Optima Batteries Hecho in Mexico

[RichR]

Same thing has happened to my brother in law.
He has worked fo LittleFuse(oem supplier) for 23 years.
Kestas knows this drill.
He is packing up the production machines to go to Mexico to train the Mexicans who will now do his job.
His last paid vacation.
Kind of like loading the rifle and handing it to the man in the firing squad.
I hope I wearing a blue collar will survive long enough to send my children to college.So they will have a degree in unemployment.

 

[mikered30]

Originally Posted By: brianl703
Deka (East Penn) makes AGM batteries. They're a bit cheaper than Optimas, too.


I once did a tour of Deka. Are their batteries good?

 

[CrAlt]

In 2002 I brought 2 red tops and 2 yellow tops. The only one that is left is one yellow top that is in my '91 D150. I got them because at the time my friend ran a autoparts store and got them for me at cost.

I went to price one now and they are like 60-70bux more expensive.

I now have a mix of used/old batteries and I would like to find a real good brand so i can replace them all. Now that its cold my Boosterpack is getting a good workout because of them

 

[brianl703]

Originally Posted By: mikered30

I once did a tour of Deka. Are their batteries good?


From what I've heard, yes. I've never had one. Other than Batteries Plus and Carquest I'm not sure who sells their batteries.

 

[kelpie]

Yes, Deka batteries are very good. My original starting battery in my boat lasted 8 years. That's pretty impressive considering I never put a charger on it and it sat all winter. I had one in an old Chevy truck and it lasted the entire 5 years I owned it. The truck battery was a Carquest.

 

[Cutehumor]

Originally Posted By: Kestas
The market forces companies to relocate "offshore". I work for a Tier 1 company. The automakers give us an edict to move our operations to low cost manufacturing facilities. So the company has no choice. If a company doesn't move their operations offshore, their competition will, and either way the business would be lost.

You can rant and rave all you want, but business will always seek lower costs. This will continue and we will suffer the pains until wages in America are on par with the rest of the world.

The sad part is that during this (for most of us) painful time, the business owners are reaping huge profits and milking the company all they can. Meanwhile, the wages of non-manufacturing folk (doctors, dentists, realtors, plumbers, etc.) will remain high and drain our bank accounts until they realize they have no more paying customers. Only then will they lower their rates. I call this the "lag effect" that manufacturing people must endure during this painful period.


I believe you can take the healthcare profession out. Although, I heard people were putting off going to their doctor, skpping on medications, and suffering instead.

 

[SHOZ]

Odyssey batteries are made by Hawker and made in USA. Very good sealed battery too. Much better than the Optimas.

But I see that they have really gone up in price since I bought one.

For the money if small size or saving weight is a not the goal I just get the biggest and cheapest regular battery that will fit.

 

[Kestas]

Originally Posted By: Cutehumor
I believe you can take the healthcare profession out. Although, I heard people were putting off going to their doctor, skpping on medications, and suffering instead.

Either way, they're losing income.

 

[qship1996]

Originally Posted By: SHOZ
Odyssey batteries are made by Hawker and made in USA. Very good sealed battery too. Much better than the Optimas.

But I see that they have really gone up in price since I bought one.

For the money if small size or saving weight is a not the goal I just get the biggest and cheapest regular battery that will fit.



Actually, Odyssey batteries are made by ENERSYS in Missouri. http://WWW.odysseyfactory.com

 

[SHOZ]

Apparently Hawker has changed it's name.

 

[another Todd]

I believe Odyssee and Deka are both made in the USA, and both IMO are better than Optimas.

 

[qship1996]

Originally Posted By: SHOZ
Apparently Hawker has changed it's name.


No, you were just incorrect in stating that Hawker made Odyssey batteries- The Odyssey battery has always been manufactured by Enersys corporation.

 

[Crashbox]

Man, hearing this really bums me out as I've had GREAT success with Optima batteries. Shoot, the two I've got are probably pushing 10-12 years old and will STILL spin my 454 Chev truck engine with ease, even when hot!!!

The last thing I need to do is purchase a bunch of metric-to-english volt/amp converters for batteries made elsewhere...!!!!!

 

[Steve S]

Made in Mexico is a good idea cheaper labor and the waste is dumped in a river.It is a win win for the company and still the price is made in USA.

 

[Ross]

Originally Posted By: Crashbox
Man, hearing this really bums me out as I've had GREAT success with Optima batteries. Shoot, the two I've got are probably pushing 10-12 years old and will STILL spin my 454 Chev truck engine with ease, even when hot!!!


I too have had good luck with optima's. I purchased one in 2000 and another one in 2004, both still going strong.

From what I have heard the decline in optima quality has happened only in the last 3-4 years or so.

 

[Mustang2008Z]

I would rather buy a battery from the USA, then buy from another country. I thought our government signed NAFTA to increase our jobs here in the USA?

Moving production to another country really s***s the big one.

One thing I do know, is that the USA is exporting SA/SB Motor Oil to India and China. SA/SB motor oil is factory fill there. That may fix their wagons....lol