Got Optima?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 428
Likes: 0
From: Loveland (Cincinnati) Ohio
Got Optima?
I know another post about an Optima Battery! 
I have to speak my peace about this experience though.
OEM battery went dead in April of 2006, went to Costco and picked up a Red top Optima....Optima went dead in eary July......went to Costco and they gave me my cash back (no questions asked - gotta love costco!)...picked up the 2nd Optima on July 14th 2006 and thought...."Hey, I'll give it one more shot....went to the garage tonight to fire up the Vette....and you guessed it....DEAD again!
Just got back from Costco and got my cash back!
Any suggestions on another Brand BAttery?
Optima Blows!
I have to speak my peace about this experience though.
OEM battery went dead in April of 2006, went to Costco and picked up a Red top Optima....Optima went dead in eary July......went to Costco and they gave me my cash back (no questions asked - gotta love costco!)...picked up the 2nd Optima on July 14th 2006 and thought...."Hey, I'll give it one more shot....went to the garage tonight to fire up the Vette....and you guessed it....DEAD again!
Just got back from Costco and got my cash back!
Any suggestions on another Brand BAttery?
Optima Blows!
Banned Scam/Spammer
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 4,285
Likes: 3
From: Fort St John B.C
I heard good things about the Exide, same spiral cell deal as optima I believe. And after a couple weeks of having my car the battery was dead one morning,(Not original) So i went to Canadian Tire and picked up an Exide Orbital. So far, so good.
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 54,204
Likes: 180
From: S.W. Ohio. . . . . . NRA Life Member
Originally Posted by clayton1
I heard good things about the Exide, same spiral cell deal as optima I believe. And after a couple weeks of having my car the battery was dead one morning,(Not original) So i went to Canadian Tire and picked up an Exide Orbital. So far, so good.
Pro
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 529
Likes: 1
From: Princeton Texas
Michael, are you 100% sure you don't have something pulling the batt. down? Or maybe something wrong with the charging system. Even a bad brand (not saying this is) should make a good batt. once in a while.
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Race Director
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 19,304
Likes: 85
From: San Diego CA
Exide Orbital if you want a leakproof battery.... If that doesn't matter to you, then take a look at this list:
Best for cold weather performance:
1. ProStart (Pep Boys), series 65: $60 CR Best buy
2. Interstate: $75
3. Advance Autocraft, series 75: $55CR best buy
4. Advance Autocraft, series 24: $50
Advance Autocraft, series 34/78: $75 CR Best buy
"All of these batteries deliver a good blend of life and cold-starting power in their group size."
Best for warm weather performance:
1. ProStart (Pep Boys), series 65: $60 CR Best buy
2. Advance Autocraft, series 75: $55 CR Best buy
3. Advance Autocraft, series 24: $50
4. Advance Autocraft, series 34/758 $75 CR Best buy
"The ProStart (1) and Advance (series 24 and 34/78) excelled in our life tests."
If reserve power matters most:
1. ProStart (Pep Boys), series 65: $60 CR Best buy
2. Interstate, series 75: $75
3. Advance Autocraft, series 24: $50
4. Advance Autocraft, series 34/78 North: $75 CR Best buy
5. Diehard, series 34/78: $90
"All excelled in reserve capacity. The Interstate and Diehard had superior CCA performance."
Best for cold weather performance:
1. ProStart (Pep Boys), series 65: $60 CR Best buy
2. Interstate: $75
3. Advance Autocraft, series 75: $55CR best buy
4. Advance Autocraft, series 24: $50
Advance Autocraft, series 34/78: $75 CR Best buy
"All of these batteries deliver a good blend of life and cold-starting power in their group size."
Best for warm weather performance:
1. ProStart (Pep Boys), series 65: $60 CR Best buy
2. Advance Autocraft, series 75: $55 CR Best buy
3. Advance Autocraft, series 24: $50
4. Advance Autocraft, series 34/758 $75 CR Best buy
"The ProStart (1) and Advance (series 24 and 34/78) excelled in our life tests."
If reserve power matters most:
1. ProStart (Pep Boys), series 65: $60 CR Best buy
2. Interstate, series 75: $75
3. Advance Autocraft, series 24: $50
4. Advance Autocraft, series 34/78 North: $75 CR Best buy
5. Diehard, series 34/78: $90
"All excelled in reserve capacity. The Interstate and Diehard had superior CCA performance."
