Optima Batteries

[Nader]

Just caught this on the front page of this site. What are the benefits of the optima Batteries and what are the differences between the colors?




The Viper Club of America is very pleased to present, in cooperation with the Speed World Challenge Series, Woodhouse Performance, and Optima Batteries, the VCA Optima Battery Program. Only one-hundred (100) batteries will be available under this program - first come, first served. The average retail price for Optima Batteries is $175 for Red Top, $195 for yellow top, and $209 for Blue Top. Under this very special program we are pleased to make the following offer for brand-new Optima batteries shipped directly to you right from the factory:

VCA Members
Red Top: $125 including shipping, signed driver poster, large WC Viper poster, and two World Challenge tickets
Yellow Top*: $145 including shipping, signed poster, large WC Viper poster, and two World Challenge tickets
Blue Top*: $165 including shipping, signed driver poster, large WC Viper poster, and two World Challenge tickets

VCA Venom Members
Red Top: $110 including shipping, signed driver poster, large WC Viper poster, and two World Challenge tickets
Yellow Top*: $125 including shipping, signed driver poster, large WC Viper poster, and two World Challenge tickets
Blue Top*: $140 including shipping, signed driver poster, large WC Viper poster, and two World Challenge tickets

* EXCLUDES all Group 31 dual-purpose batteries - not available with this offer

These battery packages will be sold on a first come, first served basis - when they are out they are out! You will be sent a certificate for one Optima Battery of your choosing (excluding Group 31), the posters, and redemption instructions upon payment. We are accepting any major credit cards through PayPal, payable to [email protected]. Note that the certificates can be redeemed anytime until April of 2010 - all batteries are shipped fresh from the Optima factory and include all applicable warranties.

 

[dave6666]

Uh-oh. Where's all the Optima battery haters...

I think one of the benefits is that according to some they fail quickly and you'll become an expert at installing new batteries in your car!

 

[ACR steve]

they are great in that they don't leak. However they don't last either. I get a year or less out of them. Even the battery rep says they have problems with the battery not lasting. No Joke this am I went to start my everyday car and it was so dead the interior light didn't even come on. I put a yellow top in about 10 months ago after the red top lasted only 12 months. Point being besides the fact that they do not leak , the batteries are JUNK. I will be buying another new battery tonight

 

[Red Snake]

Just caught this on the front page of this site. What are the benefits of the optima Batteries and what are the differences between the colors?

They look cool?

 

[Martin]

I think the manufacturing quality consistency varies a lot. I have one in every car I own, and at one point I was swapping out the ones in one car under warranty every six months or so. Other than that, though, once I got a good one, they seem to last forever. I've had a Yellow top in my Jeep for eight years now and it's still going strong. Red top in the GTS isn't on a tender and the car has started just fine for the last three years - even after sitting for a couple of months (I never turn the alarm on at home, though).

 

[01sapphirebob]

Now I have heard nothing but good things about these batteries. So I jumped on the offer. Seemed like a good price and some neat things to go with it.

 

[J&R3xV10]

yellow tops for as long as I can remember in the 94 and no problems.

 

[plumcrazy]

they're junk

 

[01sapphirebob]

Optima said I should go with the red top. whats the difference? I already placed my order based on this but maybe I can change it.

yellow tops for as long as I can remember in the 94 and no problems.

 

[HSSSSSS]

Very interesting....I ordered one of those Optima batteries on special last night and today they go to fire up the rebuilt engine and the one year old battery was not only dead but would not hold a charge. I had gotten a good battery and it did not last so I will try the Optima. The price is right and it cannot be worse than the one I now have. Noone will be able to see that it matches the car, but I will know.

 

[RevHeat]

Read consumer reports!!!!!! Then do a search here. Enough said.

Rev

 

[Lee00blacksilverGTS]

It's a far superior battery. I have them in all of my cars, with the exception of the newer ones where the original battery is still going strong.
As with all things, take care of it and it will take care of you. Most of us are guilty of not driving our cars enough, somehow we expect the battery not to go dead when that happens. Use a battery tender and an Optima will probably last the life of the car, it's that good a battery. Severely abuse it by allowing it to get completely discharged and you will have the same problems as other batteries, but normally you will have paid more for an Optima so the pain seems greater.
I had far more problems with other batteries even while using battery tenders than I have had since switching to the Optimas.

 

[past ohio]

Not bashing only these colored top batteries, I have never bought one because I don't see the economics in spending twice as much for a battery....I thought the general concensus was the Sears with the 3 year warranty is the way to go BUT you have to put a battery disconnect on the neg terminal no matter which you spend your money on....too many things bring down these batteries when sitting around !! My $.02

 

[dave6666]

I guess us year round drivers in Texas should take a closer look?

