Good Batteries?

[Caboose302]

Back on track...

Anything except exide batteries...

I've always had good luck with Duralast Gold batteries. About the only thing I don't mind buying at AZ.

Sent from mah Obamafone

 

[Hockeyman48]

I hope the debate isn't over with-------it has been quite enjoyable to read !! I have had an Optima red top for 9-10 years without any problems.Its always hooked to a battery tender trickle charger at all times while sitting.

 

[ttocs]

There is nothing better for a deep cycle then a constant trickle. I have had mine hooked up too my larger trickle while its been down, been wanting to get a couple of battery tenders for after its all back together.

 

[RICE ETR]

Holy crap this thread has turned into a pissfest haha.

To add my two cents, yest Optima's quality has gone down considerably over the last 6-7 years. I'm an Optima distributor and stock the line but there is much better batteries out there for a little more money. Look into Northstar or Odyssey if you want a very high quality starting and true deep cycle battery.

To add the the RC debate, the oe battery for an SN95 is a BCI Group 58 or 59 depending on year. Which respectably have a RC of 85 and 100, this means you are able to run solely off the batter for 85 / 100 minutes if you're drawing 25 amps. All batteries have RC capacity, whether it is a lawn mower battery or an RV battery, just depends on how many minutes it is rated for.

Now lets say you have a group 58 battery with a RC of 85 and you swap it out for an Optima Yellow Top Gr. 35 you're now at a RC of 98 with a 650CCA / 810CA rating. In my opinion that is a poor upgrade per dollar considering the RC of a oem 59 is slightly higher at 100 and is half the cost!

Now compare it to an Odyssey Group 35 which will give you 1400 cranks for 5 specs (1150 after) & 125 minutes of Reserve Capacity making it one of the only true dual purpose batteries out there! Not to mention it's an American made product and carries a 4 year replacement ​over Optima's 3.

 

[DropTopPony]

My penis is bigger... oh wait this was about batteries wasn't it?



My first Optima lasted about 7 years of abuse. My 2nd/3rd/4th all came after the ownership change and none have lasted over 3 years. My car sits for long periods and I have a dedicated trickle charger on it now so we shall see if that helps it or not.

As far as everyday batteries I have good luck with Die Hard in the other cars we daily.

 

[Caboose302]

Holy crap this thread has turned into a pissfest haha.

To add my two cents, yest Optima's quality has gone down considerably over the last 6-7 years. I'm an Optima distributor and stock the line but there is much better batteries out there for a little more money. Look into Northstar or Odyssey if you want a very high quality starting and true deep cycle battery.

To add the the RC debate, the oe battery for an SN95 is a BCI Group 58 or 59 depending on year. Which respectably have a RC of 85 and 100, this means you are able to run solely off the batter for 85 / 100 minutes if you're drawing 25 amps. All batteries have RC capacity, whether it is a lawn mower battery or an RV battery, just depends on how many minutes it is rated for.

Now lets say you have a group 58 battery with a RC of 85 and you swap it out for an Optima Yellow Top Gr. 35 you're now at a RC of 98 with a 650CCA / 810CA rating. In my opinion that is a poor upgrade per dollar considering the RC of a oem 59 is slightly higher at 100 and is half the cost!

Now compare it to an Odyssey Group 35 which will give you 1400 cranks for 5 specs (1150 after) & 125 minutes of Reserve Capacity making it one of the only true dual purpose batteries out there! Not to mention it's an American made product and carries a 4 year replacement ​over Optima's 3.

Holy crap. new guy comes in and makes more sense than anyone else so far. Thanks for that explanation!

Sent from mah Obamafone

 

[RICE ETR]

Holy crap. new guy comes in and makes more sense than anyone else so far. Thanks for that explanation!

Sent from mah Obamafone

Gald I could help, I've been in business to business battery sales for a while and i'm now managing a battery distributor so I've got an ok handle on batteries!

 

[ttocs]

just watch, green will turn the distributor agreeing with me that quality has dropped as supporting his argument.

Also [MENTION=19621]RICE ETR[/MENTION] if you have a salesmen selling your batteries walking around saying AND I QUOTE "optimas have a reserve in them" - would you let that go? Tell me it doesn't make you wince a bit, and kinda get iffy that its not really the right way to put it?

As I said before they are not a bad/horrible battery they are just not the great battery that they use to be and that everyone thinks they still are. I hear the same things about msd that they are not what they use to be... Companies change, standards change, everything changes and if you are not open minded enough to honestly look at a product and its competitors, you will be left behind in the change

 

[Caboose302]

And why the hell does Optima's website not list a battery for a Mustang after 1977?

Sent from mah Obamafone

 

[Sinned83]

I agree with you Scott that companies do change. Some get complacent while others continue research and development.

 

[wera44]

I have sold batteries for over 20 yrs. Not auto parts and batteries, just batteries. I sell East Penn, Exide, Trojan, Optima and Odyssey. There are really only 3 major manufactures of lead acid automotive batteries in the US. JCI, East Penn, and Exide. Of the 3 I believe East Penn makes the best batteries. They are labled and sold all over at different part stores. The battery I run in my cars is the Odyssey PC1200, you will find them in a lot of show cars/race cars. I dont have data to back up my opinion but I do have experience and the quality of Odyssey batteries is 2nd to none but they come at a premium. If you want the very best spring for the Odyssey but to be honest unless you have a really high compression motor or just want to be different a East Penn acid fild battery will serve you just fine. I didnt bother reading through the other post but it looked loke it got off track quick and I dont have a dog in that fight I wont tell you where I work or push my stores but I think if you go to East Penn's website you can find a list of dealers. If its just a stock car stick with at least the minium manufacture requirements and you should be fine.

