2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission What is up with Optima battery prices?

[CTait]

About a year ago I needed new bateries and after reading about them here decided to go with the Optima red tops. I bought one at Auto Zone and paid 109. 00. A week later I bought the other one at Costco and paid 99. 00. I was back in Costco less than two weeks ago and noticed that they are now carrying the yellow tops. The thing I really took note of the price was 138. 99 for the red tops. I was back in Costco today and decided to look at the Optimas again and about fell over when I saw the price on the red tops had gone up to 146. 99. My son is needing batteries in his 97 and was on his way to Auto Zone so I asked him to check their price on the red tops. He reported that they quoted him 186. 95. I know they claim they have a 99. 5% pure lead content but they are pricing these things like they are made of gold. Have other brands of batteries taken a huge price increase? Evidently,the US dollar is in a hyper inflation phase.

 

[ironbutt]

Optimas are a good battery, but the price is going thru the roof. The standard lead acid battery in 850 CCA is less than half the price of Optimas, and for my money they will last as long. My original batterys are still good after 120K mi. and over 5years. (Feb 22 02, was my delivery date)

I plan to replace my batterys soon just to be on the safe side, but I think that I will replace with Interstate battery. $ for $ as good as I need. And I'll do it for the price of 1 Optima. Just my $. 02.

 

[Matt42]

Optimas are a good battery, but the price is going thru the roof. The standard lead acid battery in 850 CCA is less than half the price of Optimas, and for my money they will last as long. My original batterys are still good after 120K mi. and over 5years. (Feb 22 02, was my delivery date)

I plan to replace my batterys soon just to be on the safe side, but I think that I will replace with Interstate battery. $ for $ as good as I need. And I'll do it for the price of 1 Optima. Just my $. 02.

Five years on OEM batteries? Wowzers! Must not live anywhere near Phoenix. As far as I am concerned, the Optimas are worth the cost. I got 18 months out of my OEM batteries and was thrilled to get that much use. I bought my on-board Optimas in 2002 and they are still good. Flooded cell lead-acid batteries just fry here.



In my line of work, I follow the prices of precious and base metals. Base metals include copper, zinc, and lead. Those prices are going up.

 

[Cummins724]

WOW... . I have 4 optima red tops sitting in my garage in the trunk of my 64 impala that power up my amplifiers. I am gonna have to pull them out & sell them if the prices go any higher.

 

[ACoyle]

Just a thought. Copper & lead are used to make ammunition, which we are using a lot of lately.

 

[JGK]

Copper and lead, along with aluminum, steel, iron, zinc, and others, are used to make the new China and India. They are using a lot of it lately! :{



-Jay

 

[JMetzger]

Still running my original batteries in my 02 with 62000 miles.

 

[jeepit]

57,000 on my original batteries... .

 

[mcsinfl]

3 years and 55,000 on OEM's in the heat of S Florida... getting ready to replace them soon, just to be on the safe side.

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

I replaced the OEM batteries on my '02 last fall purely as a routine item - we RV in lonely, remote areas, so don't gamble on batteries. Bought Les Schwab OEM equivalent, excellent warranty from a local company, and less than half the cost of the Optimas. The original batteries are still out in the garage, get the charge topped of regularly, and still appear in perfect operating condition.



Way to many suitable alternatives out there for stuff like batteries to be paying double the cost - and sometimes more...



Like synthetic oils and other items - sometimes cost difference just plain outpaces the "warm and fuzzy feeling" in terms of bang for the buck!

 

[MistaMike]

Just paid $106 for a pair of Interstate batteries. I replaced them because it cranked a little slower after a 2x key cycle (at about 5deg outside). They had a date code of 2001 on them. I recommend Interstate.

 

[RClark]

I'm still running the originals, 64k since Dec 01

 

[TSBrown]

just replaced my oem's for yellow tops. for 189. 00 a pop they better make it 116000 like the oem's did

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

just replaced my oem's for yellow tops. for 189. 00 a pop they better make it 116000 like the oem's did

OOOooooo, Ouch!



That HURT$! :{ :-laf

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

Dang, I better add a locking battery hold-down so my $85 red tops I bought from Summit Racing 2-1/2 years ago don't walk

 

[ILIANBG]

Yes, I spent a bit more than$180 a piece for red top Optimas when the OEMs died.

 

[ironbutt]

Five years on OEM batteries? Wowzers! Must not live anywhere near Phoenix. As far as I am concerned, the Optimas are worth the cost. I got 18 months out of my OEM batteries and was thrilled to get that much use. I bought my on-board Optimas in 2002 and they are still good. Flooded cell lead-acid batteries just fry here.



In my line of work, I follow the prices of precious and base metals. Base metals include copper, zinc, and lead. Those prices are going up.

I know its hot in AZ. spent 13 weeks there in 2003 (with my wife and my truck, she worked as a traveling nurse ) But battery longevity is a matter of maintainance not luck. If you clean your terminals at least 2 times a year and keep those little red and green felt oil impregnated rings on the terminal base's, your battery will last a long time.

And it's warm here in Fla. too.

 

[Thomas]

. . . battery longevity is a matter of maintainance not luck. If you clean your terminals at least 2 times a year and keep those little red and green felt oil impregnated rings on the terminal base's, your battery will last a long time. . .

Five+ years old, zero maintenance, terminals never cleaned and no little red and green things.

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•• Click to Enlarge ••

 

[jkern]

8 years and 62k miles on my originals... still cranks like new!

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

Five+ years old, zero maintenance, terminals never cleaned and no little red and green things.

After saving close to $200 for a set of batteries, I can afford to spend a few cents for "thingies", and a little time cleaning terminals once a year or so... :-laf