I am getting flaky electrical occurrences and figured since I have the factory battery from 4/07, I would replace it before everything goes to shit and I am left stranded somewhere. So, I go to Advance Auto and pickup a 24-6 battery. They claim they don't have a battery that fits my car, but I tell them this is what I need. They comply and let me take the battery home. I take it home so I can connect jumpers to my wife's car and not lose my memory settings. I get the old one out, new one in, and go to put the terminals on to discover the positive terminal, b/c of it's bulky fuse thingy, doesn't fit on the battery. The battery has a cap on the fluid reservoirs that is not flush with the top of the battery. I took it back this morning and they say, we can't refund a used battery. "But it's not used. I haven't even had it for 24 hours." Well, the plastic cap had been removed from the positive terminal, making it used , and it is illegal to resell a "used" battery. With little to no complaint, they give me the refund but let me know it is not kosher. They also claim I will need a special battery or a Honda battery b/c all aftermarket batteries have this non-flush cover.

So my question becomes this:
Has anyone successfully installed a non-Honda battery into the RL without modification to the + terminal?

Cliffs: Bought new battery from AAP. Doesn't fit with RL terminal connector. Hesitantly refunded. Told have to have a Honda battery. True?


I should add that I felt kinda bad when I left the store, but I think it is the manger's fault for allowing me to leave with a battery that he thinks would not work and NO indication of a return policy. When I was a waiter, we would make special requests under the caution that there would be no refund, and I made that clear. I don't feel as bad anymore.

 

^^^ i dont think the car has anything to do with "what brand" battery you put in it....

AAP is off the hook....i love em....i think the ground wire could be the one at fault here....make sure you put some conductive grease on the terminals....

 

several family members work at advance auto parts and they supplied me with my battery. there is def a battery that works! cause i have one in my car but don't remember what it is though. i will check when i get out of work!

 

btw use "BTX" coupon code at AAP when buying battery....25% off

i got their Autocraft GOLD for my girls lexus and gotta say, love that battery.....

 

Optima's website lists the RedTop #25 as fitting our cars. I personally always run RedTops. I had one in the Prelude forever. Replaced our TL's oem battery with a RedTop 2 years ago. I'm just waiting for the battery in my RL to go out so I can replace it with a RedTop. They give awesome cranking power all year long under all conditions and last forever. They come with a great warranty too. I think it's 100% free replacement for the first 3 years and prorated for 7 years after that. You pay a little bit more for them but it's not something you have to replace often so it's money well spent IMO.

 

^^^ the AAP battery provide the same warranty as well and cost 80 bucks (after the coupon)

the only place where Optima beats other batteries is if you let other batteries die on you couple times, the battery wont recharge to full capacity hence falling in a spiral of dying on u....Optimal uses some technology where if it dies on you every other day, it will still recharge to full capacity.....

i would still put my $$$ on AAP batteries

 

The only issue is the plane of the top of the battery. The RL is special enough to include a fuse on the positive terminal connector. This is surrounded by a big plastic block that sits flush on the battery top. If there is anything sticking up near thee terminal, the connector will not go on.

Bdog, where do you get the red top?

 

As someone who has been on the other side of the parts counter before, you gotta understand that there are some people that think parts are for rental and that it's perfectly okay to use them, and if it doesn't fix the problem they can return the part.

You on the other hand had good intentions and probably took care of the battery, it just didn't work out for you. But there are a lot of people who think the battery is the problem, install it, and turns out it isn't and they end up trying to return the battery.

just being the devil's advocate

 

"mexi"-ma battery here

 

You are right, but there is a level of understanding/discretion that can be applied by the employee.

I work with these auto part stores regularly and just like with any business there are some that care and some that are just there.

 

I understand completely. I never was angry or offended, but that is b/c they took it back so willingly. The only part that sucked was that I actually felt bad giving them the battery back since they cannot resell it. My rationalization to make myself feel better is that the manager, who sold me the battery and even looked under my hood, did not give me any discretion regarding a return policy even though he felt like the battery would not work. A simple, "if you remove the red cap, we can't take it back" would have sufficed for me to check that everything would work before taking the cap off. However, I had no idea, so I pulled it off first thing.

They handled it like champs, and I commend them for it and thank them for teaching me a new law/regulation. I have given them my service numerous times before, and I will gladly do it again. Too bad I can't buy a battery from them.

