Car Battery for Camry Altise 2015 - Any Advice Greatly Appreciated

motui302 on 24/06/2021 - 20:53
Last edited 26/06/2021 - 10:17 by 1 other user

UPDATE: I had my car battery changed successfully yesterday at Autobarn.
I wouldn't have been able to do it without the generous & insightful advice I had received here.
I've been having a pretty tough year. Things like this are so heart-warming and help keep me on my feet.
I'll make sure to upvote and thank everyone in this thread personally for your invaluable help.
Thank you very much!!!

I'm thinking of making another thread to detail my experience yesterday.
I hope others after me may find it helpful when it comes to their turn to have car batteries changed, which is inevitable at some point (unless you have the habit of switching cars every 5 years or so).

Dear the kind and caring OzBargain community, I really appreciate your help on this urgent issue.
The battery for my car (Camry Altise 2015) decided to stop working this evening. Needed to call RACV to get it jumpstarted.
I must look for a new battery now, but I'm hopeless when it comes to anything mechanic.

I'm hoping to take advantage of the 25% off at Autobarn tomorrow
Can you please recommend a good choice for my car (Camry Altise 2015)? And did anyone happen to have car battery changed at Autobarn in the past?

This post says Supercheap Auto was willing to fit the battery for an extra $20.Fingers crossed it will be a similar deal with Autobarn.

Thank you very much, everyone. I greatly appreciate your insights and advice.

Best Regards,
Ted

Automotive

Comments

  • bobbified on 24/06/2021 - 20:59
    +1

    Can you please recommend a good choice for my car (Camry Altise 2015)

    Depending on your budget, each place will have a small selection brands. Each brand should have a catalogue that tells you which model suits your car. Personally, I'd get the top of the range (or close to it) simply because the battery isn't a frequent purchase/expense and a bad one can leave you (or your family) stranded in the middle of nowhere.

    • motui302 on 24/06/2021 - 21:13

      Thanks heaps for your reply, bobbified.
      My budget is up to $200. Hopefully, that would get me something decent and reliable.

      Also, do you happen to know how the service works at Autobarn by any chance?
      Given Supercheap Auto was willing to fit for an extra $20 just a year ago, I hope it'd be something similar at Autobarn.
      Thank you very much.

      Regards,
      Ted

      • bobbified on 24/06/2021 - 21:48
        +1

        I've never used those services myself, so I wont pretend to know. But since Autobarn and SCA are competitors, I would assume that they would be quite similar. There's not a lot of info on their website. Best thing to do is prob give them a call. Cheers

        • motui302 on 26/06/2021 - 10:19
          +1

          You were totally correct, @bobbified. I called Autobarn first thing in the morning yesterday, and was ready to mention that Supercheap was willing to fit for $20. I didn't have to bring that up. They offered to do it for exactly 20 bucks too.
          It was so quick and pain free. I got my car back in a mere 15 minutes.
          Was a very positive experience!

          • bobbified on 26/06/2021 - 10:21

            @motui302: Good stuff! Hope it gives you a few years of trouble-free motoring! (thanks for coming back to let us know too!).

      • Mechz on 24/06/2021 - 21:53
        +3

        You should be able to go to the Autobarn website and put in the car details to see what batteries suit and what it will cost you.

        I would go with Century if possible. Good quality Aussie batteries.

        • motui302 on 26/06/2021 - 10:27
          +1

          I couldn't find where to input car details on the Autobarn website.
          But I heeded your advice and thetrain and went with a Century battery.

          Was able to locate the right model for my care from Century website. There are 55D23L and 75D23L. 75 was rated more highly with a longer warranty.
          Thanks to the 25% off at Autobarn, 75 was only 30 bucks extra. So I went with it, no brainer.

          Thank you very much for taking the time and giving me the advice. Greatly appreciated!

          • Mechz on 26/06/2021 - 15:07

            @motui302: Good job, I really thought Autobarn would have the input as Repco and Supercheap do it.

  • bobokingdom on 24/06/2021 - 22:05
    +2

    As you have RACV, why not buy the battery from them? They will install for free and give you a few years of warranty. They will replace it for you if it dies within the warranty period.
    Member Price
    $241 (3 Year Warranty)

    • motui302 on 26/06/2021 - 10:30

      Thanks very much for this, @bobokingdom.
      I took advantage of the 25% off from Autobarn. So it came down to be a tad cheaper compared to RACV.

      I'm not sure what battery brand RACV offer.
      I chose Century, which was highly rated by the folks here.

