I personally don't like the optima batteries just because I have been let down twice. Alot of batteries are made by Johnson controls so the market for aftermarket batteries has been cornered. I switched to a autocraft gold series and haven't had a problem since.
[SIZE=-1]The majority of car batteries are created by 3 manufacturers - [/SIZE][SIZE=-1]Johnson Control Industries[/SIZE][SIZE=-1], East Penn, [/SIZE][SIZE=-1]and [/SIZE][SIZE=-1]Exide Johnson Control bought out Delphi which makes some EverStart models sold in Walmart and ACDelco. Johnson Control Industries makes Duralast seen in Autozone stores, Diehard - sold in Sears, Kirkland - the Costco brand, Motorcraft - which Ford sells, some of the EverStarts, and Interstate. Exide makes Exide batteries, Champion, Orbital, Napa and even a % of the EverStart batteries. East Penn markets the Deka brand. I've got an old Optima that has been great. I wish the Deka was more widely sold to be able to buy American.[/SIZE]
got over 7 years on my first napa sub zero battery, already at 6 with the present one. oh crap i just jinxed myself.
I put 2 little Odyssey AGM batteries in my last project, I haven't had them long enough to speak of how they last, about 6 months, but they stay charged with minimal run time because it is still a project...
It seems as though it's a little bit of "luck of the draw" with batteries in general. I've had Optima in my last two cars without any problems so far.
deka and interstate are the 2 best on the market . the oreillys superstart is a east penn deka. there in alot of states. interstate is johnson controls. exide has proven to be shit to me .
I had real good luck with Kirkland from Costco. I always keep my battery on a "Battery Tender" for long life, keeps them fully charged and ready to go at all times. CRUSIER
I was partial to Sears Diehards in my equipt. & cars for many years & satisfied with their long lasting cranking power, however, when OPTIMA came along, & since my battery is in trunk of my roadster, I chose OPTIMA because of the sealed option & never needing to add water feature. So far after 4 years of good service & no problems, I love my OPTIMA------Now,I still use Sears Diehards in my pickup & equipt., & do the maintenence as needed, you know,---Add water & cleaning with baking soda.----------Don
the optima in my 62 seemed to be the only battery able to start my 12-5 to one street sbc especially if it didnt fire up straight away. this battery came to me in a friends ott car that he gave me, the battery was dead so i charged it over a few hours and now is going good this battery is aprox 2-3 yes old and has been charged from dead flat several times (dont ask some people never learn) and always charges up fine
duralast gold from autozone. not just cuz I work there but I have had 1300watts of power drawn from it for 2-3hrs while my car was off and my car starts right up. battery is about a year old. duralast gold is the best way to go and has a 3yr free replacement and 8yr warranty. I won't settle for less. optimas suck, I have done so many warranty swaps on them. don't last anymore, which is sad.
Ive been a Die Hard guy for many many years, even in my John Deere garden tractor. Everything except thier motorcycle battery's, go in all of my vehicles, and always will. BDM
I use the Costco Kirkland batteries in everything I have. The Falcon race car, the 55 ford panel, 58 edsel wagon, 37 ford pickup, 63 ranchero, 82 chevy hauler, 27 Tetanus Touring Tub, trailer winch battery, and a few other projects... 1000 cca 800 ca and 84 month warranty WITH 3 year free replacement. Very Dependable and worth the $68.
Exide and NAPA had a falling out a couple of years ago and switched to JCI - Johnson Controls shortly after. As far as the Optima being made in Mexico by JCI goes, JCI has battery plants all over the world much like GM, Ford, and Chrysler. Interstate batteries are source mostly from JCI and a lot of the commercial units from East Penn. If you want to get technical, East Penn makes some commercial batteries for Exide , JCI , and many others.
Stay away from Optima....marketing gurus.....screwed all the Americans building batteries a fw years ago in Colorado...lied and went to mexico........plus the battery spec is Horse _ _ _ _ Buy a Lifeline mad in the usa......best Batt on earth period...just ask the RV industry But anything made in America. Optima has the sheets over most car guys....sponser events etc....Keeping a few white collar guys here in the states in the chips.........but really feeding the Latinos and Latinas in Me HE Co
We are haters for a good reason......you bought an American Optima......LOL The battery Specification sucks....
My usa made Optima has been ridiculously impervious to my abuse and neglect. There's no good reason it should still be working after 1 year driving and 2 years of very little use, but it is. I had to replace my Interstate after 2 years. Warranty knocked very little off the price. I'd hoped for better. I had a gold top autozone but not for long enough to make a judgement. I wouldn't touch a hecho in mexico Optima.
Check out "Stinger" batteries! I use Stinger in my hot-rod, dragster and daily driver. They are small compared to performance. Can be drained to zero several times without being destroyed. If i remember correct, they are a US brand. ............................ Taildragger&fenderlesss
My vote is for Deka, I've been using them for all of our replacements for about 6 years, never had one come back, nor have I had one come in needing to be replaced. I've even had customers call me and say it's the best battery they have ever had. For those in the Louisville KY area, I sell them, coventional/AGM/etc. reasonable in price, good warranty, (shameless plug). Dave
Optima too expensive and too many problems. Learned a long time ago you can buy two or three Walmart batteries for the price of an Optima. Its a no brainer don't buy an Optima.
I have an optima in my truck that gets minimal use, its been in there for a good 6 or 7 years now. On the rare occasion that it doesnt start i put a charger on it for a couple hours and its good to go..just my 2 cents
I have an Optima red top in my convert thats been trouble free since 2003 and still going...I know I know...its a USA built one...Just goes to show ya....BUY USA BILT STUFF.
I have been gettin my batteries for the last 20 years from the Exide warehouse in town. I buy the Blems or seconds. Half price from retail. Never had a failure. Cause of them being seconds is scratches and scrapes on the case and or crocked sticker application. Just put one in my duaghter's 2000 subaru. Retail was 79.00, the second was 32.00. I have a group 1 6V in my plymouth from Exide which is going on 5 years old, I think it was 18 bucks. So look in your yellow pages (if you still have that sort of thing) for Exide, or for that matter any other brand warehouse.
The unofficial tally of recommendations so far: 3 - Exide 2 - WalMart 4 - DieHard 7 - Autozone 4 - Deka 4 - Interstate 11 - Optima (USA made, generally more than 5 years old) 1 - Optima (Mexico made) 6 - Optima (Against) 2 - Costco 1 ea - Braille, Delco, Napa, Stinger
I used to swear by my Optimas. Then they went Hencho en Mexico and the one I had made in Mexico sucked. Wont buy another one. Interstate is my battery of choice now. Very happy with the Interstates I have bought.
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