23rd Jan 2012, 09:24
You will not have an issue whatsoever, as this is a dedicated full size truck review, not at all about small cars.
I buy 750 CCA larger size if the battery tray allows it to fit vs. a 600 CCA (cold cranking amps). I also put on a pigtail and run a 12 volt maintainer on all cars and truck to extend the battery life. A battery maintainer is not a battery charger. It puts 3 amps out, kicks on and off as a float to keep a full charge. Takes a second to unplug my lengthened cable out of my grilles. I run a maintainer on my 12V boat and riding tractor as well.
I think the comment referred to confined spaces with small cars with very small cramped room for a small battery under the hood. The manufacturer has to use a very compact battery to fit. And then the battery is expected to run accessories, air conditioning, power windows. I saw some reviews on this problem. Motorcycle batteries don't typically run a lot of accessories, plus I was fortunate to still have kick start on mine.
Look at the difference in sizes and prices in car batteries next time you are in an auto department. Cars today have a lot of demand, and a lot of options can put a big demand on the alternator and batteries. It also depends where you live; if it's very cold or hot, it can shorten life as well. I have gotten up to 7 years on mine using maintainers and larger CCA batteries in the trays. Try one on your full size truck.
24th Jan 2012, 09:48
Again - the comments about smaller cars somehow being inferior because space was skimped for the battery, are unfounded. We had a '91 Civic that had the original battery right up until around 2003. My '96 Tacoma had the factory battery until just 2 years ago. There's a lot that goes into battery technology and development, and today's batteries are designed to handle modern cars and their demands. Either way, this is a totally ridiculous argument.
25th Jan 2012, 15:44
Not so. You could have a DX Honda, and someone else has a EX Civic with heavier battery demands. Yet another unmentioned factor is parasitic battery demands, even with the ignition off. Such as an alarm system or saved radio presets. Maybe you don't have cold starts where you live. One person's experiences is not everyone's. Go onto some of the Toyota forums and check it out.
26th Jan 2012, 11:38
I am on Toyota forums, and I have yet to see a single post mentioning anything about batteries being prematurely drained, or of batteries that are inadequate.
As far as alarms and radio presets, well the radio preset issue is a non-issue, because the power that takes is absolutely miniscule - as in around the same power used by a common battery powered watch. Factory car alarms are also very low battery drain systems. Perhaps not so for aftermarket ones, but in that case it's not the fault of the manufacturer.
26th Jan 2012, 11:42
Well we have established that there are Civic owners and Tacoma owners on here. Is there anyone else on here, other than the original commenter and myself, that actually own a new full size truck? Rather than study batteries, any tips on why a full size was selected? If a single person never has a issue, at least let someone explain their own experience. I equate that to saying that I never had a flat tire, so it's impossible for anyone else to have one. That's ridiculous.
26th Jan 2012, 14:49
I had the original factory battery in my 40 year old barn find... The problem was it didn't start!
26th Jan 2012, 17:06
"One person's experience is nor everyone's"
Man, if only certain commentors on this site would realize that.
27th Jan 2012, 09:26
The reason this post went off topic is the same that basically most Toyota related posts go off topic: Some people have an agenda to make sure everyone knows just how much they hate "foreign" cars, and since Toyota is the biggest of em' all, it seems like any post that comes up about them here and elsewhere, receives almost the exact same comments - that somehow someone owned a "foreign" car that was totally awful, while their "domestic" cars were perfect in every way.
27th Jan 2012, 10:41
I have a new Corvette. The battery will die in 2 weeks with parasitic battery drain from the alarm and radio presets. If you drive every day, it's not an issue. A battery maintainer is a must.
27th Jan 2012, 17:03
How about tundratalk.net or toyotanation.com forums, and look under member's battery issues.
28th Jan 2012, 22:57
My Dad owns a Tundra and I own a Tacoma. Neither have ever had an issue with the battery. Both have alarm systems and stereos with presets. So far, neither have ever suffered from a drained battery, and this is after numerous 2 and 3 week vacations, where they both sat being unused.
29th Jan 2012, 11:20
You can buy a new Silverado and park it for weeks unless it's in sub zero weather. I suspect the Toyota Tacoma owner drives in a warmer climate. Park a late model Corvette with an array of always on presets, and it can drain even an Optima gel battery. The factory battery has power seat presets, driver settings saved, sound system presets saved. Alarm sets for fuel and electric kill to name a few. I am not hesitant to fault any domestic and or import I have owned. There is more of an over defensive attitude with imports on here lately. I can see why as I would be defending my buying decision as well on my last 2 I owned. And that was recent history. I really like my new full size Silverado, as this is a full size review.
29th Jan 2012, 13:47
Most cars will suffer battery drain due to alarm systems and other electronic gadgets that constantly pull small amounts of current. This is not a defect, it is normal, and usually requires several weeks to cause a noticeable problem.
As for the animosity toward Toyota, you need to remember that Toyota has recalled more cars than a huge number of car companies have even built. When Toyota owners constantly bash domestic cars, that old "foreign is better" myth tends to get old very quickly, and will, of course, provoke corrections from savvy car owners who actually bother to research their cars before buying them.
I read road tests and reviews by leading automotive magazines before buying a car. Motor Trend ranked Toyota's Corolla dead last in a compact car comparison, while Car and Driver didn't even bother to test this out-dated and poorly built car. Yet the Corolla still sells well. The only answer is that no one bothers to do the slightest bit of research. Sales of these cars are driven by both well-ingrained myths and ad hype. The same is true of every vehicle in Toyota's line-up. None of these cars has won a significant comparison test or award in years, while Hyundai, Ford and GM mop up.
It's much like politics, where no one bothers to read and research a candidate's policies, then complains after that candidate is elected and doesn't serve them well.
22nd Jan 2012, 12:50
Again - what "imports" are we talking about? There are 100's of non-American brands out there, and surely not ALL of them just automatically have battery issues?
Also, the statement that modern cars demand more from batteries is a non-issue. It's all about basic electronic theory: The more power required, the more capacity in the battery. So for example, you wouldn't stick a motorcycle battery in a car... right? No, you would use a battery with the appropriate voltage, amperage, etc. I have yet to see a single car maker put undersized batteries in their cars - either foreign or domestic.