# xtrail battery replacement



## tonyvancity (Jan 2, 2017)

* IF i do replace my xtrail battery, anybody have any suggestions? I have been researching and reviewing various batteries online and some say Walmart everstart Maxx batteries are ok, others say to steer clear of Walmart . The canadian tire website seems to just sell their Eliminator brand, which seems to get positive reviews. New to me is this : AGM (Absorbed Glass Mat) technology. Says it is the latest/best battery technology considering many of us run plug in devices in our vehicles/upgraded stereo, etc. Looking at the motomaster eliminator Ultra AGM=
Regular Price: $194.99
Sale:
$174.99
Plus $20.00 Core Charge . Only two options at canadian tire for an AGM battery, both are Motomasters. Of course there are the other Motomaster Eliminator batteries with no AGM that will fit my xtrail.....from $120 upto $140 With 640 amps to 740 amps. My 06 Xtrail has only power windows, AC, aftermarket stereo. I have changed up every interior and exterior light bulbs to LED (read that is great not just for light brightness but less power robbing /strain on the battery) and i only occassionally plug in my iphone6 to briefly charge it while driving. So, IF i do replace the car battery....what are your opinions and suggestions, your own personal experiences with automotive batteries in ANY vehicles and of course in our Xtrails? thanks! *


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## otomodo (May 23, 2008)

I bought a battery from Wal-Mart in 2013 and it pulls strong after 4 years. I 've drained the battery to 8v when the alternator died on me. After a used alternator installation and a full charge, the battery shows no sign of weakness. 
The guy at the counter told me the average life of a battery was 34 months. 
If an oem battery lasts 8 years and you expect to keep the car that long, maybe it s worth to pay the extra for a peace of mind. 

P.s. i had employee discount at Wal-Mart when i bought it.


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## MikeHJ (Mar 7, 2017)

Truth be told, I've never seen the end of any battery I've ever bought. I've replaced a bunch of batteries on used cars I've bought, but the replacements were still going strong when I sold the car...sometimes years later. I don't have any large electricity needs: no roof top rack of halogens, no huge stereo amp, no winches, etc. And obviously, we're talking about cranking a 4 cylinder, not a heavy v8. 

I've had good luck with the Mid-grade motomaster batteries. Currently, my Xtrail has an Interstate put in by the previous owner 4-5 years previous. 2 years ago, I had some alternator issues that were really hard on the battery (drained it under 9v repeatedly). I swapped the alternator, solved the problem and took the battery in a few weeks later to be tested. I was pretty sure all the repeated draining had taken away a lot of the battery charging capacity, but it tested out only slightly below the original specs. Been running fine for the last 2 winters (7-8 years old now) and still puts out high volts for cold weather starts.

In my mind, the battery needs to be sized appropriately to crank the car over 5 or 6 times in the coldest weather. Enough so you can retry a few times if it doesn't catch first time. If 5-6 start attempts isn't enough...well you have other problems. Once it is running, then your alternator supplies all the power. If you have large electric needs, then you need to be looking at your alternator output.


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## tonyvancity (Jan 2, 2017)

thanks for your input. I am leaning towards purchasing a mid level Moto Eliminator of around $140 . I do like the $180 AGM (Absorbed Glass Mat) Motomaster battery but it may be overkill for my Xtrail and my needs. Vancouver does not really get winters, it is either raining or it aint raining. Only difference is the winter months much more rain and cooler, windier . November-december can be daytime highs of plus 4C to plus 12c,lows can vary at night from 4 to 5 c to minus 2 or 3 ....very rarely the temperature plummet to below minus 5 in the winter months here. So a heavy duty winter battery here , unless you plan to travel away from the coast and further inland 400- 1000 klms inland to the north/east or south east. There it can be cold , harsh with windchills of minus 30-to 40. I too had my original honda civic battery in my 04 civic Si for 12 years, that car only had AC, power windows and power moonroof, stock stereo.


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## X-hale (Apr 17, 2017)

I've always liked Motomaster batteries and you can even get an extended warranty very cheaply. It used to be $10.


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## smj999smj (Jan 1, 2006)

Walmart has the "regular" Everstart and then the Everstart MAXX. The Everstart MAXX is made by Johnson Controls (as are a lot of batteries on the market) and is consistently rated one of the top batteries by Consumer Reports. I've used them in several vehicles and have been very happy with them. AGM batteries are generally better than acid-filled batteries, but are also almost twice the cost in many cases. If you do mostly driving under fairly "normal conditions," a conventional battery will usually do just fine. If you drive in some really adverse conditions or off-road, it may be worth looking into an AGM battery.


