(quoted from post at 08:23:15 12/15/11) Prices have gone up with all lead-acid batteries. I can't figure who so many are eager to trash Walmart, yet praise places like NAPA and Interstate. I've had the most failures with NAPA batteries when they were made by Exide. NAPA finally got smart and changed to East Penn/Deka. Interstate also are made by Johnson Controls.
And yeah sure - batteries are custom tailored for places that sell them so even though one company makes them - they still vary by brand name. Sometimes just by warranty offered. That being said, a good company tends to have good quality control across the board (unlike Exide).
Walmart auto/truck batteries are made my Johnson Controls. Some marine are made by Exide. I've had zero failures in 10 years with those made by Johnson Controls and I've got over 20 Walmart Everstarts in various diesel trucks and tractors. The same company that makes them for Walmart also makes them for the following:
Acura, Advance Auto Parts, Autocraft, Motorcraft, Subaru, Interstate, Western Auto, Tough One, Alliance, American Hardware, Ames, Varta, Blains Farm & Fleet, Battery Alliance, Bosch, Carrefour(Europe), Champion, Delphi, Walmart Everstart, Sears Diehard, Kirkland, Autozone Duralast, Prostart, Optima, Amara Raja Batteries LTD(Joint venture with Johnson Controls India).
Varta, Optima Batteries, LTH, and Heliar are all battery manufactures owned by Johnson Controls.
Johnson Controls supplies Ford Motor company, Diamler Chrysler, Honda, Toyota, Nissan, and Isuzu with original equipment batteries.