battery replacement for 2003 Honda Accord

Seems like the manual lacks info and tho I have found some web sites
with bits and pieces of info, I feel better asking here.

I've got a 2003 Accord 4 cyl. 4 dr LX and I'm thinking of replacing
the battery. My manual says to replace with the battery with capacity
12V - 38 AH / 5 HR . Wish they gave more info.

I figured out what this means but what should the CA or CCA be? I
would like to match the original battery but not sure what it is? I
am aware that in my climate (about 95 F summer, 30 F winter), it's
probably not crucial but as I said, I'd like to match original.
Also, am I right that the battery is a group size 51R ? To be honest,
I haven't opened the hood much and to my surprise when I did
yesterday, I saw the battery was rather small compared to most car
batteries I've replaced in 30 years or so.

Last, any recommendations for brand / model?

Thanks in advance.

 

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Walk into Honda dealer and say: "I need a battery for my 2003 Accord 4
cyl. 4 dr LX "

Prices are reasonable, and it will be a good battery. It will look good
when you resell the vehicle (OEM parts). If you don't open the hood very
often, top up the coolant reservoir (to MAX mark) with Honda Premix. Get
that at Honda too.

'Curly'

 

costco. id use whatever their book recommends. the CCA should be on the
original battery, to compare.

 

How long do you plan on keeping the car?

One year? Cheapest battery wins.

Two years? Something not so cheap.

More than two years? High-end Maxx from Wally world would be a good
choice; they're now made by Johnson Controls and are better than what
Wal-Mart used to carry.

You need heat resistance more than to worry about CCA in your climate.
Don't get more amps than you need, you'll only reduce the amount of
electrolyte that the battery can hold, and also end up with more and
thinner lead plates that will break sooner.