You already found the best battery IMO. 
New Battery Recommendation
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 1,320
Likes: 204
From: Calabash, NC
New Battery Recommendation
Looking for an update a on recommendation for a new battery. Went to Autozone today and they said that the Optima red top was not available - and did not know when it would be available again. Any other recommendations?
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 22,164
Likes: 4,172
From: Kannapolis NC
Since you're asking for opinions, forget the red top and get a reliable battery. I just bought one from Autozone and googled for a discount coupon, saved 25% and got a 7 year Duralast Gold battery.
Racer
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 399
Likes: 11
From: Southern NH
Too funny. If your going to cheap out and buy a Duraleak battery at least get the Duraleak Platinum. The Platinum is AGM which is better (but still not as reliable or light as a spiral AGM gel cell), the gold is just your run of the mill acid/grid style prone to leaking and a HORRIBLE choice for a Corvette given the ECM and frame layout. Red top is the right choice when you concider what's sitting under that battery tray but if you want to roll the dice with a Duraleak be my guest.
Last edited by tcrote5516; Sep 27, 2014 at 09:00 PM.
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Unless the quality of the Red Top has improved in recent years, stay away from it. There for a while there were a number of reports of the battery dying when it was not very old. But perhaps things have changed.
I had a Red Top in my car back in 2010 and right after the three year mark, it died. I replaced it with a Sears Diehard Platinum and it has not given me one problem in the four years I have had it in the car.
I had a Red Top in my car back in 2010 and right after the three year mark, it died. I replaced it with a Sears Diehard Platinum and it has not given me one problem in the four years I have had it in the car.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 22,164
Likes: 4,172
From: Kannapolis NC
Too funny. If your going to cheap out and buy a Duraleak battery at least get the Duraleak Platinum. The Platinum is AGM which is better (but still not as reliable or light as a spiral AGM gel cell), the gold is just your run of the mill acid/grid style prone to leaking and a HORRIBLE choice for a Corvette given the ECM and frame layout. Red top is the right choice when you concider what's sitting under that battery tray but if you want to roll the dice with a Duraleak be my guest.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 6,366
Likes: 249
From: Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Well to all of you who don't like Optimas, the red top I use I bought in 1999 to replace the crap AC Delco in my '98 C5 coupe. When I traded that car I took it out and put it in my new Z06 when I bought it in 2003. 15 years later it still works which is longer than any battery should last! Coincidentally, I think I'll be replacing it soon, its time is near. Temporarily I'm going to use the battery out of my plow truck which sits idle this time of year. Then I'll buy another red-top. BTW, when I took the battery out of my new Z06, I put it in my pick-up which needed a battery. A year later my truck got stuck when that battery died while doing errands. And it had been running less than five minutes previously.
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Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 3,842
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From: Enid Ok
St. Jude Donor '13-'14
I really like my red top and have had zero issues with it, but I do daily drive my car.
I have seen nearly every brand of non agm battery leak, I will not take that chance with my car.
I have seen nearly every brand of non agm battery leak, I will not take that chance with my car.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 763
Likes: 45
From: Long Grove IL
My car (04) uses the top posts and I've never had any leaking. I don't want AGM or I would have bought it. The last battery lasted 8 years and was still starting the car. You're living in the past with the leaking threats. I wouldn't put an Optima in my car if it was free. That's just me, a lot of guys on here love them. Maybe it's because they spent so much they feel like they have to defend them. Google the Optima complaints on the forum. I also had an 03 that had an AC Delco in it for over 7 years with absolutely no issues. I'd choose that over most other batteries if I were looking.
I've heard that the quality of Optima batteries have went down since they were bought out and stopped being manufactured in the USA.
Pro
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 597
Likes: 25
From: Atlanta Georgia
St. Jude Donor '13,'14
Too funny. If your going to cheap out and buy a Duraleak battery at least get the Duraleak Platinum. The Platinum is AGM which is better (but still not as reliable or light as a spiral AGM gel cell), the gold is just your run of the mill acid/grid style prone to leaking and a HORRIBLE choice for a Corvette given the ECM and frame layout. Red top is the right choice when you concider what's sitting under that battery tray but if you want to roll the dice with a Duraleak be my guest.
