Good Battery? Not Optima
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 4,208
Likes: 2
From: Rochester MN
CI 5-6-7-8 Veteran
St. Jude Donor '04-'05-'06-'07
NCM Ambassador
After reading this, and several other posts on problems, I would echo the thought that there are many people using the Optimas, and only a few reporting any problems, and quite honestly I think I am seeing more posts lately about how people have heard that Optimas are a problem, then I have seen actual posts that confirm someone had a problem. Some of those that thought they had a battery problem have found that their true problem is parasitic drains on the electrical system (the most recent one I saw was caused by the radio. In this case no matter what type of battery you put into that car, it will go dead faster than it should. Parasitic drain seems to be something that occurs in C5s more than in other cars I have seen.
If your battery is draining after a 1 or 2 week period of inactivity I would suggest that you explore how much drain you are experiencing before you assume the battery is defective. You may be trying to fix the wrong problem
If your battery is draining after a 1 or 2 week period of inactivity I would suggest that you explore how much drain you are experiencing before you assume the battery is defective. You may be trying to fix the wrong problem
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 54,204
Likes: 180
From: S.W. Ohio. . . . . . NRA Life Member
Screw; I was in the same boat as you.... needed to replace factory battery - but was shy about the Optimas.
There is an alternative - as mentioned from a few other posters - and that's the Exide Orbital. Same technology as the Optima - but made by a different mfgr. Sams Club sells 2 sizes for cars and either will fit the C5. They sell a third Orbital model that is a marine battery. I didn't check to see if it would also fit the C5.
And the Exide Orbitals are about $20 less than the Optimas.
At least... we now have a choice in that type technology car battery.
There is an alternative - as mentioned from a few other posters - and that's the Exide Orbital. Same technology as the Optima - but made by a different mfgr. Sams Club sells 2 sizes for cars and either will fit the C5. They sell a third Orbital model that is a marine battery. I didn't check to see if it would also fit the C5.
And the Exide Orbitals are about $20 less than the Optimas.
At least... we now have a choice in that type technology car battery.
Last edited by Mike Mercury; Apr 13, 2005 at 10:43 AM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 770
Likes: 0
Don't buy an Optima Yellow top without knowing that they have only a 12 month free replacement warranty. I had one fail at 13 months and then found out that for the more expensive yellow top the free replacement warranty period is much shorter than the red top. This battery was not in my Vette and it DID fail on a road trip. No warning signs. I had to pay $70 for a pro-rata replacement. Yellow top is the only Optima battery made for this car, that is why I got it instead of a red top. I have had no problems with my two other cars Optimas. Doug
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Drifting
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 1,822
Likes: 2
From: San Clemente CA
Originally Posted by Devoz
Hawker Odyssey.
