Best battery for 98 Explorer 4.0

[Jeff00000168]

So my battery is about to die..... what is the best battery for a 98 Explorer 4.0 SOHC 4X4? Should I get one from Ford or after market batteries are better like Die Hard or whatever from Pep Boys or Sears or Autozone?

 

[Ray Lobato]

Optima Batteries. Not cheap, but well worth it.

 

[scucci]

Optima red Top.

Scucci

 

[Essex4x4]

Diehard, had them for years with no problems here

 

[IZwack]

x2 on the DieHard -- although they always seem to fail after about 2.5 years, right under the warranty schedule so all you have to do is bring them in for replacement. There is a Gold DieHard that is 900 CCA and Truck/SUV one (gray plastic) with 1000 CCA -- I've used both, they are pretty much the same from what I've witnessed.

 

[corkey]

all i have to say is,, i have had my Optima in for about a year, and have run lights,heater,driving lights, roof top driving lights, and the stereo at the same time, and NO PROBLEMS<<<<<<<<
they cost a bit , but well worth it,,

 

[96eb96]

So my battery is about to die..... what is the best battery for a 98 Explorer 4.0 SOHC 4X4? Should I get one from Ford or after market batteries are better like Die Hard or whatever from Pep Boys or Sears or Autozone?

motorcraft. The one with the 100 month warranty. Tough tested max. 3 yr free replacement and a fair prorate after that. I had one last 6 yrs, got $53 towards a new one.

 

[aldive]

Optima Batteries. Not cheap, but well worth it.

I agree completely.

 

[Essex4x4]

I went outside and opend my hood, guess i never looked at the battery before. After all i have only had this Ex since January, anyways it has an Optima Battery my ford dealer tells me it was a factory installed battery. My Mom's Honda Pilot came factory with an optima battery too.

 

[aldive]

Optima batterys were not factory installed.

 

[Essex4x4]

Optima batterys were not factory installed.

Oh, well guess it must have been changed sometime in the past then, cause when i bought my ex it had 28,000 so i figured it had to be a factory option, thats what the sales guy said. Guess he was wrong, oh well its a great battery none the less.

 

[aldive]

when i bought my ex it had 28,000 so i figured it had to be a factory option, thats what the sales guy said. Guess he was wrong, oh well its a great battery none the less.

You actually beleive anything a car salesperson says?

 

[Essex4x4]

You actually beleive anything a car salesperson says?

Only about 10% of what he said. I knew i wanted a 4x4 xlt explorer before i even walked onto the lot, he was just there to convince me to buy one from him and not the dealer across the street. Heck i even got the exact color, and options, and even payed the price i wanted to pay, well almost if it was my way it would have been free.

 

[Mikeri]

If you plan on keeping the car for awhile, I rec you pick up a battery from an auto parts store close to your house that is open 7 days a week. Johnson Controls makes the batteries for most of the big companies. Interstate makes the rest. So, if it is a Napa, Autozone, Walmart, Sears etc, the battery is probably made by JC. I have found that most batteries will have a problem a few years down the road. They are all well guaranteed. So now, I buy the AZ battery near my house. Had a Napa battery go on a Friday night and had to wait until Monday to get it replaced.

 

[garye]

You actually beleive anything a car salesperson says?

so we should actually beleive everything you say ? and if so why

 

[BrooklynBay]

I've gotten the most use out of an Optima blue marine battery compared to any other battery (even the red, and yellow Optimas). I would avoid Exide. Check my poll on batteries: http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=159284

 

[reserved50]

I hate Optima batteries, well think they arent worth it in a street car,they are over rated, I would use them for drag racing or off-roading . Exide? also makes a decent gel cell for that purpose.

http://www.odysseyfactory.com/auto.html`

http://www.odysseyfactory.com/batteries.html

 

[joecrna]

Agree with Izwack about the two Die Hards, I've used both too. Mikeri about JC and Interstate, between the two they make just about everything sold in the US. So pick based on price, location and warranty. Optima is great if you need a gel cell ( or are they glass mat?) but you trade off reserve capacity. They tend to have fairly low amp hour ratings.

 

[Nocturnall]

so we should actually beleive everything you say ? and if so why

Read through some of aldive's posts on things he's done to his truck and you will realize why a lot of people on the site listen to him.

 

[garye]

Read through some of aldive's posts on things he's done to his truck and you will realize why a lot of people on the site listen to him.

I have read some, when someone says they get over 38 mpg with an Explorer
I begin to wonder