Gen 3 Optima Battery

Optima batteries are also made in Mexico, I ran dual Red Tops for 15 years before they had to be replaced but that was before they started making junk.

I would not waste my money on any Optima battery nowadays.

 

Thanks to inferno taco for actual useful information instead of snyde remarks in the entire thread that I can see. (sorry if I missed anyone)

 

Get a Northstar

You're welcome

 

Isn't the yellow top better for running accessories and the red top better suited for cold starts?

 

Some folks here don't seem to get it... Forget about Optima batteries. The quality, that set them apart during their initial years, is no longer there.

Had them in my boat (Blue top) and in all Porsches (Red top). Now I no longer have one in any of them....well, I do have one that was stored in the garage for a project....but only because I bought it so long ago (not even sure if it is any good now).

But I guess some folks do not listen to the experiences of others...

 

Agree!!!

 

http://shop.odysseybattery.com/c/batteries_auto-truck_extreme-series

 

The yellow top is the deep cycle, the red top is for higher starting amps and the blue top is a marine battery, also deep cycle.

 

Optima is a brand of Johnson Controls, which makes about one-third of all car batteries in the world, including the OEM one in your truck. Quality of both are good.

If you DON'T power a lot of electrical accessories and just need the starting power (like me), you can get an Optima RedTop 35 battery. It's about an inch shorter than the OEM battery and 20lb lighter, while still delivering 910 cranking amps.

Mine has been good so far (that's a battery hold-down for a Toyota 86):

 

LOL Walmart battery

 

Well you're trying to put a crappy one in, so where does this leave us?

 

The Walmart "Everstart" batteries are also made by Johnson Controls, same as OE. I put in a Everstart Group 26R in my Subaru.

 

I'm sure Walmart had lower specs for their batteries then OEM.

 

I used to have a red top Optima battery in a little Nissan 240sx 8 years ago and I jumpstarted a F-350. He thought he was gonna fry my little car but nope, it started that fat bitch right up. I had that battery in 4 different cars in 7 years and it never died on me, even if I left my headlights on for 3 hours. I even let it sit for months without charging and it still fine. I thought it was the best car battery in the world .

I'm surprised to hear Optima quality went down.

 

This, I used to swear by Optimas, then, when production went to Mexico, quality went into the crapper and their lifespans dropped to just a few years. They are no longer worth half of what they charge.

OEM batteries tend to be reasonably decent. Hell, the original Delco in my son's Buick lasted 12 years and he changed it out just because he was worried it might crap out in the winter. [2003 Buick, replaced in 2015]

 

My Red Top is 10 years old in my Cherokee.

 

While were talking about batteries Id recommend getting one of these. http://www.batterytender.com/Portable-Power-Pack/ keep it charged and just use the stock battery until it dies. No sense it getting rid of a battery with a 36k mile warranty on it. Ive used that battery tender to jump my car with great success and you can keep it plugged into a 12v jack all the time without worry of over charging like most jumper packs. I picked mine up at home depot.

 

Sick post. You do realize Walmart doesn't make the battery and that they are made by johnson controls? 3yr replacement, 5yr prorated. Pretty hard to beat, but I guess since its sold at Walmart it automatically is a piece of crap. High five!

 

You guys just don't get it. The OP just doesn't want to have to look at that crappy OEM battery for the next 6 or 7 years. Leave him alone.