optima red tops
- Thread starter wmoguy
- Start date
johneich
John, 1983 F250
In reading the threads here (I do not have personal knowledge), Optimas are no longer worth the money (They cheapened up the manufacturing) NAPA 1,000-1,100 CCA group 31s with studs are used by a lot and are less expensive than Optimas. A little bit of mod is required to lower one battery tray. All from memory...
ford390gashog
Full Access Member
NOT worth the money!!!!!!!!!!! I just run GP 65 from Walamart 90.00 each and 1000 CCA at 32 degrees.
6 Nebraska IDIs
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Don't waste your money. They aren't even true dry cell batteries anymore. I had one blow up in my eclipse last spring and when I reported it and complained they said they would pay to replace or refinish all damaged parts in the engine compartment. After a year of dicking around with johnson controlls claims dept, wasting hours of my time getting estimates for repainting the hood and firewall and other estimates, they just called me up one day and said we arent paying for anything there's nothing wrong with the battery. This was after months of them telling me to just get them a couple estimates and they would take care of the damage. BS! They told me to take them to court over it if I wanted to loose a bunch of money in tied up legal fees. I hate big corporations like that.
Anyway rant off. They are no longer made in the US is one of the biggest problems. Second they changed the design to where it is no longer a dry cell battery, which is their biggest selling point for most people where their application is going to be a very nice show car or something of the like.
They aren't worth your money. I paid twice as much as a wet cell battery for this POS and all it got me was $2700 in paint damage and other finish damaged items in my car.
Anyway rant off. They are no longer made in the US is one of the biggest problems. Second they changed the design to where it is no longer a dry cell battery, which is their biggest selling point for most people where their application is going to be a very nice show car or something of the like.
They aren't worth your money. I paid twice as much as a wet cell battery for this POS and all it got me was $2700 in paint damage and other finish damaged items in my car.
ford390gashog
Full Access Member
They say "HECHO EN MEXICO" and " MADE IN MEXICO" on the top of the battery.
CDX825
filtration nut
Yup johnson controls bought the company and the quality went down the drain.
If you want a a good AGM battery deka makes one. If you don't have a Deka dealer near you Napa sells them under their own name.
If you want a a good AGM battery deka makes one. If you don't have a Deka dealer near you Napa sells them under their own name.
They used to be owned by a Swedish company and made in COlorado out of all new materials, and then they got sold and all teh American workers fired ( one of them an IDI owner over on FTE ) and a new plant built in Mexico where they redesigned the things to where they are now made out of used materials and they no longer have the 7 year warranty , they lowered that to 3 and good luck getting one to last that long. Only reason I still have any is because my local dealer keeps covering them under warranty when they croak after a year and a half., as soon as that stops, my cars are getting something else.
As far as a truck, a red top never was a good match. They have a high cranking amp rating but a low reserrve capacity, and on a diesel, when you are needing to grind on the starter on a cold morning, it's the reserve capacity that gives you the ability to keep cranking. A high CCA batt with a low reserve cap will give a quick spin then run out of steam and leave you praying that your AAA is paid up. If someone just HAD to have an optima
a yellow top would be a better choice, but even better would be a pair of regular group 31s commercial batts. They spin like crazy, you can get them at Truck Pro if you have one nearby for around $100 ea, and not much more at other places and the real big plus , when travelling, you can get those things at any truckstop in the country, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week without having to go hunting through unfamiliar towns for a parts store that may or may not have a replacement for your batt.
As far as a truck, a red top never was a good match. They have a high cranking amp rating but a low reserrve capacity, and on a diesel, when you are needing to grind on the starter on a cold morning, it's the reserve capacity that gives you the ability to keep cranking. A high CCA batt with a low reserve cap will give a quick spin then run out of steam and leave you praying that your AAA is paid up. If someone just HAD to have an optima
a yellow top would be a better choice, but even better would be a pair of regular group 31s commercial batts. They spin like crazy, you can get them at Truck Pro if you have one nearby for around $100 ea, and not much more at other places and the real big plus , when travelling, you can get those things at any truckstop in the country, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week without having to go hunting through unfamiliar towns for a parts store that may or may not have a replacement for your batt.
Silver Burner
Burnin' Oil&Rubber
I bought 2 880 CCA batteries from an Interstate rep in portland for 30 bucks a piece plus my old batteries installed. They were a year old and debadged and have been perfect. IMO, find an Interstate dealer and buy some used Interstates. It's by far the most cost-effective way to go
93cc7.3
needs turbo power
I had em had yellow tops now have 1250 cca group 31s's I wont ever buy optimas again for my car stereo stuff ill go to powermaster agms or odyessy agms
Kevin 007
Full-floater
I have a pair of the old Colorado ones. and they are great. Never any issues, always start the rig even when I had to bleed a new pump,filter and lift pump at the same time (during freezing temps) Not a drop in cranking speed, not even once. Thats with the radio playing to as I was doing all the work.
