[muzzfactor]

I purchased an Optima Red Top about a month ago, I figured it would be money well spent since they are a "sealed battery" and I had completely redone my car from the frame up and didn't want to take a chance on anything corroding my engine bay. Well, two weeks later I go to start my car and it's "dead as a door nail." I go and take a look at the battery and there is a water looking liquid running out of it and down onto my battery tray and frame, it's freaking battery acid, and it's already damaged my battery tray and radiator support. So I remove it and take it back to AutoZone where I purchased it they gave me another one so I bring it back and everything works fine for about a week, well tonight I go to start my car up and the same thing "dead"!!! I take it back to Autozone and they tested it and it came back "Bad Battery". Needless to say, I'm DONE with Optima Batteries!!!!! Don't waste your money on these pieces of crap!!!!

[302 Z28]

I am on my third Optima battery since I started my project 34 and my car has really not even been on the street much yet. All have been replaced on warranty, but I will not buy another one that's for sure.

Vince

[pi71]

get you a good ole wally world battery..

[Chevrolet4x4s]

Originally Posted by pi71

get you a good ole wally world battery..

amen sometimes cheaper is better

[elcaminodragster]

an old friend of mine had a yellow top and it didnt last much more then a month and and it also went dead.

you should contact Optima and make them pay for the damage that it has caused. i would at least try anyway.

[derm]

I'm amazed. Been using Red Tops for at least 5 years. Still running one that broke its mount & bounced into the engine fan a few years ago. Has a 6" long gash that you can see metal thru & has worked perfect the whole time. I run a dozen shop project rigs off 3 Red Tops. They've seen nothing but the harshest of use & abuse and have been flawless.

Only thing I'm not happy with is the way demand (European, as of late) has spiked the retail on these bad boys...

Wish you guys were having the same luck...

[JeffB]

The company I worked for tried them on the fleet trucks here in AZ they crapped out in a hurry,overpriced and not worth it, in therory they look good,"but if it looks to good to be true"you know the rest!

[crash70rs]

My step dad had the same bad experience with these batteries. They don't seem to hold a charge for any period of time (in or out the car). After the 3rd or so replacement he put a trickle charge on it everynight work fine for a while then.

[wildman1932]

Let me start by saying I am Not a big Optima fan, but, I am pretty sure they are a DRY cell battery. They should not leak.

[Magnus_Jager]

I have been considering one of these for my project. Specifically for the sealed feature. This has me considering something else, but I am considering a trunk mount and want something clean and no fuss. Are there any other batteries with similar features?

I also just noticed they are not in the company review section.

[302 Z28]

Originally Posted by Magnus_Jager

I also just noticed they are not in the company review section.

If I could add to the company reviews I would add it....but I can't .

Vince

[fitzwell]

used to be good. Have had issues in the last few years.....seems as though quality control went right out the window.

But i'll be damned if i let anything from wally world in my garage

[powerrodsmike]

If you let them go flat, they are trash. If you overcharge them, even with a trickle charger, they will leak out whatever acidic goo that lives inside, and then be junk.

I have a friend who put one of those Snap on battery tender trickle chargers (s'posed to be a good one..right? ),on an optima in one of his less used cars and it melted the bottom of the battery case, the stuff seeped through a screw hole in the bottom of his *****in products aluminum battery case, then ate the floor and paint off the frame....

I remember when those first came out ,they were the same then as they are now. We went through 5 of those things in a matter of 2 years in a 34 coupe. I remember wheeling 3 of those pieces of crap on a hand truck into the optima booth at one of the Goodguys shows at Pleasanton and it only took about 30 seconds of my ranting before they gave me 3 new ones.(and asked me to leave)

I should have asked for my money back instead.

Later, mikey

[STRODDER]

I sold, and used Optima Battery's for years. I had a red top in my 56 Belair for 4 years. I put air bags on it with 3 compressors. So I went with a yellow top, and a 140 amp alternator. The red top was going dead when the compressors were on and engine not running. The yellow top cured the problem. I thought the red top was going bad after 4 years. The yellow top is still going, almost 7 years now. The red top I kept for 12 volt testing. It sat for years charging once in a while. I then restored a 68 Bug to sell. Instead of buying another battery for it. I put that red top on it. Guess what it charged up ok, and never misted a beat. When ever someone would come to look at it, it started up every time. For the 2 months it took to sell it. That battery was almost 9 years old. I have had good luck with them. Hardly any warranty problems when I sold them from my shop too. The yellow top was a better battery though.

[oldred]

Maybe a couple of you guys have had good luck with these P's OS but I have to agree with the majority-they are JUNK! I will never buy another one! Maybe a couple of you guys have had good luck with them but the track record is so poor you must be the exception to a growing number of very dis-satisfied owners.