New Automotive Reality Tv Series Seeking Drivers

OptimaJim · Feb 26, 2014

Optima Batteries' Search for the Ultimate Street Car TV Series will begin filming their first episode at the Ultimate Street Car Association event at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca on March 7-9th. Unlike some automotive TV shows, this will feature real street cars, real competition and the top contenders will be invited to the 2014 SEMA Show and the 2014 OPTIMA Ultimate Street Car Invitational. All 11 episodes will be filmed and broadcast on MavTV.

Other tracks include Texas Motor Speedway, Daytona International Speedway, Auto Club Speedway, Road America, Gateway Motorsports Park, Portland International, Michigan International, Sebring and Pittsburgh International.

If you've ever wanted to get on any of these tracks and/or get on TV, this is your chance. Click here for more information on the USCA, the TV Show and how you can get in on the action.

Jim McIlvaine
eCare Manager, OPTIMA Batteries
www.pinterest.com/optimabatteries

Kilgore Trout · Feb 27, 2014

maybe instead make some decent batteries and go from there?

OptimaJim · Feb 27, 2014

Hi Kilgore Trout. Did you have a problem with one of our batteries? If so, what can you tell me about it?

Jim McIlvaine
eCare Manager, OPTIMA Batteries
www.pinterest.com/optimabatteries

DocG · Feb 27, 2014

Ignore him...

He is just cranky because his old lady stopped putting out.

madspeed · Feb 27, 2014

I've got a red top thats going into the heap pile. The static cling on my socks hold more charge

85_SS_302_Coupe · Feb 27, 2014

Actually I have a yellow top sitting in my garage right now that's worth about as much as a door stop. I bought the yellow specifically because I was told (told wrong?) that it could be drained completely dead and would still take a charge again. Well, it's dead, and won't hold a charge. It sat in the car while it was down for paint and never started up again. I'm currently running a Walmart battery, and ya know what? It starts every time. It also cost me 1/3 as much.

madspeed · Feb 27, 2014

Thats why they call them Everstart!

Kilgore Trout · Feb 27, 2014

yup a battery that when fully discharged becomes a boat anchor... I could not drive my cobra for six weeks due to heavy snow and now I have a new boat anchor...

going back to traditional lead acid I reckon

Kilgore Trout · Feb 27, 2014

DocG2828 said:
Ignore him...

He is just cranky because his old lady stopped putting out.

that you laser? Adults are talking GTFO

OptimaJim · Feb 27, 2014

madspeed, 85_SS_302_Coupe and Kilgore Trout, what is the voltage level of your batteries right now?

Jim McIlvaine
eCare Manager, OPTIMA Batteries
www.pinterest.com/optimabatteries

Noobz347 · Feb 27, 2014

The problem that I ran into was a cracked/broken spherical coil?

I didn't dissect the thing. I was told when I went to swap it for a NAPA brand battery. Happened twice on consecutive batteries. One day all was well then blam... I'm in a parking lot, calling for a jump start.

In my case at least, it was the fragile internals that sent me back to the old tried and true.

Kilgore Trout · Feb 27, 2014

OptimaJim said:
madspeed, 85_SS_302_Coupe and Kilgore Trout, what is the voltage level of your batteries right now?

Jim McIlvaine
eCare Manager, OPTIMA Batteries
www.pinterest.com/optimabatteries

I will get back to you on that I am on business travel and will not be home for a while.

madspeed · Feb 27, 2014

I wont be back to where I can get to mine until next weekend. I can tell you I put a battery tender on it a few weeks ago after I discovered it was weak from sitting for two months. The tender charged it up. I went back an hour later with a voltage meter and it was already down below 11 volts. So, in my case it will charge up, but not hold, and there is no drain on it

flstang65 · Feb 27, 2014

Aren't Optima's made by Johnson Controls?

madspeed · Feb 27, 2014

OptimaJim · Feb 28, 2014

Noobz347, did your retailer tell you it was a cracked/broken spherical coil (assuming your are referring to one of our cells?) The only way our cells would likely be cracked or broken is by a severe impact, which I doubt happened to you twice in a row. Our internals are actually far more durable than a typical flooded battery. Because we don't use individual plates hanging in an electrolyte solution, we have far fewer individual pieces inside of our batteries and our cells are all connected by cast straps, versus the intercell welds found in typical flat-plate batteries.

