whats a good battery to buy?

Don't get a EXIDE!! I used to sell them for Grand Auto and they were junk right off the truck. I started to test them right off the truck after getting a gun stuffed in my face for selling crap. 80% of the time they were junk before they came off the pallet. Interstate or Optima for me thanks. I have an optima in the Dart. The key to an Optima according to the local battery reconditioner is to slow charge them if they are dead flat. I bought a "reconditioned" red top that was turned in that only needed a charge, a slow charge later and it's all good. Well worth the $25.