Optima Batteries?

[jetmech807]

Posting this in here since it gets the most traffic.
Has come time to replace the battery in my 03. Would like to move it to the trunk and an Optima would seem ideal for that. However, I see a lot of bad things about them. Opinions on yellow top Optimas please.

 

[madspeed]

No experience with the yellow top, but my redtop was pretty much dead after last winter. Forgot to turn on the battery tender. I messed around with it for a few weeks and was finally able to revive it. Been holding steady ever since. Its about 8 years old too

 

[95BlueStallion]

Dont know about yellow tops, but I had bad luck with a red top. Died on me in less than 6 months. Performed a few trickle charges, one high amp charge, and it never lasted more than a month. In a car where my old battery lasted 4 years without a single charge. They told me I wasnt charging it to the "proper level," or charging it "correctly," but Ive never had to put so much effort into any cheaper batteries, so I said F it.

Comparatively speaking, I left the trans controller on in my truck for a few days and killed the cheapo battery I had put in it. Charged it over night with a 1.5 amp battery tender, and its starting fine in 11 degree temps today.

 

[Shakerhood]

I went with an Odessey Battery instead.

 

[mikestang63]

Interstate batteries. Used them for 20+ years.

 

[krazedstang]

Interstate batteries. Used them for 20+ years.

+1 This. I've had a Interstate in my car for about 4 years now. It's needed to be recharged but my car hasn't exactly moved much lol

 

[NOS1543]

I have an Optima red top. First one I got died on me after a year or so (this was before I used a Battery Tender). Got it replaced under warranty and haven't had an issue since. I just don't let it sit for long periods of time without the Tender, especially in the winter, and it seems to be perfectly happy.

 

[jetmech807]

Daily driver in Las Vegas. Easy winter, hellish summers.

 

[Ozz]

I know you mentioned yellow tops, but since others are chiming in about red tops...

I had one from the early 2000s and it lasted over 11 years (!) before it finally died. The replacement I bought was despite my having the proper style battery charger/tender used for maintenance (or charging it tethered off of a normal 12V battery being charged already). Even with all of that it didn't hold a charge no matter what I did. I finally got fed up and put a no-name, no-frills, plain battery in as a replacement and it's not given me any trouble.

I've read a lot in all of that time, there's a general consensus that their batteries are not what they used to be and the quality simply lacks. In my experience, I can't argue. 11 years of never needing a charger (even over winter) vs. 11 or so weeks before I started to require charging it between weekly drives was f'n ridiculous.

 

[Boosted92LX]

For what an optima costs I'll pass.

 

[HotFox]

I went with an Odessey Battery instead.

What model? I have looked Into them CCA seems low.
Scott

 

[90lxwhite]

Walmart "Never Start." Been using em for years and years. Although they're not as cheap as they used to be and it seems like Walmart has gotten stricter on their return policy.

 

[elarm1]

Have you guys priced a battery lately? My how the price has jumped!

 

[90lxwhite]

Have you guys priced a battery lately? My how the price has jumped!

No kiddin man. The ever starts used to be around $50-60, they're $100ish now

 

[jetmech807]

That's my line of thinking. If the good, cheap ones, aren't cheap anymore, why buy them?

 

[Shakerhood]

What model? I have looked Into them CCA seems low.
Scott

I used the 1200 Series with the reverse terminals.

 

[2000xp8]

Bad experience with 2 red tops.
I'm done with optimas, just too expensive for what you get.

I prefer 2 batteries, diehards and interstates.
Believe it or not the Kirkland batteries at Costco were actually interstates. I believe they now switched to interstate labelled and the best part is that if I remember correctly you get a full 4 year warranty not prorated.

 

[RazeNCain]

All batteries are pretty much the same anymore. I just buy them at walmart now. Took 3 of them back in two months trying to locate a parasitic charge in a trailblazer it just kept killing the cells would only charge up to around 9 volts after a couple weeks. No questions asked.

 

[90lxwhite]

That's my line of thinking. If the good, cheap ones, aren't cheap anymore, why buy them?

Good Lord! Nearly $300 for a battery!?!? Walmart for the win

 

[90lxwhite]

All batteries are pretty much the same anymore. I just buy them at walmart now. Took 3 of them back in two months trying to locate a parasitic charge in a trailblazer it just kept killing the cells would only charge up to around 9 volts after a couple weeks. No questions asked.

Bout 9 yrs ago I took 3 back in a month. I had a bad alternator on a fwd car that was a b to change so I didn't for a bit.. A month ago I had a bad battery w in warranty and Walmart hassled me a lil but eventually gave me a new one.