nkaujsee, AGM for the win and probably doesn't cost much more than the TrueStart

[theking]

...conventiona l battery you just got for your Toyota. I just replaced the conventional battery in my Tacoma with a Champion AGM (Absorbent Glass Mat) battery. I bought the Tacoma used so I was just waiting for the right time to replace its' battery with an AGM battery. I've swapped out the conventional batteries on just about every one of the vehicles I've owned over the years when it's time (including motorcycles). AGM are just better!

I paid about $150 out the door for this Champion AGM battery with the core (old battery) exchange and it comes with a 48-month free replacement warranty...so it's a pretty good deal IMO  :

[theking]

Yeah, looks like dude need to go back to the basics... :

[theking]

Bosch and DieHard are good values ($100-200 range) too in regards to AMG batteries:

[theking]

But if I live somewhere where the winter season is harsh and long, I would opt for these premium AGM batteries:

[theking]

thanks for sharing...can you also explain it in female term too? 

like...the AGM is equivalent to a Louis Vuitton purse while the conventional battery is equivalent to a Michael Kors or Ross/Walmart purse  ?

I say on average, the premium Odyssey, NorthStar, Optima, Vmax, Mighty Max AGM batteries are the Louis Vuitton, Chanel purses, the value AGM batteries like the DieHard, Bosch, Champion are like the Michael Kors purses and the conventional batteries like Toyota's TrueStart or Costco's Kirkland or Interstate are like the good quality purses you find at Costco, Walmart, Target...

if I had an electric vehicle, would it have been better for an AGM battery as opposed to the conventional or flooded battery?

AGM would still be better ...Keep in mind that most electric vehicles have two types of batteries...th e main one to power the car (usually sits underneath the car) and a car battery under the hood to power the accessories like the headlights...

the one I just purchased for my car comes with a 5 yr. warranty

Yep, from what I remembered and if I remembered correctly, Toyota does a 2 year free replacement warranty, and then do a prorated warranty after that. Meaning if the battery failed during the first two years, they'll replace it for free...If it fails in years 3-4, Toyota will pay 50%, the customer pays 50%, and if it fails in year 5, Toyota will pay 25%, the customer pays 75% ...

Does that make sense to you?? 

[theking]

also now that I recognized the components of a car battery, where are your straps to hold together the battery from tipping or falling? 

Your RAV4 should already have the tray and bracket to keep it in place...These are the bracket and tray that comes with my Tacoma from the factory:



The black metal vertical metal bar on top of the battery is part of the bracket assembly:

stupid question but w/ regards to an AGM battery aka Absorbent Glass Mat, is it because the mat is literally made of a special glass mat separator that wicks the electrolyte solution between the battery plates?

From Google:

"AGM batteries differ from flooded lead acid batteries in that the electrolyte is held in the glass mats, as opposed to freely flooding the plates. Very thin glass fibers are woven into a mat to increase surface area enough to hold sufficient electrolyte on the cells for their lifetime."

[theking]

Besides better efficiency and longer life expectancy, AGM batteries are sealed batteries so no worries about leaks, corrosion, etc.