Advance Auto Parts & Optima Battery

[dailydriver]

Originally Posted By: MarkM66
Read this, and it will explain why they had to hook up the 2nd battery.

http://www.hotrod.com/techarticles/general/hrdp_1009_how_to_charge_a_agm_battery/viewall.html


I read that article when it first appeared, VERY helpful, but I've still never had to 're-amimate' an Optima from the dead yet, despite them being "junk".

 

[mikered30]

I think they are made in Mexico now. Sounds like QAQC dropped a bit.

 

[thelazyhero]

I suppose I've been lucky. I've had two Optima Red Top batteries for more than a year with minimal issues.

The thing with Optima's and most gel based batteries is that once it goes dead, its very hard to recharge.

 

[AdRock]

I think I got lucky with the Red Top I have.

I bought a Red Top for my Mustang back in 2003. It's still in the car. I won't say it's still doing great because that will jinx it.I did kill it around a month ago when I left my headlights on when I got to work. After 6 hours the lightws were still dim but it turned over 3 or 4 times but wouldn't start.

 

[Challenger71]

Had two red tops go over five years on my vehicles. Have another new one (blue top) in now.

 

[JasonC]

I never have been a big fan of Johnson Control Inc. and its a shame how they have brought down the quality of the Optima line.

 

[440Magnum]

Originally Posted By: shooter250

Two things surprised me about this.
1.) AAP wouldn't honor their own receipt.
2.) The Optima battery died in 13 months

Anyone have any similar experience?


My last few Optimas were not NEARLY as fantastic as the first one I bought 15 or so years ago. I did actually get one that was dead on delivery from the store once- the poster who mentioned it may have been sitting there for quite a while may be right. Once getting a good Optima, I've never had one die in less than its warranty period... but the first couple I had back in the 90s went almost double their warranty and the current ones just don't do that.

After pinging the various boards I frequent (including here, I think..., yes here here it is)the general consensus is that the Enersys Odyssey (which is also re-branded and sold as the Diehard Platinum) is a better AGM battery. I was disappointed to find out that its the same price or even a bit more than the Optima, though.

If you ask me, the AGM batteries like the Optima really have three big things going for them for a street car:

1) they have a much lower self-discharge rate than liquid-cell batteries. I can park my '69 fo4 3-4 months straight, and the Optima will light it right up without being on a trickle charger or maintainer. Even allowing for an extra long cranking period to re-fill the carburetor.

2) They have a much lower internal resistance. That means that for REALLY heavy current draw, like cranking one of my old high-compression big-block engines, more of the battery's power ultimately gets to the starter and less goes to heating the battery itself. Not an issue so much for modern vehicles with small engines and fuel injection to light them off quicker than carbs do.

2) They vent much less corrosive gas. After 15 years, the battery cables and terminal clamps that I replaced when I completely re-wired my '66 look brand new because its had nothing but Optima or Diehard Platinum batteries since then. Contrast that with the 3-year-old terminals on my Ram 1500, which I find covered with the usual green fuzz and rust all the time.

For offroaders they take vibration better and for drag cars, you can mount them horizontally.