 

[ttocs]

I don't think it was complacency with optima from what I understand as much as just a lowering of standards to cut costs/increase profits at the cost of the quality of the product when it was all said and done. Maybe rice etr can comment better but I am pretty sure my friends still active in the 12v industry said it was after the company switched hands. While their quality slipped there were a number of other manf that got better and now I am pretty sure its safe to say they are not leading the industry in reliability... I will bow to etr's opinion on the subj though as I have not been in the industry as much since becoming disabled in 2009.

 

[RICE ETR]

just watch, green will turn the distributor agreeing with me that quality has dropped as supporting his argument.

Also RICE ETR if you have a salesmen selling your batteries walking around saying AND I QUOTE "optimas have a reserve in them" - would you let that go? Tell me it doesn't make you wince a bit, and kinda get iffy that its not really the right way to put it?

The way it has been worded sounds stupid, all automotive batteries have RC, they vary on their capacity.

And why the hell does Optima's website not list a battery for a Mustang after 1977?

Sent from mah Obamafone

Because Optima does not make a BCI group 58 / 49 / 96R / ETC which would give it an 'oem' fit. You can still get an Optima battery to work, you just have to be a little creative.

I have sold batteries for over 20 yrs. Not auto parts and batteries, just batteries. I sell East Penn, Exide, Trojan, Optima and Odyssey. There are really only 3 major manufactures of lead acid automotive batteries in the US. JCI, East Penn, and Exide. Of the 3 I believe East Penn makes the best batteries. They are labled and sold all over at different part stores.

You forgot Crown, but yeah you're right. They are just relabeled and given different warranty depending on the dealer agreement. JCI makes Interstate product and in fact owns half of Interstate & all of Optima.

 

[ttocs]

I have sold batteries for over 20 yrs. Not auto parts and batteries, just batteries. I sell East Penn, Exide, Trojan, Optima and Odyssey. There are really only 3 major manufactures of lead acid automotive batteries in the US. JCI, East Penn, and Exide. Of the 3 I believe East Penn makes the best batteries. They are labled and sold all over at different part stores. The battery I run in my cars is the Odyssey PC1200, you will find them in a lot of show cars/race cars. I dont have data to back up my opinion but I do have experience and the quality of Odyssey batteries is 2nd to none but they come at a premium. If you want the very best spring for the Odyssey but to be honest unless you have a really high compression motor or just want to be different a East Penn acid fild battery will serve you just fine. I didnt bother reading through the other post but it looked loke it got off track quick and I dont have a dog in that fight I wont tell you where I work or push my stores but I think if you go to East Penn's website you can find a list of dealers. If its just a stock car stick with at least the minium manufacture requirements and you should be fine.

Fantastic someone else with exp in the industry welcome to the discussion - what is your opinion on optima? Say 10 yrs ago and today?

 

[DeepList]

DeepList is the road rage section gone? I was going to start this topic there since now that I have shown Jr that he doesn't know what he doesn't know in the 12v world, he just wants too keep it personal. I know I shouldn't reply because his comprehension skills are that of a 8 yr old(monkey) and no matter what I say he will read it wrong and then spout something off no matter what, but in a way you can't tell me its not a little funny...

Management requested the removal of the "Road Rage" section about two months ago or so.

 

[lutter94]

My pickup has a battery from 2005 in it still. All black case, looks like a Die Hard or something like it, dunno the brand name.

 

[99GreenStang]

Back on track...

Anything except exide batteries...

I've always had good luck with Duralast Gold batteries. About the only thing I don't mind buying at AZ.

Sent from mah Obamafone

Good post buddy . Correct and too the point .

God Bless


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[ttocs]

I was bored today so I looked through your post history and realized that this is just your MO - you know more then everyone, BUT according too you everyone knows nothing, so where does that leave you?(you know more then nothing is the answer). Its really entertaining to watch how you see things, both in this post and in others. Your obviously in your own reality as its funny you didn't see the optima reps opinion, or the other batter expert that says there are better out there. I never said all optimas were crap and you can't get a good one, not sure where you got that idea. I said that they are not as good as they use to be, and there are better out there. I also corrected you about your technical usage "all optimas have a reserve" and the optima rep agreed, it ain't right....

Now I know even in the face of all this some how in that delusional mind of yours your still the man here and optimas are gods gift to the 12v world, and what ever then fine. Let me remind you have already been warned once about yer attitude in the short time you have been here :wave: so ya might want to watch how many mods and regulars you insult, mouth off too, and generally annoy with bad information. I really don't see the need to keep this discussion going since we will just go in circles. If you just want to take some personal shots hit me up in PM.

I know I am not the only person that will be watching for future abuses as they are sure to come up.

 

[DeepList]

All done.

 

[DropTopPony]

It's like two little girls fighting over which Barbie outfit is best.