tl3097flnkr

I might need a new battery soon and was considering either the Acura oem battery or costco's kirkland signature brand battery. I called Costco yesterday to find out of the had a battery that fits the 2008 tl and they said they have a size 23 battery which might fit. I am confused because i believe the to takes a size 24 battery? A

loulinjai

I run a Costco battery in my car myself. My OEM Panasonic battery only lasted 3 years parked in a garage, while the Costco one lasted 6.5 years and the car was parked outside every day and every night in the Canadian winters. I replaced it with another Costco battery only because performance was marginally weaker at -35 degrees. Good value and good stuff.

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

costco branded batteries are awesome!!!

the group 23 battery dimensions fit, except maybe the terminals are flipped.
so, you would have to install the battery backwards, stretching the battery cable terminals.

tl3097flnkr

That's good to know. Was it a direct fit or did you have make alterations to make it fit? Does the plastic battery cover still fit? And I am guessing you have the same cca as the oem?

tl3097flnkr

Thanks for the info. I am tempted by the recommendations for the Costco battery but not sure if stretching the battery terminal cables or installing a battery of a different size is a good idea? Any comments?

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

I purchased a wrong sided battery.
I had to flip the battery and stretch the cables to fit.
im not using the battery tie down.

if this isnt something for you, get the correct battery with the positive terminal on the left side.

loulinjai

I have a TSX and not a TL so I'm not sure what group size the TL is. I just used the book that Costco provides on their battery shelf that lists all the makes and models with the right battery size, in my case the battery fit perfectly. I'm sure you will find a battery there that fits the TL. If you want to be very sure, just look at your current battery and get a rough idea of the size and orientation and compare it to the recommended one at Costco. Take a picture of your current battery and bring it with you to the store if it helps. Look at the CCA rating as well to make sure the replacement battery meets or exceeds the stock battery.

EDIT: to answer your question. It was a direct fit, just loosen the terminal connections, replace and tighten the connections on the new battery. There is no battery cover on my TSX so I can't comment on that. OEM CCA was 430, Costco replacement was rated 500. Remember to take safety precautions if you are replacing it yourself so you don't get shocked.

TLer trash

You can't get a shock from a 12v battery. The real risk is in creating a spark, which could blow up the battery, as they produce hydrogen while charging. You could also possibly get a burn if you touch a wrench from the positive terminal to any grounded part on the car, if you haven't disconnected the negative first.

BillMFD3

got this at advanceauto using the 40% off code for $75.00. Fits perfectly nice and tight and the plastic cover fits too. As for how long it lasts - has a 3 year full replacement warrantee. I usually get 4 years out of a battery and replace it , never got stuck with a dead battery yet (unless I left the lights on...)

Autocraft Gold 24FH

Jackass

My local Costco stated they did not carry a direct replacement battery for my TL. I'm sure something can be rigged/modified, but that wasn't something I really wanted to do. That made me sad.

1KLRTOY

Everstart Maxx group 124 at Wally World is a direct fit..

Acura-OC

Perfect fit without any mods for my TL.

TylerPerry

I've heard nothing but good things about Costco batteries which led me to putting one in my car

I've had it for a about 2 months and it came with a 3 year warranty, no complaints on my end

Will1688

I have a costco battery and it has not given me any trouble at all, would recommend for the price, and if anything goes wrong with it you can get a replacement pretty easily. Just keep the receipt.

mau108

I have the kirkland in my TL and TSX (smaller). Very good batteries

ScottyB

Costco batteries are still a good value but not what they used to be. They are recycled, as with most batteries these days. I've owned them going back since 1995 and have kept using them because of audio gear I had installed in my rides. They used to have up to a 7 year warranty, then 5 years, now only 3 years . If my battery died before the warranty I would just take it back to Costco and they would replace it for free! My last Costco battery lasted a little more than 3 years with no aftermarket stereo components attached. No warranty coverage on that one... Don't let this deter you though, as I'm sure it will be just fine. My next battery will be an optima along with my system I'll be installing on my 07TL Type S I just picked up. These batteries are made "new" but are def pricier than Costco.

vietxquangstah

iTrader: (7)

They're more expensive because they are AGM batteries. I would go with Diehard Platinum over any Optima battery.

NBP04TL4ME

I'm not a Costco member and have always been a big fan of the Diehards.

LaCostaRacer

The Costco batteries are what I use- great deal and decent life too.

One tip for changing the battery is to use a backup battery source (you can use the jumpstart/tire compressor/battery Costco sells) and plug that into your cigarette lighter port and turn on the car to accessory before changing the battery. This way you can save your settings with no programming of stuff (nav,radio presets, seats/mirrors, etc.) needed. I have done this trick a couple times and it works great.

tl3097flnkr

Thanks for your inputs. As always they are much appreciated!! I went to the local costco this evening and did not see their kirkland signature battery. They only had interstates. Anyways when I checked the book I came to know that they don't have a direct replacement battery for the TL. They do have a size 24F (fitment #23) however it is 700 CCA as against the 550 CCA OEM spec. Do higher CCAs have any negative impact? Could it damage the starter motor? I don't have any mods in my car so as such I do not need the extra power.

Will Y.

No negative impact; it's a positive.
The general rule of thumb used to be that it was better to buy higher CCA batteries as they tended to last longer.
More CCA also means less likely to be insufficient in cold weather.
OEM batteries tend to have lower CCA than aftermarket.

Will1688

Here's a pic of mine if you're curious about size

BBjaiBev

I brought my car battery from Costco on 8/26 for $69.99 + $15 core charge (refunded when you bring any old battery back) and they didn't carry Kirkland brand anymore only had regular Interstate.

Group Size is 24F.