Drifting
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 1,940
Likes: 0
From: Lancaster County Pennsylvania
Had the Optima Red Top in my 98 for seven years and put over 130,000 miles on it. Red Top was still strong when I sold the car. Everyone has different opinions but for me its the Optima Red Top.
Racer
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 361
Likes: 34
From: Central MA
I just installed a new Delco battery last March, so far so good I guess.....Sounds like a good idea to monitor your battery for potential leaks no matter what the brand. Would the battery need to be removed to see leakage in the tray or will a leak begin to fill the tray before overflowing, giving some time to catch the problem before causing ECM damage?
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
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From: small town in S.E Pa. PA
St. Jude Donor '03-'04
I have three red tops in all of my vehicles.. I've never has an issue, I've had red tops for 15 years. I have one that is ten years old... still kicking.. I have a ten year old Optima red top I use on my test bench. If I need a battery again, it will be an Optima red top.
Bill aka ET
Bill aka ET
Racer
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 399
Likes: 11
From: Southern NH
I wasn't being an ***, I was responding to his "forget the Red Top" because of reliability statement followed by his "opinion" to put a plstic tub of acid above his ECM. He was basing his opinion on "reports of failures" and NOT ownership. FAIL. If you havent used them, don't tell me what they do. You can find a negative opinion online for ANYTHING.
I suppose I could have used softer language however it wasn't insulting. I simply stated facts.
I have purchased 4 Red top's in the last 10 years. I still have the original 10 year old battery in use. It's been in 3 different cars and is now the main starting battery for my house backup generator! (granted the generator doesn't take much juice to start but that is a 10 year old battery!)
I suppose I could have used softer language however it wasn't insulting. I simply stated facts.
I have purchased 4 Red top's in the last 10 years. I still have the original 10 year old battery in use. It's been in 3 different cars and is now the main starting battery for my house backup generator! (granted the generator doesn't take much juice to start but that is a 10 year old battery!)
Last edited by tcrote5516; Sep 28, 2014 at 08:07 AM.
Team Owner
Joined: May 2006
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From: Palmdale, Ca----- 2009 Cyber Gray 4LT A6 F55 452 RWHP 422 RWTQ- RIP 1998 C5 734 RWHP & 585 RWTQ-----
In my experience I have found that using a conventional battery is best in our Vette's -
Optima's are good but not necessary - Expensive (Gel Cell)
Race batteries are good for weight reduction and space saving - Expensive (Dry Cell)
Conventional Batteries - Best bang for your buck and readily available - (Wet Cell)
Also in my experience, all these batteries need a "Battery Tender" if your Vette sits for a while or a long while - no matter what -
So this last time I went back to a conventional battery and all is good!
Thanks,Matt
Optima's are good but not necessary - Expensive (Gel Cell)
Race batteries are good for weight reduction and space saving - Expensive (Dry Cell)
Conventional Batteries - Best bang for your buck and readily available - (Wet Cell)
Also in my experience, all these batteries need a "Battery Tender" if your Vette sits for a while or a long while - no matter what -
So this last time I went back to a conventional battery and all is good!
Thanks,Matt
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 22,164
Likes: 4,172
From: Kannapolis NC
Here are lots of opinions, lots of reading. My opinion is just mine, these are others:
http://www.google.com/webhp?nord=1#n...p+in+C5+issues
http://www.google.com/webhp?nord=1#n...p+in+C5+issues
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 1,028
Likes: 33
From: GRAYSLAKE IL
Oldtimer
St. Jude Donor '13
I've had good service w/Red Tops. Suggest you use a battery mat b-4 the install. I also use a trickle charger (CTEK 3300) year round & yes mines a garage queen.
