I need a new battery - I hear dry cell is the way to go? Any suggestions & types appreciated - Optima or Odyssey? Are Costco batteries OK?

 

This gets asked/answered every week. You'll get multiple recommendations.
I replaced the oem battery on my '04 Z on the day I got it. I got mine from COSTCO, I have them in 3 of 4 vehicles we own and have never had any problems with them.
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Whatever battery you decide to use, put the battery on a float maintenance or pulse charger to maintain peak battery power during hibernation or periods of non use. BATTERY TENDER by DELTRAN CORPORATION and CTEK are the two most popular, but many elect to buy off shore made products for less money.
It's you car to do with as you please.

 

1) AGM (glass matt) batteries are not the panacea that many think they are. Yes, generally speaking, they do not leak, but they also can't take long periods of inactivity and short-duration charges. This is partially why AC Delco got out of the AGM game. If you search Optimas here in this and the technical forum, you will find many tales of woe. Of the AGMs, the current champion is the Sears Platinum, but at $180 and very high mass (weighs a ton), it certainly has its disadvantages.

2) AC Delco has had a bad reputation because of its pre-2001 lead acid batteries (2001-2003 OEM batteries were AGMs and I still have mine at 6.6 years of age) leaking at the side terminal posts. Fortunately, in 2003 or 2004, they redesigned the case, significantly strengthening the side terminal post area to prevent reoccurence of the leak fiasco. The latest AC Delco Professional batteries have been very reliable and make for a good choice at $90-$100.
3) The Exide Orbital is a decent battery, although it is not readily available everywhere. The Exide Marathon is a fairly new design and has a strengthened case to prevent leakage.

 

Thanks so much, I really appreciate it. I will probably try the Costco battery & will look into the Pulse Chargers.

 

optima red top from costco

 

I never had any problem with a Red Top.

 

I went with the Optima Yellow couple years ago because I like the reserve capacity it offers when I run my stereo, no issues what so ever and use a float charger over the winter.

THE YELLOW TOP OPTIMA BATTERY provides high power output resulting in greater cranking ability at high current loads.

THE YELLOW TOP OPTIMA BATTERY can fully recharge in as little as one hour.

THE YELLOW TOP OPTIMA BATTERY has been verified in Life Cycle testing to exceed 350 complete discharges.

THE YELLOW TOP OPTIMA BATTERY won't spill, leak, or corrode. THE YELLOW TOP OPTIMA BATTERY can be mounted in any position - sideways, or even upside down.

THE YELLOW TOP OPTIMA BATTERY lasts two to three times longer than conventional batteries. Optima Battery engineers have used high purity lead design provides a much longer shelf life, meaning THE YELLOW TOP OPTIMA BATTERY can sit unused for up to one year and still start your vehicle.

 

Wow, I know what I will get when my Red Top goes bad, a Yellow Top, 350 complete discharges, Red Tops do not like discharges

 

Be careful! Deep cycle batteries such as the Yellowtop were designed for vehicles having heavy power draws, typically from super-high wattage stereo amps. A deep-cycle battery such as this will not only fail to provide longer life (compared to a standard lead-acid or AGM battery) in vehicles with average charging needs, but they typically will NOT last as long. Standard batteries, if not deep-discharged often can last 7 years or more. Yellow tops may last 5 years if you are lucky.

In summation, if you don't have massive power amps in your car and the resulting heavy drain on your battery, don't waste your money on a deep-cycle battery.

 

I went with the Exide Orbital mainly because I wanted an AGM battery that met my needs where my car is not driven every day (I do also use a Battery Tender). I got the Orbital at NTB for $129 which isn't a bad price.

Any battery will work fine as long as you don't let it discharge (car sitting for 2+ weeks at a time) so most Costco/Sams/BJs batteries are fine.

 

Yellow top

 

I stayed with the super sweet AC Delco

 

Red Top. No problems.

 

Yellow top, great battery!!

 

Exide Orbital here

 

i went with yellow top because of my stereo system no problems in a year

 

 

I went with the Orbital, also. No problems so far.

 

Autocraft Titanium. 50% more CCA and reserve than the OEM. Has posts for top mount and side terminals. Good price at Advance Auto Parts.

Cheers

 

I've been running an Optima Red Top in mine for over 6 years. No problems at all. When it finally comes time to replace it, will most likely go with another Optima.