Another Dead Optima Red...

[TPI Monte SS]

Just figured I'd share a story, since I've been searching for a few minutes and reading through old threads. I put an Optima Red top in my daily driver Cherokee in November of '05. Today, less than three years and 20K miles later it up and quit on me, with no warning whatsoever. The truck started right up this morning, I drove it to work, and when I went to leave, it was stone-dead - wouldn't even take a jump. So I left the truck in the lot at work, got a ride home from my father-in-law and took the dead Optima back to the store where I bought it. On the tester, it had 12v at rest, but pinned the needle to the dead side when we put a load on it. Since I had to get the truck home, he gave me a new Optima and said he'd deal with the return. Hopefully this one lasts longer than 3 years!!

Anyone else with a similar experience?

[chicane67]

I quit using red tops... they dont like to cycle. At all. If you run them down... sometimes they just dont ever come back.

Since the last red top died... I changed over to yellow tops and havent looked back since. I have had the same yellow top in my truck for going on ten years now. Seeming how I live in the temperatures of Las Vegas... I think that is pretty damn good.

[NovaPwr]

No red tops here but my yellow top has gone over 5 years and sits for 5 to 6 months at a time with no charge and starts the car right up each spring.

[Samckitt]

I have two red tops, on it my truck that has a snow plow on it, no problems so far. Crossing fingers. The other is in the Monte, it is fairly new.

[Larry Callahan]

My last two red tops lasted about 10 years.

[David Pozzi]

My local battery guy quit carrying Optima batteries. Too many warranty claims, and I think he got poor support from Optima on warranty claims, so he was having to tell most customers they were out of luck.
David

[6768toys]

I'll never buy another yellow top, died one month after warranty ran out. There has got to be a better spill proof battery then Optima. Anyone have the answer?

[chicane67]

Sure... Braille and Odyssey. I can say that either a Braille B3121 or an Odyssey PC925LMJT is going into the 67...

One thing is for sure, Optima has been hit or miss on any battery that they offer. But in my experience, I have had and have seen less problems with the Yellow tops over all of their offerings.

[slowcamaro]

Timely subject. My friends second red top just died in his 65 stang...

[6'9"Witha69]

My first red top died in 6 months. It's replacement lasted 18. Neither one could be resurrected and I drove the car at least once a month. The current one has lasted over 3 years and has been run down while connected for over 4 and 5 months a shot and still comes back after a long trickle charge (3x times on this battery). A LOT of people I know have gone odyssey and not turned back, particularly for their off roaders (4x4s).

[slenning]

I'm on my second red top in a little over a year. I let the first run down over the winter and it wouldn't take a charge his spring.

[Gib Ball]

Have owned a total of four Optima yellow tops between my two cars and have been lucky to get two years out of them. They have lasted anywhere from one to two years. Granted these cars are not driven in the winter but I trickle charge them about once a week so they never go dead and they are in a heated garage. If I didn't have billet battery boxes and would not have to drill more holes I would switch to a different battery.

[GBodyGMachine]

I kill Optimas. Once you drain them down they are never right again. Happens in our shop all the time.
I have been running Stock Style batteries for years and could not be happier. I have a Ford Super Duty(diesel) battery in the Buick, and I cant kill it.
Jeff

[Turbo Rob]

I won't buy another one - my red top lasted 23 months. It wouldn't even take a jump start when it gave up.

Rob

[gmachinz]

Well, I can say that since I started modifying my projects with a proper remote voltage sensing load using larger gauge cables/wires and running power through a junction, I use only Optima batteries and have not had any problems. If I had to guess, I would say I've installed 25 (using a modified remote sensing approach) or so over the last 8 years, including daily drivers and have not had one fail me yet. Imo, modifying your vehicle to take full advanatage of the charging system relieves a lot of stress from the battery. Reduced voltage drop is the only way I measure before/after effects-seems to work well enough. The designers of the Odyssey battery came from Optima so more than likely they have improved on the design but other than space restraints, I don't see any reason to switch. -Jabin

[maroon88iroc]

my blue top was doa...

[HRBS]

Our race car's Red Optima had 4 dead cells after 2 years. Caused the MSD to foul out at the top end.... went to yellow tops.
Just had a another Red Optima die in a customers car. It would "SIZZLE" from the vents after a ride.

[Chad-1stGen]

My redtop died recently after running it down listening to the stereo :( Do most people buy these from local suppliers or mail order types?

I'm considering changing over based on all the feedback in this post and the boating forums I visit. Not to many happy Optima customers these days.

[vintageracer]

My last red top was 9 1/2 years old when I sold my GT350 racer car and still going strong!

[Tom Vogel]

This is strictly anecdotal. I put a red top in an old Blazer... drove it daily for two years. I took it out and put it in a 460 Ford F250 and drove that daily for 4 more years. I sold the truck 2 years ago and as far as I know its still got that same red top in it today... the guy loves that truck.
Id have to say Id buy another Optima.

[TwinSting]

I just had another Optima red top die. Forgot to put the battery maintaner on it and didnt drive the car for 6+ months and it was dead. Tried charging it but it would not take a charge. Still trying to get my money back or a new battery!!

[Taylor1969]

I read a story somewhere that they have changed manufacturing process and materials (cheaped out). Probably why the recent batteries are not doing very well.

[protour73]

I got the the point of troubleshooting my electrical, and it was time to choose a battery...............I heard one too many BAD Optima stories.............ran down to the neighborhood Advance Auto and bought their best battery.................saved $80 over the Optima and got a 3 year warranty.....the savings alone would buy a replacement battery.:twothumbs

[pitts64]

I but the cheapest correct size battery I can find. They are all the same except for the warranty that the battery company will try to wiggle out of if there is trouble..

Put your money into 6 volt (00) battery cables. JC Witney sells some very nice ones at a nice price...

[John McIntire]

I've had a yellow top for almost 8 years, no problems yet. I've killed it a few times, but it comes back after a charge.
This is a little discouraging to hear, since I was looking to pick up a redtop for the camaro.

[LMDGUY]

I must be lucky cause i have never had a problem with optima batterys. but i know lot of people do. My 66 mustang had a yellow top in it that was 4 years old when i sold it and was working like new, the new owner still had it in the car 2 years later with no complaints.