Optima Batteries worth the cost?

[bucket]

is this a silver, gold, platinum series of bttery? I found most mid tier to top tier battery is coming in the warranty extension and more reserve, while platinum is technically a better battery they come at much more cost-per-cca or cost-ability

I honestly don't remember. It's the one that costs around 75 bucks at Rural King, lol. I've bought several of them in the last year. I think they were a 'gold' but maybe a 'platinum'. I'd have to go out and look. Cranking amps are decent and they have a 1-year warranty.

Just today, I started up the big block '79 that had been sitting for a month or so. The carb goes dry when it sits. There's no choke. It was around 32 degrees. It took lots and lots of cranking and the Rural King battery was up to the task, despite everything working against it.

 

[AuroraGirl]

I honestly don't remember. It's the one that costs around 75 bucks at Rural King, lol. I've bought several of them in the last year. I think they were a 'gold' but maybe a 'platinum'. I'd have to go out and look. Cranking amps are decent and they have a 1-year warranty.

Just today, I started up the big block '79 that had been sitting for a month or so. The carb goes dry when it sits. There's no choke. It was around 32 degrees. It took lots and lots of cranking and the Rural King battery was up to the task, despite everything working against it.

it took a lot of cranking but is it taylors plow truck after 15 hours and -30 and fuel drainback cranking? pprob an open choke by then anyway from electric on switched ign

 

[idahovette]

@bucket ,Andy I'll have you know I've NEVER caught my bagels on FIRE!!!!!

 

[Ricko1966]

@bucket ,Andy I'll have you know I've NEVER caught my bagels on FIRE!!!!!

Sounds like the words of a guilty man.

 

[idahovette]

NO, believe me, you'd KNOW if your bagels were on fire!!!!!!!......not GUILTY!!!!!

 

[AuroraGirl]

NO, believe me, you'd KNOW if your bagels were on fire!!!!!!!......not GUILTY!!!!!

warm hole is a warm hole

 

[bucket]

it took a lot of cranking but is it taylors plow truck after 15 hours and -30 and fuel drainback cranking? pprob an open choke by then anyway from electric on switched ign

Certainly wasn't that cold, but the fuel system must go bone dry when it sits for weeks. It always has. I had to stop cranking maybe 4 times so the starter didn't fry.

 

[DoubleDingo]

I skipped a few pages and I see I missed the battery conversation, lol.

Anyone have a Rural King within reasonable distance? They have very good battery prices, I've been buying their "Gold" line of batteries and have had good luck with them so far. I get the ones that have top and side posts so I can use them in all my vehicles, they are only $75 which is an absolute bargain these days.

No Rural King, but I stopped getting Interstate Batteries about 10 years ago, when their quality went downhill. Now I just get batteries from the mom and pop parts store I have my account at. They seem to last okay. The battery in Crusty Biscuit, I got from them in September 2015 after the homeless dude that was squatting next door stole it from my truck. The battery still cranks strong. I have a Napa battery in my Cherokee that I had to get in November 2015 while out of town, because my alternator took a dump. It still cranks strong, too. One thing I do, though, is disconnect the negative cable if I won't be driving a vehicle for a while. Seems to keep them fresher longer.

 

[Matt69olds]

Like so many things in life today, nothing seems to last as long as in years past. Is it due to environmental laws? Penny pinching bean counters? Lousy quality control? Maybe all of the above.

My personal opinion is go wherever it’s easiest to deal with warranty issues.

Since all batteries are made by a few different companies, I’m guessing reliability depends on where you buy it. Let’s use Exide as an example. The battery that passes their in house quality with the highest rating will go to the places like OEM car plants, Napa, the high end buyers. The next highest might go to AutoZone, advance auto, etc. Then the next level to Walmart, and so on down the ladder.


I use to buy nothing but Diehard. If I had battery issues when I’m 10 miles northeast of nowhere, I knew it wouldn’t be hard to find a Sears for warranty needs. Since Sears is now a thing of the past, I’d go with AutoZone or Advance Auto. It would probably be easier to find a Walmart, but rather not have to deal with the idiots in the Walmart auto center.

I’m not sure if every Walmart auto center is as bad as our, but it says slot when if rather deal with Autizone part help that go to Walmart.

 

[Camar068]

we've got a battery place down the road. The heavy duty battery is $95 with a 3 year warranty. I also try to use my desulfator on it once a year. This helps keep the plates clean. I've got model 2012. It's already paid for itself....I haven't changed my lawnmower battery in 6 years. Also keeps my sprayer battery going as well.

https://www.batteryminders.com/why-batteryminders/

https://www.batteryminders.com/products/

 

[Swearbody]

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[77 K20]

Amazing how everyone seems to have different experiences.

My dad used to be a big diehard battery guy. They failed him twice on different vehicles so then he switched to redtop optimas about 20 years ago and talked me into it at the same time. In 20 years he has only had 2 optima batteries on his '79 K15

In those same 20 years I have only had 2 red tops in my K20 that gets vibrated/beat to death on very rough roads. Before I sold my '03 Silverado 2500 I had a red top- and it lasted 11 years before I sold it last year. It may still be working.

I bought a nice Interstate battery for my S4 about 10 years ago. It shorted out internally in less than a year. I bought an Exide Edge AGM battery for my Passat TDI 4 years ago. Its completely dead now. Won't hold a charge.

Using the right battery charger is important. When I had a friend do some head work and a chamshaft swap on my truck years ago it took him about a month. He killed the battery somehow and his old battery charger refused to charge the red top. He said it was a bad battery. I have one of the optima brand battery chargers. I threw it on there and let it charge overnight. Battery has been working for years now.

 

[Ricko1966]

BAGELS!!!!#!!!

 

[Blue Ox]

BAGELS!!!!#!!!

Bagels vs seagulls!



Discuss.

 

[idahovette]

@Ricko1966 , you leave my bagels ALONE!!!!!!