Beachbumcook
Kansas Chapter member
Just spent a an hour or two at my local Ford dealer getting two new batteries for my truck... (dam, it was fun hanging out with my diesel tech watching him work).
My truck is 5-1/2 years old and the factory OEM batteries were a little slow/sluggish this past Saturday morning due to overnight temps getting down to the 40's here in Kansas City. After 5-1/2 years, I knew I was pushing it and decided it was time to buy 2 new batteries for my truck before they let me down when the really cold weather hits the area!!
One thing I noticed is that the OEM batteries were 750CCA rated and the new ones are 850CCA rated. The diesel tech told me that Motorcraft (or whoever makes them for Motorcraft) has improved their performance and increased the rating for the same cost.
I paid $107.00/ea installed and figured it was worth it for them to do the exchange and clean up my terminals and for my local dealer to have all my paperwork on file if I ever needed to take advantage of the warrenty. The batteries are group 65 and have a 3-year replacement and 100 month pro-rated warrenty.
The reason I bought from my dealer is that they gave me a 10% discount and Ford is running a national mail-in rebate program for $20.00/ea per battery. So my $107.00/ea cost minus the $20.00 rebate means I paid $87.00/ea (before my 10% loyalty discount)!!!
For me, I could have saved maybe $10/ea on buying them at Walmart or some other place, but it was worth it for me to have them install them (many places do not do it or charge extra) and this way all the warrenty paperwork is on file with my dealer. Buy it somewhere else and you better be good at keeping your receipts handy.
Oh, and if one is traveling out of town, any Ford dealer can just call back to your home town dealer and verify the purchase date of your batteries and take care of you... buy from Walmart or some other place... you will be told... "no receipt, no help"!!!
As well, if your car has to be towed due to your Motorcraft batteries failing, then towing is provided by Ford. Personally, I have never had to have a car towed due to batteries failing, but I guess its better than not having it and needing it.
As long as the mail-in rebate for Ford batteries is available, I think it is the way to go if price is main factor, if not... I believe that Motorcraft batteries are as good as any other... since only 3 companies make 98% of the car batteries made anyways.
My truck is 5-1/2 years old and the factory OEM batteries were a little slow/sluggish this past Saturday morning due to overnight temps getting down to the 40's here in Kansas City. After 5-1/2 years, I knew I was pushing it and decided it was time to buy 2 new batteries for my truck before they let me down when the really cold weather hits the area!!
One thing I noticed is that the OEM batteries were 750CCA rated and the new ones are 850CCA rated. The diesel tech told me that Motorcraft (or whoever makes them for Motorcraft) has improved their performance and increased the rating for the same cost.
I paid $107.00/ea installed and figured it was worth it for them to do the exchange and clean up my terminals and for my local dealer to have all my paperwork on file if I ever needed to take advantage of the warrenty. The batteries are group 65 and have a 3-year replacement and 100 month pro-rated warrenty.
The reason I bought from my dealer is that they gave me a 10% discount and Ford is running a national mail-in rebate program for $20.00/ea per battery. So my $107.00/ea cost minus the $20.00 rebate means I paid $87.00/ea (before my 10% loyalty discount)!!!
For me, I could have saved maybe $10/ea on buying them at Walmart or some other place, but it was worth it for me to have them install them (many places do not do it or charge extra) and this way all the warrenty paperwork is on file with my dealer. Buy it somewhere else and you better be good at keeping your receipts handy.
Oh, and if one is traveling out of town, any Ford dealer can just call back to your home town dealer and verify the purchase date of your batteries and take care of you... buy from Walmart or some other place... you will be told... "no receipt, no help"!!!
As well, if your car has to be towed due to your Motorcraft batteries failing, then towing is provided by Ford. Personally, I have never had to have a car towed due to batteries failing, but I guess its better than not having it and needing it.
As long as the mail-in rebate for Ford batteries is available, I think it is the way to go if price is main factor, if not... I believe that Motorcraft batteries are as good as any other... since only 3 companies make 98% of the car batteries made anyways.
![[confused]](/old/forum/images/smilies/confused0082.gif "Confused [confused]")
