Optima Batteries, getting better or worse?

Did Optima Batteries get their act together or are they still having problems?

I had great luck with Optimas for a lot of years, and then one I bought a few years ago was dead on arrival and wouldn't take a charge no matter what. I got a replacement for it and that one has been okay. I heard of a lot of guys on here having problems with new Optimas lately in the last few years, but no recent news. Are people still having problems with new Optimas now?

I noticed that the Optima battery I got a few years ago, part number 8002-002, a type 34 battery (red top), is still available at some places, but on Summit's website, they list the same battery as 9002-002. I wonder if this is possibly a new and improved version of the 8002-002, and I wonder if the other companies are still selling off supplies of some older one that might still have problems?

Optima's website won't load onto my computer -- I just get the spinning pinwheel forever. So that's got me wondering if Optima is going down the toilet or something too?

If they're back to making good reliable batteries again, I want to buy another one.

Thanks

 

they moved manufacturing to Mexico late last year....

 

strike another manufacturer from my "buy from" list...

 

The last two yellow tops have given me fits. I thought it was me.

 

I too have had a bad experiance with them..(owned 3)
and after how i was treated when the last one I owned went south 1 week before the warrenty, and they jacked me around for, you guessed it, until the warenty ran out. Than said.. theres nothing we can do for you..I told them well theres something I can do for me..Never buy another one of your dam batteries.
aint worth the price for what you get..
I understand the need for a gel cell battery..but I am never going to build a car in such a manor that it will only have to use one of their batteries..
I will use the typ. lead /acid battery for the rest of my life..or as long as they are produced, than to give them any more of my money

besides I think thay are made out of this county now anyways..so that makes my decission that much easier

 

So I guess the obvious follow up question would be, what batteries are made in America?

 

used to run them in my race cars............to many probs.....matter fact two in them sitting in the garage right now collecting dust.

 

http://www.septechnologies.biz/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=1574

heres one for example..and its a gel lead acid cell too

 

I think theres a battery called "Concorde"..its made in Cali.

 

Exide batteries are made in Salina Kansas.

http://www.exide.com/products/trans/na/automotive.html

I've been looking at the Exide Select Orbital, they don't service shops like Interstate does though (that's who I have gotten the Optima's through)...

 

U.S. Battery in Georgia..should i keep going?

ZMan Beat me to Exide

 

i think kinetik are http://www.kinetikaudio.com/default.asp
might not be what you are looking for but they are dam good

 

i hope they havent went to hell ! i just had to replace one last week after the one in the truck went ****s after 13 yrs of service ! will find out i guess

 

Just got my 3rd replacement Friday 1 more year on my warranty not a good feeling
as far as product reliablity

 

I didn't know that they were made out of the US...

That bothers me...

I have bought 2 [one for my car and one for my truck] and they have worked great over the last 2 years...

Maybe I just got lucky???

 

You know, I used to think they were over-rated junk (because FoMoCo had lotsa issues with them in test vehicles years ago), but CathyH's 51 Mercury lived with me for many months (through a whole Michigan winter) and the red-top Optima in that car never missed a beat...it sat dormant for MONTHS and the car still fired right up once I did the brakes and got it roadworthy again!

I wouldn't run right out and buy one (the cheapie parts-store battery in my 55 is pretty awesome, too!), but if anything...it seems as if Optima batteries have gotten BETTER! (But i don't know about the newest Mexaican-built versions).

 

I only ever bought one Optima ... it is a RED TOP one. It died after 34 months. I got a new one ... for free under the warranty but now I am on my own with the replacement. They do NOT give you a new warranty with the replacement ???

I think they should ...

My next battery with be a Interstate Megatron.
Always got 6 / 7 / 8 years out of them.

I got caught up in the hype over Optima and tried one ...
One was enough for me ...

 

Ive run the optima for years but switched to INTERSTATE for the 56 chevy this time ,just got tired of the BS and all the problems...........

 

The new Optima's are junk! Johnson Controls kept the best parts of the spirl cell technoligy, then sold the Optima brand a few years back.

If your looking for a spiral cell battery that is even better, IMHO than the old Optima's check out Orbital. The only down side is they're expensive.

 

I use Costco batteries in everything -- my race car, daily beater, parts hauler/ tow rig, trailer winch battery, and all the custom cars. Don't know who makes the Kirkland (cosco brand) , but for $70 you can get a 1000ca / 800cca battery with 84 month guarantee !!! 45 month FREE replacement... They take them back with no h***le.

 

At the shop where I work, we use nothing but red top Optimas, and have almost no problems. One issue with gel cell batteries is they require a different charging method and charger. I have a digital charging system tester that shows % of charge, and I have found most new batteries never come with a 100% charge. I always charge them fully before using them, and as I said there are very few problems.

 

Four years ago, had 2 yellow tops that were bad right off the shelf. Returned them both and never considered an Optima since. I hate to admit it, but I've had great luck with the cheap Walmart batteries.

 

thats an aircraft battery, look at the odyssey,thats what i'll be running,a lot of people have had really good luck with them.

 

If thats the style of battery you want you should check out the Orbital made by Exide. Much better battery plus its all black, just pull decals off. Im sure price is about the same. I had one for a little over three years now and used it in several different vehicles, put it through hell and its still going strong. Optimas on the other hand Ive gone through several very quickly and will never buy another one, plus the colored tops are cheesy looking.

 

I got a red top in my 95 Impala with no charging issues at all, but one day I forgot just the dome light on for about 3-4 hours and the thing was completely drained! Ive had batteries from the Zone in cars that ive forgot the headlights on for about the same amount of time and the battery would still have juice to turn the car over. My optima isnt even that old either, not impressed next time i'll just stick to the Zone brand.

 

Chrysler dealerships sell Interstate batteries under the Mopar name. And, the dealer price is LESS!

The rep that the gel-cell batteries have had has kept me from buying one.

 

I just spoke with a Batteries Plus manager the other day and he confirmed that Optimas are still having problems. He suggested looking at the Odysseys.

 

Here's a link to a local place that sells Odyssey Batteries,they also have an application guide.
http://www.qualitypowerauto.com/catalog.php?category=14

Only once have I ever had a problem with an Optima.I blew a I killed I killed a cell in one and it was down to one volt,but then again we found out we had a serious electrical issue with the vehicle it was in which caused the dead cell.Every Yellow Top Dual Purpose Optima I bought since then hasn't had any problems.

 

I have a Orbital in my truck and have had no problems. The only problem is they are expensive. I mounted it behind the seat where the gas tank used to be.

 

Optima is still owned by JCI, they just moved ops to mexico and shut my plant down and left me jobless- but thats another story...
The quality issue is the result of cost cutting measures that were implemented about 2 years ago and are now really showing up. Spiral cell batteries **** anyways, I would get a flat plate agm over a spiral if I had to buy one. Interstate is JCI as well, so I personally would buy an exide(not JCI)