NEW Optima Battery

[Camfab]

Optima now has a battery for our cars! I went to the Dodge dealer today to buy another battery for my car, and the price went from $85 two years ago to $165 today. So much for me trying to help out a sinking ship. Honestly I was pissed, but anyway I decided to stop by Kragen just to check what they had, and to my surprise Optima finally has a battery for us!

Domestic Car Performance: Find Your OPTIMA

Mods please don't delete this link as I believe many of our advertisers can get this battery, and because it's been such an issue for our cars.

Thanks

I'll review the fitment as soon as I get a chance to put it in. Hopefully today or tomorrow.

 

[-FROG-]

I went to the Dodge dealer today......

Well there's your first mistake right there....

 

[RevHeat]

I would stay clear of Optima. There are other batteries a lot better.

Rev

 

[SNKEBIT]

I would stay clear of Optima. There are other batteries a lot better.

Rev

I agree, every one I've had has been a piece of $#!+

 

[V10SpeedLuvr]

Optima is a great battery. Unless you actually plan on using it in a car. As a paperweight, they work great. As a spaceholder in your garbage can, there's nothing better. If you plan on using it in your car, I suggest having your tow truck driver's phone number in speeddial. I wouldn't trust an Optima in my TV remote.

 

[ryan94rt10]

i've heard they were a lot better back in the day when they were independantly owned...but they have been purchased by someone and the quality is crap now...but the price remains the same.

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

I went through two of them. I'll never buy another.

 

[Viper X]

The Love / Hate relationship with Optima is surprising.

Had three of them now in three different vehicles (one a Jeep). Abused all of them with high loads, long time in between uses, etc. and never had any issues with the Optima yellow top batteries - haven't been able to wear one out yet.

I do use a battery tender on my Vipers though.

Have you guys had issues with the red tops, yellow tops or all Optimas?

Dan

 

[ViperTony]

Optima *****. Get an Interstate.

 

[Bandit3]

Whoa---165 for a battery? Buy an Interstate-cheaper and at least as good. I never had a problem with mine. I sell them and very very few are warranteed.

 

[KERS-VPR]

Put an Optima red top in 6 years ago and its still good, I do keep a $4.99 Harbor Freight battery tender on it though.

 

[Slypopsracing]

Was given a red top as a gift several Christmas back and put . in Viper. Once after letting it sit 2 months it was slow to start (but did start) but really no problems. I probably will put in an Interstate just for piece of mind. I never use a battery tender, though.

 

[GTS Bruce]

Had a red top for 7 years. Took it out and still powering a pu truck 2 yrs later. Replaced with yellow top. Probably could drive back home 100 miles or so on the starter with a yellow top. Doesn't puke or pisz acid on your car either. If you can't figure out how to install and maintain it corectly then get yourself one of the acid pukers and piszers and let the chain store garage monkey install it. GTS Bruce

 

[2snakes4us]

Here is the battery you want and its a great price and warrenty.

AutoZone.com | Vehicle Selection | Year

 

[Camfab]

Wow I guess you guys have had some bad luck! I've never had an issue with them, and I'm assuming these are non Viper specific applications. Optima never had a battery that fit the Viper, unless of course you modified the tray or cut down the top posts (which will cause battery failure). In all honesty I had no issues with the factory battery untill I checked it after letting the car sit too long. It was at that point that I found after severe use (drifting the car), their was battery acid all over the tray and fasteners. Really that's my main concern at this point, so the Optima was a great find for me. Hopefully I won't experience any of the issues you guys are complaining about.

 

[RoadiJeff]

Go with a Sears Diehard. That's what I use and no trickle charger. My cars sits for up to two months at a time and fires right up afterward.

I've read way too many complaints on here about Optima over the years.

 

[triblk6spd]

I have had Red Tops in every car I have owned for the last 8 years. This includes 2 Corvettes, 3 trucks, and my 5.0 Mustang. I ALWAYS check the date code to be sure I am getting a fresh one. I also precharge the battery over night on a Tender. NEVER had a problem with one! I think where people go bad is they buy an Optima that has been sitting on a shelf for 2 years and then they drop it in their car/truck with other than a full charge.

