batteries

[Task125]

looking for new batteries,who has the best?and the best price.

 

[Soot4Life]

COSTCO... ... ... ... ..... Optima Red Tops gels @ $99 each.

 

[LBTRS]

Sure wish Costco here had them. I look every time I go (once a week) and have never seen them here.

 

[Blakers]

They have them at Battery Web for $99 too. I never used them, but may try them when I need new ones.



Blake

 

[me4osu]

Got my Red Tops at Pep Boys

for $109. 00. Not the cheapest, but they had them.

 

[AlFischer]

What is so special about an Optima Red Top? This is new to me.

 

[me4osu]

900 A peak with 880 CCA in a much smaller housing than a lead / acid. It uses a spiral plate with gel electrolite. No maintenance and no mess. 2yr full replacement and 84mo pro-rate thereafter.

Also, they are built to handle more heat and vibration than a lead acid battery. Do a search for Optimas in the accessories forum, there is a member who works for Interstate batteries who knows a lot about them. I can't remember his name though.

 

[Mark_Kendrick]

I think Bad340fish works for interstate

 

[Task125]

thanks for the help,

I guess i will go with red tops for my truck. I also need batteries for the boat. two for the engines and one house.

 

[me4osu]

I have heard that you need Blue Tops for a boat. They are a deep-cycle battery. You might check with Bad340fish though. He knows quite a bit about batteries.

 

[PHaller]

I bought Costcos own brand Kirkland batteries for $112 for the pair. Made by Interstate, has a 84 month warranty, and 2 year free replacement. Why would I buy a red top for twice as much with the same warranty and the same CCA??

-Paul R. Haller-

 

[Dave MacArthur]

I was all ready to replace mine with the Optimas this fall but I just read a Consumer Reports Article that didn't rate them very high. They may last longer, but they didn't perform well in the CCA and Reserve capacity tests. I may go with the Diehard Gold. It has a 3 year full replacement warranty. I've always had good luck with the Diehards in the past.



Here's what they said in the article;



"We also tested the 34/78-size "spiral-cell" Optima, shown above. Instead of a bank of conductive plates, each of its cells has a single pair of positive and negative plates wound into a spiral. The manufacturer, Johnson Controls, says the Optima will last longer and resist vibration better than conventional batteries and can mount in any position. We couldn't test for battery life, but our tests for other key qualities placed the $140 Optima lower in the Ratings than conventional batteries that cost far less. "

 

[Blakers]

I usually do opposite of whatever Consumer Reports says. I believe they are totally crooked. After what they did to the Jeep CJs I have no respect for them whatsoever.



I have no experience with Optima batteries, but have heard good things about them. The price is pretty good as stated here.



Over the years I've used batteries from NAPA, Diehard, Walmart, AutoZone, etc. Most recently I've had good luck with the AutoZone ones.



My Ram currently has some big industrial batteries in her that the previous owner installed. Not sure where he got them. They were new when I bought it.



Blake

 

[DarrellB]

I was going to put the optimas on my truck last year when I need new bats but just couldn't justify spending the $$$. I bought two Superlexes from my local big-rig shop and they have a 2 year free replacement warranty and cost half what the red tops do.



I think the optimas are great for boats, RVs, serious 4x4s and other extreme offroad equipment that may drain the battery a lot, but for an everyday driver a regular battery will do just fine. IMO Just get something with a warranty and you'll be fine.



Darrell

 

[athompson]

I would agree that Consumer Reports rarely, if ever, reports anything accurately. I quit even looking at it after I found that they regularly rigged tests.



As for the Optima batteries, I have one in my Sami and I had one in my last truck. I chose the Optima because their design allows them to be much happier after being jostled around while wheeling than the typical lead-acid battery. In fact, I replace the Delco in my last truck with an Optima because the Delco was leaking.



I will not hesitate to put Optima batteries in the Ram. In fact, they are on my short list, right after some real offroad tires.



By the way, here in the desert, the typical lead-acid battery rarely sees more than three years of service because the electrolyte evaporates out. Before they "maintenance-proofed" the batteries, I alway got at least 5 years out of them. So I by the cheapest battery I can find (usually at WalMart) for my cars.

 

[illflem]

Originally posted by Paul R. Haller

Why would I buy a red top for twice as much with the same warranty and the same CCA??

Because a redtop won't puke acid and ruin your paint job nor corrode your wiring. They also require zero maintenance. If these things don't concern you save your money.

 

[Task125]

Thanks again guys,

I have till winter to find best price around here.

 

[AlFischer]

With that many CCA why do we need 2 batteries in the Ram? Considering I live in Central California and rarely see 30 degrees one battery should be enough I would think. Or is the cranking draw actually that high?



How would ONE Optima do?

 

[illflem]

One battery will work fine until you need the preheater. The wait to start light and heater will come on under 50° but you can go ahead and start it anyways without preheat down to around freezing with no problems. You may have to crank longer and get a little more smoke at start up though.

 

[Oxjockey]

Go by Consumer Reports? Not on your life. They're used ALL over the off roading community not only because they're sealed, but because they're great. One magazine was testing winches all day and didn't realize their alternator was no longer working, they were running the tests on the Red Top.



There's another brand of batteries that are also top shelf, but I can't remember the name.



Got it:

http://www.odysseyfactory.com



Bryan