Battery replacement

Have a 2002 996 4S. Need a replacement battery. Ones from Porsche have always seemed weak. Don't drive car much. Any suggestions

I bought OEM replacement batteries for my BMW and MB (before they died) but there's an Interstate battery in my 996 now (that came w/the car) and Ive purchased Interstates for my F250 and MR2 which have all performed well. I've also had very good luck w/Optima (Yellow Top) batteries for off-road use in the past. There are certainly other batteries that you could buy and people who say that they are the "best" but, regardless of what brand it is, if it meets the 996's specs, I'm sure you'll do fine w/any of them as long as you don't go on the "cheap." Just remember that the battery is a critical piece of equipment and you should buy the best one available. And, if you don't drive the car much, it is advisable (unless you already have one) to hook up your battery to a reliable battery trickle charger, like a Battery Tender, to avoid the battery from going dead. My 996, BMW, C7 Vette and MR2 are always hooked up to a Battery Tender when not in use.

Interstate makes great batteries and many meet OE specs. My Volvo is fussy and they make one. NAPA has an excellent and liberal return policy. I've been using them for years on numerous cars. They perform well and I've gotten several exchanged for new ones with no hassle. My 911 has a NAPA battery in it now.

Interstate.

Seem recall only 3 manufactures for all batteries. I buy mine at Costco, they carry Interstate batteries with excellent warranty.

My AGM H7 battery had a disappointing life span of only ~5 years (probably an anomaly, most folks are pleased with them). They also cost considerably more. I swapped in one of these a few months ago: EverStart Maxx Lead Acid Automotive Battery, Group Size H8 (12 Volt/900 CCA) - Walmart.com - Walmart.com . It's stamped Made in Germany and cranks the engine crazy fast. Not sure why, but it costs less than the H7 version of the same series. I had to use the 3rd bolt-down hole and it's pretty heavy. Just pointing it out as an option.

OP does not seem to be the type of DIY'er and find your own solution to your battery replacement.need. By all means drive it to the nearest Porsche dealer and have the battery replaced with a real Porsche battery (not really...Porsche does not make a brand of battery so you are buying one from other manufacturers). For any one else, the nearest auto parts supply store, including Costco, Walmart, will sell you a great H6 or H7 AGM battery that is very well suited to your car. And hey, if you go to AutoZone for a battery, they will replace it for you right there in the parking lot. And don't forget to stop by your local Porsche dealer for some Porsche tires and some Porsche air in those tires. Makes all the difference!

Batteries Plus have Duracell Ultra Platinum Battery SLI49AGM. It is deep cycle, which is better for infrequently driven cars although keeping it on a maintainer is recommended. I would only use AGM to avoid potential leaks and resulting corrosion. It is US made, has 850 CCA, and comes with 48 month warranty. About $200 and they will install it for you.

Porsche battery? Nahhhhhhh... They charge too much to put their name on it - the design is awesome though I've had a great experience with the Interstate battery in my car for the last 6 1/2 years (it'll be 7 in October'21). It's a long story and I've told it before, so I won't go into it. Suffice it to say, the guy who tested it at the "auto parts store" said it was dead... It wasn't I do put it on a battery tender when the car isn't being used though...

Honestly, I think Interstate batteries are the best. I was thinking about proactively replacing my Interstate battery a few years ago because it was 6 years old -- but decided go see how long it would go. I think it's probably 9 years now and still fine. I've been tempted to get AGM batteries, but I've seen as much negative about them as I've seen those who praise them. I had Optima batteries, both red and yellow top, I do not recommend either one. The red top Optimas do not handle being discharged well at all. The yellow top Optimas are deep cycle, they can handle discharge cycles, but cost more than the red top and have lower CCA's and shorter warranties than the red top. I'd much rather get something "newer tech", but my experience is that quality conventional batteries are the most reliable. Today's conventional batteries, especially quality batteries like Interstate, do not leak in my experience.

Have used interstate for years. No problems with any of them.

Wouldn't attribute problems with Optima's quality to AGM technology. Optima's quality is not what it used to be after Johnson Controls bought them and moved production to Mexico. Quality suffered but prices stayed high or went even higher. Don't think Optima has recovered from their quality problems which may explain why they don't warranty any of their batteries beyond 36 months.

Moll makes the OEM Porsche batteries, they are excellent. They are stored dry, and when ready to put in service are filled with acid and charged, this is a bit of a pain. Varta is also an excellent German battery, and is a OEM for Audi and is supplied wet-charged ready to go. Varta is handled in the USA through Interstate for Audi dealers, Moll ,Varta, and Interstate are all owned by Johnson Controls.. All/most modern batteries are VRLA (valve regulated lead acid) meaning they are semi-sealed /pressure controlled which keeps the water/acid under pressure and very little/no evaporation under normal use, this means they are low/no maintenance. (except they MUST stay charged )

I picked up mine at Batteries Plus because that's where I get all mine for work. I've had good luck with them and the price was good with my discount as a business. Have it on the battery tender.

“have it on battery tender”. I found if able to keep a battery on a tickle charger when car isn’t a daily driver, the battery life expectancy will be years longer.

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Google says Optima was moved to Mexico in 2000 -- so even though my Optimas were a long time ago (early 2000's), they were still made in Mexico. I would I ever get another Optima for sure. To clarify my prior AGM comments, I think AGM actually do perform better with better cranking power than conventional batteries (that's why AGM batteries are typically used in modern cars for faster engine restarts when the engine automatically shut off at traffic lights). It just seems like AGM are less durable if they face non-ideal conditions, like being accidentally discharged. As much as I'm tempted by AGM's benefits, I just feel Interstate conventional batteries are a more "worry free" option. For others, the AGM performance benefits might very well be worth it. If you use a tender all the time, (as others have said) that probably eliminates any downside of AGM's long-term durability.