Thinking of new Battery

[Shakerhood]

I have had a Generic Autozone Battery in my Stang for almost 8 years now and figured it is about time for a new one. I am considering an Optima, but I have heard they dont fit right in the battery tray and can move on you. Also my current battery is 6" Tall and the Optima is almost 8" Tall, it doesnt look like I have even close to 2 inches more clearance from the hood. Should I just get anothe Autozone Cheapie or try to squeeze that Optima in?

 

[dwhiskie]

I dont know what yr your car is but I got a 90lx and am using the optima red and it fits fine,actually its smaller then the motorcraft one that was in there before.

 

[srothfuss]

My red top fits fine in the tray. I haven't had any problems with it tipping over and I really like to drive through corners if you know what I mean...

You won't be dissapointed with a red top. Just make sure you shop around for the best prices. they can be had for around 100.00 in certian places.

 

[Stormwalker]

I have a red top optima in my car that I use for autocross. There are a couple of things you should know.

I had to use a different battery hold-down to keep it in place on the course (I bought a simple metal piece from an auto parts store), the optima would snap the stock hold-down for some reason, and also, if the battery is allowed to move around at all, it can break the battery tray as well, especially if it is aged and brittle. These things happened not only to my car, but a couple of others, but everything happened on the autox course, so not sure if you have to worry as much if it is just for street use. I guess the optimas seem heavier or something than the average battery? I would also like to add that it is the best battery I have ever purchased, and I don't have to worry about battery acid spilling out and going all over stuff, which happens more than you think. The cranking power and power retention is great too.

 

[QDRHRSE]

Even though I have an optima in the garage I opted to put a dealer bought 850cca battery in the stock location. They have a great warranty and the dealer will outright replace it if it goes bad within the first 3 years and then prorate it after that. It's cool to have an optima but what exactly is the real benefit? Are you planning on mounting your battery upside down anytime soon?

 

[Sicarius428]

I have a red top and it works great but my next one will be a yellow top. I don't need all that cranking amps and rather have a battery that will have a longer cycle. I bought http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BILL...33575QQitemZ7992702745QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW to keep it in place.
Kevin

 

[TheUser]

Aren't the yellow top's for if you're gonna have the battery set for extended periods without recharging - boats, possibly drag cars, etc? I think the red top is the optima inteded for street vehicles.

I can't remember all the stats on mine, but I've posted before w/ the specs of my red top, which fits fine and cost me $120ish at pepboys. What I did, though, was I took measurements of exactly how big mine could be and then I went to pepboys and asked to measure the batteries. He let me go behind the counter and measure to make sure

 

[281pony]

Aren't the yellow top's for if you're gonna have the battery set for extended periods without recharging - boats, possibly drag cars, etc? I think the red top is the optima inteded for street vehicles.

yeah something along those lines. they are awesome batteries. my car had an electrical leak from my cd player it turns out, for a full year. every 2 days it would drain almost if i didnt start it. the battery took the heavy drain/recharging for that long without any issues.

 

[Sicarius428]

Typically the red top is intended for the street. Yellow top is much better if you have a serious sound system or if you are accident prone like me to leave the lights on. I'll take a little forgiveness over 700+ cold cranking amps anyday. The blue top is the deep cycle one.
Kevin

 

[nazstang]

i just got an optima red top. size 75\35 is a great fit. i'm pretty sure that it even weigh less than stock! good stuff. got at autozone, 109

 

[Kerpal]

I had an Optima red top in my old Crown Vic, since had a pretty big stereo system in it (~ 800 watts) that I wanted to be able to play for a decent amount of time with the engine off. It worked pretty well for that purpose... I ran the battery totally out a few times over the year I had it and never had any problems from doing so... didn't notice any loss of reserve capacity, unlike what seems to happen with a regular battery.

I bought the red top b/c it was $100 at Costco and the yellow tops weren't available locally... although the yellow top might be even better for my kind of use. I'll definately get one or the other when the Stang needs a new battery... but if I didn't play my stereo system a lot I'd probably just get a $30 parts store / costco battery. If I just wanted something to start the car I might even look into a much smaller, lighter battery...

 

[monte87]

OPTIMA RED... After swapping over to Optima since 1995, I never looked back, and that was before you could pick one up at Pep boys!!! hahahaha You had to do a mail order through Ultimate Energy in california!!! hahahaha
Later Ant

 

[Shakerhood]

Maybe I am looking at the wrong red top, because it says it is almost 8" Tall. My current battery in my 92 GT is 6" tall and I layed a piece of a 2x4 on it and there was no way I was going to be able to close the hood!

 

[BigDanTheMan]

man my optima redtop has saved me so many times. once when driving home from school my alternator blew and i made it the rest of the 45 minutes home on battery power alone at night with the head lights on. i've drained it at least five times from leaving the headlights on (i never should have disconnected that chime) and it charged right up each time and i jump people at least once a month. four years old and still going strong even with all of my abuse. it is worth the bucks.

i've seen them at costco for 80 bucks.

 

[monte87]

Hey shaker-

you have to take the stock battery out, Rip the old plastic battery hold down crap out, and then get some plastic carpet/loor tiles, cut them up as needed to make a spacer to even out the difference of the inside car body-to make the battery sit even., wrap them up in duct tape from movuing around, and just go out to pep boys and but a battery hold down of some sort-and starp it up-Good to go. not that difficult.
Thats what i did-and looks great and fits perfect.

Pm me if ya need additional help!
Later Anthony

 

[monte87]

Oh-and ya have to drill 2 holes in the engine bay lower frame and the inside fenderwell for the prop rods.
One directly beneath the battery in the frame with a dremel-cauz a drill wont fit, and then on the inside fender well-wall towards the fender. Good to go! The holes will proveide a psace for the battery hold down rods to sit properly and securely and hold the battery down in place with out mnoving when tightened.

 

[The Shape]

Not Knocking Optima or anything because I am sure they are top of the line , but if the generic autozone battery lasted eight years and if a new one just like it is very much cheaper than the optima then I htink I would just get another one and save some cash. Eight years is pretty good.

 

[TheUser]

I don't know, maybe if you carve corners or something, your battery MIGHT move, but it weighs 39lbs...I just put a small block of wood in front of mine to keep it from moving forward and mine stays put w/o any drilling or special hold downs. I didn't have to, nor did I choose to use carpet or floor tiles. I suppose if you want to do all that extra work, I'm sure it would look wonderful, but IMO it's not necessary.

Here is what I did to get my battery to fit:

1)Measured the size of the battery space under the hood
2)Went to pep boys and asked them to measure the batteries; measured the batteries and purchased the one that was an acceptable size
3)Removed old battery and put Optima in; connected cables
4)Inserted a piece of wood in front of the optima to keep it from moving forward.
5)Started my car

 

[monte87]

Knock yourself out-dude! hahahahaha Whatever works-Ya know. I never used an atuozone battery, So i dont know. i use to be a diehard guy-Until they started letting me down with my lincoln-So i upped the ante back in 95 and swticehd over.

Ant

 

[Fishhawk]

Typically the red top is intended for the street. Yellow top is much better if you have a serious sound system or if you are accident prone like me to leave the lights on. I'll take a little forgiveness over 700+ cold cranking amps anyday. The blue top is the deep cycle one.
Kevin

Exactly, The yellow is for the big sound systems with boocoo amps. The blue is the marine battery and best for race cars without alternators.