OK...here is how a lead acid battery works....the more lead... the more cranking amps and more reliable...the heavier it is the better it is. And you are right only a few people still make batteries in the US because of the EPA and all the nasty stuff that is involved with the manufacturing of the batteries. Now I'm not talking about all the new Lithium stuff....just lead acid...and there are many types of lead acid...http://www.batterytender.com/Intro-to-Lead-Acid-Batteries ..... that is a good link to understand the differences in them. And to the statement of just go to Costco and get you a battery...it is the same as the Interstate battery. It comes from the same place, but it is made to their price point. Therefore it has very little lead in it, making it a crap battery! Same thing with Walmart, do you think that the Michelin tire that you buy at Walmart is the same tire that you buy at a Michelin dealer? NO! They are making a price point tire for Walmart. It is not the same!! Same thing with batteries, you get what you pay for! I don't claim to know all about all batteries...but I have sold a few over the last 7 years. And go to Walmart and pick up a battery....you can do it with one finger! Go to NAPA and pick up a battery...your going to need your whole hand! Weight is a tell tell when it comes to lead acid batteries! More lead...the better the battery!
I just pulled up the Interstate 96R on their website and Costco's. Exact same specs as far as size, weight and amps. Year's ago Costco was relabeling the Interstate Batteries with the Kirkland logo, but that has since stopped. I was told they are the exact same batteries you would get at any Interstate location. Short of buying one, weighing and testing it to compare I am not sure how you would know the difference.
This may be the reason that Interstate is having such a mass Exodus of dealers! The ones I have talked to over the last 6 years said their warranties are through the roof!! And that Interstate batteries are not of the quality that they used to be. They may have thought what the hell if Costco can sell this junk...we can too! But it is biting them in the ass! We have become so conditioned to cheap junk, that is the way of the world now!
Hmm that's weird the last set of Michiliens I got for my girlfriend at Wal-Mart were identical to what was on the Michelin web site and the local tire store. I'm not aware of Michelin specifically producing a lower spec tire to achieve a lower price point for the big box stores. The set of Bridgestone Blizzaks I got at Costco were also identical.
Trust me...I worked with them for years! If you think they put as much carbon black in a Walmart tire as they do a tire that is sold at Michelin dealers, your insane! They are not going to loose money to sell a tire to Walmart! They don't give 2 shits what Walmart wants to pay! 2 can play that game! Hey Joe cut all the expensive shit out of that tire and send it to them! LOL
I think the discount you get at Costco or other big chains coms from the volume they are buying, not OEMs lowering their quality standards and exposing themselves to huge lawsuits to save pennies on materials...
Costco has a very low number of sku's to keep up with, they buy large quantities and the cost of memberships pays their bills. This is why they run on such low margins compared to a lot of places and do well at it. It is the same thing with TVs. Same TV at Walmart, best buy and Costco but with a extra letter added to the end of the model number. It mean that while they have the same specs the internals of the TV could be different and probably are. They do this to avoid price matching and to increase profits. If the model numbers are the exact same, then the products will be the same.
I know Samsung sells inferior electronics to Walmart. The volume probably accounts for some things but not all.
Exactly. The level of retail power and resulting volume is sales allows manufactures to extend a lower price point to these retailers. Batteries are one thing. Tires are completely different when NHTSA is involved. The other thing is Michelin already owns other brands that allow them entry into lower cost points. This is to some degree why they have BF Goodrich and Uniroyal brands.
Except that Michelin does not specifically produce a lower spec tire for the big stores while producing a higher spec for Michelin dealers. The tires I got from Wal-Mart were identical to the ones at Allied Tire.
The Walmart batteries I have tried didn't last more than a year, both times. I had to learn that lesson twice, which is pretty good for me.
Auto parts store batteries seem to be going that route as well. Used to be 5 yr replacement prorated after 3 years. Now its no longer than 2yrs. At least at Advanced and Autozone.