I have to agree with you on that.. I just charged up my dead yellow top, 5v, with my battery tender. Fixing to put her in the vette now. Looks like I'll be getting another battery tender for the vette. I'm already using it for two bikes.

 

I killed my Red Top moving my car from Vegas to England. It was on the road for 10 weeks (trailer, ship, road) and the Red Top was DOA. I tried jumping it and then a recharge but at that time I'd not seen Jim's advice. I wish I'd hung onto the battery to try out that technique.

I still think Optima batteries are OK. I have more time for an AGM battery that dies than an AC Delco that leaks. Most people just don't understand the drain the C5 puts on a battery or why lead acid or AGMs are the best battery for their useage.

 

lol i have a cheap walmart battery and my vette hasnt been started it 3 month, and it started today at a cold 32 degrees.

 

well vette started and ran just fine. Looks like I'll be getting a battery tender just for the vette.

 

I have had my Red Top for a few months now. Every time I start the vette, I smile when I hear the starter turn over with enthusiasm. There's definitely some power in there.

I'm glad I bought a new Red Top and won't look back!

I guess everyone has their own opinions based on something they have experienced and that's what opinions are for.

Chevy drivers will never own a Ford. Ford drivers will never own a Chevy. Dodge owners will never drive a Chevy or a Ford. If you never had a bad experience with any of them, then you can care less.

 

I have a Autozone Duralast Gold and I too had no problem starting my car after sitting for more than two months. Red Tops seem to be loved and hated at about the same rate from what I've read, however I can't see the point of paying more than twice as much for a battery that needs constant maintanence with a battery tender when the regular batteries such as Die Hards, AC Delcos, Duralasts and the like do a better job at holding a charge and providing strong cranking power even after sitting for a while. However it's just my opinion.

 

I drank the Optima kool-aid with gusto....only to be significantly disappointed with the battery's performance. Moved to a Sears Platinum and am very pleased.

 

Lets see, Optima or K-Mart battery..... j/k
Optima for the win.

 

Hmmmmmmm

 

I'm not saying anyone who bought a Optima Red Top got burned because of something they did, but the Johnson Controls/Optima batteries have a pretty good record if you look at the majority of units sold. I'm very happy having a gel battery in my C5 simply because the wiring harness and below that is the PCM and god knows how much trouble a leak from a flooded cell battery could happen down there. And if you want to put whatever brand you feel is Ok, hay go for it. But just like anything in life, or here for the most part, Optima's get a bad deal. I always hook up the float charger if I'm not going to be using the car for two weeks or so, Not because I'm afraid of it going dead, but I can't see any sense in leaving a car that I know has a 20 MA drain just sitting still in my garage without replacing the voltage. I must be on to something as the red top is in perfect operational condition almost 4 years now.

 

I think you are right on. I bought the Red Top because of the risk of a leak of acid onto the PCM. The first Red Top was in use 6-1/2 years and because of my unwillingness to risk failure after that amount of time, I purchased another Red Top. It is hooked up to a Sears Die Hard battery charger whenever I don't expect to use the Corvette for a few days.

For those Corvette owners who had a disappointing experience with their Optima, well perhaps they didn't use a charger or maybe they just had a bad one. I certainly have no idea why their Optima battery failed to meet their expectations. I need to use my experience, not others' and my experience has been without a reason to try another brand. I do wonder about the Corvette owners who prefer a battery only because of its low cost. When I first began shopping for a battery (since the original Delco worked, there was no rush) I was told by one store owner that the Optima was very expensive. I replied not when it's going into a $40K car. The man agreed; it wasn't expensive.

Most of us on this forum use our a second car, a toy, therefore I believe most of us can easily afford to spent $150 for a battery, even if it's double the price of a Walmart special.

Well that's my 2¢, let the replies fly.

 

I usually drive my Vette about 2 to 3 thousand miles in the good season and in August I have the oil,Filter & state inspection done. One of our members here thought I was crazy about draining oil that the oil life monitor said I still had about 70% life left in it. But I like to follow the advice from the people who built the car and they say in the owners manual 7000 miles or once a year. When I mentioned this small notation he still chastised me, to which I replied if a $50.00 oil change was a such a big deal to him, perhaps he be more comfortable driving a Colbalt rather than a $49K Corvette.

And likewise, how we care for our batteries in a automobile with a known parasitic voltage drain, using a 'Ctek' float charger is just common sense. And using a trickle charger on a Optima Red top is just as sensible as using it on any other battery no matter who makes the battery. I'm sure a wet cell battery might hold up well being left for a month or two, I don't know. But since I have a garage with 110v outlets and a air compressor, then keeping the tires at 30psi and a float charger on the battery. The under hood light goes off well before the hood is lowered, so it's not a drain. To me it's just a easier way to take care of a car I spent so much on. But if a Optima Red Top upsets some of us, go to walmart and scoop up one of their $89.97 or whatever beauties. I wish anyone who does so good luck. But to me, I'll hold on !

 

 

Maybe good questions to ask are:

What is probably the #1 failure that causes a parasitic drain on this car?

What after market devices do you use and what drain do they put on the battery? Do they go dormant when you switch off the car?

What is your daily commute and is it long enough to recharge your battery to full charge every day?

If you don't know the answers to those questions and your car doesn't get regular use, you may be better buying a tender whichever battery you chose. When it comes to it, the real difference between a Red Top and a lead acid is whether, or how easily, you can recharge it if you allow it to discharge. If you discharge a battery by placing a load on it, you have to recharge it somehow. Whether that's in use or on a tender is up to you.

 

I have to say my yellow top is on 7 years now. It has sat for MONTHS at one point with an occasional start up without problem. I did notice a discharge but it slowly came back. I just had the car sitting for 2 weeks and it is a little weak now. It didn't crank very fast so I'm using the car now to see if it comes back to life. If I need a new battery I will get another yellow top. I never had a battery last this long.

 

had to return two red tops and so did a friend of mine. We both have diehards now and the vette's start everytime.

 

Some people like Optimas and some don't, some guys like boxers; some like briefs

 

I've also had very good outcome with the yellow top. Mine will discharge over time. But, if I drive the car at least every two weeks it's fine. Downtime longer than two weeks is questionable. The car sat for 3 weeks over the xmas holiday w/o being driven and it barely started after that.

 

Red top has worked fine for me too. Bought it a little over 4 years ago and it's still working fine for me. I also have the CTEK and use it during the winter storage and when I don't drive my toys for 2-3 weeks.

 

To me it seems like most the people that like the yellow, or red, top has a tender. So, most of the guys that do not like the battery, or has had problems with it, has not had a tender on it. I'm I correct?

Sense my battery came with my car, I went and bought a cheap tender to put on it. Now I don't worry at all. Just have to plug it in if I'm not driving it for a few days.... not that big of a hassle.