4 Cheap Car Battery Brands That Actually Last (According To Reviews)

Cars of all kinds are equipped with batteries, and they don't last forever. Car batteries will show signs that they need to be replaced typically between three and five years after installation, requiring you to take action for the health of your vehicle.

While many prefer to send their car to a mechanic for battery replacement, if you want to do it yourself, you likely can. Basically, all you have to do is disconnect, remove, and replace it with a fresh one — being mindful of which colors signify positive and negative connections on the new battery. Before going through this process, though, it's worth doing some shopping around for your next battery. As with any purchase, it's best to find the right blend of quality and cost before running your card or forking over cash.

Fortunately, you're not left to choose a new car battery alone. Folks online have shared support for a few brands that they find are every bit as cost-effective as they are long-lasting.

Within its pretty sizable automotive section, Walmart has a selection of car batteries for sale. It has more widely available brands, in addition to its exclusives from EverStart. Though one might imagine that a grocery store car battery doesn't have a lot to offer, according to many who've used them, these get the job done. The starting price is around $70 for the Value batteries, while batteries from the Plus range reach around $110. Maxx batteries start at $140, and Platinum ones climb to the $180 range. "My 7.3 has 8 year old EverStart Maxx batteries that still fire up in freezing temps without being plugged in," wrote reddit user u/halcykhan of their time using EverStart batteries.

Others in the thread praised EverStart as a durable budget battery, as did many folks on the Walmart website. "I have been using the Everstart value batteries in 4 cars for over 4 years. The battery performance has been good, only 1 of the batteries failed after 4 years," commented Walmart.com user Nigel, while Tra shared that theirs lasted an astounding seven years. Dannys DIY Garage found that an EverStart was still in decent shape after five years, and commenters shared their good fortune with the brand. Some claimed their battery lasted around eight years, while others recalled getting 12 out of one. While these are likely outlier cases, clearly EverStart is a relatively affordable brand most believe you can rely on.

Another major name in the car battery space is Interstate, which sells its wares through the likes of Costco and Amazon. Interstate batteries come in several different varieties, accommodating different car sizes, power needs, and even climate conditions. Compared to EverStart, however, these batteries can get expensive. They tend to range from just over $130 for standard performance batteries to around $400 for the most premium units, so they can be quite an investment depending on the specific type you elect to buy. With that said, numerous folks have stuck out their necks for the brand and touted their reliability.

"Interstate. I've had them last 9 years, seriously I'm on my 4th since the turn of the century," said u/shiftycansnipe on Reddit in January 2022. In another thread, u/rapp38 shared that they've typically gotten around five years out of the average Interstate battery. Meanwhile on the Bob is the Oil Guy forums, AutoMechanic wrote, "I've had nothing but good luck with Interstate Batteries. Had one last 10 years the other lasted 8. Their replacement Interstate ones are doing very well. They are the only brand I'll buy." As for flatfour on the Tacoma World forum, they tend to get between four and five years out of each Interstate battery.

If you're having any kind of car or truck problem, chances are AutoZone has exactly what you need to get your ride up and running again. Among its litany of car parts, fluids, and tools are car batteries, most notably those from Duralast. This brand is sold exclusively through AutoZone, and it's relatively cost-effective compared to other similar names. Many of its car batteries reside in the $170 to $195 range, though there are some higher-end examples that reach the $200 mark. For the cost, it has been said by many that you'll get reasonable longevity out of them before replacement is necessary.

For example, Redditor u/ferrisfair, shared, "I'm replacing my Duralast Gold 78-DLG today .... 7 years later. Granted, I only put about 3K miles per year on my '96 K1500, but I'm impressed." A now-deleted Reddit user got some good use out of their Duralast battery, with it lasting around five years in the Arizona heat. EarthCruzn on the Thumper Talk forum noted that the Duralast battery in their truck lasted a whopping eight years, while kc2006 from the Ford Truck Enthusiasts forum got six years out of one. "On older vehicles I've always gotten 7-10 yrs with Duralast batteries. Modern vehicles have a lot more draw than the older ones and the battery isn't apt to last as long," DIY Chatroom user mark sr said in a thread of their Duralast experience.

ACDelco has been a staple of cars and trucks for years, providing a range of batteries for those in need. They're available at retailers such as Walmart and AutoZone, and they're priced pretty competitively when put up against some brands. They tend to start in the $160 range, with some units that reach as high as $200. ACDelco batteries seem to deliver when it comes to longevity. Several individuals have taken to the Internet to sing the brand's praises, revealing how long they got out of their batteries.

In a thread on the Corvette forum, a few folks had their ACDelco batteries put up some strong numbers. User car2fast4u got nine years out of one, with Rick Mickol recalling getting six years out of theirs. In an AutoZone review, user Christopher explained, "I have a 2012 TOYOTA Camry SE Limited Edition with the original ACDelco battery that was installed in the car at the factory in Nov 2011. This original AC Delco battery lasted 11 and a half years." Even though they didn't have the best luck with a recent ACDelco battery, which lasted only a mere two months, Redditor u/Alarming_Step_7361 shared that they once had a battery from the brand last 12 years.

It must be said that one's mileage will vary with all of these car battery brands. Still, given these and other testimonials, it stands to reason these examples among the major car battery brands on the market will serve you well for some time without taking too much out of your wallet.