[Zappo]

I changed my OEM Exide Freedom 3 days back. It lasted all of 3.5 years before it gave up the ghost.

The way it conked off was also interesting. One day while returning from office, at a busy junction a bus ahead of me all of a sudden started rolling back. There quite some distance between my car and the bus. In between there was a bike. The rolling bus gathered speed, hit the biker and then braked. But the bike in turn rolled back, nay scratched back all the way (the biker had the brakes applied) and hit my car. In the ensuing melee I released the clutch with the car in the 1st gear. This caused the engine to shudder and stall, with all the lights, audio etc on.

After that the car just refused to start. Ultimately it had to be push started. That was incident one. After that the car would again start regularly. However after about 3 weeks one day I came back from office to the parking only to find that somehow the hazard/parking had gone on by itself and the whole days drain again made the battery to put on its acts.

A few similar other small but very occasional incidences later when the car again stalled in the mid traffic (this time my friend released the clutch in the 1st gear) and it refused to start I had a feeling the battery is on its last leg. However after a push start it worked fine that night (I stopped and started the engine twice after that). However the next morning it just won't budge. All the classical signs of a drain were visible. Cabin light fade, reset of the ignition coils when on etc.

I did not even try to check whether it can be recharged and brought back to life. Just replaced the battery.

[ASHISHPALLOD]

I changed battery in july8 at the life of 21 months only.
Alto has factory fitted exide battery which is bad for life.
Most of my friends owning alto has changed the battery within 15 months to 24 months life.

[Arpit]

My Cielo Factory Fitted battery lasted for 7 years 1999-2006 when i replaced it with an Exide.

[Raccoon]

Let me continue to rant about Exide - my 1st vehicle and 1st bike, was a Hero Honda. Sold the bike after 3.5 years and I got fed up of the poor engine power. The battery was OEM all along, till I sold the bike. It was going great till I sold it, and I'm sure the new owner must have used it for quite sometime.

My 2nd bike, Suzuki Shogun OEM (Amco Yuasa) battery lasted a VERY satisfactory 7 years ...after which like a moron I replaced it with an Exide. The battery was ok for about 14 months, after which it simply would not hold a decent charge! Since the gaurantee was only for 12 months, the dealer washed his hands off the thing.

Our Maruti Esteem came with an Exide as an OEM. And when we took delivery of the car, it would not start!!! Can you beat that? They had to push start the car! After taking delivery of the car, the battery went stone dead in exactly 7 days! Gave a lot of flak to the dealer, and got the battery replaced in warranty. The replacement battery was also no great shakes and died within a year or so. By then it was out of warranty.


After these experiences, and hearing about others, swore never to touch Exide again. So, when dad got a home inverter 3 years ago, influenced him to go for Amaron (he still thinks Exide should be better, as it has a bigger name!). It turned out to be a good choice and the Amaron is going ding dong till date.

[anupmathur]

Originally Posted by Raccoon

My 2nd bike, Suzuki Shogun OEM (Amco Yuasa) battery lasted a VERY satisfactory 7 years
... influenced him to go for Amaron

Hey, Raccoon, any specific reason you chose Amaron without any prior good experience with that brand?
By all logic, it ought to have been Amco Yuasa for the inverter, the brand that gave exceptional service.

[sabnavis]

Seven years and 52 k on the odo.... The Exide was pretty good, i have had to change it and I have purchased an Exide again... This time around they have given me a replacement warranty for 5 years!!!

[Raccoon]

Originally Posted by anupmathur

Hey, Raccoon, any specific reason you chose Amaron without any prior good experience with that brand?
By all logic, it ought to have been Amco Yuasa for the inverter, the brand that gave exceptional service.

I guess the choice was based on both instinct and the fact that I had heard good things about it from couple of people. I guess I wasn't into auto forums and stuff that time.

Also, as far as I recall, Amco Yuasa was not an option for inverter batteries. I dont even know if they do make inverter batts. Does anybody know if they do?? The choices given to us were Exide (yuck!), Prestolite, Amaron, Okaya and probably a couple others... cant recall. So chose Amaron, and haven't regreted it.

Also, the dealer told us that Exide will need double maintainence (twice a year) compared to Amaron (once a year).

[gpa]

I find it quite strange that people are having problems with the exide brand of batteries in their cars. I have used exide batteries right from 1995 in all my cars and have not faced any problems with them.

I have maintained and continue to maintain all my cars scruplously.

My current cars - Santro XG (Feb 2005) & Alto LXi (May 2008) also have exide maintenance free batteries and are performing excellently well..

