optima batteries

[78crew]

So I have heard alot of negative feedback aboutoptima batteries since they started being manufactured in Mexico. It's time for me to replace one of my batteries & would like to know what the alternatives are & what people are having good results with. This is going to be a deep cycle type battery. (not for starting)

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[dezertrat82]

I had a red top optima for almost 4 years before it went out. I replaced it with another red top and it lasted less than 1.5 years. Luckily i bought it from Costco and exchanged it for a new one. If you plan on buying a new optima i would suggest buying it from Costco so at least you know it can be returned no matter what. But it has seemed their quality has gone down quite a bit.

[dan200]

I had a red top optima for almost 4 years before it went out. I replaced it with another red top and it lasted less than 1.5 years. Luckily i bought it from Costco and exchanged it for a new one. If you plan on buying a new optima i would suggest buying it from Costco so at least you know it can be returned no matter what. But it has seemed their quality has gone down quite a bit.

Is there any truth to the the rumor that the Costco ones are different somehow?

[Ol' Curmudgeon]

Is there any truth to the the rumor that the Costco ones are different somehow?

Probably, many manufacturers forced to meet a large retailer's price point, make a model only available thru that retailer.

[MattV]

I thought Costco quit selling them. The last one I bought there was very different. It was about $40 cheaper than those found anywhere else.

[Travisfab]

Sears, Die Hard Platinum, basically a re-branded Oydessy. Great warranty too.

[redline]

Optima yellow and blues are great batteries its only the red tops that are horrible. If you are just using it for deep cycle spend the money and get the blue.

[Chris Tobin]

The Blue is the same as the Yellow just with the marine terminals... You wouldn't believe how many people buy the color to match their paint rather than what is the best battery for their application. I would suggest the Yellow top dual terminal. Just don't charge them with a standard charger and you'll be fine...

The Red top they have at Costco is the smallest Red top size they make... I think the Yellow and Blue that Costco sells are the standard sized ones...

We have the small Costco sized Red Top in our Tahoe that has been there for around 6 years and has been drained completely dead several times and it is still doing pretty good... Now that we are getting VERY cold here in Tennessee (in the 20s and colder at night) the truck is hard cranking to start some mornings after sitting for a few days so it is probably getting close to time to replace the battery... But it has served us well for years and was definately worth the money!!!

Read up on the details and make the right choice for your application on the Optima website...

http://www.optimabatteries.com/home.php

I will be installing a pair of Yellow Top Optima's in by Duramax Long Travel project truck!!! I have always had good experience with their products!!!! Johnson Controls is a huge company that makes the majority of batteries in the world! They can be trusted...

[NIKAL]

Is there any truth to the the rumor that the Costco ones are different somehow?

I thought Costco quit selling them. The last one I bought there was very different. It was about $40 cheaper than those found anywhere else.

Optima yellow and blues are great batteries its only the red tops that are horrible. If you are just using it for deep cycle spend the money and get the blue.

There are 5 different model Red Tops. You have to know which one you are getting. Optima Red's are mostly an 800 Cold cranking Amp battery. But they manufacture two Red Top models which are 720 CCA. I believe the Red Tops that are sold at Costco are the 720 CCA. How you can tell is the 720 CCA base of the battery is square vs the rounded corners like the traditional Optima.

The standard Yellow Marine deep cycle is 750 CCA, not 800 like you would think. If you have a Yellow with the square corner bottom the CCA is 620. The Blue is 800 CCA or they have a 750 CCA, both have round corner bottoms. And from looking at the specs on Optima's website the Blue and Yellow are not the same battery's.

Also as of 2/1/2009 Optima changed their warranty policy. You can find that info on their website.

[Chris Tobin]

The D34M Blue Top and the D34/78 or D34 Yellow Top are the same battery internally... This is per the specs and per the Optima techs that presented this to us at a media round table... These are the most popular sizes in both series and the terminals are the only significant difference. We were also told that the 27 size was the same but the specs show slight differences...

Another thing to know is that the dark case is for starting applications only while the lighter gray case is for starting and deep cycle... This also shows why the Blue top 34M starting battery and the Red top 34/78, 34 and 34R have the same specs as well...

A lot of people think that the Blue are the best period and they are just the MARINE batteries in the line with the stainless steel MARINE stud terminals...

Use the proper battery for your application no matter what color the top is!!!!