Battery Cost

[firstbird05]

I was in a Batteries Plus store today for a camera battery. Since reading about the cost of 'Bird batteries on this site, I asked if they happened to have a battery for a 2005 Thunderbird. They showed me 3, ranging in price from $70 to $82, depending on the cold cranking amps. Now, I did not measure or delve into this further but, if this is accurate, it would be a source for a less expensive battery. I am not in the market right now but, for those of you who might be, this is a source to verify. Oh, and their computer said it was a 45-minute replacement job.

[Lonestar]

Re: Battery Cost

I was in a Batteries Plus store today for a camera battery. Since reading about the cost of 'Bird batteries on this site, I asked if they happened to have a battery for a 2005 Thunderbird. They showed me 3, ranging in price from $70 to $82, depending on the cold cranking amps. Now, I did not measure or delve into this further but, if this is accurate, it would be a source for a less expensive battery. I am not in the market right now but, for those of you who might be, this is a source to verify. Oh, and their computer said it was a 45-minute replacement job.

The key element is whether the battery has the provision for the vent tube. Some have posted that they do not feel venting an enclosed battery is necessary but I for do not subscribe to that school of thought.

I believe 45 minutes might be a bit of an over estimated time to do the job but who knows, the speed in which I work anymore could find that I am still thinking about doing the task after 45 minutes has past.

[RL_Engineer]

Re: Battery Cost

I agree with Lonestar. A vent is very important even in a sealed battery. When a battery charges gases build up and need to expand. Normally, this would not be a problem. But if the battery overcharges then the battery without a vent can split causing sulpheric acid to leak into the trunk area. The fumes are toxic and very, very corrosive to the trunk area materials.
I recently purchased a replacement battery for my 2004 at O'Reilly's Auto. It had 675 cranking Amps versus the original Motorcraft 650. It also had two vents one of which I blocked off with a cap. The other end fit the Tbird vent perfectly. When I replaced it I paralled a small 12 volt Gel battery with the cables in order to retain my computer settings and radio presets. The whole job took less than 10 minutes. The O' Reilly part number is 65-72 and was priced at $89.00.

[Elijahbird7]

Re: Battery Cost

I've kept a battery tender on my '04 every winter in storage, but this winter, it did not stay charged. The little window on the top of that battery was red, so I went to my local Ford dealer Saturday morning. I gave the parts man the Battery part number of BXT-66-650. He looked it up, and said that Ford now makes that battery with 750 cold cranking amps as well, the part number is BXT-66-750. He said they stopped ordering the 650 because the 750 was a better battery, and was the same price of $109.95. After talking with him awhile, he discounted the battery to $94.95, since I am a "preferred customer", buying several cars from this dealership in the last 15 years.
I put it in myself, and did not see the need for removing the spare tire, just removed the side and front blocks holding the battery in place, tilted the side up facing the front of the car, and it lifted right out.
I also have an '08 Pontiac G5 Gt, which also has the battery in the trunk. I haven't even looked for it, but one interesting thing is that the Pontiac has a terminal under the hood to be used for "jump starting" it with battery cables.

[z06bigbird]

Re: Battery Cost

I've kept a battery tender on my '04 every winter in storage, but this winter, it did not stay charged. The little window on the top of that battery was red, so I went to my local Ford dealer Saturday morning. I gave the parts man the Battery part number of BXT-66-650. He looked it up, and said that Ford now makes that battery with 750 cold cranking amps as well, the part number is BXT-66-750. He said they stopped ordering the 650 because the 750 was a better battery, and was the same price of $109.95. After talking with him awhile, he discounted the battery to $94.95, since I am a "preferred customer", buying several cars from this dealership in the last 15 years.
I put it in myself, and did not see the need for removing the spare tire, just removed the side and front blocks holding the battery in place, tilted the side up facing the front of the car, and it lifted right out.
I also have an '08 Pontiac G5 Gt, which also has the battery in the trunk. I haven't even looked for it, but one interesting thing is that the Pontiac has a terminal under the hood to be used for "jump starting" it with battery cables.

Modern cars with battery in trunk or under back seat typically have a place to connect jumper cables under hood.