Optima still the preferred forum battery?
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 3,732
Likes: 21
From: Napa Ca
Optima still the preferred forum battery?
After 4-yrs, 4-months my Insterstate battery finally died. Didn't drive the C5 for about 3 weeks and when I tried to start I needed to jump it. Drove it around for awhile (30 minutes or so), parked it then drove it to work the next day and had no problems starting (31-mile commute). On Black Friday I decided to drive it again to work and again the battery was dead. Put a charger on it today and the charger was saying battery was dead. Went ahead and ordered an Optima Red Top from Autozone $233.81 including tax. Had an Optima before the Interstate but had problems with that one. Hope they are better now. I do remember though that 4 years ago the Optima was like $120.
BTW Autozone had Chevron Techron buy one, take one.
BTW Autozone had Chevron Techron buy one, take one.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 22,201
Likes: 4,187
From: Kannapolis NC
Personally, I wouldn't buy an Optima at half price. I've never had a single problem with ac Delco, one lasted 8 yrs in my 03 and I changed it because the HUD was defaulting to oil temp on every start instead of where I left it. Car still started fine.
It's entirely each person's choice what they spend their money on, but since you asked.....
It's entirely each person's choice what they spend their money on, but since you asked.....
Pro
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 579
Likes: 50
From: Chambersburg Pa
I can get the Optima battery for 90 bucks thru my employer and still will not buy one.They moved production to Mexico and that seems to be when the quality issues started.I bought a Sears DieHard Platinum Automotive Battery Group Size 34/78DT . Sure it is pricey but sometimes you can catch it on sale for about 179 bucks.I like the RC of 135 and the 4 year replacement with 100 month prorated warranty.It weighs 53 lbs but i like the piece of mind since everyone agrees the C5 likes to drain batterys.Also using a Ctek 3300 year round.I guess the Optima would work ok if using a tender year round but i just felt better with the Diehard.
Pro
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 568
Likes: 1
From: Fresno California
I spent hours looking into new batteries last month and I wound up getting the Kirkland at Costco. I don'r remember the group number but it is make and model specific for C5's. It is a leak proof top mount only. $99+tx. The warranty is 8 years and the full replacement ends at the end of the fifth year. The prorate starts 85% on day one of the sixth year. It is said to be one of the best quality batteries on the market by all of the websites I checked. Fit like a glove.
Pro
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 568
Likes: 1
From: Fresno California
[QUOTE=8VETTE7;1582410188]All year C5's except for 2004 came with side post batteries. In 2004 GM changed to top post so what ever specific battery you installed will not work for the OP unless he wants to change battery cables.
I should have known because it hasn't been that long since we changed my son's 01 to top mount. Weather they are top mounted or not they seem like a good value.
I should have known because it hasn't been that long since we changed my son's 01 to top mount. Weather they are top mounted or not they seem like a good value.
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 3,582
Likes: 137
From: SoCal CA
I always used Duralast batteries with no issues but I had a yellow top Optima in the C5 for years with no issues, great battery and a few months ago I went with a red top. Its been great so far. I go a week or two without driving the car and it turns on right away with the turn of the key.
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Instructor
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 187
Likes: 0
From: Scottsdale AZ
I just got through with the decision making process on a battery for my 02Z. First inclination was a red top as I had some good luck with them several years ago but in the end, I went with the Group 78 from Costco. 120 RC for $80 is tough to pass up.
Racer
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 369
Likes: 59
From: North Georgia
My favorite battery is the lightest one. When I was racing in SCCA, I went around to every place I could find that had battery's for sale with a fish scale and found out that the lightest batterys were the also the cheapest ones.
Spaggs
Spaggs
Tech Contributor
Joined: May 2008
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From: Somers, CT and Clermont, FL
St. Jude Donor '09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16
I spent hours looking into new batteries last month and I wound up getting the Kirkland at Costco. I don'r remember the group number but it is make and model specific for C5's. It is a leak proof top mount only. $99+tx. The warranty is 8 years and the full replacement ends at the end of the fifth year. The prorate starts 85% on day one of the sixth year. It is said to be one of the best quality batteries on the market by all of the websites I checked. Fit like a glove.
I installed a Group 78 Kirkland brand battery from Costco in my '01 Vert, when it's original Delco AGM battery failed in 2003.
It's almost 10 years old now, and has never leaked or failed to start the car!
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 1,438
Likes: 4
From: Always in my lane.
To each his own but Ivr had the Optima Red Top for 3 years now coming up on the the 3rd winter and its still starting strong. Ive owned all types of batteries over the years from Delcos,(mostly good) to Die Hards,(almost all were crap). I guess what Im saying is you can get a bad battery from any manufacturer, it does happen. Personally, if something aint broke, dont fix it. No problems so far and if i get another couple of years out of this Optima, it will more than paid for itself. Ive had 3 Die Hards and they were all garbage lasting from 3 mos to 16 mos. They have gottten better recently but Sears used to have the worst batteries on the market.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,962
Likes: 254
From: Richmond, Ky
I had a less than 2 year old lead acid battery take a puke in my Titan pick-up. Thee will never be a lead acid battery in my C5 no matter who makes it. I think it is unwise to target a particular brand in a discussion like this because you will always have the fans and the disgruntled and you cannot reach much consensus. Everyone is going to like what works for them. How ever using a lead acid battery (time bomb) in a C5 is a risky proposition.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 11,152
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From: South Western Ontario
Pro
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 606
Likes: 3
From: Long Island
Here's a thread that helped me make a decision. http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-z...r-the-z06.html
Here's the specific post. http://forums.corvetteforum.com/1581560404-post6.html
Hope this helps!
Here's the specific post. http://forums.corvetteforum.com/1581560404-post6.html
Hope this helps!
