Author Topic: POLL....Optima Battery, Yes or No ?  (Read 7874 times)

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cammerfe

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Re: POLL....Optima Battery, Yes or No ?
« Reply #15 on: April 21, 2018, 09:50:27 PM »
I put an Optima redtop in my Lincoln LS about the same time I put a roll cage in it. A month later, on the starting line at an ECTA meet, the car died. We diagnosed a faulty alternator and replaced it by flashlight in the pits that night after a quick trip to town. The battery never was any good after that---wouldn't hold a charge. I emailed Optima and tried to ask some questions and couldn't even get the courtesy of a return message. As an old friend once said, "Scroom". I'm done. The best deal around seems to be the 'biggest & best' Costco has to offer. As I remember, about $85.00.

KS

Katz427

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Re: POLL....Optima Battery, Yes or No ?
« Reply #16 on: April 22, 2018, 05:55:19 PM »
I have an Odyssey battery in the 67 Ranchero. I just put a charge in it after sitting for 3 months. Looked and noticed that it is going on its eighth year of service.
They are AGM like the Optima, but use thin flat plates instead of spiral. I have a Ford 3G alternator. No problems and I have had to jump other cars at car shows. Cost is high around $200. But over 8 years, not so bad.

Posi67

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Re: POLL....Optima Battery, Yes or No ?
« Reply #17 on: April 22, 2018, 10:48:50 PM »
I've had pretty good results with the Red Top Optima. Seem to last about 5 years in my race car with no special treatment although the one I bought last summer seems to need more charging than the previous ones. I like them for the car because you don't need a special vented battery box in the trunk. I think my first one was good for another 3 years in my daily driver although I suspect my current Optima may be my last. They just don't make 'em like they used to comes to mind.

TomP

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Re: POLL....Optima Battery, Yes or No ?
« Reply #18 on: April 22, 2018, 11:44:34 PM »
My Optima red top is 17 years old! I first used a Ford tractor battery to be like a real TBolt but that thing died in a year or so. I don't think it liked harsh acceleration. I bought the Optima and ran it with no alternator for a year, with fuel problems that often meant cranking several minutes and even had the alternator to battery cable short on the headers and start a fire. It's been in use in my old Meteor wagon and was often used in my Ranger and the Mark 7 LSC, each time i'd keep it and sell the car with another battery. It has sat for months and years at a time. Been run dead hundreds of times. I will be using it again and again until it gives up.
« Last Edit: April 23, 2018, 12:30:16 PM by TomP »

machoneman

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Re: POLL....Optima Battery, Yes or No ?
« Reply #19 on: April 23, 2018, 05:42:06 AM »
Wow, that has to be the longest lived Optima I've ever heard of. Amazing!

My Optima red top is 17 years old! I first used a Ford tractor battery to be like a real TBolt but that thing died in a year or so. I don't think it liked harsh acceleration. I bought the Optima and ran in with alternator for a year, with fuel problems that often meant cranking several minutes and even had the alternator to battery cable short on the headers and start a fire. It's been in use in my old Meteor wagon and was often used in my Ranger and the Mark 7 LSC, each time i'd keep it and sell the car with another battery. It has sat for months and years at a time. Been run dead hundreds of times. I will be using it again and again until it gives up.
Bob Maag

Drew Pojedinec

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Re: POLL....Optima Battery, Yes or No ?
« Reply #20 on: April 23, 2018, 10:12:35 AM »
I have one I bought in 2003.
I changed it two years ago just because I thought it was old.  I replaced it with another AGM battery.
The optima is currently the shop battery, It goes around to various sites to fire up engines that I need to work on.


Only care I've ever performed has been hooking up to an optima charge once a month when I get home and disconnecting the battery when I leave for a month.  Same thing I do with every battery I own.

TomP

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Re: POLL....Optima Battery, Yes or No ?
« Reply #21 on: April 23, 2018, 12:33:11 PM »
I've never had an Optima charger, mine has been charged only with ordinary chargers, usually under 10 amp.

Supposedly newer Optimas are not as good.

badcatt

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Re: POLL....Optima Battery, Yes or No ?
« Reply #22 on: April 23, 2018, 01:03:53 PM »
My first Red top Optima lasted over 8 years. I replaced it with another. But in my other car I waned a more stock looking battery and went with one from NAPA. It is only 2 months old so no idea how it will live.

Drew Pojedinec

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Re: POLL....Optima Battery, Yes or No ?
« Reply #23 on: April 23, 2018, 02:42:01 PM »
My current AGM battery in my 63.5 Galaxie:

battery by Drew Pojedinec, on Flickr

Heo

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Re: POLL....Optima Battery, Yes or No ?
« Reply #24 on: April 23, 2018, 03:20:32 PM »
Hahahaha that battery reminds me when i was a kid i got
this fantastic idea to collect  those colloful battery lids
Tudor had Red, Noak was puple,some was yellow
Any way i found this lot of batterys in the forrest
and uscrew the lids and put them in my pockets
My mother was real happy with my new found hobby ;D ;D
that ate up my pockets



The defenition of a Gentleman, is a man that can play the accordion.But dont do it

gdaddy01

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Re: POLL....Optima Battery, Yes or No ?
« Reply #25 on: April 23, 2018, 09:04:52 PM »
that is funny .   got holes in my pockets

babybolt

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Re: POLL....Optima Battery, Yes or No ?
« Reply #26 on: April 24, 2018, 11:27:58 AM »
My first red top Optima lasted somewhere around 13 years or more.  The second one died after a couple of years.  Sometime before I had bought the second battery the company was sold and the quality took a downturn.

427HISS

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Re: POLL....Optima Battery, Yes or No ?
« Reply #27 on: April 28, 2018, 12:35:38 PM »
Anyone else using the Odyssey ?

fryedaddy

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Re: POLL....Optima Battery, Yes or No ?
« Reply #28 on: April 28, 2018, 06:44:33 PM »
back in the 80s i liked those 12 inch diehards.i drove my comet to work back then and i drove to work one morning and i left my lights on all day.8 1/2 hours.i got in my comet,turned off my headlights,and the old 390 with a big 12 inch diehard cranked right up after the lights being on all day.i bought a red top optima in 2012,no problems yet,and i like the looks of them better than conventional too.
1966 comet caliente 428 4 speed owned since 1983                                                 1973 f250 ranger xlt 360 4 speed papaw bought new

hbstang

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Re: POLL....Optima Battery, Yes or No ?
« Reply #29 on: April 29, 2018, 06:07:14 PM »
i have a couple of the red tops,one is fine maybe 6 years old,the other is a little over 3 years old and has been a pos and never really would hold a charge.dont know if they would warranty it or not.charge it with the optima charger over and over,but wont last a week.no more for me.