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 4,776
Likes: 142
From: North of Atlanta GA
St. Jude Donor '05
Originally Posted by Flat Broke
Michael, are you 100% sure you don't have something pulling the batt. down? Or maybe something wrong with the charging system. Even a bad brand (not saying this is) should make a good batt. once in a while.
Sounds like it's time for a charging system check.
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2003
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From: "It's 106 miles to Chicago, we've got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark, and
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3 trouble free years on the same Optima Red Top....they must have really screwed up and I got a good one, huh?
Racer
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 479
Likes: 2
From: Hollywood Maryland
OPTIMA Red Top - Test it
Mike, I suggest the following:
Remove the battery from the car, Charge up your battery, hook a digital Volt Ohm Meter (VOM) to it, read your voltage and record it. Do this for 24 hours reading it before bed and after you get up the next morning. A good battery won't show any appreciable loss if not under load. If that checks out, put the battery in the car. make sure everything is off, hook up the VOM and record your voltage, get leads long enough so you can lay the VOM on the windshield, close the hood (so the hood light goes out), record your voltages over a 24 hour period (don't open the hood). Compare the starting voltage with the voltage after 24 hours. If you see an appreciable drop,1/2 Volt or more) then probably something in your car is not shutting down and killing the battery. I did the same type of test. I've had a Red Top for 5 months and no issues. It consistently reads around 12.5 Volts wether it sits for a few hours or days, so my car ('99 FRC) is shutting down properly. Good Luck!
Remove the battery from the car, Charge up your battery, hook a digital Volt Ohm Meter (VOM) to it, read your voltage and record it. Do this for 24 hours reading it before bed and after you get up the next morning. A good battery won't show any appreciable loss if not under load. If that checks out, put the battery in the car. make sure everything is off, hook up the VOM and record your voltage, get leads long enough so you can lay the VOM on the windshield, close the hood (so the hood light goes out), record your voltages over a 24 hour period (don't open the hood). Compare the starting voltage with the voltage after 24 hours. If you see an appreciable drop,1/2 Volt or more) then probably something in your car is not shutting down and killing the battery. I did the same type of test. I've had a Red Top for 5 months and no issues. It consistently reads around 12.5 Volts wether it sits for a few hours or days, so my car ('99 FRC) is shutting down properly. Good Luck!
MFIC
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,997
Likes: 14
From: Charlotte, North Carolina
Good thing on the Costco replacement, I'm a member too.
I had an Optima red top on my GTP for 6 years and gave it to my neighbor last year he is still using it. I was weary it might left me on the road.
Maybe you got a bad one. ???
I have a Exide Orbital on my C5, but they are made by the same... So far so good.
Maybe you have a parasitic power loss on your car, two Optimas ????
I had an Optima red top on my GTP for 6 years and gave it to my neighbor last year he is still using it. I was weary it might left me on the road.
Maybe you got a bad one. ???
I have a Exide Orbital on my C5, but they are made by the same... So far so good.
Maybe you have a parasitic power loss on your car, two Optimas ????
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 19,384
Likes: 87
From: Horncastle Lincolnshire, England
2023 C5 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
I've had a dead AC Delco and a leaker. Luckily the latter was in the Camaro and I caught it before it did any damage. Suffice to say I wouldn't touch an AC Delco with a barge pole.
Replaced both with Optima Red Tops. The oldest is 2 years old and both have been perfect.
Replaced both with Optima Red Tops. The oldest is 2 years old and both have been perfect.
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Sorry you have had so many problems with the Optima. I've had my red top in the car for almost five years and absolutely no problems. Might want to give the Exide a shot.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 428
Likes: 0
From: Loveland (Cincinnati) Ohio
Thanks for all the advice on this one!
This is a perfect example of our STRONG CORVETTE COMMUNITY.
I will check the charging system, but am confident that is not the problem.
This is a perfect example of our STRONG CORVETTE COMMUNITY.
I will check the charging system, but am confident that is not the problem.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 7,795
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From: Noblesville Indiana
CI 7-8 Veteran
St. Jude Donor '03-'04-'05
I bought an Optima a little over three years ago at Advance Auto. Just before three years, the battery went dead. I took it back to Advance and got another one - free. Since then, no problems.