SuperK's Opinion - Optima Batteries

[SuperK]

... Are CRAP!


I've had all sorts of issues with my optima battery.
In it's defense, it DID come with the car, but it's still fairly new, no older than a couple years... (red top) BUT!
On top of being MASSIVELY HEAVY, it doesn't hold too much of a charge. It doesn't take too many cranks to kill it... seems to give off a weak voltage? Man those windows roll up slow! especially doing two at once!

Now, I've had the car sitting in the parking lot for a couple weeks... and the battery is completely DEAD. I tried jumpstarting it, left it hooked up to my B6, running for 15 minutes, tried cranking it... wouldn't even turn.

So I take my Orbital battery from my b6, throw it in the ZE, crank it up, then throw the Optima battery back in, and... it bogs the car down? so I'll say it's charging, putting a load on the alternator.

Let the ZE idle for a bit, drive it around the parking lot... put some stuff back in the B6, keeping the ZE running... then run 1/8 mile up to the apartment office to get the mail... and the car randomly stalls as I coast into the parking lot.

I get the mail and check the connectors... all good, but there is so much of nothing in the battery, the car is so completley shut off, not even the clock turns on....

Or even more important, that first "chime" that you always hear, you know how it always sorta kinda tries to sound when you first turn the ignition on, how it goes, "BEewoooorrrrp." when you have a bad battery? doesn't even do that.

Thankfully the whole apartment complex is built on a mountain, and I'm at the VERY BOTTOM of the mountain.

Here I am, it's freakin' hot, and I'm out pushing my car with sandles that somehow turn upside down on my feet (WORD!!!), RIGHT in front of the pool. And there are some hot chicks at the pool. And I'm looking (partially) retarded. With upside down sandles.

Get it out of the parking spot, but it's sideways to where I still have to push it UP the hill to pass the car parked in front of me, but I'm also blocking the entrance/exit gates. And my neighbor is driving up to leave. And I'm blocking her, trying to push the car... FARTHER in her way... And she's asking me if I want some help...

And with embarrassed fury, I yell out a manly, "NO! WRRRAAAAWR!" and push it just enough to start rolling down hill.

And it's STEEP once you start going down hill. So I turn it on "on" and kick it in gear, and the clock turns on!

But there is so much NOTHING in the battery that it's the ONLY thing that turns on? The alternator wasn't turning enough to get the car actually ON I guess.

Anyways, I REALLY hate Optima's now.

[SuperK]

I remember a couple years back someone claimed they worked with the parent company of Optima or something of that sort. He said he wouldn't touch them with a long pole. To be honest, I don't think I remember how long of a pole he mentioned, if this is important.

He recommended the Orbital dry-cell batteries, which I've purchased for my B6. They're actually fairly light (in comparison with the Optima, at least!)
They look nice, are fairly small and run FOREVER it seems. They also have a massive warranty behind them, and are slightly cheaper than the Optima's.


I killed my first Orbital accidentally... I put my larger socket wrench down, and it slid down to the battery and connected the + and - terminals together while I was on the other side of the car... melted the post to the lead post connectors together and such. Fun day.

Battery still worked, but it would discharge overnight, so cranking it would be very weak if I didn't drive it over the weekend. Oops.
I put in a replacement battery, then finally got around to taking it back. The store tested it before just giving me a brand new one. "Hmm... .086 volts... I think it's bad) but the warranty was a no-hassle experience which I appreciated.

[Mooneggs]

I had a yellow top Optima that lasted EXACTLY 2 and half years which is the life expectancy of the yellow top. I mean I guess I was pleased with the performance for that long but I have been running auto store type batteries since then with no issues...

so my conclusion is: unless you have a race beast, just stick with normal batteries it's really not worth the extra cash IMO.

[Stablo87]

I've had my original motorcraft batt in my 2001 explorer and its still strong. I used to work at an autoparts store and to tell you the truth, the only people that bought the optimas were rockclimbers.

[mr1in6billion]

I killed my first Orbital accidentally... I put my larger socket wrench down, and it slid down to the battery and connected the + and - terminals together while I was on the other side of the car... melted the post to the lead post connectors together and such. Fun day.

