Optima battery
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 87,321
Likes: 1,586
From: Western NY
Optima Red Tops seem to have a "love it-hate it" reputation, in the Corvette world, especially in the newer 'Vettes, that have a constant draw on the battery, due to internal computers.
In a C-5, the battery sits right over a LOT of electronics, so if the battery develops an issue that creates spillage, it becomes a BIG issue. Because of that, I've had an Optima in my C-5, since it was 3 years old.....that was 13 years ago.
Having said that, I tend to replace batteries after they're 4-5 years old, anyway, so when the Red Top in my C-5 hit that point, I replaced it with another Red Top, and moved the first one to my Camaro, where it lived for another 2-3 years....
In a C-5, the battery sits right over a LOT of electronics, so if the battery develops an issue that creates spillage, it becomes a BIG issue. Because of that, I've had an Optima in my C-5, since it was 3 years old.....that was 13 years ago.
Having said that, I tend to replace batteries after they're 4-5 years old, anyway, so when the Red Top in my C-5 hit that point, I replaced it with another Red Top, and moved the first one to my Camaro, where it lived for another 2-3 years....
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 3,232
Likes: 1,232
From: PHX AZ
yellow top
AZ is a 'wicked' battery killer...constant heat, the electrolytic process just never really stops...and in fact increases with heat. Regular batteries evaporate at a prodigious rate.
The batteries don't outgas suphuric acid like regular wet cells....which is super important for vettes.
Regular, High quality Johnson Controls or Interstate lasts about 3 years here. They are $100 each, any way you look at it
Optima yellow top 7.5 years. at $200
So here in the 'hot states'...It actually costs LESS.
They also have a great property....they 'smooth the power', the gauges etc. actually work better and the voltage regulator is more stable.
furthermore they seem to 'die-soft'....they give you plenty of notice of failure.
Good luck
Unckahal
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 3,719
Likes: 95
From: Saskatchewan, Canada
Purchased a used Red Top OPTIMA from a salvage yard around 12 years ago for my boat - not sure how old it was at the time - if I remember correctly I paid $50.00 - has been frozen solid a couple of times when I forgot to remove it from the boat for the winter - no battery tender. I usually remove the battery from the boat and bring indoors for the winter - Canadian winters are brutal. Come springtime I thought the battery was history. Put the charger (slow charge) on and did a load test and 11.2 volts. Used the battery all boating season will no issues. Still using the same battery to this day. Will buy an Optima again - this time a yellow top.
Regards BK3
Regards BK3
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 11,614
Likes: 347
From: No Where USA
I have had several WalMart Maxx batteries - replaced withing warranty period. Last one, just a few weeks ago, died and would not hold a charge for more than a day or so. Tried to return it under warranty to WalMart and told I would have to leave it with them while they tried to recharge it. Unless I did that, would not get a "printout" that showed battery dead and warranty replacement would not happen. Bought a better battery at Advance Auto for the same price as a new WalMart battery, but with more CCA's and longer warranty. Done with WalMart. BTW, their service area was packed with batteries returned. Says something. Probably 50 batteires sitting off to the side.
Maybe the batteries were ones that a customer bought and Walmart replaced. And it is their old battery core. I buy my batteries from there and never had a problem. And with the dead battery they all do the same to make sure it is bad.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 1999
Posts: 6,692
Likes: 29
From: Texas
Been buying my batteries from Walmart for many years. This is the first time it questioned me about being dead. Maybe a lot of peeps have just brought a battery back just within full replacement period and Walmart got wise to this scam. But mine was not a scam. The bugger was dead. Recharged by me and two days later dead again. I don't need the aggravation of waiting for Walmart to confirm what I know. $100 is within my pain threshold. Did not pay for core charge with Advance Auto and also got a discount.
