I tend to buy whatever costco sells or delco gold. I'm on my second delco in the plastic car. I've had it 20ish years. It is connected to a battery tender.
Optima Batteries. Never again.
Years ago...maybe like 20 years ago...I relocated the battery on my '65 to the trunk and bought an Optima Red Top and a nice billet mounting kit to latch it down.
Well...I was really happy. That first battery likely lasted 6 or 7 years. Then the next one lasted about the same. Since I've bought 3 more and each of them has lasted just long enough to get out of the 3 year replacement warranty.
If it wasn't for the billet hold down kit, I would have made the switch long ago. Yesterday I bought a store brand "Super Start" series 78 battery from O'Reilly Autoparts. I modified the hold down and made it work....though it doesn't look right....so more work is still required.
Good riddance Optima. And GFYS Johnson Controls. You ruined a great battery.
Well...I was really happy. That first battery likely lasted 6 or 7 years. Then the next one lasted about the same. Since I've bought 3 more and each of them has lasted just long enough to get out of the 3 year replacement warranty.
If it wasn't for the billet hold down kit, I would have made the switch long ago. Yesterday I bought a store brand "Super Start" series 78 battery from O'Reilly Autoparts. I modified the hold down and made it work....though it doesn't look right....so more work is still required.
Good riddance Optima. And GFYS Johnson Controls. You ruined a great battery.
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people laugh, but all i buy are everstart from walmart. the one in my '66 right now is from 2013, and the one in my truck is at least 5 years old.
I'm still stuck on DieHard. Just bought one for my 67 from Advance Auto. The most recent one in the 68 lasted 12 years before it died.
I also had Optima in my old Model A, and on a '47 Ford truck. That was years ago. When I went to the battery shop, the guy informed me that Optima was now made in Mexico and not the same quality as before.
I had my first Optima for 9 years, the one I'm running now is about 5 years old and starting to deteriorate. I'm debating myself if I go with Optima again or not. From what I've read most car batteries are made by Johnson controls.
I can't imagine there is that much difference in any of them. Except maybe the bargain basement cheapy. There is only a few manufacturers. I would not be surprised is the biggest difference is the sticker on the outside.
I miss the old Dearborn Battery place in Long Beach. They would re-manufacture batteries from cores. I dont recall them making all new batteries. They may have done that too. They made a good battery. They have been gone a long time. The EPA may have chased them out.
I miss the old Dearborn Battery place in Long Beach. They would re-manufacture batteries from cores. I dont recall them making all new batteries. They may have done that too. They made a good battery. They have been gone a long time. The EPA may have chased them out.
Your bad experience with the newer Optima batteries has been told by many others. The company was sold and the quality was lost. For use in the trunk, a AGM battery is advised.
Although a bit pricey, I have used Odyssey AGM batteries in two cars now. The first in the Factory Five Cobra I built is still going strong 8 years after purchase. I just bought a second for my Mustang restomod. It is interesting that I paid slightly less for the new battery as the old one.
Odyssey batteries are made in the US, UK, and France not in ASIA.
Although a bit pricey, I have used Odyssey AGM batteries in two cars now. The first in the Factory Five Cobra I built is still going strong 8 years after purchase. I just bought a second for my Mustang restomod. It is interesting that I paid slightly less for the new battery as the old one.
Odyssey batteries are made in the US, UK, and France not in ASIA.
No matter what the battery brand, key to longer life is keeping it trickle charged when not in use.
Heard this said to a customer at Batteries Plus store. If you don't might be ok, might not.
I have a Vintage looking AGM battery, always trickle charged when not used. Got like 8 tra out of 1st one, ~ 4yrs so far on 2nd one
Heard this said to a customer at Batteries Plus store. If you don't might be ok, might not.
I have a Vintage looking AGM battery, always trickle charged when not used. Got like 8 tra out of 1st one, ~ 4yrs so far on 2nd one
A couple of years ago, I found a clearance/refurbished Interstate battery center by me in Westchester County, NY.
$50 a battery, doesn't matter the size.
Buying directly from Interstate, I've never had a problem or replaced a bought battery from them. How can you beat $50. I've got a couple of old Mercedes, so I always need a larger battery.
Anyway, I don't know if Interstate has similar centers throughout the country, just thought I'd throw my two cents in regarding batteries.
$50 a battery, doesn't matter the size.
Buying directly from Interstate, I've never had a problem or replaced a bought battery from them. How can you beat $50. I've got a couple of old Mercedes, so I always need a larger battery.