Heavy, where did you get the mexima?

 

Advanced Auto. I went through the same thing you did except I never left the parking lot.

I know you know this but for those that don't its a Mexico made optima.

 

i have the same as heavy red top optima battery from AUTOZONE!

 

Get in the zone.

 

My AutoZone only carried Duralasts with covers on the top in the size 24. However, O'Reilly's has Super Start (I think that's what they're called) that has a flush top. Just a history for anyone how may be in the market for a battery. Look for the flat top.

 

You have to have a speed shop or stereo shop around you somewhere.
Are you just trying to stick to the parts stores?

 

I found one at O'Reilly's. What is a speed shop? And no, I don't have any stereo shops, etc. nearby. I live outside of Austin towards the hill country.

 

Cool, the O'Rileys out here sells a lot of race parts.

you know a place that makes fuel lines and sells race gas:

Places for race shop near Austin, TXMoorespeed


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European Import Car Repair


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Austin
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SoulSpeed Performance


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Advance Auto Parts


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Applied Racing Technology


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Uprev


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Well, a different AAP was the closest shop to my commute, but you know how that turned out.

I have never even owned a go-cart, so I know little to nothing about race parts.

 

Have you tried the Acura battery? It fits, it meets spec, my first one lasted six years and my replacement is good for 100 months which is longer than the car will last. That's $10 per year for my car battery. Spending time trying to find and fit is just not worth the additional effort.
BTW - my friends Optima red top lasted half of the OEM Acura battery.

 

I did not. The Acura dealer is not near me. I do not buy things from the local dealer because I don't want to pay markup for a part that is stocked only because it is cheap. Also, I have heard of multiple people not getting the 100 month guarantee honored. If this battery dies, I need only go to an O'Reilly store to get a replacement. The likelihood of one of those being nearby versus a dealer is probably 10 fold, if not more, for my location.

This battery fits just fine. The O'Reilly was in the same parking lot as the AutoZone, so it's not like I even had to move my car. If I had known about the top of the battery, AAP wouldn't have even been an issue.

Thanks for the suggestion though. How much did you pay for the dealer battery? Mine was $99 before tax.

 

You gotta get out of the hills man.

 

I think I paid $140 fitted. No hastles with the mem losing its marbles.

 

I always have had and always will have a little red on my neck.

(Yes, I understand I drive an RL. )

I kept a charge on the terminals with jumpers to my wife's car, so the memory was not an issue.

 

I'm sure you bought it because she was 4x4 .... and I believe that would make you a "high tech red neck".

 

That helped. I grew up on a 50 acre thoroughbred ranch. I always had access to country life, so there was no desire to identify myself by it. I love country life, but I also love nice quality things. Big trucks are cool and all, but they are hard as fuck to drive and park in the city. I get to have the best of both worlds.

 

I hear ya my friend... I own two trucks... and I can assure you that if need be the RL would be the first to go out of the fleet.

 

Two trucks! You must be a very busy painter, gardener or pool guy? Besides, you have a lot of nerve stating that a high-tech RL would depart before your lawn-mower carriers on this forum!

 

haha, don't get me wrong... I love my RL, and its definitely the best car I've owned but the reality is that chrome doesn't get you home.

I have a 92 yota on 37's with a chevy 4.3 swap that takes 1st chair.

 

Just an FYI, the Optima Red Top #25 fits our cars just fine. I don't know why Advance doesn't show any batteries for our cars. I ordered it from their website, used a $50 off coupon and picked it up at the store for $135+tax. Not bad.

 

I don't see the redtop on their site, i do see this: http://d.pr/79sN is that what we're referring too?

 

If you go to the "Battery Selector" link on Optima's website and put in your vehicle information it will lead you to the Red Top. Optima's part number is 8025-160.

Auto parts stores do not show this battery as fitting our cars for some reason though. If you're looking for it on Advance Auto Part's website you can find it under a 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee TSI. Just make sure it's the #25 battery. BTW, if you order from Advance online use promo code "VISA" for $50 off.

 

Here's the direct link. Don't forget to use the "VISA" promo code at checkout for $50 off.

http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/web...RPBATTAM2_____

 

I got my CC statement the other day and see that when AAP refunded the battery, I never got the core refund back, so they kept $12.99.