What Did You Do To Your HHR Today?
Platinum Member
Joined: 01-09-2007
Posts: 16,081
From: SE USA
Yeah, with Winter coming, I would put a fork in it.
PulpFriction- Yep, I think so, got 8 years on it. But sux that 3 years were at Advance Auto on their shelf..
I saved the original battery from my 2011 after replacing it after 10 years. When I go to charge it about every 6 months, it's usually a bit under 13V. Now prolly at least 13 years old. Weird. My experience is the volts can go higher, as the amps go lower. Least my OE one did.
Very cool, my 2008 OE battery lasted 11 years & was still starting it very good w/good voltage.. But if I ever had to crank it a lot to start, is where it would bite me..
I remember years ago reading a Consumer Reports review of car batteries. They emphasized that, counterintuitively, performance varied with battery size group, i.e., brand A might do better with one size, while brand B might do better with another size. Also, durability didn't correlate well with warranty duration.
Walmart's Everstart Maxx got a best buy, if I remember correctly. Our T5/90 is $160 at a nearby store. Duracell is $140 at Sam's Club.
I don't worry too much about the warranties because with the battery management system and the nice cool rear cargo bay location, I would expect even the crappiest battery to outlast anyone's warranty.
PulpFriction- Yep, I think so, got 8 years on it. But sux that 3 years were at Advance Auto on their shelf..
I saved the original battery from my 2011 after replacing it after 10 years. When I go to charge it about every 6 months, it's usually a bit under 13V. Now prolly at least 13 years old. Weird. My experience is the volts can go higher, as the amps go lower. Least my OE one did.
Very cool, my 2008 OE battery lasted 11 years & was still starting it very good w/good voltage.. But if I ever had to crank it a lot to start, is where it would bite me..
I remember years ago reading a Consumer Reports review of car batteries. They emphasized that, counterintuitively, performance varied with battery size group, i.e., brand A might do better with one size, while brand B might do better with another size. Also, durability didn't correlate well with warranty duration.
Walmart's Everstart Maxx got a best buy, if I remember correctly. Our T5/90 is $160 at a nearby store. Duracell is $140 at Sam's Club.
I don't worry too much about the warranties because with the battery management system and the nice cool rear cargo bay location, I would expect even the crappiest battery to outlast anyone's warranty.
As everything gets more & more expensive. I'd like to get more that 5 years as least.
Senior Member
Joined: 11-16-2021
Posts: 613
From: MN
Napa seems to have pretty much pulled out of Minnesota, they are few and far between, they used to be on just about every block but have been replaced by low budget autp parts places now that sell cheap knock-off junk. I don't use them. with Walmart's in about every town, if there is a problem with a battery, I can get a warranty anywhere I go.
funny story, we were in Lincoln Nebraska with the wife's Trailblazer and the power steering went out. they replaced the rack and pinion, and hoses.$3,000 later, I have a lifetime replacement system and it is from a Gold Napa service center. it was in a small town that didn't even have a grocery store in it, no hotels, etc. The owner's wife drovee us to Lincoln to get a room overnight while they fixed the truck. That's service!!
funny story, we were in Lincoln Nebraska with the wife's Trailblazer and the power steering went out. they replaced the rack and pinion, and hoses.$3,000 later, I have a lifetime replacement system and it is from a Gold Napa service center. it was in a small town that didn't even have a grocery store in it, no hotels, etc. The owner's wife drovee us to Lincoln to get a room overnight while they fixed the truck. That's service!!
Senior Member
Joined: 06-01-2019
Posts: 245
From: Orlando FL
Walmart's Everstart Maxx got a best buy, if I remember correctly. Our T5/90 is $160 at a nearby store. Duracell is $140 at Sam's Club.
I don't worry too much about the warranties because with the battery management system and the nice cool rear cargo bay location, I would expect even the crappiest battery to outlast anyone's warranty.