Anyway, I don't know if Interstate has similar centers throughout the country, just thought I'd throw my two cents in regarding batteries.
California chased them out...they are good at chasing business away and making people dependent on the system....I can't imagine there is that much difference in any of them. Except maybe the bargain basement cheapy. There is only a few manufacturers. I would not be surprised is the biggest difference is the sticker on the outside.
I miss the old Dearborn Battery place in Long Beach. They would re-manufacture batteries from cores. I dont recall them making all new batteries. They may have done that too. They made a good battery. They have been gone a long time. The EPA may have chased them out.
Chris
I had an Optima once. I found Costco batteries to last longer.
We've had a lot of battery threads on the VMF. A lot.
I really detest Interstate. Nothing they manufacture or have manufactured for them will ever grace one of my vehicles.
I worked in the battery industry out in the field, once upon a time. I think two vehicles out of the six here have flooded lead acid
batteries and the rest are AGM. Optima has definitely changed over the years. The two vehicles that have Optimas in them will
get changed to something else AGM when the time comes.
I really detest Interstate. Nothing they manufacture or have manufactured for them will ever grace one of my vehicles.
I worked in the battery industry out in the field, once upon a time. I think two vehicles out of the six here have flooded lead acid
batteries and the rest are AGM. Optima has definitely changed over the years. The two vehicles that have Optimas in them will
get changed to something else AGM when the time comes.
It is unfortunate that optima has not kept up its quality. I have one that must be over 20 years old that is still powering my Mustang. It’s been discharged completely twice and so far still holds a charge. I’m probably jinxing it by saying that. Never had a trickle charger on it either. It’s the way of things today…
I have a 58 VW bug (6 volt) and went through 2 wet batteries that gave me 2 years each. I went to Optima about 10 years ago and haven't had a problem since. Looks like I will be investigating AGM when the time comes.
I have had an Intestate in my El Camino for probably 10 years without trouble, but I know I'm on borrowed time with that one also.
Thanks for the tip on AGM. I'll start looking into it for the Mustang that I will need to start in the next month or two when I get the engine in it.
I have had an Intestate in my El Camino for probably 10 years without trouble, but I know I'm on borrowed time with that one also.
Thanks for the tip on AGM. I'll start looking into it for the Mustang that I will need to start in the next month or two when I get the engine in it.
I've wondered the same thing. I've looked at the same model battery in the "Good", "Better" and "Best" categories. There is a big difference in weight. I'm hoping that means the more expensive batteries have more lead and are indeed better batteries. Or, maybe it's just concrete. I don't know. I know the warranty is better with the more expensive batteries.I would not be surprised is the biggest difference is the sticker on the outside.
Things may have changed. My father was a plumber. After servicing and replacing them for years he decided that the difference in the good better best water heaters from a given manufacturer was often the sticker and warranty. I would suspect that could be true with other products such as batteries.I've wondered the same thing. I've looked at the same model battery in the "Good", "Better" and "Best" categories. There is a big difference in weight. I'm hoping that means the more expensive batteries have more lead and are indeed better batteries. Or, maybe it's just concrete. I don't know. I know the warranty is better with the more expensive batteries.
Sometimes the cost of what a company will eat in warranty claims is built into the price of their "better" and "best" available.
I have been using Wallet-Mart Everstart Maxx group 65 batteries in my diesel trucks and other Fords.
My Mustangs have Motorcraft 24-F batteries for the all-Ford-under-the-hood direction.
I've had very good service from both.
I have been using Wallet-Mart Everstart Maxx group 65 batteries in my diesel trucks and other Fords.
My Mustangs have Motorcraft 24-F batteries for the all-Ford-under-the-hood direction.
I've had very good service from both.
I’ve heard they’re going downhill, but my current one is doing just fine. My first two lasted a total of 16 years. Number three just a couple of years ago suffered a catastrophic failure through no fault of its own (battery cable welded itself to the header), and it was easily replaced via a pretty stout warranty.
More “guts” inside the battery’s case may provide more reserve capacity and more cold cranking amps but the cost of that is in the shorter life of the battery. All that extra stuff in there means less electrolyte and more chance of thermal issues..... shorter life.I've wondered the same thing. I've looked at the same model battery in the "Good", "Better" and "Best" categories. There is a big difference in weight. I'm hoping that means the more expensive batteries have more lead and are indeed better batteries. Or, maybe it's just concrete. I don't know. I know the warranty is better with the more expensive batteries.
1 - 20 of 46 Posts
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