Gotta love Sears Die Hard Batteries

[Compu Doc]

A few weeks ago I was having slow cranking issues due to bad Die Hard batteries that were 4 years old with an 8 year warranty. I was plugging the truck block heater in so that my 3:30am start up wouldnt be an issue.

Not having the receipt for the battery purchase 4 years ago I called Sears and asked them if they had it in there computer system. They did and said that they were installed in 2003. Then I asked if they would replace them under warranty without the receipt and they said they would if they tested bad but that they would have to test them first.

When I brought it in the guy tested the main one without disconnecting the other one with some small hand held tester and said it was good. He then took the tester over to the other battery and without disconnecting the battery from the first one tested it and said it was good. I then told him he didnt do the test right as he had to break the circuit from the first one and then retest both individually.

After he disconnected the second one he tested it with this small hand held device and it tested good. On the main battery it came up when he tried to test that one again that the tester couldnt get a good connection so he had someone else come over and the guy got the same result. He then took the battery terminals off hooked up the hand held machine and got the same result, bad connection.

Then they got the big machione and tested them individually and as it was going through the load test the voltage was sinking like a rock with 10.25 volts showing under load. I told the guy the battery was no good and he said it was normal. It then came up on the machine "Bad Battery". He then tested the other one with the same result.

Now I have 2 barnd new Die Hard's again that cost me half of the price of 2 new ones and the best part is the 8 year warranty starts all over again.

 

[pafixitman]

I agree.

I had some WalMart specials and had issues with them leaking. My wife said "You never had battery trouble with DieHards." Got two in the truck now.

 

[Agnem]

Sears still has some of its reputation intact. I think they are the unsung hero's of the retail world these days. Used to be they were THE place to go for stuff, especially as a kid at Christmas. The "Big Toy Box" at Sears was a Mecca. The country grew up around them, and they still have a big building named after them. I don't think many folks think of them nowadays though. If it ain't got "mart" in it, it doesn't get any attention. I just got my 10 or 20 something year old 1/2 drive socket wrench replaced for free, with no recept needed of course.

 

[mainiac]

I have always used diehard golds in my trucks. I just put 2 new ones in a couple of weeks ago and it made that beast wind over real quick.
My tool chests are 99% craftsman, love getting replacements after I wear them out, shows I did something.
I think the Sears Wishbook from 78' is still somewhere in my parents house.

 

[benwill1]

You'll love this...The Truck I just bought has 2 brand new AC/Delco's!!!!!

 

[2manydsls]

It was probably Sears quality that caused them to keep their name when Kmart bought them.
Ross

 

[forcefed]

I don't know about your sears locations but here where I live, its like pulling teeth to get them to replace anything here. When I break one of my tools I have to argue with the manager to replace it with a new one insted of some re-manufactured tool (mainly ratchets) or they want to argue on how it was used and why it broke. I closed my account and do not buy anything from them now. Maybe the two stores her is just bad management? I also do not shop at walmart either. I think that company is killing america by making people think it is okay to work for min. wage. Maybe high scool kids or part-time college studends but for a person trying to make a living cmon. Sorry I just get bent out of shape when it comes to stuff like that.

 

[BigRigTech]

If you ever get into a battery arguement for warranty, ask them where the shop infared heat gun is and ask to see a Hydrometer test....Works everytime....A shorted battery will have hot cells under a heavy charge and the heat gun will pick it up....Also a hydrometer with show a weak cell....Go old school and the sales jerk will see that he's met his match....

 

[Compu Doc]

As the test was being done and the guy saying that 10.5 volts and going lower fast was normal I asked if they had a hydrometer and he said no. I then went and pulled one off the rack and would have bought it just to show him the batterys were bad. Luckily for him the machine came up with the "bad battery" reading.

He also told me that if I remove the battery caps that I would void my warranty which is untrue as I asked the guy behind the counter and he said it wouldn't. So much for mechanics.

 

[BigRigTech]

Hard to argue with a hydrometer, especially if it's the ones they are selling...

 

[f-two-fiddy]

I've allways been satisfied with Die Hard batts. But after shopping around, I went with Interstate's the last time. When I pulled up to the Interstate battery distributors, there were 3 Ford, and 2 Chevy diesels parked in the lot.
The salesman walked me thru a couple of choices, and then suggested a new heavy duty battery that Interstate had devloped. I looked, and it said 875 CCA. I said that wouldn't be enough for cold mornings. He said "That's whats in my truck", as he pointed to one of the Fords outside. Then he took one of the batts off the shelf, pealed the plastic off it, and hooked it up to the load tester. It read a steady 1100 amps with the load as high as the machine could produce. He looked at me and smiled. I knew right there that the battery was waaay underrated.

Heavier plates, case, terminals, 2yr free replacement,5 yr prorated, and within $15 of the recomended battery for our app. I was sold right there.

With these batts, rebuilt gear starter, and batterycables.com cables. I bet I could drive my truck to town, with just the starter!

 

[Compu Doc]

When I originally bought my truck it had Interstate batteries in it. When they went bad I called an Interstate dealer and he told me they only had one battery from my truck which was the same ones that were in it. When I asked about warranty he said 3 years and when I asked why he said because they wont last any longer than 3 years. That of course was 4 years ago so things with Interstate might have changed.

Basically all I am concerned about when it comes to a battery is warranty, enough CCA amperage and price. Of course the company selling them as to how they stand behind the warranty.

Maybe the ones under the hood won't last the full 8 years but as long as Sears is around in 3-4 years when and if they do go bad and replace them then I am not concerned. My reason for going to Sears in the first place was the Inter0st0a0e batteries that were in there did not have the handles on them and I did not have a battery strap or holder and didnt want to deal with replacing them myself. Especially the one on the drivers side as it just doesnt drop right in but needs to be angled in to the point that it almost has to be stood on end.

By the way Sears used to sell the Optima batterys but then they came out with there own version. Instead 0f having spiral cells as the Optima's have they have every nook and cranny filled with plates which is supposed to have a higher reserve than the optimas and there using the same technology. They call that one Die Hard platinum and there twice the cost of the Die Hard gold's. The platinum's have a 4 year free replacement and the rest of the warranty is pro-rated.

They gave me the option to upgrade but that would have been almost $300 for 2 so I opted for the gold again at $131 for 2 which also included new hold down bolts out the door.

 

[mankypro]

Not only the Sears legendary warranties, but Sears is one of the few companies that pays our deployed soldiers the difference between their Sears salaries and their military one while on deployment and keeps thier benefits packages going as well. Medical, bonuses - the while nine yards.

So support them, they're one of the few good corporate citizens out there. And they still maintain tool foundries in Southern Colorado unlike others...

 

[GenLightening]

I don't know about your sears locations but here where I live, its like pulling teeth to get them to replace anything here. When I break one of my tools I have to argue with the manager to replace it with a new one insted of some re-manufactured tool (mainly ratchets) or they want to argue on how it was used and why it broke. .

I just stopped by the Reno Sears to get two sockets replaced and had no problem. I had a 19/32" socket that's not made anymore (my dad has some pre-metric sockets from the 70s) and grabbed a 15mm to replace it, the guy didn't even blink, just said "no problem".