2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Batteries

[Matt42]

Maybe they are better now

I won't rule out the possibility that Johnson Controls has the quality issues in their Mexican factory fixed and all is now well. The Mexican-made Red top in our minivan is still alive and well, which I need to say to be fair.



I understand that my truck was assembled in Mexico of Mexican and US made parts, so I can't complain too loudly. Still, I'll buy a U. S. made product out of preference when I can. That's especially true when I have had problems after a factory move. My truck gave me no such problems!

 

[SFPADGETT]

We use the Optima's D31A (very large and hard to fit, but they do). Our trucks are off road daily on new construction jobsites. For us, the optima's work well, last 7+ years. We used to use NAPA brand, but got tired of replacing every 3 years or so

 

[JMcCoy]

Still, I'll buy a U. S. made product out of preference when I can. That's especially true when I have had problems after a factory move. QUOTE]



Amen to that!

 

[Matt42]

We use the Optima's D31A (very large and hard to fit, but they do). Our trucks are off road daily on new construction jobsites. For us, the optima's work well, last 7+ years. We used to use NAPA brand, but got tired of replacing every 3 years or so

Does Optima still make that model (D31A) in the USA?

 

[dblake]

Mine say made in Mexico.

 

[Matt42]

Hmmm. The move to Mexico was in circa 2006 or 2007. Time will tell.

 

[wlowe]

The Sears Platinum Die Hard batteries are made by Enersys, the same company that makes the Odyssey batteries. Made in USA.



News Release

 

[Wyomingcowboy]

I use the Walmart or Costco batteries in all my vehicles and average about 7+ years on them. They are well less than half the cost of an Optima.

I 2nd this. I buy Walmart Maxx batteries because they are cheaper and with all the thousands of locations across the USA it's very easy to find replacements. I have had good luck with all the Wal Mart brand batteries in all of my vehicles. I had a '94 Chevy diesel with some serious drains that killed more than a few sets of batteries (my fault for not finding the parasite) and Wal Mart replaced them every time. With a 3 year REPLACEMENT and 7 year prorate, they really are hard to beat.

p. s. - not to bash Optima because I think they are a great battery - (albeit very expensive) but I have to jump those batteries as much as anything. I know it's mostly driver error, but they are no more immune to operator error than the cheapies. Take care of whatever you buy and more than likely they will last a long time.

 

[Matt42]

If I lived in a climate where a flooded cell battery actually lasted more than 18 months, and didn't die with no warning at all, I might use an Interstate or a WalMart or some such. But here, the heat kills regular batteries as dead as a bullet to the head and with just as much warning. You can stop at the grocery after a morning's errands on a 115 degree day and come out with a cart full of $100 worth of ice cream, only to find a dead battery. And that's with the kind of flooded cell battery that you can add water to, and even if you have religiously checked and added water each and every week since it was new. All day, the car or truck starts and runs just fine. then nothing. But change the scenario to in the desert, 75 miles from pavement, where the pavement is 75 miles from town, and where you are is 50 miles from any hope of cell coverage. And a recovery tow or someone with jumper cables is a $600 service call. It's at that point where the AGM battery really looks good, since they give fair warning when they are getting old and about to fail. At least, that is, when they are not defective right out of the factory.

My first replacement set in my truck was a set of Optima AGM batteries, and they lasted more than 5 years. I put them to work as trailer tongue deep cycle batteries, even though they were red tops! I've never been stranded with AGMs, except when the second replacement Optima set, made in Mexico, "crumped" out in the driveway. Now I use Dekka, Odyssey or the Batteries Plus house brand AGM.

An unexpected result, though, is that none of my vehicles have battery acid corrosion effects anywhere. Zero. Nada. Not even a trace. The battery cables and boxes look nearly factory new. All those factors together, for me, make the hefty price tag worth it. That won't be true for everyone.

 

[Ramtuf1]

Slow cranking issues forced me to make a new battery purchase. Thanks to this thread, I went with the Die Hard "Platinum P-1" set. They had one battery inside the Sears Automotive Center store and the other was out in the shop. After I got home and started to put them in the truck, I noticed that the one from the store had a sticker on it "12-10" The other didn't have any post protector caps on it and the sticker read "01-09".



If I read it correctly that is the production date and they have a two year differential span. I called the manager of the store back (I originally purchased them from him) and told him that at that price, it was unacceptable to have batteries that were made two years apart and that I wanted a fresher battery for the older one from the shop. I believe that they do deteriorate while on the shelf and the older must have been used previously for something. He had no problem and I have to call him back this next Friday or so and pick up the newer one.



Even now the starter cranks over like it used to.

 

[WDixon27]

batteries pretty much crapped as soon as i got my truck and i thought about optimas but the $160 a pop price changed my mind, ended up with conventionals from sams for $74 out the door for the pair, found the two freshest ones on the shelf dated aug 05 (it was sept 05) and they are still rolling, little acid now and then but nothing some commercial spray degreaser and the hose can't take care of. re did the connections a couple years ago with hmmwv clamps and soldered on lugs, great connection and gives a few more places to draw power from, most of the factory cables are in use



#ad


#ad