Originally Posted by Chinatown Boy

The OEM battery in my van lasted 7 years. The OEM battery in my pickup lasted 9 years. I wonder if the OEM Ford battery is the same as the over-the-counter MotorCraft.

I had an Optima YellowTop last 6 years. I had an Optima RedTop last 20 months. The same symptom. One day it needs a jump start. Jump start to go to work. Then it needs a jump every time I start the car. Jump start to go home. Jump start to go buy fuel. 10 minutes later, jump start to leave the gas station. Even a 10 amp charger on repair mode could not fix the battery.

I used to buy whatever house brand battery from the auto parts stores, on sale and with a coupon. Essentially, the cheapest battery I could find. All failed within the warranty period. Then I got a warranty replacement. Which means that I bought a 36 months battery, it lasted 25 months, then they prorated it to discount the next cheap battery.

My recollection is that InterState and Sears batteries lasted beyond the warranty. Then there was that fiasco where Exide and Sears were cleaning up old batteries and reselling as new batteries.