Are Optima Batteries All That Good?

[azredliner]

I'v been considering buying an Optima battery. I want to know if these batteries are worth the extra money. I don't get offroad too much but my Toyota sure lacks in suspention. Every time I go over a speed bump, I feel like I was just rock crawling. My battery is alway wet on top. I figure it must be acid sloshing out from the rough ride.
I want to hear from you guys that have really put the Optima batteries through thier paces.

I voted for what I know (not much). That is why I am running this pole. I want to hear from people that have "tried and tested" these spiral-gel Opima batteries. I want to hear your "Real World" experiences.

[hylander]

I wish someone would chime in here.
Afreind of mine has one in his trvel trailer.
Runs the lights all night, Much better than a conventional Battery.
But it Ain't bouncin' around in a 4X4.

[yoda]

ive got an optima yellow top, which is the battery you would want for your application. i have seen a write up in petersons where they actually parked a truck on top of the battery and it didnt break. i think they are definitley worth the money if you are having issues with your current battery leaking. you wont have any problems with an optima leaking, because they are literally indestructable, and are much better for running a lot of off road accesories. i'd say, go for it. you can find them at costco fro around 99 bucks i think.

[azredliner]

I wish someone would chime in here.
Afreind of mine has one in his trvel trailer.
Runs the lights all night, Much better than a conventional Battery.
But it Ain't bouncin' around in a 4X4.

Thanks for the feedback.

[azredliner]

ive got an optima yellow top, which is the battery you would want for your application. i have seen a write up in petersons where they actually parked a truck on top of the battery and it didnt break. i think they are definitley worth the money if you are having issues with your current battery leaking. you wont have any problems with an optima leaking, because they are literally indestructable, and are much better for running a lot of off road accesories. i'd say, go for it. you can find them at costco fro around 99 bucks i think.

We don't have a Costco here in Yuma, AZ. The cheapest I've seen was the red top for $115.00. I'm going to Phoenix this Tuesday. Maybe I can find a Costco there. Thanks for the feedback.

[Arnold]

I have a red top in my truck that's nearly 11 years old and still going. If/when it dies, another red top will replace it.

[cruiseroutfit]

I've been running a red top for my main system and a yellow top for my winch/auxilliary system for the last 4 years, I love them. I would do them again in a heartbeat.

[Cody]

I've been running a red top for my main system and a yellow top for my winch/auxilliary system for the last 4 years, I love them. I would do them again in a heartbeat.


I'm running the same set up. Red Tops in all my other vehicles.

[jacks]

I'm running a redtop in my Tundara and it as awesome. I run my laptop fro hours and other accesories and it keeps up always.

I am goung to get one for the 4 runner as soon as I kill the old battery. I get them at Costco as well.

[trdorwheeler]

optima is the only way to go. period

[lmanba]

first of all I am half idiot.......Three years ago i bought a yellowtop. At the time i did not want to spend 170.00 on a battery, but my friend convinced me that it would not let me down, so i did it. like i said I'am half idiot. and mounted in my truck, but not very securely. and went wheelin. it must have shifted. a couple weeks later when i opened my hood. I noticed that my power steering pump and belt had worn a 1/2 inch deep groove into the side of the battery..I slapped some Duct tape over the hole. nothing has ever leaked from it. It is still performing like a new battery. If i wear it down with the winch, i just wait a minute and the truck starts back up. so..... hell yeah i think it was well worth the extra money.

[TrucksChixnbeer]

but i agree you are half idiot if not maybe 7/8ths :beer:

[azredliner]

ive got an optima yellow top, which is the battery you would want for your application. i have seen a write up in petersons where they actually parked a truck on top of the battery and it didnt break. i think they are definitley worth the money if you are having issues with your current battery leaking. you wont have any problems with an optima leaking, because they are literally indestructable, and are much better for running a lot of off road accesories. i'd say, go for it. you can find them at costco fro around 99 bucks i think.

Would I need to make any mods? Such as battery hight or width? The current battery I have is too big for the tray. I had to raise it a little also.

[azredliner]

I have a red top in my truck that's nearly 11 years old and still going. If/when it dies, another red top will replace it.

What year is your truck? Did the battery go right in or did you have to do a little modification? (Spacers, ect.)