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## tonyvancity (Jan 2, 2017)

yes, i have read similar about the Everstart MAXX. Most likely choose between that and the Motmaster Eliminator of around 640 amps.


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## quadraria10 (Jul 6, 2010)

I got an Eliminator when I replaced my original. Probably won't last 8 years like the original, but its been fine the past 3 years I have been using it.


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## MikeHJ (Mar 7, 2017)

tonyvancity said:


> There it can be cold , harsh with windchills of minus 30-to 40.


Windchill does not affect inanimate objects. It will cool them faster, but not below the ambient air temp. -10C with a windchill to -30C is still only -10C to a battery. Same with Humidex.


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## MikeHJ (Mar 7, 2017)

otomodo said:


> The guy at the counter told me the average life of a battery was 34 months.


I've heard that stat as well, but that really hasn't been my perception.

I suspect that number is based upon the US market. Canada's cold really strains batteries, but it doesn't affect their duty cycle. Once they warm up, they're fine. Sulfination doesn't really happen below freezing, but accelerates in hot temperatures. In short, cold weather affects your battery that day, but hot weather affects your battery forever. You will notice the weakness of your battery in the winter, but the damage was really done in the summer.

Same goes for battery charge: a fully charged battery sulfinates very little, but partially charged batteries sulfinate faster depending on the level of charge. That's why batteries seem to die quickly and also why you need to recharge batteries as soon as possible after draining them and to store them fully charged (like marine batteries)


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## tonyvancity (Jan 2, 2017)

thanks Mike, very good advice. Are you a mechanic?


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## MikeHJ (Mar 7, 2017)

tonyvancity said:


> thanks Mike, very good advice. Are you a mechanic?


A shade tree mechanic, not a licenced one.

I buy used cars and keep them for 3-4 years. I do most of my own work and when I do have to pay for work, I like to know exactly what and how it should be done. I am very mindful of $$ invested and the life cycle I expect to get out of a vehicle: I budget $2500 per year for cost of ownership +repairs + maintenance.

I hate to overpay and overbuy parts, but I also hate to waste time and money buying crap and diagnosing by swapping parts.


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## tonyvancity (Jan 2, 2017)

* good thinking. *


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## MikeHJ (Mar 7, 2017)

Don't get me wrong, Tony. There are lots of advantages to AGM batteries over traditional liquid acid ones, but there's a significant price difference as well. The question is: will you be able to use those advantages the normal way you operate your vehicle? AGM's don't spill so they can be mounted at angles (great for boats and motorcycles), they typically take less power to recharge and they recharge faster. They put out cranking amps at low temperatures and they're maintenance-free. However they don't do as well sitting around under-charged as a liquid acid one and there's nothing you can do to reverse the damage. Lots of people like them for their boats (with a solar battery tender)

If you run a lot of electronic stuff that sucks up your alternator output, you could benefit from energy savings on recharge time and power particularly if you drive short distances where you're starting your car a lot without driving enough to fully recharge. If you live in a cold climate where the car is outside most of the time, then obviously the low temp cranking amps will be of interest. AGM's typically allow for deeper discharge so you might get a couple of cranks out of it in the morning if you left the dome light on during a winter night.

For me, if it were only a 10-15% price difference, then I'd probably buy an AGM for the cold cranking amps and the deep discharge. But I really haven't had an issues with liquid acid batteries at cold temps (including leaving it outside for a week at the airport @-35C), so I'm not sure the extra 40-80% in price would give me any advantage at all. My daily commute is more than long enough time wise to fully recharge the battery and I have a battery charger and jumper cables if I'm an idiot and leave the light on.


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## tonyvancity (Jan 2, 2017)

* very good advice ,mike  When the time comes , i will just buy a 640 amp motomaster eliminator battery. It is more then plenty for my needs (aftermarket am/fm/cd stereo, occasional Iphone charger, still no fog lights!....and the Vancouver winters are the mildest in the country.) The motomaster Eliminator is currently $135.....waiting for a ''sales alert'' from CND Tire....MotoMaster Eliminator Automotive Batteries | Canadian Tire *


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## MikeHJ (Mar 7, 2017)

tonyvancity said:


> ...more then plenty for my needs (aftermarket am/fm/cd stereo, occasional Iphone charger, still no fog lights!....and the Vancouver winters are the mildest in the country.)


That's kinda my point. All of those things you list are things you use when the car is running. The alternator is powering them, not the battery. 

