What battery do you use?

DropTopPony · Aug 4, 2009

I've been running Optima for about 10 years but ever since my car was retired from DD status i go through a new one every 1.5 years or so. They have a 3 year warranty so i'm not shelling out the money for a new one every time but i need a new one again and out of warranty so i'm curious what else is out there.

eliyarbrough · Aug 4, 2009

I drive my 95 everyday. I have a Red Top on mine! So far it has been great!

kintek · Aug 4, 2009

I have a yellow top Optima that works great in my green 95, the red Optima did not hold up for me and I dont know why. It was a combo between the sound system and the motor lol. Car was slugish with it, but the other one its perfect. I have had it since 05 lol. I'll be getting one for my Red Stang as well.

OnyxCobra · Aug 5, 2009

Duralast Gold, Autozone special lol

eliyarbrough · Aug 5, 2009

Before this I had a cheapo O'Reillys one! It sucked, but had the lifetime replacement! I think I went through 4 in 3 years.

Win · Aug 5, 2009

Something from Costco that has been in there from before i got it so that means it's about 5 yrs old. It never has given me a single problem and always has more then enough to kick her over.

AaRoN · Aug 5, 2009

Optima red top.

DropTopPony · Aug 5, 2009

I'm thinking of going back to the red top. I'm gonna try and give my yellow top one last long slow charge and see if it responds.

mppaintball · Aug 5, 2009

costco battery. cheap, and works perfect

kintek · Aug 5, 2009

sounds u got a ground issue. it shouldnt be killen them like that. my old cavy had a problem like that an it lead to a ground being faulty.

ARdoller · Aug 5, 2009

you dont have underdrive pullies do you? if so, maybe the alternator just isnt charging the battery.

whatever battery is green and white, is what i have. it was in the car a year ago when i bought it, and ive had no need to change it, so i dont really take notice to what it is.

kintek · Aug 5, 2009

that would be a interstate battery and they are excellent to have.

ARdoller · Aug 5, 2009

sounds right. i couldnt remember the name of it.

i had the autozone special Duralast in my last car. i had the car for 2 years, and i remember changing it at least twice.

Twista · Aug 5, 2009

OnyxCobra said:
Duralast Gold, Autozone special lol

uncltrvlnmatt · Aug 5, 2009

Wal-Mart Everstart. I would never spend the $100+ on a Optima, when I could buy a Wal-Mart Everstart for $60.00. The Optima battery is made by East Penn Manufacturing, better known as Deka Battery. The Wal-Mart Everstart is made by East Penn Manufacturing, better known as you guessed it Deka Battery.

I know this for a fact, East Penn Manufacturing is one of my biggest accounts. In the warehouse sitting side by side are Everstart batteries and Optima Batteries.

Win · Aug 5, 2009

uncltrvlnmatt said:
Wal-Mart Everstart. I would never spend the $100+ on a Optima, when I could buy a Wal-Mart Everstart for $60.00. The Optima battery is made by East Penn Manufacturing, better known as Deka Battery. The Wal-Mart Everstart is made by East Penn Manufacturing, better known as you guessed it Deka Battery.

I know this for a fact, East Penn Manufacturing is one of my biggest accounts. In the warehouse sitting side by side are Everstart batteries and Optima Batteries.

Kinda like what i said a few weeks back about springs. There are only a few companies that own a spring machine. It all depends on what the spring rate is.

DropTopPony · Aug 5, 2009

Thats interesting Matt,

No underdrives, my problem is i don't drive the car enough so it will sit for 2-3 months at a time and i'll forget to unhook the battery. I need to get it back up to par so i can start driving it every day until i find another dd. I'm slow charging it on 2v now to see if it comes back to life. I went with the deep cycle yellow top for this reason but i may have killed it

OnyxCobra · Aug 5, 2009

uncltrvlnmatt said:
Wal-Mart Everstart. I would never spend the $100+ on a Optima, when I could buy a Wal-Mart Everstart for $60.00. The Optima battery is made by East Penn Manufacturing, better known as Deka Battery. The Wal-Mart Everstart is made by East Penn Manufacturing, better known as you guessed it Deka Battery.

I know this for a fact, East Penn Manufacturing is one of my biggest accounts. In the warehouse sitting side by side are Everstart batteries and Optima Batteries.

Just because they're made by the same company doesn't mean they're made to the same quality level, though.

uncltrvlnmatt · Aug 5, 2009

Win said:
uncltrvlnmatt said:

Wal-Mart Everstart. I would never spend the $100+ on a Optima, when I could buy a Wal-Mart Everstart for $60.00. The Optima battery is made by East Penn Manufacturing, better known as Deka Battery. The Wal-Mart Everstart is made by East Penn Manufacturing, better known as you guessed it Deka Battery.

I know this for a fact, East Penn Manufacturing is one of my biggest accounts. In the warehouse sitting side by side are Everstart batteries and Optima Batteries.

Click to expand...

Kinda like what i said a few weeks back about springs. There are only a few companies that own a spring machine. It all depends on what the spring rate is.

There are only 3 battery manufacturers in the U.S. East Penn Manufacturing (Deka Batteries), Exide Battery, and Interstate Batteries. All automotive batteries are made by one of these 3.

East Penn and Exide are both my customers. East Penn buys alot of there lead from the Exide smelter in Reading Pa. The EPA regulations make it to expensive to expand there smelting capabuilities at the Lyons Station Pa. location. That is how I understand it.

uncltrvlnmatt · Aug 5, 2009

OnyxCobra said:
uncltrvlnmatt said:

Wal-Mart Everstart. I would never spend the $100+ on a Optima, when I could buy a Wal-Mart Everstart for $60.00. The Optima battery is made by East Penn Manufacturing, better known as Deka Battery. The Wal-Mart Everstart is made by East Penn Manufacturing, better known as you guessed it Deka Battery.

I know this for a fact, East Penn Manufacturing is one of my biggest accounts. In the warehouse sitting side by side are Everstart batteries and Optima Batteries.

Click to expand...

Just because they're made by the same company doesn't mean they're made to the same quality level, though.

As stated I have an Everstart battery in my car. I have had my car for almost 4 years. I just installed a new one, because like DropTop's my car sat over the winter and it died. If I had been useing my car for a DD over the winter like I had been, it would have been fine.

I also have a 3 year free replacement waranty.