The MTP-91 and the BCI-41 are slightly different batteries. If Wal-Mart
carried the "91" it would not be. Slightly different ratings and top case
design. Battery manufacture is a dedicated assembly line process with lots
of manual labor still employed. The battery factory will basically use the
same construction, plate or grid design and processes for everything that
plant makes. If they make pasted plates, all their batteries will be
pasted plates. The only changes will be size and quantity of plates or
grids and some other specifications such as acid concentration. Johnson
probably has +50% of the US battery market. It is usually a good product.
You sell a lot of batteries and you will have a lot of failures. A lot of
failures are often due by the cause of the original failure not being
corrected.
Most of the battery industry revolves around marketing and the warranties
are part of the plan. Most true battery defects will occur shortly after
they are put in use. After that, most failures are abuse or miss-use. The
pro-rated warranty is often covered to further support the brand. As
written the warranties only cover defects. They are not guarantees that
the battery will last no matter what. They are also consumables and at $50
or so are like buying a tank of fuel.

Dennis

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
Jake de Villiers
Sent: Wednesday, October 03, 2007 8:25 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: costco auxillary battery size (group# and/or costco number)?

Weighing them would probably tell you quite a bit, without dumping acid
all
over.   :)

On 10/3/07, Karl Mullendore <groups@westyventures.com> wrote:
>
> "built by" does not mean the battery is constructed internally the same.
>
> We could take a dead MTP91 and slice it open, then a Mal Wart of the
> same number, slice-n-dice and see if it's true. :-)
>
> Dennis Haynes wrote:
> > Interstate batteries are also built by Johnson Controls. Slighlty
> different
> > case/model, but same battery as Wal-Mart.
>

--
Jake
1984 Vanagon GL
1986 Westy Weekender "Dixie"
www.crescentbeachguitar.com
http://subyjake.googlepages.com/