The battery starts the car and then recharges off the alternator. While recharging, it acts like a bit of a voltage regulator (in addition to the regulator in your alternator) It helps smooth out the voltage fluctuations from your alternator running at different speeds as you drive (although your alternator regulator does most of the work). Electronics (like the ECU) like smooth voltage so most of the car's electrical system is connected to the battery. But the battery is just passing thru the alternator power, it isn't supplying it. In the pre-computer days, you could disconnect the battery while the car was running and the car would still run. Nowadays, you'd probably fry your ECU 

If you want to run more electric stuff when you're driving, then buying a "better" battery is a waste of money. Buy a bigger alternator.

There are lots of good reasons to upgrade to an AGM battery, but you don't seem to have any of them.


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## quadraria10 (Jul 6, 2010)

Good post MikeHJ. Nicely explained and a good counter argument to some of the marketing hype for AGM batteries.


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## tonyvancity (Jan 2, 2017)

''There are lots of good reasons to upgrade to an AGM battery, but you don't seem to have any of them.''....yup, that is why i decided no need to upgrade to AGM. I basically run a stock Xtrail....the upgraded stereo unit is not a super high tech unit....still using the original xtrail speakers and no sub amp. The iphone charger is plugged in while i am driving only. I think i was more concerned with my battery when i was having the obd2 code errors for my cam/crankshaft sensors. All that is fixed and running great , no need for a new alternator or upgrade.  Believe it or not, majority of the work i have done on my Xtrail is: fresh fluids/filters/spark plugs/tranny fluid, bought new 16'' Cooper all terrain tires, new stereo, seat covers, LED interior and exterior light bulbs/led head light bulbs and found a used rear cargo cover. Pretty keep it mechanically stock, preferring to keep it running smoothly and efficiently. So far , one year after buying this xtrail on a trade in with a 12 year owned honda civic Si, i'm very happy and content with my Xtrail. Sorta wished i had bought it brand new back in 2006, but im pretty sure i would of spent over $30,000 plus for the top line version back then.


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## MikeHJ (Mar 7, 2017)

quadraria10 said:


> Good post MikeHJ. Nicely explained and a good counter argument to some of the marketing hype for AGM batteries.


I find the perception of "improvements" changes over time and a lot of BS gets put out there by people who really should know better (counter people, some mechanics, well-intentioned friends, etc.) A lot of things, like AGM batteries, ARE improvements, but only in certain areas and generally to solve specific problems. It doesn't take long before the perception becomes that the new product is an improvement in all areas (it isn't) and then that the product it replaces is crap and defective and had so many problems that it had to be replaced (flooded cells have worked well for decades).

I have a friend who buys into this BS all the time in car repairs, home improvement products, etc. etc. For example, he's doing an IKEA kitchen and his installer guy nearly convinced him to spend an extra $700 "upgrading" all the IKEA hinges to BLUM hinges. Had a whole song and dance about it. Only problem is that IKEA hinges are BLUM Hinges. I really don't think the installer was trying to rip him off, he just had no clue and was repeating the same story that he had been told.


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## X-hale (Apr 17, 2017)

I just finished installing 2 Ikea kitchens and the hinges are excellent, the slow closers too. I see no problem with a lead/acid battery. What else are we going to do with all the lead in the world? Lead is being phased out in ammunition and fishing weights.


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## MikeHJ (Mar 7, 2017)

X-hale said:


> I see no problem with a lead/acid battery. What else are we going to do with all the lead in the world? Lead is being phased out in ammunition and fishing weights.


AGM batteries are still lead-acid, just that the acid is non-liquid and impregnated in a glass mat. Makes them spill-proof, less susceptible to vibration damage and reduces the likelihood of off-gassing hydrogen if they are over charged (so you can mount them in an enclosed space like a boat bilge) All which would be advantages, but only in certain applications


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## molly (Oct 31, 2014)

Hey there! I was going to buy one of those Everstart Maxx batteries at Walmart (after reading this thread and having a low budget!!) but the online battery finder thing says they do not have one that will fit. Obviously this is wrong...what size do I need? I may just get them to install it, too. Sounds like only about 25 bucks or so.


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## quadraria10 (Jul 6, 2010)

Hi Molly
A series 35 is the original size. You can also fit a 24F.
You will see the numbers marked on the battery. 
Cheers


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## molly (Oct 31, 2014)

Thanks, Quad! Hubby said he will install it, haha.... so we will pick one up this week, I think.


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