I don't worry too much about the warranties because with the battery management system and the nice cool rear cargo bay location, I would expect even the crappiest battery to outlast anyone's warranty.
if you ever get stuck somewhere that doesn't have a group 90 in stock (not the most common size), a group 47 will cross, that's what I grabbed a couple months ago when I replaced mine, because we buy them daily (I don't use 90s in my fleet), our price is only $75, but that's our (high volume) wholesale discount
Platinum Member
Joined: 01-09-2007
Posts: 16,081
From: SE USA
Napa seems to have pretty much pulled out of Minnesota, they are few and far between, they used to be on just about every block but have been replaced by low budget autp parts places now that sell cheap knock-off junk. I don't use them. with Walmart's in about every town, if there is a problem with a battery, I can get a warranty anywhere I go.
jimvw- Napa is very big in the South. They are all over & in Fla too. Agree about Walmart, I buy a lot of stuff thru them as well.
funny story, we were in Lincoln Nebraska with the wife's Trailblazer and the power steering went out. they replaced the rack and pinion, and hoses.$3,000 later, I have a lifetime replacement system and it is from a Gold Napa service center. it was in a small town that didn't even have a grocery store in it, no hotels, etc. The owner's wife drovee us to Lincoln to get a room overnight while they fixed the truck. That's service!!
jimvw- Napa is very big in the South. They are all over & in Fla too. Agree about Walmart, I buy a lot of stuff thru them as well.
funny story, we were in Lincoln Nebraska with the wife's Trailblazer and the power steering went out. they replaced the rack and pinion, and hoses.$3,000 later, I have a lifetime replacement system and it is from a Gold Napa service center. it was in a small town that didn't even have a grocery store in it, no hotels, etc. The owner's wife drovee us to Lincoln to get a room overnight while they fixed the truck. That's service!!
cool cargo bay is relative, I live in FL, doesn't matter what part of the car it is, it gets hot... we go thru batteries like crazy in our fleet vehicles
heathenhhr- I had lived for 30 years in S Fla, I know what ya mean..
if you ever get stuck somewhere that doesn't have a group 90 in stock (not the most common size), a group 47 will cross, that's what I grabbed a couple months ago when I replaced mine, because we buy them daily (I don't use 90s in my fleet), our price is only $75, but that's our (high volume) wholesale discount
heathenhhr- I had lived for 30 years in S Fla, I know what ya mean..
if you ever get stuck somewhere that doesn't have a group 90 in stock (not the most common size), a group 47 will cross, that's what I grabbed a couple months ago when I replaced mine, because we buy them daily (I don't use 90s in my fleet), our price is only $75, but that's our (high volume) wholesale discount
Weird thing on my current (Advance crap) battery, it read 12.63 two days ago (just off the charger), yesterday it read 12.56, today it was only 12.40, I threw my Battery Minder on it to just keep the volts up in my HHR, till I can swap it...
Big Thanks to everyone who contributed to my part of this thread.
Platinum Member
Joined: 01-09-2007
Posts: 16,081
From: SE USA
Hmmmm, I do see some vague similarities............Interesting.. Is that the Dodge Caliber ?
Got my new Napa battery in today. Happy, happy.
Doing some digging, seems there are only about 3 battery Mfgrs left in the US. Who make for many, located in Penna. They make for Napa, Walmart & many more.
Same inside, just different labels. East Penn Manufacturing
Got my new Napa battery in today. Happy, happy.
Doing some digging, seems there are only about 3 battery Mfgrs left in the US. Who make for many, located in Penna. They make for Napa, Walmart & many more.
Same inside, just different labels. East Penn Manufacturing
Administrator
Joined: 10-13-2011
Posts: 39,900
From: Welland,Ont Canada
My niece had a 2010 Dodge Caliber. Very similar to the HHR in size but interior quality was not there, the body started rusting and in 2017 she scrapped it. She drives a 2009 GMC Sierra now.
Senior Member
Joined: 06-01-2019
Posts: 245
From: Orlando FL