What's new
CK5
Register an account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members.

I'm done with Optima Batteries

73k5blazer

73k5blazer

End the H1B Program!
 Premium
Joined
Dec 28, 2001
Posts
5,405
Reaction score
689
Location
The Rustbelt
biggest POS battery out there. Don't waste your money. I've heard the batches stories, the you didn't charge it right stories...all BS. THese batteries used to be good, in the early 2000's, then they sold out and the new owners did something, ever since, they've been junk. I tried, I gave it the all, Had a D31 in the K5 since 2005, went dead in 2008, got another one, that one would die in 2-3 weeks if it wasn't on the charger. Ok, bad batch. Got another one in 2010, dead again today, I was driving the truck fairly consistintly until last few months. Been sitting cold for 2 months now, in the garage. Dead. Not like low, dead, dead, I charge it and as soon as you take the charger off, dead. It's dead.
I have a red top in my '04 GTO, it goes dead in 3 weeks if it isn't on the charger, and it's the 3rd one I've had in there. And no, I've checked for residual leaks, nothing out of the ordinary.
They either can't take the cold, or just can't be left alone for more than a few days, or all of the above, I vote for all of the above. Junk junk junk.
I've got a POS no-name brand in my 1970 impala, was in there when I bought it in 2003, and I think it was 2-3 years old then, so that makes it at least 13years old, it sits in the same unheated garage, not on the charger, sits for 3-4 months at a time, no trickle charger needed, get in the car, turns over, albeit at bit slow, but she turns and fires up.

So, I know Ryoken has a fav brand, what else is a good battery? I used to be a fan of the old sears die-hard, they still sell those?
 
I've always had good luck with Interstate. I put one in my 1972 Ventura 11 years ago and believe it or not, it's still going strong. And I avoid driving it in the winter unless my Sub breaks down.

And, now that I've typed this, I'll go out tomorrow morning to start my car for it's twice a month start-up and it'll be dead as a doornail. :whistle:
 
When my Dad bought the Cummins on 04 or 05 it had a pair of Interstate Megatrons in it and they were fine up until last year, when they would only hold a decent charge for about a week or so.

I've just put a pair of Napa commercial batteries in my Ford, just like what came out of it, and they have started that 7.3 with 21.5:1 compression in -10 degree weather, I just put one in the Blazer not too long ago and it has started it (albeit slowly) in the same -10.

I was going to put a Napa battery in my tractor when it needed a new one, but I accidentally put it in backwards, and when I went to take it out, a piece of metal on the dash touched the side of it, and ripped it open, so there went $110.

The Napa batteries seem to have plenty of power, but are a bit fragile.

My half ton Dodge has a big Wal-Mart battery in it that my Aunt put in it just before I bought it in November, so far it has been great, it starts the 360 without much hesitation in that same -10 below.
 
I agree , I am also done with Optima. I have been through several of them. The last one was still under warrantee and I played hell trying to get it replaced.
 
I have six Optima's red tops and one yellow top never had an issue with any of them.

Even melted a terminal off one of the ones in Twinkie and it still works fine. It has dual terminals.
 
i was a fan of the old die-hard battery too, but my opinion they went to crap in the late 90's-earily 00's. i use interstate too. i do not use the battery called for, i use the biggest one that will physically fit in the location i have to put it in.
 
I've been saying this about optima for a long while. Every time we discuss this someone runs in and makes excuses for optimas poor products. Whether its bad batches, improper charging, blah blah.

If you want a good agm go to sears and get a Die Hard Platinum. Its a rebranded oddessy without the rediculous price.
 
I just hate all batteries. As I'm pretty sure they are all the same with different stickers anyways....


So I just buy them with the 72 month warranty and hope they last.


Bought a die hard. It looked like every other battery on the Meijer shelfs. But a different sticker.
 
Deuling said:
I just hate all batteries. As I'm pretty sure they are all the same with different stickers anyways....


So I just buy them with the 72 month warranty and hope they last.


Bought a die hard. It looked like every other battery on the Meijer shelfs. But a different sticker.
Click to expand...
This. I thought I heard the interstates are the same as the Autozone brand (both made by Johnson Controls)
 
yup, we get white and the all black in the marina too... they used to be white with gray, but they changed the gray to green.... we tend to deal mostly with the white ones.. all the 24's and 27's are white.. it seems we get black with not often used group #'s.. at least in our biz...
 
snuffy74 said:
But the Interstates are white and green so they're the best...:whistle:
Click to expand...



Its funny because my buddy worked at a shop for a few years and that's all they sold was Interstates, and he says they are all junk :haha:


I think its a crapshoot. Carry jumper cables :waytogo:
 
To every body that says they have Optima Batteries, and I still have a couple, I hope they last you. Having an Optima and having them last long may be two different things. I think when judging a Battery you judge them by the test of time, not just because you own one.
 
I have never really had any issues with any of my optimas.

I have had a couple of older ones that would lose charge but they were over 10 yrs old.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest Posts

Top Bottom