My understanding is that AGM batteries are only a problem and are different then a lead acid battery is when the AGM battery voltage falls below a certain threshold.

If it falls below that level, you need an AGM designed battery charger to charge it back up. Other than that, a regular battery charger will maintain the fully charged level of the battery, same as your car alternator does.

The only advantage that I can see is that an AGM battery will take more physical abuse before experiencing a mechanical failure. Great if you're into any kind of off-road driving.

If you want to try something different, look at the Duracell car battery line. They have a very good running record. I have them in all my cars after a bunch of internet research. If you're someone who's in the habit of listening to the radio with the engine off or running a camera in parking mode, the Duracell battery was designed for that.

Constant discharge/charge cycles create sulfates on the lead plate surfaces, which flakes off and settles on the bottom of the cells. As it builds up, the particles at the bottom can shift with car movement and potentially short the plates in that cell, causing premature cell failure. Duracell redesigned the bottom of the cells with a honeycomb pattern to hold and prevent the sulfates from moving around and building up in one spot.

Last I checked, price was about 1/3 higher than a similarly rated battery. I believe that the stock Murano battery is 550 CCA. I always go a little higher and have the 650 CCA in my Murano.

Have a good day.

 

My understanding is that AGM batteries are only a problem and are different then a lead acid battery is when the AGM battery voltage falls below a certain threshold.

If it falls below that level, you need an AGM designed battery charger to charge it back up. Other than that, a regular battery charger will maintain the fully charged level of the battery, same as your car alternator does.

The only advantage that I can see is that an AGM battery will take more physical abuse before experiencing a mechanical failure. Great if you're into any kind of off-road driving.

I agree with every word of this. I've been using AGM batteries for 20 years, and charging is tricky if you don't know the tricks.

I also use them because they are sealed and will not leak, and they stand up well to performance use.
Not having to deal with the water/acid solution and fumes from the battery is a real bonus.

My opinion is that buying a battery charger that will handle AGM batteries is an absolute necessity if you are getting a charger. More and more cars have them, and it's worth having that capability. More cars have batteries under seats and in trunks where the acid fumes will destroy parts of the car.

If you MUST charge a depleted AGM battery with a standard charger, here's what the Optima website told me a couple of years ago, and it works:

• Set up your battery charger and connect it to a STANDARD lead-acid battery positioned outside the car.
• Now take a set of jumper cables and connect them from the lead-acid battery to the AGM battery in the car.
• Start charging. Be patient, it will take loner than usual to charge the AGM battery.

The lead-acid battery serves as a buffer and allows the charge to be accepted. In essence, it's similar to a long-term jump that recharges the target battery. It has worked for me, but how many of us have a separate lead-acid car battery handy to serve as the buffer??

 

A car battery is just that. Regular or agm will work. I've used both in my current cars. There are only less than a hand full of manufacturers in North America. They simply build them to customer's specs including case style, color and label. I like agm because they tend to have more cold cranking and reserve power. They tend to have less corrosion at the connections also. Most cars use 12 volt. When they say what group your car uses it basically refers to the size or dimensions. Just get the size that will fit your car. It's really not rocket surgery.