Optima Batteries

[HGFireHazard]

I just need to vent. I bought a yellowtop for $170 last year, used it for 2 months and then threw the car in storage. I pulled it out of storage only to find it has a blown valve cover gasket and the battery is toast. They didn't believe the battery was bad because of how well they make their batteries, but it was so bad that the machine testing the battery inquired if the battery it was testing was a 6V. After all that I go to get it replaced, and they tell me it's been a year and 2 weeks, 2 weeks too long for a free replacement, and they are only able to give me back about $84. Morale of the story, even a 1995 GT with only an exhaust and an angry driver can leave burnout marks all the way across an Autozone parking lot...

 

[stang_dan]

lol i laughed soooooo hard with the ending

nice moral

dan

 

[91LX_5L]

lol @ ending too.

that sucks man, I love my yellow top and I got it at costco so Ill just return it every 10 months before the year warrenty expires haha

 

[FastFord]

I had a yellow top go bad on me... sucks after the cost $$$$$... Now I roll with a Wal-mart special with the same power to return it if it goes bad... and for a fraction of the cost!!

 

[94GTMOOSE]

But i thought they were the best batteries for your dollar. whats the deal, are these isolated occurances or are these how they all preform?

 

[91LX_5L]

if they COMPLETLY die I heard they get ruined. you need a trickler for winter.

I think the red tops are a diffrent story, they have more cranking power too but dont hold a charge as long.

 

[Labora]

First mistake = going to vatozone.

2nd = no trickle charger! Mine is going on 5 years now! I've run it down to empty several times.

 

[ponyboy19]

I bought a brand new Optima red top. took the car to the tuners a couple weeks later and he calls me to tell me that my battery litterly blew up and acid spewed all over the place. It was hot for over a day just sitting on the floor. The cells must have been touching or something.. He replaced it with the same battery and it's been fine since. Autozone gave me my money back "no questions asked"

 

[Methodical]

I like that about burning rubber across parking lot. If it were me, I'd call Optima to see what they can do for you. Just One Man's opinion. Peace

 

[LoudToy958]

Sorry to hear your luck. I have never personally had a problem, but nothing is perfect.

FYI - Optima is owned by interstate. If there is one in your area, see if they can help you out. Those guys are generally pretty cool if the understand about storing your car.........

 

[stang_dan]

ponyboy19 I bought a brand new Optima red top. took the car to the tuners a couple weeks later and he calls me to tell me that my battery litterly blew up and acid spewed all over the place. It was hot for over a day just sitting on the floor. The cells must have been touching or something.. He replaced it with the same battery and it's been fine since. Autozone gave me my money back "no questions asked"

that sounds a little weird cause i was under the impression that optima batterys are dry cell batterys so there is no acid. thats why they use them on alot of offroad trucks they can be tossed around and spill nothing.

also my buudy had one fall into his fan and put a hole in it and we just taped it up and it still worked no acid..

dan

 

[stang_dan]

i stand corrected i just looked at the optima site and its a very sealed type or something so i guess we just didnt break threw it .

later
dan

 

[ponyboy19]

i stand corrected i just looked at the optima site and its a very sealed type or something so i guess we just didnt break threw it .

later
dan

I think they call them spiral cells...

 

[strokedandblown]

I have had 1 yellow 2 reds die on me, For me atleast the yellow's seem better the one that died lasted 4yrs in a daily driver with a stock alt and a 3k watt system. put in the red and it was dead in a month. Now i got yeller's in both and it seems alright. I think these guys are right about the trickle charge as well, they dont like to be drained and left. There's gotta be something better out there!

 

[HGFireHazard]

I contacted Optima today by phone and talked to Nate. He said that all I needed was to get a copy of the original sales receipt, fax the receipt copy and my information to their company and they would get everything taken care of. Well, Autozone can't reprint receipts so after enough bitching on my part they 'damaged one out' of their system, gave me a new one and said "Happy Birthday". Well your damn right, for that much money I want a new battery after a year.