Finally fed up with Optima
10-10-2012, 06:39 PM
#1
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Finally fed up with Optima
Well after dealing with several bad Optima's, back and forth to their authorized dealer to get it checked and a bit over four years, I broke down and bought a new Interstate battery.
Purchased a Red top back in 2008. I think I had it swapped out about three times. Just very poor luck. Discharged for whatever reason (working on car, light on) and my regular charger just wouldnt get it back up.
After reading online it seems like some Optima owners have bad experiences and some have good ones.
Optima would only cover a percentage of a new battery purchace but now they are upwards of $160 or so dollars.
-matty
Purchased a Red top back in 2008. I think I had it swapped out about three times. Just very poor luck. Discharged for whatever reason (working on car, light on) and my regular charger just wouldnt get it back up.
After reading online it seems like some Optima owners have bad experiences and some have good ones.
Optima would only cover a percentage of a new battery purchace but now they are upwards of $160 or so dollars.
-matty
10-10-2012, 07:08 PM
#4
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Have yellow top on both 3rd gen & 4th gen. Both been great (knock on wood) for last 2 years (2 year warranty thru Autozone).
Had bad luck with Red top when I had it on my 3rd gen. Alternator was good & charging yet the battery still went dead & wouldn't charge thru cycle (went thru 2 of them then went to yellow top).
Had bad luck with Red top when I had it on my 3rd gen. Alternator was good & charging yet the battery still went dead & wouldn't charge thru cycle (went thru 2 of them then went to yellow top).
10-10-2012, 07:22 PM
#6
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Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: NJ
Posts: 734
i heard the same thing ^ about the quality but i still bought one my next battery would probably be a oddysey if my optima red top dont work out so well but if its a bust hopefully itll happen within my warranty and if its still good i might bring it back to where i bought it cause sometimes they dont even check it and just give a new one lmao -____- oddysey i heard is very good and so are the diehards from sears cause i heard they are produced by the same company but they are soo heavy compared to optima -___-
10-10-2012, 07:56 PM
#7
2 things. Stop blowing your money on Brand New Optima's and buy blehms for 1/3 the cost. Thing 2, an AGM battery is not designed to be recharged with a standard charger. Nor recharged from dead with a standard charger.
Seriously folks.
Seriously folks.
10-10-2012, 08:21 PM
#10
10-10-2012, 08:41 PM
#11
I have a yellow top and it does quite well IMO. The different colors are meant to serve different purposes though, some might not know this. If you have a high draw sound system and expect a red top to last with it then you are in for a surprise. Just like if you use a yellow top on a car that requires a need for high CCA. If you use them for the intended purpose and have a properly functioning alternator it should be good. Odd to hear of problems
10-10-2012, 08:57 PM
#12
i have had nothing but bad luck with optima batteries. had a yellow top, that even sitting on a wooden shelf would discharge itself after 4 days, and seen nothing but problems with reds.
i only use a/c delco batteries, they come with a 5-7 year full replacement warranty, and i have yet to see one use the warranty. i had one in my rodeo for over 9 years and it finally started to give me the random jump start issue the week before i traded it in.
i only use a/c delco batteries, they come with a 5-7 year full replacement warranty, and i have yet to see one use the warranty. i had one in my rodeo for over 9 years and it finally started to give me the random jump start issue the week before i traded it in.
10-10-2012, 09:11 PM
#14
it really is odd to hear problems. Have never heard of gripes with Optima until now but a short google search has turned up quite a few unhappy customers. More recently. I always used diehard batteries before I got my system but got the uprated yellow top afterwards. Did you DD this red top?
But they're not all going to be perfect.
10-11-2012, 07:51 AM
#17
I feel your pain. I would normally go though one red top a year. I was not driving my car often and they really seem to hate that. One it looses it's charge a few times, it never gets back to where I think it should be...then eventually dies. For mine I think lack of use really hurts the red tops.
10-11-2012, 08:36 AM
#19
I agree with this even though I have one. I would change battery's but mine fail so quickly they are covered under warranty, so I am not out any money....just have to go though the pain of alway replacing my battery.
10-11-2012, 08:47 AM
#21
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Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 28
Originally Posted by njmaxseltd
You guys are wasting your $$$ on brand names.
EverStart at Walmart, under $85 bucks, 750 CCA 36 month free replacement.
EverStart at Walmart, under $85 bucks, 750 CCA 36 month free replacement.
2 red tops died (different cars). Went with Exide from BJs, holding up well so far.
10-11-2012, 11:28 AM
#22
AGM (Absorbed Glass Mat) batteries do require special chargers. However you can link them in parallel with a lead acid type battery and charge with a regular charger. Or just jump it from another car and run for an hour.
If you have a large sound system and a stock output alternator you will kill any batery you install.
If you have a large sound system and a stock output alternator you will kill any batery you install.
10-11-2012, 11:33 AM
#23
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Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 28
Originally Posted by asand1
AGM (Absorbed Glass Mat) batteries do require special chargers. However you can link them in parallel with a lead acid type battery and charge with a regular charger. Or just jump it from another car and run for an hour.
If you have a large sound system and a stock output alternator you will kill any batery you install.
If you have a large sound system and a stock output alternator you will kill any batery you install.