Topher707

I can confirm this as well. I spoke with an employee in the automotive/tire section about two weeks ago. They will no longer be carrying the Costco branded car batteries and all locations are supposed to be switching over to Interstate. Everything I have heard/read indicates Interstate is a solid brand.

tl3097flnkr

I checked the book at Costco for interstate batteries and they do not list a battery for the 3G TL. They do however have a 24F battery with 700 CCA. They switched to the interstate battery 2-3 months ago, so it's relatively new (from Costco that is) - but sounds like interstate batteries have a good reputation?

Also, the book says that the OEM battery in the 3G TL has flush side vents, any idea what that means? Would an aftermarket battery have similar vents?

It's now between the interstate battery from costco (700 CCA $82 after core charge) and the OEM battery from Acura (550 CCA $160 installed)

The advantage of the costco battery is the cost and maybe the quality (not sure about the quality because costco has been selling them for only 2-3 months)

The risk is fitment and the higher CCA. From a fitment perspective, looks like it's a direct swap. I am pretty sure I don't want to alter anything in the car to make the battery fit. Also from the responses above it sounds higher CCA does not have a negative impact on any other components.

The advantage of the OEM battery is the assured compatibility both from CCA and fitment prospective.

The risk is poor quality - although my first OEM battery lasted for 3 years 3 months and the second one lasted for 2 years 9 months.

What would you recommend amongst the two?

Thank you!!

thoiboi

That's freaking brilliant... That never even crossed my mind.. Thanks!

dcmodels

I would recommend a battery rated by Consumer Reports - just be aware that when using a CR rating, that they rate batteries specifically by size. That is, a high rating for a specific brand of battery in one size, may be a low rating for the exact same brand of battery in a different size. So a CostCo or Interstate battery may be highly rated in one size, but the lowest rated in another size. That happens because only a few manufacturers make batteries, and the batteries are rebranded for different retailers.

CostCo batteries have been made by Interstate for several years - so I am not surprised that CostCo is simply selling an Interstate that is no longer rebranded a CostCo/ Kirkland. And the OEM Acura battery delivered in my 09 RDX was made by Johnson Controls - as stamped on the battery case.

For more info on choosing a good battery, see the following link, which contains general information on how to read the codes on a battery:
https://acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?p=14546038#post14546038

Steven Bell

iTrader: (2)

^^^ Good post.

bigballer8526

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the warranty is also shorter on the Interstate batteries compared to the Kirkland rebranded batteries. Interstates are rebranded Johnson batteries. It's more correct to say that Kirkland are rebranded Johnsons, not rebranded Interstate.

Times are getting tough.

NBP04TL4ME

If that is the case then it might be a sign of warranty issues with the Costco branded batteries and them not wanting to deal with the headaches of being the middle man between the consumer and Kirkland.
Either that or there wasn't enough money in the OEM program between Kirkland and Costco. Having worked for a manufacturer of both OEM and branded products, I have seen it all.

bigballer8526

Yeah, no doubt in an era of endless corporate mergers.

Considering most batteries are made from Johnson, it's just a matter of where you can get it the cheapest and Costco still is the cheapest. Warranty issues shouldn't be a problem since Costco has phenomenal customer service and keeps track of all your receipts on your membership.

But I believe the warranty used to be 100 month pro-rated on the kirkland. It's shorter on the interstate.

Red89gt

Have a Kirkland in my TL and wife's s2000. Just changed her MDX battery with Costco interstate. All batteries working great even after tundra cold last Chicago winter.

bigballer8526

st charles?

small world, I love down the street from you in Bartlett

cpgar11

The Arizona heat where I live is brutal on vehicle batteries, so I just installed a new Interstate battery from Costco in my 2008 TL last night. The battery that I replaced in the TL was also an Interstate battery that I purchased from Costco exactly 24 months ago. Since their car batteries come with 85 month warranties, Costco prorates a refund based on the actual service of the battery, with 100% refund for the first 36 months.

Since my battery only lasted 24 months, Costco gave me a 100% refund which I then used to buy another Interstate car battery and paid a $4 difference (price of battery went up slightly in the two years since I bought my last one). Costco warranties are the best that you will find on many items.

So for those shopping TL batteries at Costco, I can confirm that you need a "Group Size: 24F" also identified as a "Fitment Code: 23" for 04-08 TL's

csmeance

If you guys want a cheaper battery, order a battery online from Autozone.com and try to apply the 40%, 30% or other coupons to save money. I put in a battery into a friend's mustang for $30-40 compared to spending $65+ at costco/sam's club/BJ's.

Bonifacio Romero

Hi, how can I find out if the 100 months from my battery still good or not? I purchase @ costco

avs007

The kirkland battery is a piece of crap. It'll die on you within 3 years... But with that being said, Costco is very lenient with the warranty.. Just bring the battery in, and get the Interstate Battery that they carry now... (They switched battery vendors, because of the problems they had with the kirkland battery)

They won't bother with testing your old battery. If it's less than 3 years old, they'll just give you a full refund... Otherwise, they'll just pro-rate the cost of the battery, and give you your money back... Don't even need a receipt, they can lookup the receipt on the computer, especially since the battery has a sticker on it saying what month/year it was purchased.

But to answer your question... I bought a charger on Amazon for like $25. Best $25 I ever spent... You can use it to charge your old battery, and it will tell you if your battery is able to hold a charge or not, etc...

pohljm

just got a full refund at Costco after 27 months

Will1688

Kirkland brand batteries were made by Interstate. So it's really the same battery.

DMZ

Just find a battery with the highest CCA and reserve capacity available for the size, 24F

I currently have the Autocraft Gold from Advance Auto Parts, no problems!

FYI, Consumer Reports rates the Everstart Maxx from Walmart a best buy in our size.
I had one. Lasted 3½ years
.
.