Optima Battery Problems
- Thread starter TheJosh
- Start date
teotwaki
Excelsior!
Good news!! Wish he could have done that for me..... :costumed-smiley-007
I have no dog in this fight and have NOT read the thread completely. From what I have read many times over the last few years, from many different sources, is that Optima is not what it used to be, and can be hit or miss with quality control. They seem to have many more problems than other manufacturers. The bad reports are so frequent that when I purchased my last battery, I did not for even one moment consider Optima.
That's the power of the Internet and forums like this. Too many complaints will hurt a business. Bad customer service will eventually kill a business. It would seem that OJ could have brought amicable closure to this situation very easily, but instead chose to deal with teotwaki's and the original poster's complaint in poor fashion. Things like this prevent me from being an Optima customer. I am sure many others are coming to the same conclusion.
Jim, I asked for the contact information for the folks you dealt with, just as I did with Craig. He provided that information, which I forwarded internally and he was able to get some assistance. You declined to provide that information, sighting a reluctance to sell someone out. I'm sorry I couldn't be of further assistance to you, other than to serve as your cyber-punching bag.
We do have products that fail, as does any company with millions of products in circulation. Our manufacturing defect rate is not 0%, but that is what we strive for and we are closer to it than we have ever been. I understand that may contradict some informal message board surveys, but that is based on factual data that we collect as the manufacturer.
Jim McIlvaine
eCare Manager, OPTIMA Batteries, Inc.
www.twitter.com/optimabatteries
We do have products that fail, as does any company with millions of products in circulation. Our manufacturing defect rate is not 0%, but that is what we strive for and we are closer to it than we have ever been. I understand that may contradict some informal message board surveys, but that is based on factual data that we collect as the manufacturer.
Jim McIlvaine
eCare Manager, OPTIMA Batteries, Inc.
www.twitter.com/optimabatteries
teotwaki
Excelsior!
Lets stop this disinformation and swirl right now because you earn the role of punching bag. Let me show why.
I first reported my battery problems in post #49 on January 5th, 2012.
Please show me somewhere in this forum where you said "Jim, your battery is having a problem. Let me get you in touch with our West Coast distributor to help you out"
No, you only asked about the distributor well AFTER I posted in #251 on 4-27 that the battery was positively tested as BAD in 3 different tests including one from the official Optima Distributor.
Post #264 on 5-21
Here is your message:
Please tell the world where you made any attempt at all to get me a replacement battery through any Optima channel available to you. Post up emails, PMs or forum messages.
The record here shows clearly that you did no such thing but continue to disparage me as "uncooperative" or that I "declined" to provide you with information.
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HenryJ
Expedition Leader
I have had so many problems with newer Optima, we moved on and have no more problems.
I think it is interesting that three local retailers will no longer carry them and cite the return rate as the biggest reason. We have but one retailer locally that still sells Optima and they stock two Redtop only.
Keep spreading the news. I think a few of the smart ones are starting to catch on...
I think it is interesting that three local retailers will no longer carry them and cite the return rate as the biggest reason. We have but one retailer locally that still sells Optima and they stock two Redtop only.
Keep spreading the news. I think a few of the smart ones are starting to catch on...
LandCruiserPhil
Expedition Leader
Seems like everyone has a POS battery story these days. I own a lot of batteries (12 the last time I counted) from several manufactures. For me warranty is king and out of all the manufactures the hate card goes to Sears Platinum Marine for the worst warranty policy in the battery business. 3 years and you are done no matter how many times it has been replaced with no pro-rating after your 3 years, DONE!
Costco/Optima not long ago was the warranty winner bring it in we give you cash back and you can purchase a new battery with a new 3 year replacement then starts the pro-rate. Now Costco does not carry Optima anymore (insert sad face).
Now after last week WalMart (Johnson control) has moved into the top spot with, sorry you are having problems with your battery just grab and new one. Grab a new battery (no testing of the old) sorry your battery has gone up $6 since your purchase 34 months ago. I pay the $6 get a new battery and a new 36 month free replacement warranty.:victory:
Optima wins the tuff guy contest with several time running down my duals to <10 volts and still comes back for more. Note my dual Optimas are blems from the warehouse not new:ylsmoke: One tough battery IMO
Costco/Optima not long ago was the warranty winner bring it in we give you cash back and you can purchase a new battery with a new 3 year replacement then starts the pro-rate. Now Costco does not carry Optima anymore (insert sad face).
