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Optima Battery: Issues?

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Old Oct 28, 2006 | 11:22 AM
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Default Optima Battery: Issues?

Yellow top or red top? Recommendations?

Last edited by Twin Screws; Oct 28, 2006 at 12:01 PM.
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Old Oct 28, 2006 | 12:18 PM
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Red Top (Yellow is a deep cycle type battery)

Had it a week tomorrow!( AC/Delco died and just started to leak!)

Its expensive for a battery (I paid $213.00 w/7% NJ tax at AutoZone) but worth it!
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Old Oct 28, 2006 | 12:45 PM
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I have a four year old Red top.... my car sits in the garage for weeks at a time, I have yet to have an issue with it... Last year I bought a battery tender. I would hook it up at times, but for the most part the car sat for weeks over the winter.. without the tender being hooked up... If I knew a nice day was coming up , I would go out and put the tender on over night... I may have connected it 6 or seven times last winter, for a day or two.. I have never had to charge the battery, or have I ever noticed a problem... the tender was just a new play thing... If I saw the slightest problem with the battery, I would probably hook it up while it sat idle in the garage over the winter.
The End
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Old Oct 28, 2006 | 12:50 PM
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I went with the Exide Orbital. There seemed to be a rash of problems with the Red Tops when I was looking.
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Old Oct 28, 2006 | 12:59 PM
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Default Optima

Have had 2 Optima batteries (one red and one yellow) go bad. One was brand new. I am switching to another manufacturer.

Look at latest consumer digest report on batteries.
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Old Oct 28, 2006 | 01:50 PM
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what do you mean by "go bad"? I am leaving my connected to my car and battery tender all winter... Would it be safer to just take it out and avoid leaking?
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Old Oct 28, 2006 | 03:11 PM
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Red Top, mine has worked great. Go online and get your lowest price, then take it to Autozone for price match. Then get the smooth top cover, looks great. I connected my trickle charger to top post and covered it with cover.



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Old Oct 28, 2006 | 11:10 PM
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RWVH,

Nice red cover on your battery. Just came back from COSTCO an hour ago. Optima Red Top, $119.95.

Thanks,

Clayton from Las Vegas
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Old Oct 28, 2006 | 11:19 PM
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I used the red top on my 85, 88 and 95 for many years with never a problem. Currently have one on my 02 Z06 with no problems and like the fact it will never leak all over my computer.
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Old Oct 29, 2006 | 12:02 AM
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I have 2 red top optima's. Good battery if you keep them charged.

We used them exclusively on our support equipment in the military. If the motors/equipment were run regularly the red tops were great (awesome CCA for the size) but if they discharged, we played hell charging them. Most times, we'd just put in a new battery cause the dead one wouldn't hold a charge.
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Old Oct 29, 2006 | 12:43 AM
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I've had my Red Top for 2 years without any issues.
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Old Oct 29, 2006 | 04:25 AM
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Originally Posted by RWVH
Red Top, mine has worked great. Go online and get your lowest price, then take it to Autozone for price match. Then get the smooth top cover, looks great. I connected my trickle charger to top post and covered it with cover.



Like the cover. Do the catalogues like Ecklers, MidAm carry them. Based in the UK so I have never seen these.

Pete
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Old Oct 29, 2006 | 05:08 AM
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Had my red top form AutoZone for 15 months so far - driven every day - no issues so far.
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Old Oct 29, 2006 | 05:39 AM
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I have the red top since a few years. No issues so far. Holds power even for as long as 2 Months, car starts then without problem...

Love this cover! Where can i get it?

Jochen
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Old Oct 29, 2006 | 05:54 AM
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Originally Posted by vettenuts
I went with the Exide Orbital. There seemed to be a rash of problems with the Red Tops when I was looking.
I did the same on my 01' Saw a bunch of "bad" reports about the Optima a few months back. I've had no problems with the Exide Orbital, but then I've only had it in for a few months.
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Old Oct 29, 2006 | 01:08 PM
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Originally Posted by Jochen
I have the red top since a few years. No issues so far. Holds power even for as long as 2 Months, car starts then without problem...

Love this cover! Where can i get it?

Jochen
Got my cover on that ?-bay site. Do a search and you will find some.
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Old Oct 30, 2006 | 04:46 PM
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Great, thanks. I will have a look. I never saw it on ecklers&Co...



Jochen
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To Optima Battery: Issues?

Old Oct 30, 2006 | 05:41 PM
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Originally Posted by yellowshark454
Like the cover. Do the catalogues like Ecklers, MidAm carry them. Based in the UK so I have never seen these.

Pete
Four years ago, Optima was giving them away for free.

That's how long I've had my Red Top without any problems.

Drive it regularly.
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Old Oct 30, 2006 | 07:52 PM
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Originally Posted by C5Jimmy
Red Top (Yellow is a deep cycle type battery)

Had it a week tomorrow!( AC/Delco died and just started to leak!)

Its expensive for a battery (I paid $213.00 w/7% NJ tax at AutoZone) but worth it!
Hope thats a typo , $103.00 at the Zone
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Old Oct 30, 2006 | 08:53 PM
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I run an openwheel modified stock car, and I've had my red top for 3 years, and there is no alternator, so it gets charged with a battery charger. My car sat all winter, and it started first try without a charge. I wouldn't use any other battery.
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