Any wise input on what is a good 12volt car battery?

batteries last us about 3 years, so we just pick up one of Sam's better batteries knowing it is only going to last 3 years and if goes out before that it has a warranty.

Last well, low failure rate. Exide batteries were the worst before he switched to Champions.

My experience with batteries is extensive. The best battery in my opinion is Interstate Battery, for Flooded Lead Acid Battery (Wet Cell) and AGM ,Absorbent Glass Mat Battery. For Gel Cell Battery (Dry Cell) I prefer Optima battery’s. A lot of battery companies calm high Cold cranking amp rating’s but don’t actually test out that high. Also the led cell in most battery’s are very close to the bottom of the battery and can short out sooner over time as the lead scales flakes off the the cell and falls to the bottom. Interstate battery have real world CCA claims and are designed more like a deep cycle battery and take more abuse. The Optima battery are great for off reading where you are bouncing around and are at steep angles and are true to CCA ratings too

Interstate has a different battery for hot and cool temps.
Get a Megatron. They also sell blem batteries. After a battery sits at a retailer for 6 months they pick it up, take the labels off, charge it and brand it as a blem, however you dont get to pick which battery line it comes from. Find an Interstate All Battery Center (where they send their delivery trucks from), call and ask if they have your size in stock as a blem before before you make the trip FIRST. Last full size Blem I bought cost about $60 +tax and core. They do this for mower batteries also.

The fifth winter around here you can count on it going dead by the second cold snap. Like clockwork. Just keep the corrosion cleaned off of it and keep it filled if it is a serviceable type. Yes the space for the crud to settle on the bottom is of consideration but we pretty much have no way of telling which brand has that increased space. As far as the warranty goes it is the same battery they just slap a different sticker on it depending how much you paid for it.