A battery can make or ruin your day if you drive a modern automatic car. If the battery is dead, you won’t be going anywhere until you get a jumpstart. When this happens once or twice, and you are confident your alternator is charging, it is time to get a replacement battery.
If you are looking for an American-quality battery to replace your aging one, Interstate batteries could be a good place to start.
Who Owns Interstate Batteries?
Even though Interstate Battery Systems of America distributes them, they are produced by Brookfield and Exide Technologies.
The Brookfield and Exide Technologies set shop back in 1952 and has produced a wide range of car, motorcycle, marine, and RV batteries.
Before Interstate Battery Systems started getting the batteries from Brookfield, it was getting them from Johson Controls, a company that manufactures over 65 percent of the automotive batteries in the US.
Like most battery brands in the market, Interstate partners with a manufacturer to implement their design and oversees quality control. Even though they don’t own the tooling to make the batteries, they are built to their specifications.
Interstate received the best battery title in 2007 after a survey ran by Auto Tech. It also moves massive volumes with impressive customer approval. To put things in perspective, we are looking at slightly over 20 million batteries sold back in 2020.
What Battery Range Does Interstate Make?
Interstate has a wide range of battery brands, each optimized to meet the different vehicle and user expectations.
All their catalog consists of maintenance-free AGM or EFB batteries. The design and tech in the battery vary depending on estimated Cold Crank Amps output and reserve capacity. The better quality batteries command a higher price tag and also get a longer warranty.
Here is a breakdown of their battery quality classifications:
| Series Name | Quality Rating | Warranty |
| MTZ | Super Premium | 48 months |
| MTX | Premium | 36 months |
| MTP | Best | 30 months |
| MT | Better | 24 months |
| M | Good | 18 months |
| Commercial | 18 months |
Are They Any Good?
Yes. Interstate sells good batteries. However, the product quality you get will depend on the series you go for. From experience and research, I found that the MTZ and MTX series last longer than the basic M and commercial entry-level brands.
Furthermore, the longer warranty gives you peace of mind. Despite the warranty being 48 months tops, the batteries will last for up to 6 years as long as you choose the correct battery for your vehicle and the weather and use it correctly.
Some of the things that could make you blame failure on battery quality while in reality, you used the battery horribly include:
- Choosing a small battery with fewer crank amps or reserve capacity than you need
- Choosing a battery not rated for your climatic conditions
- Running your battery flat by using car electronics and accessories with the engine off
- Overcharging the battery because you have a ruined alternator
- Letting the engine lie in a dormant car that doesn’t frequently do highway driving to recharge the battery (if you have to let the battery sit, connect it to a trickle charger)
The batteries are good, and the current warranties are reasonable. Interstate revised them from the enormous 80 months plus warranties they had after a class-action suit challenged their fine print.
They used to give a prorated warranty with a depreciation factor per month and many people didn’t notice that. Moreover, giving any lead acid battery a very long warranty is calling for a disaster.
Car batteries should last an average of three years. Anything that goes beyond that is exceptional in my books and worth it. My MTZ -34R is in its fifth year, and I am very happy.
How Long Do Interstate Batteries Last?
If used well, expect the battery to last between three and seven years, depending on the series you went for. A good way to estimate the bare minimum is the warranty interstate gives you.
This is the minimum lifespan they expect from the batteries – as long as you treat them right. I found this is a conservative amount, and you can easily add half or double the months on the warranty to get a true lifespan.
Where Can I Buy Interstate Batteries?
Interstate distributes its batteries through a wide range of independent and franchise dealers. You can get them from local convenience stores, garages, and Costco. They will honor their warranty if you buy from a listed dealer.
You can use the location finder feature on their website to get a listed vendor near you. Don’t worry about the battery quality as they are all from interstate. However, you should check the manufacture date to ensure the battery hasn’t sat on the shelf for years.
Are Costco Interstate Batteries the Same as Regular Interstate Batteries?
Yes, the Interstate batteries you find at Costco are the real deal. They are the same quality as regular units you would buy from any other accredited dealer.
However, Costco uses its retail muscle and economies of scale to offer buyers better warranties and frequent discounts. This makes purchasing your Interstate battery from Costco a very wise move.