Took the RedTop dive today
 

Actually, my battery replacement started out with me originally deciding against the optima series since I keep hearing that they are problematic and die right after the 3 year warranty period, so after doing research settled on a Duralast Gold and picked one up at Auto Zone. While the folks there were very helpful, I did not have a good feeling since the first battery they put on the counter for me had acid right on top of it. They went back and found that “another” brand was leaking all over the Duralast ones under it.

I reluctantly took one of these batteries and stopped by the grocery store on my way home. I wiped off the battery before going into the store and when I came out 30 minutes later, the Duralast was leaking a bit right in the trunk of my family vehicle!

At that point, I realized that the lesser of evils was to go with a battery that won’t leak and take a chance of it dying early.

I can only hope that this optima will do good for me, noting that I will be using a trickle charger since I don’t get to drive the vette often. Time will tell…

Well I have an optima yellow top for the last 6 years and it's been working great. I just came back from a year deployment and it still works. I think it will need to be replaced soon, but it still works for me. I'll still end up getting another yellow top since I plan to upgrade my sound system at some point in the near future.

Good luck:willy:
had a yellow top Optima
worst battery i ever had
went through 2 in a year :toetap:

took it back and got an autozone gold plus 110.00 back in my pocket.
never had a problem since

My redtop has been in the car since April 06, so more then 3 years before I bought the Z. I've kept it on a BatteryTender since parking it for the the first time in the winter of 09/10. No problems here. Took her for a drive today, fired right up.

I've had the same optima redtop in my beast since early 2001 - no issues, but people are really badmouthing the new ones

my issue was last summer so newer for the most part

Advance Auto PArts told me that they get them back all the time

Still as a suggestion you can use a battery tender and I always recommend it :thumbs:

Enjoy the new battery! :D

Thanks,Matt

Any type of "AGM" battery. You only have to repair one acid leak on your vacuum line to never by acid batteries again.

Keep it on a trickle charge and all should be fine, I had the same red top in my C5 for 7+ years and no problemshttp://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...rican_flag.jpg

Another long-term red top user here, no problems in 5+ years. My first one failed because I failed to turn off the interior light. I didn't realize it until returning my 2nd replacement and driving home at dusk, realizing it was awful bright in the car... DOH!!! :leaving:

:iagree:

I put in a Red Top Optima last year shortly after buying my car when I inspected under the non leaking 2 year old non AGM "Energizer" battery and found a broken A/C vacuum line and damaged paint. :ack:

Luckly my Silverado used the same battery and had a 5-6 yr old battery in it that was weak. :thumbs:

I won't buy a non AGM battery for the Vette again.

Will use the trickle charger for sure, its hooked up right now.

:iagree:

Have had two Red Tops in my last two C5s. In the '00, the battery was 7+ years old when I sold the car and it was working fine.

In my '03, the previous owner had bought the Red Top and a little over 3 years later the battery went south.

Last October I went with the DieHard Platinum - so far, so good, but it is pretty expensive.

I am on my second Red Top and haven't had any problem.

Like you I suffered from a leaking battery, although it damaged the garage floor not the car.

My son has a Red Top that has been in his Camaro since 2004 and its still going strong. It survived 8 weeks in transit from the US to UK on a ship and his car isn't a DD. It sits for weeks between use and starts first time.

The reason I use that as an example is because the Corvette has a drain but the Camaro doesn't. You've probably read all about it.

You dont say how you use your car but it's relevant. If its a DD you should have no trouble. If not, all you need to do is lookafter the battery. If the car will sit longer than 2 weeks at a time invest in a tender.

If more of us understood he characteristics of our cars and batteries there would be less posts about dead batteries.

BTW I have a 5 year old Yellow Top

Best of luck with the Red Top:thumbs:

Had 2 Red tops in 3 years, went to a yellow lasted 3 days loner than the warranty. Optima "customer service" told me "TS". Last dime they'll get from me or anyone I can influence.

And what CAP are you running in your car???

:D

Hmmm, I thought the C5 had a 15 minute timer to turn off the light just in case they were left on?

I had the same situation with my yellow top Dennis notes above, however I replaced mine with a Sears Platinum. Never looked back.

I'm on my 3rd red top. It's about 3 1/2 years old. If the car sits for more the a week, I will have a dead battery. I bought a large charger, 225 amp starting power, then 65,45,20 and 2 amp normal charge. It has a timer built in too. If I let the Vette sit for more then 4 days I just put it 2 amp charge for 45 min and she fires right up. I'm going to get every bit of life out of this red top. :D