Well it's like this. Years ago I was a loyal Interstate customer getting a good discount on purchases and I had reasonable results with their products. I would typically get 4-6 years out of a battery. Well that ended and the life of a battery went to about 2-3 years at best. I then realized Interstate is nothing but a marketing company outsourcing to the lowest bidder usually Johnson Controls coming from Mexico or China. Doing research I discovered the only large scale battery manufacturer in the US is East Penn Manufacturing who makes most batteries for the US military, Caterpillar, their own label Deka as well as some NAPA, Wal-Mart and O'Reilly to name a few. I have actually seen a Deka 18 wheeler unloading at Wal-Mart. So I started buying batteries at O'Reilly and up to recently had no problems. Well when the OEM battery in my 2019 F-150 with 5.0L went bad I purchased a premium replacement from O'Reilly, this October will be three years old. For several months the cranking has been getting progressively slower. I stopped by Interstate last weekend and they did a mild load test with a real load tester and it really dropped the voltage and the tech stopped and said this battery is weak, if I load it more you will not be able to start the truck. He recommended I go back to O'Reilly since it is under warranty. Well this is where the fun begins... I get with this 20's year old at O'Reilly and he puts a new fangled tester on the battery and says well the battery is in it's last 1/4 of it's life but still good, turns around, and walks inside. I'm left standing there thinking ***. I go inside and tell him hey the battery is weak and not starting the vehicle. Another employee tells him to re-check it, check the alternator and the starter. We go back outside, he repeats the same test with the same results. He then instructs me to start the vehicle which I did, he takes readings and motions for me to kill the engine. I comply and go up to him and he asks me "is this a Diesel" I said what? he repeats "is this a Diesel" I in a chuckling voice said "no, it's gas". He informed me the alternator is good the starter is drawing too much amps and they probably have a starter in stock. We went inside and I tried to explain to the flunkie and the manager the battery is weak not holding voltage and while cranking the voltage is dropping therefore with the same load the amperage will increase and I need a battery. They refused a new battery under warranty. I left pissed off and really questioning any purchases there again.
Interesting tale. I’m kinda surprised O'Reilly‘a didn’t take care of you. In a highly competitive retail marketplace. You definitely won’t purchase your next tree shaped air freshener from them anytime soon. That sucks. I like DEKA, but I can’t get them anymore. The Walmart Everstart East Penns are about the best deal going. I buy a lot of crappy NAPA GP 31’s because they are easy to get and the pricing is right. DEKA had a GP31 I could ship non-hazmat. They were expensive, but still cheaper than air-freighting wet cells.
If looking up starter/alternators at O'R online, listed as new, when at the store remove from box and check what it says on tag. One thing to remember about stores like Walmart, batteries are constant turn over, not stale.
Unfortunately you had a bad experience with that particular ORiellys but you might have luck at another one. We have a few around us and I used to use them for Deka bike batteries but actually have better luck now at Walmart for East Penn batteries, unfortunately. You may have better luck just taking the battery out and bringing it back and telling them you want it warrentied.
When I get back to town Sunday I think I will pull the battery and go to a different O'Reilly and see if I get better results.
For me, a second trip and I’m eating any possible warranty reimbursement with the time I’m wasting. That’s why I purchase crappy NAPA batteries. The NAPA guy will pick my warranties up and credit my account, picks up my cores, and keeps my battery rack full so I always have fresh, crappy ones.
Did the same only fresh interstate crappy ones.
Any battery manufacturer can make any quality of battery desired. You never know when the purchasing agent for a retailer decides to purchase the next cheaper level of quality. I went back to Interstate batterys as the carquest batterys I get delivered were good for 2 years, maybe 30 months, no more. Truck batteries come from Freightliner, same lifespan, much cheaper.
Those I had good luck with, correct-it's all in battery specs by retailer. Interstate use to have a quality battery, my old dodge used two batteries in 23 years, both Interstates. Allot can be told by a batteries weight.
I mostly run Deka and NAPA batteries now, have pretty decent luck with them. That said, some of the best batteries I've ever had were the OEM batteries that came new. Had one in a Kubota tractor that lasted 13yrs, another in a Ford truck that lasted 9 years. As for those testers, I don't trust those new fangled 'electronic' testers as far as I can throw them. Had way too many erroneous results. Carbon pile load tester may not be as quick and easy but it doesn't lie....
Interstate used the carbon pile type.
For sure, some of those Japanese OEM batteries like Panasonic are incredible.
The one we used in the shop was just a pile.
It’s so difficult to find a quality carbon pile in 2025. Then, when you do finally find that sweet Sun VAT40, the shop helper overheats and destroys it while grilling his ham & cheese sandwich on it.
Well we pulled the battery yesterday and went to a different O'Reilly. They could not find the purchase in the computer. I don't have the receipt handy as my office manger is on a Caribbean cruise. Went back to the store where it was purchased (the location I had trouble with). A different person cheerfully swapped it for a new one. Truck spins over good now. I appreciate the advice.
They're not hiring rocket scientists to work at the parts counter lol. Ask them to use the alternator/starter tester next time if you want some entertainment. We had really good luck with the Diehards from Advance/Carquest that were JC/Clarios, which was kinda odd since that was who supposedly is making AC Delco and Motorcraft batteries and those have been terrible. Now that all the Advance Autos went out here we're back to the O'reilly, so far so good after a couple dozen.