Optima batteries.

[HAFICON]

So what is the general opinion around here? I had always ran optima in the past but with all the recent Optima bashing I was swayed to the Sears Die hard battery. I know they did indeed move production from USA to Mexico and from everything I have read since the move quality has been garbage. Anyone here bought Optima in the last 4 years and have no issues?

 

[HenryJ]

...Anyone here bought Optima in the last 4 years and have no issues?

-crickets chirping-




(LOL, sorry I couldn't resist )

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

I have 3 blue top Optimas and 2 red tops Optimas along with other brands and no complaining about Optima. 2 of my blue tops were blems @$65 each purchased a few years ago.

 

[Dillon]

I've had two different red top Optimas in two different vehicles with no problems whatsoever. I bought my first Optima for an '00 Xterra in '03. It lasted about 10 years. I replaced it with a new Optima red top in '13. No problems. I bought a red top for my wife's Audi in '12 and it has worked flawlessly. I have no complaints.

 

[richard310]

I had to replace an Autozone Duralast battery and picked up an Optima Yellow Top. It's been four months so far and it's still cranking like the first day I dropped it in. Only time will tell whether or not their QC holds up to standards.

 

[dcoy]

I had a red top last about a year couple years ago so I've converted to the Sears. My @ ten year old red and yellow tops in my FJ60 are still cranking, but it may be about time for the yellow to be changed (to the Sears).

 

[MikeBoyle]

It seems the batteries are hit and miss on quality. They are nowhere near the quality they were before Interstate bought them out and even worse since they moved to Mexico. I currently have and still run red tops in all my vehicles and the shortest one has lasted is 5 years. The one in my current DD does have issues with maintain a charge if it sits for more than a couple weeks, but that is due to it being drained while sitting at my old job at 10K ft and sitting for over a week at -30*F. As long as I run the vehicle at least once a week I have no problems. The battery is around 4 years old.

 

[Willman]

I'm on my second round of Optima batteries. They have not skipped a beat.

Can't beat an Odyssey battery! Thats my next battery.

 

[NWDISCO2]

I had a yellow top in my jeep for about a year. Didnt hold a charge even when disconected and stored properly. Its a hit or miss. Some work for ten years. Some ten months.

 

[plumber mike]

I had a yellow top in my jeep for about a year. Didnt hold a charge even when disconected and stored properly. Its a hit or miss. Some work for ten years. Some ten months.

Those yellow tops take a long time to charge when they are fully discharged. I had one that I thought was a goner, but after a day on trickle charge, it came back to new. That was about 4 years ago on my plow truck that mostly just sits and I'm still running it. Deep deep cycle.

None of my optimas are from this decade and I'm nervous about buying some new ones. Going to have a look at the Odessy now.

 

[HAFICON]

Well sounds like a hit or miss as said.. I went Odessy style in a re-branded sears picked them up on sale at $189 each hopefully they last 5-8 years.

 

[jlocster]

Can't beat an Odyssey battery! Thats my next battery.

The Sears Die Hard Platinum line are rebranded Odyssey batteries...they can be had for +-$180, if you catch them on sale. They come in Types 35, 34/78 and 65.

For example ---->Link

I'm running two Platinums on my rig and they are exceptional. I stayed away from Optima because I've read too many horror stories.

 

[plumber mike]

Good to know. We don't have much around here for shopping, but we do have sears.

Thanks!

 

[HenryJ]

I lived the Optima horror stories. Made the change to the Sears DieHard Platinum batteries almost three years ago now. All my problems went away. Living happily ever after.

 

[pappawheely]

I chose Odyssey and am very happy. I had optimas in the past but Odyssey has a better design and their warranty is great.