inVERTed

Gents, Have a bad cell in the OEM battery. I am running a convertible with a Shaker 1000, anyone replace the OEM with an Optima?...If so, Red or Yellow and which model, only concern is fitment.......thanks....additional make and model recommendations are also welcome....

metroplex

Optima sucks the big one. It's an overpriced battery that has less capacity and reserve than a standard flooded lead acid battery. The only reason to use an Optima is if you live in the desert or need to mount the battery upside down.

inVERTed

If so.....what would you recommend? Brand, model, etc.....

randy_tho

Ok. What would you recommend?

70MACH1OWNER

My stock battery died and I looked at Optima and other dry cell batteries. I ended up just getting another Motorcraft battery for $100 bucks. I believe it has a 3 yr replacement warranty. And it fits the battery box properly also. The Optima for our cars is a different size and I was afraid the strap won't fit correctly.

69_gt500

Ive always used Die Hard. Never had a problem with them and theyre about the same price as the motorcraft.

metroplex

Die Hard Gold, Motorcraft replacement, any name brand battery with a decent warranty will suffice. Just don't fall for the Optima hype because it's not that great of a battery unless you need an AGM battery.

Martimus

Optima's are fine! Use your best judgement and don't worry about the nay-sayers...

I had an Optima battery in my old Toyota 4Runner that ran for a full year with a HOLE in its side the size of a silver dollar. Try that with a wet cell battery!!!!

On average I've had Optima's last 7 years here in the Arid-zona desert. Well maintained wet cell batteries, on the other hand, typically die after two years in the heat.

randy_tho

There was a Red Top in my Stealth when I bought it that was like 5 years old. It sat for like 15 months while the car was fixed. (Bought it with a busted engine.) I used that battery for over a year. Almost 2 I think.

I think the price of them has gone up over the last few years though. I think you once could get them for like 99-110 where now they are closer to 130-150.

metroplex

If you need to run a battery with a hole in the casing or if you live in a desert, then go with an Optima or AGM battery. For the other 99% of the world, a regular name brand flooded lead acid battery will suffice. I just see a lot of people who think of Optima as bulletproof supercharged batteries when they're really just overpriced reduced capacity batteries that barely fit into most standard battery trays.

Martimus

you can still find them for less... just gotta do a bit of research!

Martimus

And lets not forget the less than 1% of the world with a well documented grudge against Optima batteries!!!

70MACH1OWNER

Sorry....It is green up here....I would also go with the wetcell battey for this climate!!! You are out of your element...Martimus. :-)

GRAYPNY

Personally I think that the Optima is over-rated too. I have one in my car (yellow top) and it fits fine. I had to modify the strap alittle bit but it looks OK. There are batteries that are better for less money. I bought the yellow top because everyone on another board seemed to be in love with them. I paid $179 from Summit.

metroplex

They're decent batteries if you really need the VRLA AGM design: mounting upside down, inside passenger compartment, air shipped, operational with a hole in the casing, or use in desert/marine environments. However, they are rather expensive and have limited capacity compared to a standard wet-cell FLAB like a Motorcraft or Everstart based on the fact they have smaller plates and plenty of voids between the spiral cells. It's like paying to fuel a 747 to fly only one person across the US.

Forge

lol, the haters crack me up. First of all, a decent normal battery is going to cost you about 100. I got a yellow top optima for $130. You just have to shop around for one. Ive used optima in most of my cars. I dont drive my stang in the winter, but i like to keep the alarm on the car as added peace of mind. Optima went both winters with the alarm armed for over 3 months of not being started. Both years, the car started perfect after sitting and didnt require me recharging the battery. Lets see your POS die hard do that..... lol.

I look at it this way, if your going to do something, do it right the first time. If you wanted cheap parts, i would suggest buying a honda or economy car. How someone can pay 4 dollar per gallon of gas but wont spend the money to put nice parts on the car that will last longer than 20 miles, blows my mind.

RRRoamer

When my battery died, I picked up a Duralast at Autozone. They had the correct group size and that battery had pretty good reviews. It was only $90 and it DEFINITELY spun over my pony faster than the stocker EVERY did.

Plus, it's red top matched my Torch Red GT as well...

But that had nothing to with the decision.

I promise!

As for the Optimas, I'm also in the camp that they are NORMALLY not necessary. They are like most other things in this world: a trade off. If you NEED the high temp longigevity or the ability to mount it where and how you need or it's physical durability, then you NEED an Optima. If you don't need those attributes, they you will generally be better off with a flooded cell batter and get more capacity, more CCA and lower cost.

Figure out what you need THEN decide what batter is the best match for your needs. But don't buy one because "everyone else has one" or some other irrelevant reason. And don't let yourself be talked out of one if you actually do need it's advantages either.

metroplex

I bought a Meijers battery for about $60. It has survived 4 MI winters with the alarm system and electronics armed without any issues. My Mustang's OEM battery worked great for over 2 winters of having the alarm armed and uncharged. I've had 2 Die Hard Golds fail in the past, all after 8-10 years of HARD use. I started to cheap out and just buy car batteries at Meijer when they're on sale.

It depends on how you define the best battery. I define the best battery as one that is durable, known to work well in all conditions, has the largest capacity for a given compatible size, fits properly, and is affordable. Batteries are consumable items like tires. There are only a handful of battery manufacturers in the US. The Optima wastes a lot of space in the casing, so you sacrifice reserve capacity for the spiral cells.

I used an Optima in the Crown Vic and after a few winters the battery would no longer take a charge as well as a flooded lead acid. The reason is that 99.9% of modern alternator regulators are designed for flooded lead acid batteries and they will not charge an AGM battery (such as an Optima) properly due to the wildly different temperature compensation curves. The latest and greatest regulators still have trouble properly charging AGM batteries. In addition, the Optima was a VERY poor fit for the Group 65 tray. The adapters weren't worth a sh*t.

The Optima kool-aid drinkers always crack me up because they think the Optimas are superior batteries. They are good batteries and definitely better in certain applications (aviation, marine, desert), but far from being superior end-all/be-all batteries for normal SLI applications especially with a reduced reserve capacity. It's like paying more for a AAA battery and trying to make it work in a device that needs a AA battery.

Burke0011

I went with an Interstate for like $100.00

Martimus

Nah... I'm in my element! You, on the other hand, are outside looking in!