      The warranty is 40 months but I suspect it could last much longer.
      My dead battery was going strong for 6 years straight.
      It's an original Panasonic one, which I think is a better than Century.
      However, since I don't use much car entertainment and lighting, fingers crossed the differences are minimal.

      • bobokingdom on 26/06/2021 - 14:06

        Thanks for the update. Motor Clubs batteries are their own brands so I don't think they are as good as Century batteries.

  • darshu on 24/06/2021 - 22:35
    +1

    Bunnings have excide batteries most of them are with either 36 month or 40 month warranty and prices are less than 200$.
    The advantage of paying Supercheap auto to fix new your batteries is that you will get extra 6months warranty. If you choose a century battery from Supercheap auto which has a 40 month warranty + 6 month extended warranty, you have total of 46 month warranty.

  • thetrain on 24/06/2021 - 23:45
    +1

    Take advantage of the 25% off at Autobarn

    I have a 2012 Camry Altise and am using a Century battery (40 month warranty). Model is 75D23L MF. With the 25% off it should be under $200

    https://www.autobarn.com.au/ab/Autobarn-Category/Brands/Cent…

    I have had good experiences with Century. Also Australian made! (more relevant than ever in these times)

    • motui302 on 26/06/2021 - 10:41
      +2

      Thanks a ton, @thetrain.
      Of all the great comments in this thread, yours is the best.
      I took your advice and went with Century 75D23L.
      The bloke at Autobarn originally recommended Supercharge to me. Also an Australian brand but made in the Philippines. Going with Century is simply a no brainer.

      • thetrain on 27/06/2021 - 00:58

        Glad I could help, especially in these tough times!

        Random fact: My Camry was fitted with a Century battery from factory and lasted 7 years.

  • mini2 on 25/06/2021 - 06:42
    -2

    Buy the cheapest one with the longest warranty. Get a Ctek too while you're at it and top it up every so often with the charger.

  • pantsparty on 25/06/2021 - 07:47
    +1

    Per the Century battery website this suits your car:

    https://www.autobarn.com.au/ab/Autobarn-Category/Brands/Cent…

    Saying that, I would buy a Panasonic made in Japan battery. Only $20 more, 48 month warranty. Same as what Toyota puts in the car in the factory in Japan.

    https://www.everybattery.com.au/online/product/n-75d23lje/

    • BewareOfThe Dog on 25/06/2021 - 08:56
      +1

      Batteries are pretty easy to change, as long as it has easy access. 2 spanners, though you will need a spanner set (or shifting spanner)to remove the bolt that is holding the battery in.

      Assuming the existing leads etc are not corroded.
      Also, just double check the existing battery leads/clamps fit the new battery, otherwise you may need to replace those as well.

      • Catullus on 25/06/2021 - 09:19
        +1

        Not so easy these days, Beware! You disconnect and all your passwords and radio are RS. most newer cars have to have a gizmo attached across the main lead before you change, to keep the computers running.

        • BewareOfThe Dog on 25/06/2021 - 09:22
          +1

          I know I had to obtain the code for a previous car from the dealer, however it was in the Owners manual (I later discovered).

    • 1tightwad on 25/06/2021 - 17:51
      +1

      +1 for the Panasonic with Everybattery.

      Pretty sure they will install for free as well.

      • motui302 on 26/06/2021 - 10:39

        No, no, no. I saw this comment a couple of hours too late.
        When I first read pantsparty's comment on Thursday night, I was thinking that Everybattery was solely online.
        If I bought the battery, I'd have to install it myself, which would be impossible.
        I didn't know they have brick-and-mortar stores and there's one at Ringwood, Melbourne which is not very far from my place.

        Panasonic is definitely better. I hope the Century battery I went with will still do a good job, and I won't have to worry about this issue for the next 6 years at least.

  • sam-1966 on 25/06/2021 - 18:09
    +1

    Just make sure you copy the receipt and keep it in your glovebox and maybe on your computer. Husband had sorted the last battery from a merchant he used through work. Found the receipt and it was just short of the three year warranty. Replaced for free.

    • motui302 on 26/06/2021 - 10:34
      +1

      Thanks a ton.
      I heeded your advice and took a photo of the receipt shortly after. It's now staying safe up the cloud.
      Thermal receipts these days will fade away in a matter of months.
      I run a small business and have to report for GST.
      I keep all my business receipts in a folder.
      I had a look at the folder a couple of weeks ago. And receipts from as recent as October last year were now unreadable.
      The cloud FTW!

  • ShannonN on 26/06/2021 - 18:12

    I'd drop by Autobarn in a week and ask them to do a battery and alternator check for you just to ensure battery has come up to working voltage and alternator etc is perfect, they shoyld do it free as you just bought the battery?

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