I suppose I'll just have to wait and see if the exide in my Alto runs into problems after 18 months of use.

Otherwise, I am a very satisfied customer of the brand exide.

Cheers,

gpa

[SS-Traveller]

My Accent Viva CRDi's battery died on me yesterday morning. Exide Freedom, came as OE, done 4 years & 2 months and 88k+ km. The car wasn't started over the weekend, and the batt went flat. No regrets. So I started looking for a replacement, getting confused in the process.

First off, asked HMP. They don't keep batteries. Told me to get a 60Ah battery "that fits".

Asked Exide, and they recommended MA45L (45Ah) first. Hyundai said I need a 60Ah battery. Exide came back to me and said I needed something called a DIN60 batt. Price quoted: Rs.7600 (ouch). Didn't know what was special about DIN60. Checked Tata Green's website, and was recommended a 55D26R Gold battery to fit Accent Viva CRDi's for Rs.4243 (that sounded more reasonable). Called up Tata Green, was quoted Rs.6300 for a DIN60 battery - was told 55D26R won't fit the car, that it would foul with the bonnet.

Finally went to my local friendly neighbourhood auto parts shop, and discovered that the battery that fits this car has a "chin" at the bottom of the case, onto which the battery clamp fits. That kind of a case has the "DIN" designation, and despite being nothing different inside (as I was told), costs twice as much as regular batteries.

Finally got an ACDelco battery for Rs.5300. 18-month warranty. Car running as good as ever. Was told only Exide, Tata Green, ACDelco and MAYBE Amaron make DIN batteries in India, and because of the low volume of sales (it seems DIN batteries are required in just a few top-end cars like the Merc, BMW and Opel to name a few - I feel so proud) the prices are double that of regular batts.

[Samir Taheer]

Changed my Subaru battery a few weeks ago - The Batter lasted 3 yrs and the car only had 12,000 miles on the clock. It was an OEM battery, think it was made by Toshiba. Put a new battery in with a 3yr waranty.. thought that was quite good. Paid just over £100 for the bettery.

[Technocrat]

My battery finally gave up after 3 years & 4 months. My cleaner who apparently listens to the radio while cleaning the car left ther rear door half open which meant the light was on for some 20+ hours. The battery was already weak so simply replaced the battery with a new Exide one

[Surprise]

My OEM car battery came for 3.5 yrs and new replacement was done with Amaron

[R2D2]

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

My Accent Viva CRDi's battery died on me yesterday morning. Exide Freedom, came as OE, done 4 years & 2 months and 88k+ km. The car wasn't started over the weekend, and the batt went flat. No regrets. So I started looking for a replacement, getting confused in the process.

And I am told the Exide OEM or for that matter ANY Exide doesnt last long as the funny d/ting d/tong battery. Not bad at all for the OEM power pack.

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

Was told only Exide, Tata Green, ACDelco and MAYBE Amaron make DIN batteries in India, and because of the low volume of sales (it seems DIN batteries are required in just a few top-end cars like the Merc, BMW and Opel to name a few - I feel so proud) the prices are double that of regular batts.

DIN is a German standard and you pay extra to be in distinguished company Well, just kidding.

Rgds,

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by R2D2

And I am told the Exide OEM doesnt last long as the funny d/ting d/tong battery. Not bad at all for the OEM power pack.

DIN is a German standard and you pay extra to be in distinguished company Well, just kidding.

Yes, even I couldn't help laughing when I was told DIN batteries are needed in Mercs, and what's it doing in my car!

About your first comment, I've had this feeling for some time now (during the ownership of a number of Marutis), that OEM Exides that come in all Marutis (specifically) don't last as long as replacement batts or OEM Exides in cars of other manufacturers. Just wondering if Exide and MUL have an agreement to supply batts at extra-low cost, in which Exide passes off second-quality stuff to MUL, resulting in early failure?

One more query to all members - any experiences with using ACDelco batteries? I just got one, the name is big, my neighborhood Sardarji auto parts shop owner insists its very good, but I have no idea how good the batt itself is.

[anupmathur]

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

..., that OEM Exides that come in all Marutis (specifically) don't last as long as replacement batts or OEM Exides in cars of other manufacturers. Just wondering if Exide and MUL have an agreement to supply batts at extra-low cost, in which Exide passes off second-quality stuff to MUL, resulting in early failure?

I have posted this earlier in this thread, I think. My WagonR 2002 Exide OEM battery lasted 4 years and 10 months!

How can I possibly agree with your view?