[lmanba]

At the time i put in my battery. My battery tray was shot. so i bought a cheap plastic replacement and anchored it to the fender with self tap screws.
I also, bought an extra terminal, to screw into the optional terminal side mount, cause my stock cable did not reach the top mounted terminal. other than that it fit into my 89 extra cab just fine.

[BigDaddy]

I have a yellow top and have never had a problem. When I narrowed the front I put a small cheap wal-mart acid in, with my yellow top in the back and have never had a problem. $115.00 is a great price! I hear the Blue tops are good aslo.

[azredliner]

I have a red top in my truck that's nearly 11 years old and still going. If/when it dies, another red top will replace it.

Thanx for the reply. Love that pup. Lab?

[12volt]

Red top for the cranking battery (main) and use a yellow top for the aux battery (stereo, winch, rock lights etc...) The Red Top is designed for Cranking, if you use a yellow top for cranking it doesnt last as long. The optima is smaller than the factory battery. You should still be able to use the factory mounting brackets. My factory mounting bracket was gone, so I just made one from 3/16" steel.

[93runner]

Optima Red top for starting, and eventually when I get a winch, a Yellow top for the accessories. :Rockonman

[Arnold]

Thanx for the reply. Love that pup. Lab?

Got an '86 truck and the red top bolted right in. The battery comes w/ a plastic spacer that mounts on the bottom of it. I've stalled my winch numerous times and never had any probs starting the truck. When the cheap battery in my '85 truck dies, it'll be replaced w/ a red top.

The pup is part lab and heeler. He's no longer a puppy though, just turned 2 in March.
:D

[wa4x4]

I have the oppurtunity to buy a used yellow top that was used in a guys truck for about 2 years for 40 bucks. Is this a good deal? The battery that is in my truck now used to be in my 4runner, but the 4runner outgrew the battery with its stereo.

[93runner]

Buy, Buy, Buy.

$40 for a Yellow top, even used is an awesome deal. I would just ask if the guy has ever had a winch or any power hungry accessories attached to it, even then it'll still probably last another 4-5 years.

[vigilantejustic]

personally I've never had an optima, but I have friends that do, on my friend's 82 we got stuck up in the mountains due to electrical problems and were able to have the stereo on, then we ended up using a combination of us pushing and him using the starter to get us over a hill, then coasting back down the mountain. After beating on the electrical system, it started up no problem and we'd been up there for around 4 hours.

When you guys say you have a redtop up front and a yellow top in back, how do you have that set up? is the one in back hooked up to the alternator? or are they daisy chained?

[seth]

I have had mixed results with optimas. I had a yellow top that lasted quite a while and I loved it, powered my stereo for an hour before it died, but I accidently wore a hole through the bottom and killed it. That one was my fault. The one i bought to replace it however, didn't work quite as well. I have had it for about a year and a half, and it is only holding a charge for about half as long as when i bought it originally. The thing I wonder is, if these batteries are so awesome, why doesn't Optima have the balls to have more than a 12/12 month warrenty?

[934rnr]

I had my alternator die on the trail. The optima red top got me off the trail and 15 miles with my headlights on before I had to shut it off and goto the parts store for a alternator.
I only shut it off because my headlights were getting quite dim and it was dark.
I have yet to buy a conventional battery since.

[12volt]

Optima's have 2 and 3 year warranties. Depending on which battery.

[azredliner]

Optima's have 2 and 3 year warranties. Depending on which battery.

What part number or battery number should I get for my '84?

[joez]

Time to go against the grain.

I like my Exide Orbital better than the optima i had. I was VERY dissapointed in the optima, maybee i just got a bad one, but it wouldnt hold a charge after only 3 years, and it sure didnt like the cold. Like i said, maybee i just got a bad one, but it was enough that i wont buy another one. The Exide has been great, in fact i liked it so much i bought two more for my K5.

[Big Dave]

i had a cheap bat in my truck then i hooked up a few amps and some subs in my truck then i started to adjust it all i about a half hour the bat was dead and i had to charge it up .. my friend at audioxtreme said to try out a optima .. i did and we ran the stero for about 3 hr fine no power loss then i used to run it on the job site for 8 hrs a day .. never had a problem i also forge to turn off my lights at night it allways starts up the next morning .. i would never go back red tops are great seen wonderful things done witha yellow top aswell :Thumbsup: