Is there any good reason to buy an Optima battery for a car?

[jpolcyn]

I have only bought one optima battery and i would buy again. I actually looked at it the other day and had a sticker on it from 06/08. I thought man that has been a good battery lasting almost 10years. It has been in numerous vehicles i own and currently have it in a JD 110 backhoe. The only thing that is bad on those batteries is if you do have to charge them you have to trickle charge them. It takes about 2 days to charge a optima battery to full. If you quick charge it you can ruin them from what i hear.

 

[MossRoad]

I've got a battery tender but just don't see me (or my wife, its her car) plugging and unplugging it all the time.

The Odyssey batteries have amazing specs but they are $300 and very heavy. Probably not ideal for a sports/GT car.

Interstate makes AGM batteries but they did not review well in the Consumer Reports tests.

I may just end up buying a basic battery.

Look at it this way... with two basic $150 batteries that'll last 5-6 years each for $300 total, you're good for 10-12 years. Is that $300 expensive battery going to last 10-12 years?

 

[N80]

Look at it this way... with two basic $150 batteries that'll last 5-6 years each for $300 total, you're good for 10-12 years. Is that $300 expensive battery going to last 10-12 years?

That's about the conclusion I'm coming to as well.

 

[Gary Fowler]

Look at it this way... with two basic $150 batteries that'll last 5-6 years each for $300 total, you're good for 10-12 years. Is that $300 expensive battery going to last 10-12 years?

That is exactly my feelings. I had one Optima battery that came in my RTV900 and it went bad in a couple of years. Just went from good to nothing between cranking one day. I replaced it with an NAPA battery which has been in use since 2012 with lots of short hops and starts. I had such good luck with it that I replaced my LS Tractor battery with a NAPA and just recently my wife's Oldsmobile Bravada battery with a new NAPA. I used to just go to Walmart and buy their top of the line batteries for all my vehicles but I never get more than 4 years out of them so now I am trying the NAPA batteries.
The only battery that I have that is more than 4 years old is the original battery in my Kubota B26 (2009 model so battery is likely a 2008) that has been going strong so far. I may have to replace it soon though @ 9-10 years of age, it has to go bad soon.

 

[N80]

The battery on my 2005 Kubota L4400 is original. Sits for weeks and weeks sometimes. I don't see a brand name on it but it is 13 years old and has never had a charger on it. Starts every time.

 

[Trillium Farm]

As Mopardude said the 2 best batteries AGM are Odyssey & NorthStar but they are expensive and will last you easily 10 yrs if cared for

 

[kenmac]

Believe it ,or not.....I have a 2007 Toyota tundra that still has the original battery.
Had the truck at the dealership last yr for a recall. They checked the battery and said your battery is weak. I said I'll replace it when it stops cranking the engine.
I doubt I'll get another battery that last this long

 

[DK35vince]

My original tractor battery went 11 years.
My current pickup truck battery has been in there 12 years and still going strong.

 

[rekees4300]

I have only bought one optima battery and i would buy again. I actually looked at it the other day and had a sticker on it from 06/08. I thought man that has been a good battery lasting almost 10years. It has been in numerous vehicles i own and currently have it in a JD 110 backhoe. The only thing that is bad on those batteries is if you do have to charge them you have to trickle charge them. It takes about 2 days to charge a optima battery to full. If you quick charge it you can ruin them from what i hear.

Appreciate that info, will avoid quick charge. :thumbsup:

 

[YanmarFever]

I put an optima in my sports car and it lasted 4 yrs before it went to battery heaven.

Now I just buy Napa battery's at 1/2 the price.

I have a Yanmar tractor FX235-D that has a Panasonic Japanese battery, I bought it in 2001 and the battery still works great, and it was used when I bought it!