Optima Batteries

[Spinalguy]

After reading many topics on the quality of Optima going south...literally, i will never buy one.

Here are 2 threads addressing batteries and specifically Optima pulling their sponsorship from Pirate.

i am glad i read them, so i thought i would share

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1052970

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1051909

if you do not know, Pirate is not family friendly.

[Dingleberry]

After reading that Optima reduced the length of warranty or something on their batteries I was a little concerned. Then found out that Canadian Tire sells AGM batteries for about $40-50 less, and with a 10-year warranty!! So bought one of those instead and it's been great so far. Haven't really 'used and abused' it much yet, been sitting under my car's hood until I get the jeep roadworthy, but been impressed with it so far.

[frenchy]

My yellow top turns 6 years old in 2 weeks, no problems so far.

[Spinalguy]

My yellow top turns 6 years old in 2 weeks, no problems so far.

it seems that its not the older Optimas that were a problem but newer as in last few years???

[SwampSinger]

My yellow top turns 6 years old in 2 weeks, no problems so far.

My last one lasted 7 years of abuse .. they were good back then

[dunl]

http://www.stu-offroad.com/electrical/elec1/battery.htm

[Jrama]

Reviews on the net are hit or miss for the most part but mostly positive, I bought a yellow top 6 months ago, 2 years direct replacement warranty (if I remember Correctly). We will see how it goes!

 Yellow top was actually cheaper than a lot of alternatives I looked into in Calgary, the only ones cheaper are the Canadian Tire Spiral Cell's. If you want another AGM battery your spending $$$ over the price of a yellow (even for a deka!!). In the end I thought it was worth the risk, lots of guys run em with no problems, guys love to bitch when the infallible yellow does fail...maybe I'll be one of them soon enough  .

[SwampSinger]

I run the deep cycle Nautilus Marine Battery from CT now.... it keep on loosing juice on me even disconected. It's not the greatest...


My next one will be an Odessey or Northstar Battery.. twice the price but lots more juice and durability. You pay for what you get!

[The Machinist]

I'm happy with my Red Top, it's been completely drained 5 or 6 times now.  I've had it 4 years and it still works great.

[w squared]

My next one will be an Odessey or Northstar Battery.. twice the price but lots more juice and durability. You pay for what you get!

+1. I put an Odyssey into my JK about a year and a half ago, and it's been absolutely great. I've got a few ugly pulls on that battery, and it hasn't even skipped a beat.

[LukeDuke]

Deka Intimidator are the cats meow. 7 years, froze twice and a few engine off 100 ft winch pulls. Still going strong. New Otpima in old mans boat leasted 4months just running a troling motor!

[Vinman]

I run the deep cycle Nautilus Marine Battery from CT now.... it keep on loosing juice on me even disconected. It's not the greatest...

I've got the Nautlilus Gel Cell CT battery as well, it appears to be a re-badged Exide Orbital. Going on 4 years now and never a problem with it.

I've also got a free, lifetime, non pro rated replacement warranty to go with it. The warranty originally came with a battery purchased in 1992 and I have had at least 5-6 replacements over the years and the last time I managed to talk them into transfering the warranty over to the AGM I have now.

Vince  

[GigaPig]

I had a red top Optima battery that lasted less than a year. When I took it back to Walmart to get a replacement under warranty, the guy there hooked it up to a tester and said it was fine. I did the full drain/reset on the battery based on what the Optima site recommended and that didn't help at all. I told the guy that regardless of what the tester said it would not hold a charge for more than a couple of days. The replacement battery I'd already put in my truck had no problems, so it wasn't a short or problem with the vehicle. He just kept repeating that the battery was fine.

I recharged it, and tried the Optima in another vehicle and had exactly the same problem. Went back to Walmart again and explained everything and they wouldn't budge at all. When I contacted Optima they said I had to deal with the store I'd purchased it from for any issues.

So long story short, the Optima battery was the worst battery I've ever had, the service from Optima was non-existant and Walmart just sucked (no real surprise there....)

[Jrama]

Walmart and Costco Optimas are just that...Walmart and Costco versions of a brand that has known quality issues...over a year later my "new" yellow top has been run down 3 times, winched with a dead a engine and headlights on (stupid fuse is hard to pull). Still is completely fine.... I'll post when it dies

[Knox]

I got a deep cycle interstate to replace the mopar one in the jeep when I got it two years ago, haven't had an issue yet, although it seems like I'm the only one with one... wonder if that says something...