Now after last week WalMart (Johnson control) has moved into the top spot with, sorry you are having problems with your battery just grab and new one. Grab a new battery (no testing of the old) sorry your battery has gone up $6 since your purchase 34 months ago. I pay the $6 get a new battery and a new 36 month free replacement warranty.:victory:
Optima wins the tuff guy contest with several time running down my duals to <10 volts and still comes back for more. Note my dual Optimas are blems from the warehouse not new:ylsmoke: One tough battery IMO
teotwaki
Excelsior!
If you have time can you post up where they were manufactured? Colorado or Mexico? Anecdotal, but if everyone who posted here added that bit of info it might be useful to the bigger picture. Maybe I should start a seperate thread for just such a list... Hmmm.
LandCruiserPhil
Expedition Leader
I would happy to but how does one know? The warehouse is in Arizona if that helps in any way. Are you thinking that the quality control is different from place to place?
teotwaki
Excelsior!
It should say on the battery. Older batteries said Manufactured in Aurora Colorado. Newer batteries main sticker says "distributed by Optima Batteries, Milwaukee, WI" if I recall correctly. There may also be a "Hecho en Mexico" sticker.
The E.I.R.M. (EVIL Internet Rumor Mill) and anecdotal evidence says: yes, location matters. The Optima factory rep will counter that the Mexico plant is "state of the art" with "low" (but unspecified) defect rates. He has posted it many times here. :ylsmoke:
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teotwaki
Excelsior!
Optima Battery Poll here.
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/80005-Optima-Battery-Poll-(NO-DISCUSSION)
No discussion. Just take the poll and post a factual reply with as many as possible of the 5 requested items.
Thanks!
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/80005-Optima-Battery-Poll-(NO-DISCUSSION)
No discussion. Just take the poll and post a factual reply with as many as possible of the 5 requested items.
Thanks!
teotwaki
Excelsior!
Building the other thread made me sit down and pull out receipts, look at dates and realize that I am on my 5th optima in 5 years. The current battery is doing fine because I turned the fridge off.
- First Optima was a Yellow Top
- Installed Jan 2007
- Purchased Dec 2006
- Unknown where manufactured, probably Colorado based on the year
- Replaced March 2009 with a Yellow Top (CostCo)
- Second Optima was a Yellow Top
- Installed March 2009
- Purchased March 2009
- Made in ?
- Replaced Nov 2010 (CostCo)
- Third Optima was a Blue Top
- Installed Nov 2010
- Purchased Nov 2010
- Made in Mexico
- Replaced Nov 2011 (independent seller)
- Fourth Optima was a Blue Top
- Installed Nov 2011
- Purchased Nov 2011
- Made in Mexico
- Replaced March 2012
- Fifth Optima is a warranteed Blue Top
- Installed March 2012
- Purchased March 2012
- Made in Mexico
- Still alive at this date because I have turned off the fridge
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Mc Taco
American Adventurist
So Jim, these Optima batteries are cheap throw aways? Wouldn't it be less hassle to just buy an expensive battery that will last a little longer. I understand wanting to tinker with ones vehicle, but the same project over and over again? C'mon dude, move on to something else to work on. :sombrero:
teotwaki
Excelsior!
Yes, you are "evil" Uncle Stu! Optima batteries are a tiny part of the universe and I spend more time in real adventures and real life than I ever spend worrying about batteries made in Mexico. I think that my blog provides ample proof of that.
This Optima battery "odyssey" all started with a complete dual battery kit and being less than educated on this brand of batteries. The first Optima battery went about 2.25 years so I was not pleased but found I could get one at CostCo and just go with their better warranty policy if I had more issues. Costco's liberal replacement policy does indeed make for cheap throw aways! The hangup with replacing my second battery was the Optima specific tray, the mounting location and the fact that you don't readily throw away a $200 battery investment until you are convinced they are poorly made.
When my main starter battery was getting old I replaced it with a Sears Diehard Platinum which is over 3 years old now. At the time I knew better than to buy a red top Optima.
I have already bought one of Moody's nice custom stainless battery trays made to hold a Diehard. My backup plan is to sell this warranteed Optima on Craigslist and buy another Diehard Platinum for my second battery system.
Mc Taco
American Adventurist
Copy that Jim! So the Die Hard Platinum has done well for you?