Car Battery?

What is the best car battery to buy for a 1997 Toyota RAV4...does cost matter...what is the difference between a battery that is $44 and one that is $148...Car Battery?
My parents had good luck with the batteries from WalMart in their '88 Plymouth Grand Voyager (minivan). They didn't buy the most expensive battery. Unfortunately I don't remember what brand they bought. WalMart should have a "battery selection book" in the auto battery dept that can help you select an appropriate battery.

Here's a few sites with battery selection advice:

http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/ab_auto_el鈥?/a>

http://www.skillcentre.com/battery.html

http://www.automedia.com/Selecting/a/Bat鈥?/a>
This is one of those areas where more expensive does mean better. I used to buy cheap batteries at Walmart and they would come with a 3-4 year warranty and I would get 3 years tops out of the battery for about $35-50. I started buying the Autozone Gold Series battery with an 8 year warranty and the battery actually does last about 6 -8 years. I have had one in my Mustang now for about 6 years and it still works fine. Its an $80 dollar battery but you have to weight that vs. changing it more often and not getting stranded and peace of mind. I always now buy the 8 year warranty batteries for both my truck and car and have had fewer problems in the long run. Its worth the extra money for sure. Also I have had good luck with the high end Diehard batteries from Sears. $148, thats a rip off price, you should be able to get the most high end battery from Sears or Autozone for around $80-90.Car Battery?
Depending on your climate ( if you have very cold winters or not ) and accessories ( big arsed stereo system :)). I would go for the cheaper one as the car is 7 years old and the cheap battery will prolly last the life of the vehicle. The difference in price is determined by amperage and cold cranking amps...
A lot of the time it is the warranty that you are paying for. Or the brand name of the battery.



Look for the one with the highest rated CCA (cold cranking amps). That is the number that will help you get started this winter. good luckCar Battery?
all im saying is you get what you pay for........remember to make sure if the batter has a warranty and a big one..maintenance free also the life of the battery....i would go with a inbetween price..like 90-100
The difference is whether you want to spend $100 uselessly!!!



Go to Walmart, get their battery, and you get full warranty with it. It doens't hurt to NOT get the cheapest, get little higher price, so it'll be little better. A $44-50 battery is just fine. If you want, get one that's $60, has better cranking ability, more power. But $148??



(What kind of battery costs $148 anyway??? Unless that's at the toyota dealership....)
the longest lasting battery I ever had in any of my cars was an AC Delco, but they are a bit more expensive. Look for the longest full replacement warranty (usually 3 years). after that it is pro-rated. you don't need an optima or anything hug bigger is not better....get one in the same group/class as what came with the vehicle....the store can check this for you.