Optima Battery?

[Keith_Stone]

What kind of service life are you guys getting out of the Optima battery? I'm now at 4yrs.
I noticed today at AZ the Optima's and the new AZ Platinum's(Deka??) are around $200. Boy, battery prices have shot up.

 

[Rand]

sams club has the duracell AGM batteries for about 125-140$ in certain group sizes

 

[Rolla07]

I was expecting my original battery to need replacement since its going on 7 years old and I had it tested and its still testing with a full charge...quite shocked considering the 115k miles and age.

Good to know about the Duracell AGM's.

 

[wirelessF]

I got 3 Optimas:
1 USA Redtop probably 10 years old
1 Redtop about 2 years old
1 Yellowtop about 5 years old

I've periodically tested the batteries with my Solar BA7 battery tester and except for the USA redtop all batteries are above CCA specs. What I've noticed is that they have a lower standing voltage 12.4 vs 12.6 than the Everstart Maxx and Deka AGM in the other trucks.

 

[Keith_Stone]

I got 6yrs out my oem Delco sealed. I wish we could still get those with the indicator window. Seemed like a super battery.

 

[Keith_Stone]

Originally Posted By: wirelessF
I got 3 Optimas:
1 USA Redtop probably 10 years old
1 Redtop about 2 years old
1 Yellowtop about 5 years old

I've periodically tested the batteries with my Solar BA7 battery tester and except for the USA redtop all batteries are above CCA specs. What I've noticed is that they have a lower standing voltage 12.4 vs 12.6 than the Everstart Maxx and Deka AGM in the other trucks.


How do you like the BA7 tester?

 

[NHGUY]

Dont know if spiral cells are going away,but Exide who used to offer "Orbital" batteries,now has dropped those and is going with flat plate AGM jobs.They claim they are better due to the greater surface area,as opposed to the spiral wrapped "jelly rolls" they previously used.Either that,or their poor financial condition (2nd bankruptcy for them now) is leading them to design on the cheap.

 

[bullwinkle]

Originally Posted By: Keith_Stone
What kind of service life are you guys getting out of the Optima battery? I'm now at 4yrs.
I noticed today at AZ the Optima's and the new AZ Platinum's(Deka??) are around $200. Boy, battery prices have shot up.
Are you sure that AZ Platinums aren't still Johnson Controls?

 

[Keith_Stone]

Originally Posted By: bullwinkle
Originally Posted By: Keith_Stone
What kind of service life are you guys getting out of the Optima battery? I'm now at 4yrs.
I noticed today at AZ the Optima's and the new AZ Platinum's(Deka??) are around $200. Boy, battery prices have shot up.
Are you sure that AZ Platinums aren't still Johnson Controls?

You may be right. I saw a comment on another forum that the new Platinum's are Deka.

 

[Chris142]

Theres no love for the optima batteries on the jeep forums. Then when someone posts about a optima failure "optima jim" posts that the jeep has a problem and not the battery. The optima gets replaced with another brand and the jeep lives a happy life. My optima is about 3 yrs old and seems to be cranking my jeep slowly.the exide orbital i had before the optima lasted 90 months.

 

[Dufus2]

Originally Posted By: Keith_Stone

I noticed today at AZ the Optima's and the new AZ Platinum's(Deka??) are around $200. Boy, battery prices have shot up.

I use a cheap battery from Wal-Mart because I never had any problems like I did with Exide. Even their prices are getting insane. The battery for my lawnmower was still a good price and it fixed my problem.

 

[RISUPERCREWMAN]

I recently installed a Sears DiHard Platinum Battery cause it had the highest CCA's! Love it in my truck!

 

[dernp]

I recently bought an Optima redtop for my Tundra at Amazon for $140. So far so good although it is only 1 month old. Time will tell.

 

[Keith_Stone]

Originally Posted By: dernp
I recently bought an Optima redtop for my Tundra at Amazon for $140. So far so good although it is only 1 month old. Time will tell.

And if you've got prime the free shipping makes it a great deal. I understand that the new Optima's are no longer made in the states??

 

[SrDriver]

My vote goes for the Wal-Mart Battery.

No issues with them and a nation wide warranty.

They get great reviews too.

 

[tomcat27]

The normal, non platinum, batteries at as are jc

 

[dernp]

Originally Posted By: Keith_Stone
Originally Posted By: dernp
I recently bought an Optima redtop for my Tundra at Amazon for $140. So far so good although it is only 1 month old. Time will tell.

And if you've got prime the free shipping makes it a great deal. I understand that the new Optima's are no longer made in the states??


Yes. Free shipping and no tax delivered to my USA address. Date code is 10/13 so it is fresh. My understanding is that it was made by Johnson Controls.

 

[Wolf359]

Originally Posted By: Rolla07
I was expecting my original battery to need replacement since its going on 7 years old and I had it tested and its still testing with a full charge...quite shocked considering the 115k miles and age.

Good to know about the Duracell AGM's.


It's really heat that kills a battery. Those cold winters that you have make them last longer although they don't put out as much power at lower temperatures. I had one last about 8 years and then I changed it because I was worried that it couldn't last much longer. Last one I had though only lasted 6 years and the Advance auto battery I replaced it with only lasted about 3 years, but they pro-rated it, might have just gotten a bad one.

 

[AMC]

I had a red top optima a few years ago. While it was a very powerful battery (high CCA) it only lasted 2 years before it wouldn't hold a charge...... Not impressed. YMMV

 

[martinq]

I wouldn't buy any battery beside the Hawker/Odyssey AGM. Bulletproof value for money as long as your charging is sufficient.