I need a new battery. I can't decide on a optima red or yellow top. I will be using a battery maintainer because here in Mich vettes sit for long periods of time.

 

Red will work fine. Have one on my 70 in Michigan with Batt Tend when not using the car.

 

I'm part of the "red tops suck" camp. Better batties out there...

 

Like what!

 

The red top was the perfect battery for the first C5 I had.

 

I have a red top. Yea,,,its a good but $$$$$$$$$$$ an expensive battery. If my battery failed today, I would either get a GM professional battey or just go to walmart and purchase one of their batteries!

I paid $130 for my red top 6 years ago and now there like $180. My first red top failed 2 months after I bought it. The second ones been fine but its starting to show its age after 6 years.

Thats just way too much for a battery and what do they do for you that a walmart battery wont? NOTHING

Ive had walmart batteries last 5-7 years in other vehicles. There only $60 ish dollars. Redtops also dont like to be constantly charged. Get a regular ole lead acid battery and dont worry about it. Oh, by the way, OPTIMA red and yellow tops are also lead acid batteries. The cells are just spirial wound.

 

I agree as too high a price for a Optima. You can pay 70% less for just as good or better battery at Walmart or a GM one. I really dont see what so many people see in spending $180+ for an Optima and then have to keep it on a tender as well cause they are known to go dead and thats just total BS. Ive never used a tender on any of our vehicles batteries over the last 15 years and they are all just plain GM or Autozone ones and they last easily 5-7 years always.

 

Both will work fine. The Yellow Top is a deep cycle.

I have a great special on them.

$105 - Red Top
$110 - Yellow Top

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-p...ops-110-a.html

Seth
205-267-6387

 

i have had bad luck also with the red tops. im in the military and deploy for about 130 days at a time. the car died at home in less than 3 weeks when my wife went to start it. she took it back and got another one. bam same thing. i would get a walmart one next time

 

You never have to worry about an Optima leaking.

 

I have a Optima Red Top in my wife's Denali. It is about 3 yrs old. Has been a really good battery but on the other hand I don't know that it is any better than a regular battery from Wal-Mart. I think they are nice looking batteries that work good and I paid a little over $100 for mine so that didn't hurt either.

 

I have a yellow top in my C5 and have not had any issues. Of course, I don't let my car sit for weeks on end without driving it, so that might help keep the battery conditioned.

 

ive never had a leaking battery in any other car that ive owned. living in new york (winters) and now in california

 

There were major problems with the early AC Delco batteries. A bad design meant that it was possible to brake the terminal(by over torquing) and leak acid down through the battery tray onto the PCM.



After much research, its now obvious to me that the later OEM batteries (post 01) and the latest lead acid batteries are much better and less likely to be damaged. That reduces the need to go Optima as the main advantage was that with an AGM battery, a leak is extremely unlikely. The downside with an Optima is that it costs $$$$$$ and they are not tolerant to being discharged. The Yellow Top is more tolerant as its a deep cycle battery.

As you know, there's a constant drain on the battery if its not used. A quick trip around the block will not recharge it. But if you plan to use a tender I'd say you'd be fine with any of the standard cheaper lead acid designs. Just make sure you don't over torque the leads when you fit it.

FWIW I have a Yellow Top (2 years old) despite the cost because I had a leaking AC Delco and I killed a Red Top in transit to England. Once bitten.......... I prefer the peace of mind but like yours' mine stays hooked up to the battery tender if its not used for a time.

Mind you the offer above at $110 is outstanding for a Yellow Top. I paid the equivalent of $250 here in England for mine

 

I got the red top. More CA and better warrenty for a car. If you use a battery maintainer you will be okay. NO LEAKS FOR ME !

 

I wouldn't say they suck, but you can buy a battery for half the price that is just as good. Like a Die-Hard Gold or Napa 6-Pack which is also sealed. I did have bad luck w/a few red-top batteries going dead and then not hold a full charge. You wouldn't need the yellow its for RV's and for cars w/a lot of electrical stuff like amps and big subs. G/L

 

Yellow Top here . 4 years still going

 

I have a $70 Exide 60 and an acid absorptive mat, works fine...

 

Have you looked at Braille batteries?

 

I had the original delco fail and begin leaking after 6 years. Then I have installed a red top, and it seems it will make the same life span. It's been 2 1/2 years, and all is well.
A red top in my 57 chev pickup has a red top, and it's been 4 years so far.
no complaints except the price.