Optima buying tips:
Get a fresh battery
Fully charge the battery before installation

How to read the date code:
I asked Optima how to read the date code, and Optima said the first digit is the year, and the next 3 digits the Julian date. So a date code of 8208 means it was made on the 208th day of 2008. This equates to early July, 2008.

 

[Martin]

Never had a problem with Optima batteries eithe - have one in the GTS and a Yellow Top in the Jeep. Both have been in place for more than five years with no problems. GTS doesn't have a tender installed and after a couple of months sitting, it is slow to crank, but fires right up and after a full charge is fine.

 

[luc]

never had any problem with optima. i have 3 red top ( all over 10 years old) and 1 yellow, but I also keet all my vehicles batteries on "life support"
Luc 00GTS

 

[EllowViper]

Geeze...and to think after 8 years I still have the original...and I have drianed it to 0% a few times by mistake too. I do drive the car often and it does not still for an extended period time. Good post for when the time actually comes around...

 

[viper spray]

I had 2 that went dead in less than a year.............

 

[VIPER GTSR 91]

Wow am I glad I searched and read these posts as I was just about to order one from Amazon which has the best price of 135.80 as of 6/22/2010 and free shipping for my 09 Viper. I will stay with the oem after these inputs. Thanks

 

[Martin]

Wow am I glad I searched and read these posts as I was just about to order one from Amazon which has the best price of 135.80 as of 6/22/2010 and free shipping for my 09 Viper. I will stay with the oem after these inputs. Thanks

I wouldn't count them completely out - and if you can still get the Viper Club Optima discount (great deal) you can get a Yellow Top for $115, including shipping. If it craps out on you, just call Optima and they'll send you a fresh one with no questions asked. I'm sure some people have had bad ones (I have too) but overall, I'm happy with them. Best of all, they don't leak. I have had the same Red Top in my GTS for seven or eight years now, and it gets abused like crazy - but still keeps on going. I had a Yellow Top in my Jeep that got serious abuse from all kinds of high-drain devices, and it got beat to crap when I'd be offroading - and it lasted about 8 years.

 

[carguy07]

i've heard they were a lot better back in the day when they were independantly owned...but they have been purchased by someone and the quality is crap now...but the price remains the same.

Bingo! Old pre Johnson Controls Optima will last forever. Current ones are paperweights. IMO

 

[Jance GTS]

I've heard that Optima batteries are junk unless you have a beefer alternator to keep it charged. They require a certain amount of amps to keep them from dieing. My friends told me not to get one, but I haven't had any problem with a red top in my truck.

 

[Camfab]

I guess it'***** and miss, it's now been over a year with no issues and the car sits quite a bit (not so good). Anyway the only reason to buy one of these in my opinion is that they don't leak.

 

[Bluvenm97]

Another for the Red Top Optima. Had to slightly stretch the battery tray, but it's been a rock solid unit. I do also use a battery tender..

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

I guess it'***** and miss, it's now been over a year with no issues and the car sits quite a bit (not so good). Anyway the only reason to buy one of these in my opinion is that they don't leak.

I like the idea that they don't leak but the inconsistency of the product outweighs the leak insurance for me. Diehards have been solid for 40 years and is what I have in my RT/10. I am currently running Interstate in my GTS and very happy with it.

It's also BS that it took Optima this long to come up with a Viper battery after all the free endorsements the Viper community has given them for more than ten years.

 

[MTGTS]

Weigh it when you get it

 

[J&R3xV10]

After having my OEM battery EXPLODE in my Ram SRT-10. I will never use anything but an Optima again. Have been that way since 96 and never had a problem yet. I don't know what you guys are taking about with Optima not having a battery for our cars because I have been using red tops in my vipers since I first replaced the OEM from my 94 in 1996! They allways fit well and no problems. With the kind of heat that we deal with out here in the desert, nothing beats the optima, oems never last more than 3 years.