What we see most often in warranty returns are batteries that are discharge-only, meaning there is nothing wrong with the battery besides the fact that the previous owner deeply-discharged it beyond the point where it would start a car. Most often, those folks get into a cycle of dead batteries and jump-starts, never fully-recharging the battery with a battery charger, instead, relying on an alternator that was never designed to recharge a deeply-discharged battery.

Madspeed, what was the voltage of your battery when it was fully-charged and since you measured your draw, what was that amount?

Flstang65, Optima is owned by Johnson Controls, but we manufacture all of our own batteries in our own production facility and they are the only batteries produced there.

Jim McIlvaine
eCare Manager, OPTIMA Batteries
www.pinterest.com/optimabatteries

flstang65 · Feb 28, 2014

You know, it's not that I have a negative opinion on Optima batteries. I have good and bad experiences with them, like many other products from other companies. I guess where I am a little bitter towards you guys is that I have called numerous times to talk to someone about sponsoring or, even a partial sponsorship on my race car. I own my own shop, am building one hell of a car and would be on a national touring series for not a lot of money compared to what other people would be asking. I guess since my name isn't, Force, Prudhome, Johnson, ect that would explain why I don't get called back, or told no one is available to talk to me. Someone could have at least had the manners and decency to at least give me a No, we aren't interested.

I am not here to cry and say; where's my money but, what I am here to say is that I find it amusing you are spending millions of dollars for this production that may or may not even make it on tv when you could have spent a fraction on that for guaranteed viewership (in person and in print) for roughly the same numbers or more that what you might get, for a racing season that lasts longer than a typical tv season, not just with me but, with any other team that has a decent game plan.

Lastly, from what I gather from your intro...I would bring my car, on my dime to abuse my car in your production 100% out of my pocket for your advertisement purposes for a "chance" to go to SEMA? Eh...

jetmech807 · Feb 28, 2014

If it's like most of today's automotive reality show's I can assure you I won't be watching. Kind of sounding like Bullrun.

Adieu · Feb 28, 2014

Five-year old Optima Red Top in my Mustang right now, don't know what you guys are doing wrong. I get 4-6 years out of Optimas every time, and 2-3 years out of lead-acid batteries not made by Exide. (My experience with Exide is the same as it is with Optima, they last.)

Full disclosure: I sell Optimas at work. Exide is my competitor's battery, my company sells another brand of lead-acid battery.

Diode Dynamics · Feb 28, 2014

I've had an Optima Red Top on my Mustang for several years now and never had a hitch. One of the most innovative battery designs out there.

I just wish I had a fast enough car to participate in the event. Oh well! Guess it's something to work for in the future

Nick C.

New Automotive Reality Tv Series Seeking Drivers

OptimaJim

New Member

Kilgore Trout

Fried or Broiled ?

OptimaJim

New Member

DocG

5th graders > me. They're not bant

madspeed

Colonel Mustard

85_SS_302_Coupe

it sucks (I know) to be on the receiving end

madspeed

Colonel Mustard

Kilgore Trout

Fried or Broiled ?

Kilgore Trout

Fried or Broiled ?

OptimaJim

New Member

Noobz347

Stangnet Facilities Maint Tech... Er... Janitor

Kilgore Trout

Fried or Broiled ?

madspeed

Colonel Mustard

flstang65

madspeed

Colonel Mustard

OptimaJim

New Member

flstang65

jetmech807

Adieu

Easy there, this ain't a dating site.

Diode Dynamics

New Automotive Reality Tv Series Seeking Drivers

New Member

Fried or Broiled ?

New Member

5th graders > me. They're not bant

Colonel Mustard

it sucks (I know) to be on the receiving end

Colonel Mustard

Fried or Broiled ?

Fried or Broiled ?

New Member

Stangnet Facilities Maint Tech... Er... Janitor

Fried or Broiled ?

Colonel Mustard

Colonel Mustard

New Member

Easy there, this ain't a dating site.

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