10-11-2012, 11:45 AM
#24
I just read this http://www.hotrod.com/techarticles/g...y/viewall.html
If you have an extra battery, battery charger and jumper cables you can charge them properly with out a special charger. It sounds like the trick is to maintain the charge, rather than letting it drop too low then bringing it back.
If you have an extra battery, battery charger and jumper cables you can charge them properly with out a special charger. It sounds like the trick is to maintain the charge, rather than letting it drop too low then bringing it back.
10-11-2012, 11:55 AM
#25
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That was the way I was charging it, but according to Optima, that method only works if it drops below 11.0 Volts. Once its charged over that 11.0, you disconnect the second battery and let it charge the rest of the way alone, hense why the regular charger works on it. If it drops to say 11.5, where mine was, connecting it inline will do nothing.
-matt
-matt
10-11-2012, 04:36 PM
#27
Like I said above, I find it usually the people who dont like Optimas are the same people who dont know how to properly use them. You must DD a red top and you cant use a yellow top when it gets down to 20 degrees F and expect it to last as long as it should as the Yellow top is not designed for situations which require a large CCA battery. If your charging system is good and you use the battery in the instructed manner then it will last longer than any other brand. Never will a Wal-mart battery give me as much power nor last as long as my Optima IN MY SPECIFIC CASE. Exactly the reason I switched, because other batteries arent designed to last with a high draw system. The Yellow top is, just as every other Optima is designed for a specific customer base. It has never been the "best" battery but if you use them right then they sure are. Wal-mart batteries are great for the average driver though I agree.
Last edited by ShocknAwe; 10-11-2012 at 07:35 PM.
10-11-2012, 06:47 PM
#28
I had a redtop in my old Durango along with a XS power battery. Had 4 15's with 3 amps. No complaints, started good everytime. I also had a 200 amp alternator so she was always fully charged up.
Debating on one for the max, but damm things are 200 bucks at some places now.
Debating on one for the max, but damm things are 200 bucks at some places now.
10-11-2012, 07:27 PM
#29
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Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Thomasville, GA
Posts: 270
i have had nothing but bad luck with optima batteries. had a yellow top, that even sitting on a wooden shelf would discharge itself after 4 days, and seen nothing but problems with reds.
i only use a/c delco batteries, they come with a 5-7 year full replacement warranty, and i have yet to see one use the warranty. i had one in my rodeo for over 9 years and it finally started to give me the random jump start issue the week before i traded it in.
i only use a/c delco batteries, they come with a 5-7 year full replacement warranty, and i have yet to see one use the warranty. i had one in my rodeo for over 9 years and it finally started to give me the random jump start issue the week before i traded it in.
10-11-2012, 11:18 PM
#30
I have a yellow top and it does quite well IMO. The different colors are meant to serve different purposes though, some might not know this. If you have a high draw sound system and expect a red top to last with it then you are in for a surprise. Just like if you use a yellow top on a car that requires a need for high CCA. If you use them for the intended purpose and have a properly functioning alternator it should be good. Odd to hear of problems
I had a redtop in my old Durango along with a XS power battery. Had 4 15's with 3 amps. No complaints, started good everytime. I also had a 200 amp alternator so she was always fully charged up.
Debating on one for the max, but damm things are 200 bucks at some places now.
Debating on one for the max, but damm things are 200 bucks at some places now.
10-11-2012, 11:34 PM
#31
interstate ftw. had one for 2 years and who knows how much longer with the p/o. i've played the stereo for about an hour or a lil more at a time with engine off and i haven't had issues yet. beat that silly, fancy, 6-pack looking optima 
10-12-2012, 11:01 AM
#32
Sorry, but the excuses about how you have to treat an Optima is dumb. I want my car to start. Period. I don't want to baby the thing, which is the exact opposite of how they market them.
I had a red top for a few months. It was POS and left me stranded all the time. The local battery only shop I bought it from confirmed that Optimas are a joke. They were replacing them more than they were selling them. They had a huge stack of junk ones ready to be returned/scrapped. Never again.
Also most batteries are made by Johnson Controls.
I had a red top for a few months. It was POS and left me stranded all the time. The local battery only shop I bought it from confirmed that Optimas are a joke. They were replacing them more than they were selling them. They had a huge stack of junk ones ready to be returned/scrapped. Never again.
Also most batteries are made by Johnson Controls.
10-12-2012, 09:05 PM
#34
i have heard people saying that newer optimas were not nearly as good as older ones. my two optimas have MFR dates of Jan 1999 and Apr 2000 and are both the strongest batteries i've ever experienced, still working to this day. the older one is going on 14 years old lol
10-13-2012, 11:40 AM
#36
Both, i believe depending on fed/cali and trim package. But neither would be enough for thousands of watts in stereo equipment.
http://www.supercircuits.com/resourc...Amps-Converter
A two thousand watt amplifier would require 143A to run. With a 125A alternator you would be draining your battery and killing your alternator running it at maximum output.
http://www.supercircuits.com/resourc...Amps-Converter
A two thousand watt amplifier would require 143A to run. With a 125A alternator you would be draining your battery and killing your alternator running it at maximum output.
10-13-2012, 02:50 PM
#37
i have heard people saying that newer optimas were not nearly as good as older ones. my two optimas have MFR dates of Jan 1999 and Apr 2000 and are both the strongest batteries i've ever experienced, still working to this day. the older one is going on 14 years old lol
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