1st Generation Specific (1979-1985) 1979-1985 Discussion including performance modifications and technical support sections

optima battery

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Old 01-11-08 | 02:12 PM
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bugman1973's Avatar
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From: clarksville tn
optima battery

i guess the batteries are very good. i had a stock looking battery in the car and yesterday it decided that that was it. so when i got off i had a co-worker jump my car. went down to Autozone to get my alternator tested along with the battery. the alternator was and is still good. when we load tested the battery no load it was at 11-12 under load it dropped all the way down 4.5 and a little lower. so i was like ok lets just put an optima battery in the car i only paid $162.67 for the battery can of seafoam shop towels battery pad things the non corrosive jell hand cleaner with out all the extra stuff it would have been more than that $164.17. so i guess i did pretty good on that end. now when i start up the car it no longer dies at all. so all is good
Old 01-11-08 | 02:37 PM
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yeah. i got a yellow top. i'll never have anything else.
Old 01-11-08 | 03:14 PM
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Optimas are great but are not the end all perfect solution, they can and do go bad

I prefer the standard lead acid 12V batteries and you dont have to cry a river when one goes bad
Old 01-11-08 | 03:23 PM
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Running a red top I got off a racer who decided to go yellow top...it had been sitting in his garage unused for two years and it still cranked the car when I installed it in the '83....that was 2 or 3 years ago...great product....oh, did I mention he sold it to me for $75 even though it was brand new in-the-box? Right place at the right time makes life wonderful...


Old 01-11-08 | 05:00 PM
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optimas are great for running inside the car because of saftey reasons. but if its in the engine compartment i dont see the point in paying 162 dollars for a battery when the O.E. lead acid battery is just fine in that situation.
Old 01-11-08 | 07:07 PM
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Red Top works awesome......
I installed one in the rear bin compartment and it starts my 7 with one try versus 3 or 4 with a regular battery. I can honestly say it made a diffrerence.

L8R
Old 01-11-08 | 07:11 PM
  #7  
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Mine starts with one try with a standard lead acid battery
Old 01-11-08 | 08:24 PM
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walmart just had a sale on the Redtop's $109.99, so i picked one for the RX3. Tossed it in the daily driver, forgot to turn head lights off for about 2 hrs and it cranked the car like it was fully charged! Thats the quality i like, you can almost drain them dead and they still have the same cranking power! No more DJ'ing the local outdoor party and needing a jump at the end of the night! Thats just my .02
Old 01-11-08 | 08:56 PM
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With an Optima you're paying for marketing hype, not a better battery.
Old 01-11-08 | 09:15 PM
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i had my yellow top for almost 7 years. one day it was just dead. i believe that because its a gel cell and not a liquid cell that it in fact a better battery. the battery was extremely reliable for the whole time that i've had it.
Old 01-11-08 | 09:50 PM
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Originally Posted by rearviewmirror
With an Optima you're paying for marketing hype, not a better battery.
Old 01-11-08 | 09:57 PM
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Ight! i agree that if the only thing you are relying on you batt. to do for you is start your car than save your money and go with the lead/acid, but if you are an audio/visual enthusiast like me and plan for amps/carputer than the gel cell is the only way to go! Just remember to pick the right type of optima for you application, Also for reliability purposes the gel cell would be top's for me!!!

Last edited by BENDER420; 01-11-08 at 10:08 PM.
Old 01-11-08 | 10:02 PM
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I am running a blue top in mine. I prefer the deep cycling power. Been very reliable for me the past 3 years. I got used when my buddy junked his boat.
Old 01-11-08 | 10:09 PM
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I'm running a yellow top.

Mainly because the battery is inside the car, but also the door locks have been shaved off so I need reliable power to unlock the doors.

I also run a fairly decent audio system.

