Went to my local Kmart tonight to get a battery for my 89is. $209 w/ exchange. Kinda just blew my mind. Glad it turned out to be my alt, had one sitting around.
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They were just trying to rip you off. I got my Optima for way less than that. You can get a battery from Napa or Kragen for about a hundred bucks.sigpic -
I spent 89.99 on my optima red top back in '03. Before they switched from Swedish suppliers to shitty chinese batteries around '08 or so. Back when they had lifetime warranties! (Lost the receipt long ago though, sadly)
It's still kickin. Been inside so many cars over the years I've lost track. (At least 10).
To answer your question OP. In '08 there was a lead price spike, so they went up due to the higher manufacturing costs. Combine that with the financial meltdown and shipping costs going up, several global manufacturing plants closed. When those that controlled the market saw they could charge that amount, they said "Oh hey! Let's not drop the price even though the price of lead came down". With limited suppliers now (Especially after china closing down a shit ton of lead-acid battery plants), they own the market, and basically pick and choose who gets what price based on volume. Kmart isn't a high volume store, therefore higher prices.
What'll really piss you off is that a couple years ago (2011), I did a total cost calculation to manufacture one battery from recycled material.
It was $17... Should be similar in even today's market.Last edited by TurboJake; 02-25-2014, 05:50 PM.Comment
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welcome to inflation and lots of newish regulation hitting home on LEADThe American Republic will endure until the day Congress discovers that it can bribe the public with the public's money. -Alexis de TocquevilleOriginally posted by Fusion
The Desire to Save Humanity is Always a False Front for the Urge to Rule it- H. L. Mencken
Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom. It is the argument of tyrants.
William Pitt-Comment
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Of the three or so batteries I've bought for different BMWs in the last 10 years they've all been around $100, one from Sears, the others from local auto parts stores. Even got a free replacement on one when it quit storing electrical energy (batteries don't have a "charge")Comment
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i think it bought my red top durmast back in 2010 for my e46 for i think like $75, two NY winters and two AZ summers, its just starting to crank a lil slower now. I went to look for a similar replacement from auto zone, and they wanted like 180, crazyComment
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Most auto stores have recycled battery programs. I just buy any reconditioned battery that will fit, or come close to fitting in the battery tray. Less then $50, and they last just as long.
1986 325e - RIP
1987 528e - Sold
1989 325iX - Parted Out
1991 318iS - Sold
1991 325iS - CurrentComment
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wait wait. Where can I get an optima for 100$?!
NEW ERA AUTO GLASS - SFV SOCAL - 818 974-3673
DREWLIENTE
1$ PShops PM me
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Gigitty Gigitty!!!!
88 cabrio becoming alpina b6 3.5s transplanted s62
92 Mtech 2 cabrio alpinweiss 770 code
88 325ix coupe manual lachsilber/cardinal
88 325ix coupe manual diamondschwartz/natur
87 e30 m3 for parts lachsilber/cardinal(serial number 7)
12 135i M sport cabrio grey/blackComment
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Wallmart. There are like three US manufacturers. All equivalent batteries seem the same. These are as good as Autozone for sure. If not the same. Good return policy too. Got one for around eighty.Comment
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who shops at kmart?
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I barely paid that for the monster AGM that I had to buy for the Volvo and S4 I used to own.2011 JGC daily, 1985 944Comment
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80-100 for a BOSH battery"I wanna see da boat movie"
"I got a tree on my house"Comment
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