Optima Batteries and other brands any good?

GT Dan · 06-21-2002

Spyder's post has stimulated a whole battery of questions in my mind.

First, has anyone had any good or bad experiences with the Optima-jelly batteries? I have never used one, but spoke with a guy with a fox bodied pony that is a mechanic. He said that some vehicles have had electrical problems with them and that the troubled vehicles were tested and tested and when the batteries were swapped to a typical battery (from the Optima battery) all the problems went away. He noticed this on several different autos.

Second, has anyone used one of the Bat (i think) batteries that are small and have no liquid in them at all? I think these batteries are pricey and wondered if their capacity to operate a street car with elect windows and power top on my convertible would be to much of a strain? These batteries are very light and look appealing from that standpoint.

Vortex · 06-21-2002

Hey, I dont have an Optima name brand per-say... but i do have a gel-cell. I have the Champion Vortex (no seriously thats what its called) and its been great... Havent had any problem and ive left my lights on a few times that i thought would be a problem. I like em so far and def. recommend them for anyone running high end power drains.. I dont, but i got a good deal on the bat, so i was on it.

The other battery you're talking about is it the one thats like a dry cell and has a picture of a nucleus on it? It says the one the military uses... It's in Summit magazine.

Anyway, thats my 2....ah you know what i mean

**ScottHalliday** · 06-21-2002

I have been running an Optima redtop in my 92 now for close to a year without any problems. Seems to be a great battery but all I really know is that its always worked, at least so far

GT Dan · 06-21-2002

My buddy didn't specify a mustang as having the problem, infact it was some other vehicle but I don't recall which one.

The battery that I was really interested in is the Dyna-Batt. Its only 13.5 lbs, no liquid or gel, vibration proof and mounts in any position. Performance Distributors sells em and they are kinda pricey (>$200). Does anyone have one of these for their street vehicle? How do they like them?

Ron · 06-21-2002

I have a friend with the Dyna-Batt in his show stang. He likes it because of the weight and size savings. It has worked OK for him, but remember that this is in his show car, and is not used very much. I will see him over the weekend and maybe I can get him to post something.

Glen · 06-21-2002

Well, I suppose you asked the question at the right place. I was the VP for Optima in late 96-97. I currently own a battery company and have worked in the industry for 16 years.

I can answer about any question you want on the battery. I don't work there anymore, and I have NO love of the company, only the product, so I have nothing to gain from what I'm about to say.

First, the Optima is the best battery you can buy for any car or truck. I have seen the Optima used in the most brutal applications. You can actually drive nails through it and it will continue to work for months. I have seen them shot by a gun, blown up, and even driven over by a mac truck. All of those worked for months. I saw stacks of testimonials from people that had wild stories to tell us.

I sold them before I worked at Optima and was the largest distributor of them in the united states. I have seen them last in excess of 12-14 years in Arizona where other batteries normally last 2 years on average, because of the heat.

The Optima is a spiral wound battery absorbed glass mat battery. What this means is; it has a diaper material between the plates that holds all the acid. They are filled with wet acid and this material absorbs all the acid. If you crack one open, no liquid comes out. There is no jelly in it. The spiral wound design is two plates per cell, one positive and one negative that are 4 feet long. they are rolled together in a donut configuration. The Optima will not leak, will not corrode, will not gas, explode, or sulfate. Can be mounted upside down. It can be charged at unlimited amounts of current. It has a shelf life, without charge of up to 4 years.

So anyway, I am a huge fan of the battery. I would never buy anthing else. And neither will you, if you buy one.

Trust me, you want to buy this battery. If you are interested in getting a deal on one, drop me an Email and I will get you hooked up with someone that can get you a great deal.

dmark101 · 07-13-2002

nicely said glen.

i have two such batteries, one redtop in my 93 probe gt and one yellowtop in my 94 mx-6 ls. both of those batteries are awesome and have performed beautifully. both are mounted horizontally using the top terminals.

i had one instance, with my redtop, where the car was in an accident and i could not lift the hood. the alarm went off and ran the battery down pretty good. when i was able to open the hood, the battery was very weak, but it was still powering the alarm, because i could hear faint 'woop-woop' noises. i removed it from the car, put it on my trickle charger, and voila! i reinstalled the battery after the vehicle was repaired and it's been in there ever since!

i will definitely be installing an optima battery in my cobra and my '66 when the time comes.

97 MGT · 07-13-2002

Well.....I think I know what battery I will be purchasing next.

Emery · 03-03-2003

Quote:

Originally posted by Glen

Trust me, you want to buy this battery. If you are interested in getting a deal on one, drop me an Email and I will get you hooked up with someone that can get you a great deal.

Glen,

Is this the battery I want

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...&category=1498

Another ?? Can you hook me up with one cheaper????

Thanks ,

Emery

maxxxxd · 03-05-2003

Quote:

Originally posted by Glen
...the Optima is the best battery you can buy for any car or truck

Dan. Thanks for that! I have been trying to inform people of the quality and design of the Optima and you have shed light on this for many of us!

Thank you.

X1Lightning · 03-05-2003

I need a new battery for my 67, where is a good place to get on of these?

**ScottHalliday** · 03-05-2003

You might want to contact Glen and see what kind of price he can give you. He just started carrying the line again as well as a nice Mustang battery holddown kit to go along with the Optima batteries.

I love my Red top optima

maxxxxd · 03-05-2003

I'm interested in the Optima hold-down kit! Is there a picture I can look at??? How much??? I have seen one on California Car Cover Company's website...polished billet and anodized ones, too, but much dinero...

**ScottHalliday** · 03-05-2003

Max, yourself or anyone interested in the holddown kit, should send Glen an email or pm about it and I am sure he will get back to you with the details. Glen told me he is now selling it but have not seen it yet. Sorry I could'nt be of more help to ya there.

maxxxxd · 03-05-2003

Thanks Scott!