Mine are about 6 years old or so and I never touch em.
But the new ones are garbage.
Mine are about 6 years old or so and I never touch em.
But the new ones are garbage.
Thhx for all the info guys. I ended up picking up 2 850 CCA batteries from AutoZone. They are the "Duralast Gold" They had one battery grade higher called their Platinum series, which the guy told me supposedly does well in scenarios where a vehicle flips over on it's side, etc... My thoughts were "um, my batteries will be the last of my worries if I roll it. " I would've liked to have some Group 31's in this thing but when I got around to making the purchase tonight no store open had any.
Hopefully these are better than the crappy Walmart batteries this thing had in it when I bought it. Those batteries were new in Feb of this year, and both were DOA this morning when I attempted to start her. I had a full charge, but as soon as I flicked the starter there was not enough juice to even spin the starter. I'll never again have a Walmart battery. I had issue with one several years back in my F250 V10. It tested at Napa and clearly was a bad battery, but the local Walmart would not warranty it and told me it was fine. I replaced it out of pocket elsewhere and naturally no more issues.
Same thing today, both batteries showed less than 150 CCA at both an Oreilly's and a Napa store. Walmart said they were "within specs" but refused to let me watch them test it or show me the printout. 
Popped the new batteries in and you'd have thought I just gave the old beast a new heart. They spun that starter faster than I ever remember. Hopefully these Duralasts don't give me any trouble.
Hopefully these are better than the crappy Walmart batteries this thing had in it when I bought it. Those batteries were new in Feb of this year, and both were DOA this morning when I attempted to start her. I had a full charge, but as soon as I flicked the starter there was not enough juice to even spin the starter. I'll never again have a Walmart battery. I had issue with one several years back in my F250 V10. It tested at Napa and clearly was a bad battery, but the local Walmart would not warranty it and told me it was fine. I replaced it out of pocket elsewhere and naturally no more issues.
Same thing today, both batteries showed less than 150 CCA at both an Oreilly's and a Napa store. Walmart said they were "within specs" but refused to let me watch them test it or show me the printout. Popped the new batteries in and you'd have thought I just gave the old beast a new heart. They spun that starter faster than I ever remember. Hopefully these Duralasts don't give me any trouble.
lindstromjd
Black Sheep
I've burned up 4 Red Top RED78's in the past year. I don't know if it's because my truck gets hungry and likes to have a snack every now and then, but it's a good thing I was able to warrantee them out each time. After this last pair went, and only after 2 months, I said screw it and went with a set of GRP65's.
T
Hopefully these are better than the crappy Walmart batteries this thing had in it when I bought it. Those batteries were new in Feb of this year, and both were DOA this morning when I attempted to start her. I had a full charge, but as soon as I flicked the starter there was not enough juice to even spin the starter. I'll never again have a Walmart battery. I had issue with one several years back in my F250 V10. It tested at Napa and clearly was a bad battery, but the local Walmart would not warranty it and told me it was fine. I replaced it out of pocket elsewhere and naturally no more issues.
Popped the new batteries in and you'd have thought I just gave the old beast a new heart. They spun that starter faster than I ever remember. Hopefully these Duralasts don't give me any trouble.
Your experience with wal mart batts is not uncommon. Everytime I used to have a customer's car come in with a bad batt , if it was a wally world batt that was under warranty, I'd try to take it in for them to see if I could get the things replaced, but they ALWAYS tested out good at wally world. All they would do is put a voltmeter on the things and if they even came close to 12v it was a pass, and of course, they would have to charge the thing to "test" it if if came in dead as a doornail, so they'd pull it off the fast charge and lo and behold, they would get 12v, but they would refuse to give them any kind of load test, or let it sit 10 minutes and try again. Every one was declared good, but they'd be happy to sell another one.
Then I'd take it across the street to Advance and they'd put it on a real tester and every one would test out dead as a doornail . I know the guys there, and I'always try, to take their printout back to wally to see if I could get them to make good on the pile of junk, but it was always no go because they had tested it good
What a scam, so Id have to call my customers up and see what they wanted to do with their worthless warranty battWhos ever heard of a place that sells that many batts that doesnt even have so much as a simple load tester.
I can't believe nobody had any 31s batts there. Usually even autozone and advance etc carries the things, Tractor supply carries them, They're pretty common.
Midwest_Mudder
Full Access Member
any farm store shoulda had some group 31s. then again, most farm stores around me close up pretty early for winter hours.
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