I have an interstate battery and the thing is a tank. It weighs a ton, but I once did what you did, dropped a wrench on it, blew a hole in the wrench and the battery is still running. It looks old and it came with the car but I can play my stereo at high volume and have the lights on for 3+ hours and still crank the car as if it was fully charged. To this day I have never been able to drain it.

[RS_OBD'oh_2]

Optima batts are great products. BUT, they have to be used year round. If you park your car for the winter you must move it to your winter beater. There is only one or 2 brands of chargers that will not damage them as well. One mess up and they will never be the same again.

[SuperK]

I thought the Optima batteries were good as well. I would have even been OK with it dying. It's lived it's expected lifetime, sure...


But, optima battery both dying AND embarrassing me? It's a pile of crap. Can't recommend them ever.

[Nd4SpdSe]

I've found them to be great batteries.

I had 2 red tops in the Mx-3 for almost 4 years. Eventually I did kill them. More likely, it's because I accidentally totally discharged them many times (doesn't help that the red tops aren't deep cycle) and for extended periods, mostly during winter storage by either not closing the door properly (leaving the interior lights on) or just plain leaving the interior lights on. By last year they didn't want to hold a charge over 11.5 volts and even with both in parallel, didn't have much for cranking amps. Actually a few weeks ago i brought them in for warranty (i keep my receipts). They're listed for a 3 year replacement I believe with them supposibly pro-rating them after 3 years. Well when i went back to where i got them from, they call them up and they ok sending 2 brand new replacements. Shipping on them is late, partially because of the americal holiday and I haven't followed up last week since i'm in BC (which reminds me), but when I get them back, I'll be putting one in the Xterra. I'd like to put both it, but I don't think I could in the engine bay and i'm not taking up trunk space. If anything, I'll keep the other one on hand for a trailer winch battery.

I did pick up 2 yellow tops for the Mx-3 a few months ago, should be better for what I need, constant voltage discharge which will be handy for car shows, plus being deep cycle should handle being completely discharged.

[Ryan]

If any of you have buddies at dealerships....
I work at one, and I BELIEVE...

When someone, like an old lady comes in with 30k on her brand new Mazda 3, she wants the battery changed. Dealer smiles and says, "sure, we can do that for you." 120 bucks new dealer brand battery. "Old" one goes on a pile. That pile is what I'm interested in. My battery is a good 3 years old and I am afraid of it (runnning speaks with car off, can't start it after? Crappy situation, want to avoid it. That and it gets to be -40 here in winter) My boss says those batteries just sit there and they go to some sort of recycling plant and he gets a set dollar ammount back per battery. Age, type, nothing matters. So I'm thinking... I'll ask if I can swap my 3 year old battery for that one for grammy's 30k 8 month old one... free, since it doesn't matter to my boss....
So if you don't want some high performance crazy mother 145 gram battery, ask your dealer (or friend within) what he does with his "old" batteries...

[MazdaManiacMx3]

This opinion also comes from the guy who thinks plastic is metal ,
ex. Miata chrome door handles ..

[SuperK]

This opinion also comes from the guy who thinks plastic is metal ,
ex. Miata chrome door handles ..

Well, i have firm proof that these batteries are made out of JELLYBEANS.
I will defend it till the end of my LIFE!

I remember clearly stating that they're plastic in my how-to, though... I don't know any other previous thread you might be referring to....

[solo_ryder]

I have always run AC Delco batteries in my mx3's and they have been great, holds a charge fine and lots of CCA's

[MazdaManiacMx3]

This opinion also comes from the guy who thinks plastic is metal ,
ex. Miata chrome door handles ..

Well, i have firm proof that these batteries are made out of JELLYBEANS.
I will defend it till the end of my LIFE!

I remember clearly stating that they're plastic in my how-to, though... I don't know any other previous thread you might be referring to....

Well Then I don't really see a real sense of urgency to call them junk then , even if they do leave you stranded at least you will have a delicious snack to fall back on ..

[Mnemonic]

I've had 3 Optima Yellows, and have never had any problem with them, they've always performed up to the standard I expected, and never had any complaints about them beside the weight

[SuperK]

Well Then I don't really see a real sense of urgency to call them junk then , even if they do leave you stranded at least you will have a delicious snack to fall back on ..

Again you're wrong. They're the ones that taste like toothpaste.