The battery in your car is one of the most important parts of the car. Without a good battery to start the car, the vehicle is just a large piece of lawn art that will never go anywhere. Getting the right battery that will be dependable in any condition is important and here are some things to consider.
Durability and Vibration Resistance
The battery in your car needs to stand up to a lot of abuse. Driving the car down the road produces vibration and hitting bumps can jar the battery hard enough to damage a poorly made battery. If your battery is going to have to endure off-highway travel or severe conditions, it is better to look at batteries that are built for those kinds of conditions.
You might want to consider an absorbent glass mat battery (AGM Battery) for your vehicle. These batteries are built to withstand extra shock and vibration and are some of the most durable car batteries on the market. There are many brands to choose from in this class but ask the dealer about the industrial AGM battery and they can show you want they have available for your car.
Cold Cranking Amps
The amperage rating of your battery is critical to it working in the cold months of winter. A battery that has an amperage rating of five hundred cranking amps might be fine in the summer, but when the mercury falls into the negative numbers, the cranking amperage of the battery drops.
Check the CCA or cold cranking amps on the battery when you are shopping. The five hundred amp batter could potentially only have three hundred and fifty cold-cranking amps. That might not be enough to start your car when you really need it.
Every manufacturer has a recommendation for the car you own that clearly specifies the cranking amps and the cold cranking amps. Check your owner's manual to determine what size battery you need.
Sealed Batteries
Old batteries are sometimes known to leak and corrode the terminals on the battery or rot the battery tray away under the battery. Buying a sealed battery like an AGM battery can help prevent this from happening. Even with a sealed battery, it is important to maintain the battery in your car and clean the terminals from time to time.
A little baking soda and water mixture and a small wire brush is a great way to get rid of the corrosion and neutralize any acid that has escaped the battery.
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