 

[Camfab]

Hopefully they are sending you the specific Viper Red Top because the normal Red top OR any other color does not work in Gen II's. I think I paid close to $190 for mine a couple of months ago. Check the Optima website! It's a great deal only if it's the right battery, and they just came out with the new style.

 

[BoeingMan]

I have not had any luck with them, although I have heard of others being pleased with theirs.

I am on my third red top as we speak. The first two had to be replaced under warranty after having gone bad, (would not hold a charge), after about one year of use each. Admitedly, I did not keep mine on a tender when the car sat for long periods.

Seems like a battery tender might improve my luck but may be a bit of a hassle.

 

[Y2K5SRT]

Johnson Controls makes the Optima, DieHard, Duralast, Interstate, ProStart, Everstart, Motorcraft, and several other private-label brands. They are the largest battery manufacturer in North America. Haven't tried one myself, but do know a lot of folks that are happy with them. Plus these guys:

Optima User Testimonials

Figure with a three-year full replacement warranty that the risks are pretty low. We shall see!

 

[GR8_ASP]

For the most part the owner cannot adjust for the factor that impacts the battery life the most. That is the charging. Electronic voltage regulation is defined for a specific battery types properties. Changing battery types (i.e. flooded lead acid to absorbent glass mat to absorbent glass mat spiral wound, etc) changes the optimum charging characteristics. With differences in discharge rates, battery temperature, system voltage drops, etc a system designed for one type of battery may be problematic with another type. Not necessarily the batteries fault, but an impact on the batteries life.

I presume that JCI has evaluated the charging systems on Vipers and determined that the environment is appropriate for their spiral wound AGM battery before undergoing such an advertising campaign.

 

[01sapphirebob]

Optima's web site there is two different styles for my particular car. "Boxed" and "Unboxed." What would be the difference? Its does show that the posts are on the side of the battery which is what I beleve I need.

Hopefully they are sending you the specific Viper Red Top because the normal Red top OR any other color does not work in Gen II's. I think I paid close to $190 for mine a couple of months ago. Check the Optima website! It's a great deal only if it's the right battery, and they just came out with the new style.

 

[adamlotus]

if your going to have an optima and not drive the car much you need a battery tender or it will be junk

 

[ViperGeorge]

I've only had one premature battery failure in 48 years of driving. An Optima.

 

[Billy Coons]

Hmmm, the Optima website doesn't even list a Viper for 2003 in their vehicle selection menu!

 

[01sapphirebob]

I probably drive my car three days a week.

if your going to have an optima and not drive the car much you need a battery tender or it will be junk

 

[Martin2000GTS]

Bought my car 5 years ago from Jason Hefner. He had a whole bunch of new optima batteries at his shop. He put a new red top in the day i bought his car, 5 years later I still have the same battery, starts up real quick never had a problem

Any battery is going to give you problems if you let your car sit for months at a time with out driving it. They will all lose charge and everntually be useless if left empty for any period of time. Dosent matter wether its an optima or a diehard.

My Dad works at UNH does research work on Physics stuff......when I went up there to visit him I saw that he had a bunch of OPTIMA batteries there that he uses for his experiments !!haha

 

[Camfab]

Optima's web site there is two different styles for my particular car. "Boxed" and "Unboxed." What would be the difference? Its does show that the posts are on the side of the battery which is what I beleve I need.

(9078-109) is the part number on the website. I have no idea what boxed or unboxed means, possibly the way it's shipped. Mines in the car so I can't see the part number. All I can say is that all other conventional batteries leak. So far no issues.

 

[past ohio]

One other thing that shortens battery life is in the winter area (those northern places) IF the battery isn't fully charged and the battery CAN freeze and therefore it may not hold a full charge thereafter....just my $.02

 

[HSSSSSS]

I ordered my VCA Optima battery more than a month ago and it still has not arrived. Anyone know why?

 

[trojewski]

My CC was charged and I haven't even seen the promised coupon.

 

[Viper Specialty]

Go with the Yellow Tops guys... trust me. We have NEVER had an issue with Yellow Tops, and their reserve capacity is much higher than the Red Tops. The "big deal" about the yellow tops is their ability to not be damaged by being frequently discharged/sit around being slowly discharged and thus last much longer than the red tops in the same scenario. [such as when we dont drive our cars for weeks at a time]

 

[HSSSSSS]

Go with the Yellow Tops guys... trust me. We have NEVER had an issue with Yellow Tops, and their reserve capacity is much higher than the Red Tops. The "big deal" about the yellow tops is their ability to not be damaged by being frequently discharged/sit around being slowly discharged and thus last much longer than the red tops in the same scenario. [such as when we dont drive our cars for weeks at a time]

Does yellow take longer to make? cause that's what I ordered.