Unfortunately a yellow top retails for............$440!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! over here!
Old 01-11-08 | 10:15 PM
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Originally Posted by WAS:12A



Unfortunately a yellow top retails for............$440!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! over here!
HOLY CRAP!
Old 01-11-08 | 10:16 PM
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I will only buy Optimas anymore. Bought one for my FB last year and never heard the starter spin so fast. When I started having electrical problems with my Repu, I threw the Optima from my FB in it. The Repu would kill a normal battery in 20 minutes, fully charged. The Optima lasted 4 days daily driving 30 minutes to work and 30 minutes home, lights and all. I killed that thing I don't know how many times, trickle charged it overnight and it never failed. Kept it in the Repu and bought another for the FB. The one in the FB ended up in my FC after I parked it for the rebuild and never had any issues until I traded it. I'll buy another for the SA once my funds grow a little. Highly recommended for long term use. Wet cells are a thing of the past
Old 01-11-08 | 10:59 PM
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With an Optima you're paying for marketing hype, not a better battery.

Jealousy is such an ugly thang, ain't it ?...

In all it's glory, esse...




Attached Thumbnails optima battery-optima-red-top.jpg  
Old 01-11-08 | 11:21 PM
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The RX has had a Yellow top in it for 5 years now with no problems.
I have dual Yellows in my Samurai because I use the winch a lot.Ive spent entire days pulling equipment out of the mud(just spent last weekend doing that very thing) and Ive never run out of juice or had them lose any capacity.The Yellows are the best because they are rated for starter and deepcycle usage.

Ive also outfitted many of my rental machines with Optimas,not only for reliability but also to avoid constant cleanings.They never gunk up the terminals or eat away the stay brackets,and Ive never had one break internally from jolting or vibration.The hard part is keeping customers from stealing them.....a little black paint helps! Say what you want about them,but I have tractors that have run 5 years and 2000+hrs on the same Optima battery,and thats an ETERNITY for a rental machine.I also test all my batteries annually with an ESP1000 deep-scan electrical tester and Ive never had one rate lower than 90% State of Health.

Last edited by steve84GS TII; 01-11-08 at 11:26 PM.
Old 01-12-08 | 12:47 AM
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they're not you're average battery, you're paying for a deep cell battery. which can be ran dead and recharged for years. where as a normal battery wouldn't take such abuse.
Old 01-12-08 | 02:42 AM
  #20  
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Good batteries I have an orange top one for my shop and it will go in my wife's accord as soon as her water battery dies. It's been in 4 cars and been around for about 3-4 years. It always works. We went to the drive in and watched 2 movies using the power windows and the radio and cigarette lighter the whole time and when it was time to leave it started immediately with no hesitation. Good battery!
Yes it's actually orange not faded red. They do make them. They are supposed to be for european cars or something. It came in a Prelude I bought.

As for the RX it has a buddy club deepcycle gel sell that weighs like 15lbs or something. It's tiny and can fit almost anywhere. To give you an idea of how small. It could fit easily in most car's glove boxes. It has been highly reliable in the 7 so far. I've had that one for about a year. It only costs like $120 or so.
Old 01-12-08 | 09:52 AM
  #21  
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From: CT
Red Top!
Old 01-12-08 | 10:42 AM
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Sweet...is that for the whole car or a dedicated stereo power source? As for 'hype', I can't remember the last time I even saw an ad for them on TV or even in any of my musclecar or Pontiac magazines...there was car magazine and Speedvision hype on them way back when, but not now....now, it's virtually all word of mouth...these batteries are great and well worth the price. It's real easy to find them deeply discounted as well if you don't have deep pockets, but do have time..


Old 01-12-08 | 10:59 AM
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red top for the win. when my FB got hit by a speeding F150 it hit me right on the battery. it messed up the battery some how, no worries. i took it to work, i work at advance, it tested bad. so i got a new one for free.

thats whats good about a warrenty. the new one is going in the SA and eventually inside the cabin somewhere.
Old 01-12-08 | 11:02 AM
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Ya, drain your wet lead acid battery a couple times and its done.
Even if its under warranty, if they test it your'e out of luck,(go K-Mart).
Spend twice as much, get 3 times the battery.
Old 01-12-08 | 11:14 AM
  #25  
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5 year NO QUESTIONS ASKED! warranty!

Ill add another good quality while im here again: They work upside down,sideways,or any way you mount! and maybe even on the moon LOL!



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