OPTIMA Red Top users?
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 87,361
Likes: 1,592
From: Western NY
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 157
Likes: 48
From: Charlevoix, Mi
Have had one for two years. During the summer I drive the car almost daily, so no battery tender. I live in northern Michigan so car is stored for 5 months a year with tender. If you are going to use a tender get a good one. My opinion is that cheap tenders do more harm than good on any type of battery but especially on AGMs.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 3,280
Likes: 1,097
From: Pittsburgh PA
I will never buy another one. Mine was the worst performing battery I put in my car in 23 years. Never had to replace a battery in the vette before 5 years. The red top was toast after 3.
Safety Car
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 3,680
Likes: 1,040
What is the fascination with batteries and the amount of time there alive? I don't get it. The most boring subject just got moreso.. Just replace the damned thing often and forget about it! The battery, the necessary evil from "sparkys world" they are....and, the number two pain in the *** in the whole world!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 3,280
Likes: 1,097
From: Pittsburgh PA
What is the fascination with batteries and the amount of time there alive? I don't get it. The most boring subject just got moreso.. Just replace the damned thing often and forget about it! The battery, the necessary evil from "sparkys world" they are....and, the number two pain in the *** in the whole world!
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 399
Likes: 31
What is the fascination with batteries and the amount of time there alive? I don't get it. The most boring subject just got moreso.. Just replace the damned thing often and forget about it! The battery, the necessary evil from "sparkys world" they are....and, the number two pain in the *** in the whole world!
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 87,361
Likes: 1,592
From: Western NY
What is the fascination with batteries and the amount of time there alive? I don't get it. The most boring subject just got more so.. Just replace the damned thing often and forget about it! The battery, the necessary evil from "sparkys world" they are....and, the number two pain in the *** in the whole world!
In my case, after I retired from full time employment, I wound up working for one of the "big box" auto parts stores, for several years, on a part time basis. I never worried about my battery, because I had 3 year warranties on my Red Tops, and just before I left that store, which happened to be very near the end of my Red Top's warranty period, I just happened to notice a voltage drop, one day, when I went to start the car........if you catch my drift. I no longer have that luxury, and the replacement Red Top is now going on 6 years old. I store the car in the winter, in an attached garage, consequently I do not trust a "tender". I have an Optima brand charger, and put it on the car for an hour or so, every other week. That works for me.
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Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 4,346
Likes: 755
From: Greensboro Nc
I have a yellow top in the vette that seems to be dying at about 8 years old, and a red top in my truck that’s still fine at 7 years old. I would get another, but like everyone is saying it seems that the quality may not be the same anymore. I do see a lot more of them coming back within 1-2 years at work now, whereas in the past I NEVER saw them come back
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 1,230
Likes: 138
From: SOME WHERE IN ILL
Red top
WHEN I BOUGHT THE RED TWO YEARS BACK I ALSO BOUGHT THE RED TOP MAINTAINER FOR AND EXTRA $100 in the middle of winter storm went thru had a power failure it did not reboot battery charger dead battery was not pleased
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 87,361
Likes: 1,592
From: Western NY
Just curious, how long did you let the battery sit, before you realized the charger wasn't operating?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 2,649
Likes: 863
Optima "Used to" Make a Very Good Battery. I got 8 years out of my first one. The second one failed in a week - replaced it under warranty - and the replacement failed in a couple of years.
I would suggest that if you want an AGM battery - there are better options out there. I'm currently using Deka AGM's (Deka / East Penn supplies NAPA with their AGM Batteries).
I would suggest that if you want an AGM battery - there are better options out there. I'm currently using Deka AGM's (Deka / East Penn supplies NAPA with their AGM Batteries).
Pro
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 553
Likes: 97
I was one of the victims of the year 2000 GM battery issue where it puked fluid. For years I experienced ABS issues and it turned out, the battery corroded the ground wire attached to the chassis. I remember it was around 2002 when I put in the Optima red. That battery lasted 17 years and it was probably my fault ignoring the car in 2019 and it went dead and died. In any event, that red top was amazing. I can't speak for current models, I hear the company has changed since then.