not have problams while it is on the lot. These tires are ment to sell the car, so they must have a quite ride and be far better balanced than normal tires. Notice I say nothing of tire life, this is just an intial quality issue.

Jrfish007

iTrader: (3)

Take a look at the orange Fram pic that I posted and the cut away of the Honda OEM that is made by Fram that YOU posted (the second pic) this is the one most people buy. Notice a difference in the amount of filteration material? I would say the Honda one has more, but maybe I just can't see right

And yes the first one I posted is the Honda filter for a S2000, but I believe it fits on a Civic too.

streetglower

iTrader: (13)

ok, lets keep get this thread back to the original topic. It went from batteries to oil filters to tires. It was a nice argument, but I think the original poster wants to know more about which batteries are better.

Jrfish007

iTrader: (3)

^^^ yes. I already stated that just because a company makes a product for the masses, it isn't really the same product as they make for a manufacture. Secondly, I think he'll be okay with any battery that is fresh, like someone else stated, read the dates on the batterys and get the newest one you can find, this is probably more important thanwhat brand you buy.

Roosbok

Ok, sounds good.