Fabvsix

I believe its time for an upgrade in regards to my battery. I hadn't drove the car for the past two weeks or so, due to the rain in Northern California. Upon cleaning the inside, radio going........ the battery died. .....
Question:
Is the Optima yellow top the best ? If so, where can I purchase on-line and have shipped to my house ?

Your assistance is appreciated !

kensteele

Why are you looking to upgrade the battery? My battery died prematurely, too because I have a lot of stuff hooked up so it lasted only 60k miles/less than 3 years. But I just went down and got another for cheap...what are the options?

Fabvsix

Thanks Ken !
Wide open......On-line would be preferred....I'm going to jump it and hope to order something today !
Your assistance is appreciated greatly !

Fabvsix

Ken:
Upgrading, because I play the stero quite a bit as I clean the car weekly. I've got 55,911 exact.......I don't like the "911" part.......yikes HELP !

tuleman

Good luck getting a battery shipped. It is quite a hazard and most carriers won't do it.
Let us know if you find someone.

rchavis

Optima batteries can be purchase and shipped. A company with low prices and good service is http://www.powerstridebattery.com
The type depends on your situation. If you have a lot of sterio equipment hooked up and you play your system a lot with the engine off, then the yellow top is the way to go. If you listen mostly while the engine is running, then the red top will do just fine. You would need to order the adaptor also so that the battery will fit right. The 800s model should do just fine for everyday normal driving. The D750s is the yellow top for deep cycling. This would be the battery to use if you play your system with the engine off. Optima batteries will fail to, but they recover and accept a charge faster with little or no damage to the cells. Another advantage to using the Optima is that if it cracks open for some reason, no acid spills out and the battery will still work. Good safety design. There is a difference as far as warranty goes. the yellow top is only 2 years with 750 CCA, The Red top is way longer and gives you 800CCA. And while some dealers are trying to scare people about the yellow top being used as a starter battery, Keep in mind that these are the batteries a lot of Police, Fire and Ambulance units use with no problems with the aledge starting problems.

JSuppi

Just a warning, I went to my local Interstate dealer (which also sold Yellow Tops, and for significantly more than the typical Interstate battery).

The Yellow top is not advisable to use as a starting battery, the load it puts on the starting system may & probably will put more of a load than the electrical system could possibly handle. The warning that my dealer explained to me is that if you were to take the car in for starting issues (I.E it wouldn't start) than just the fact that you have the Yellow Top in the system could possibly void the warranty on the starting system.

I would have loved to go with the Yellow Top (I have a pretty massive system as well), but didn't want to have the worry of something else the dealership may void the warranty against.

Just wanted to give everyone a little heads up.

joeandcarol2

Sounds bogus to me. I think your Interstate dealer probably makes more money on his own brand. If the voltage of the yellow top and red top is the same, I can't see how the yellow top will damage the starting system. I assume it is a 12 volt system

JSuppi

I would love to agree with you there, but unfortunately they are both made by the same folks (Optima is now a division of Interstate batteries )

joeandcarol2

Maybe but a battery is a voltage source in series with a resistance. As long as the voltage level is not too high, I still can't see how its going to harm a starting system. The series resistance will have an effect on the cranking amps.

I think whoever told you that is uninformed.

Fabvsix

Thanks for all the advise, so what battery (brand) etc......do you guys recommend ? I need a battery and the sun is out today YEAH!!!! cause I just ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ'd that baby.........

Thanks again !

JSuppi

I would suggest either, Interstate, and if you want to gamble, the Optima Yellow Top would be a good choice as well (significantly more expensive than your standard battery though).

mantis23

I've got an optima blue...

fusionnv

I searched far and wide. I found that autobarn will ship it to your house for free, as long as u want to pay the $150 for the battery. Last i check they did this was about 2 months ago.

Pappy

I know this is a funny suggestion, but, why not the Sear's Gold? That way if it shit's the sheets before the warranty, you would just bring it back to Sear's for a replacement. There all over the place. How do you put a dollar sign on convenience? Anyway, just a suggestion.

Fabvsix

Thanks Guys ! I found a local shop that sold Interstate batteries and Optima's.....However, he said he has trouble selling the optima's cause of the hassle he has to go thru to deal with them, kinda like buying Toyo's......He was surprised how long the Delco's lasted that came with our car !!!! I bought a 24 series, 72 month @$95.70. Is this good/bad price ?

Thanks again........ !

chatapuggy1

Optima Yellow Top, best I ever had. Got one back when I had a big time audio system. Now I have them in both my cars, my beater stays outside in the cold all the time. Have no problems, you can drain that thing down to the bone, My CL interior lights next to the sunglass holder were both on for over 7 days, they were dim, still started right up with the yellow top, drove the car for a half hour, checked it with a multimeter, fully charged. Optima is the S^&t!!!!!!

EricL

The yellow tops (deep cycle) are better at handling cars that sit around and/or have big stereo systems. The battery weighs more and costs more. We have so much "stuff" in the car that a yellow top might not be a bad idea if the car is not driven every day.

The red tops have a longer warranty, are lighter, and less expensive. There is also a higher CCA rating for them.

I posted the results from the Consumer Reports article and the Delcos are about the crummiest battery that one can own. The CS article mentioned that the “better” batteries lasted 9-times longer than the “loosers” in "simulated" cycling tests.

CS complained about the high price of the Optima they tested and gave a higher rating to another battery that cost about 1/2 of the $140.00 of the one they tested; however, if price in no object, the Optima is probably the best choice.

You might want to get someone who knows what they are doing to tell you weather to get a yellow top or red top battery for your driving conditions.

Here is the Group 34/78 battery test. We use a group 24. Highest is best, and the Motorcraft came is first, Optima Red Top second, and the Delco came in close to last. They also make a small “spacer” to make the smaller Group 34 batter fit nicely in our car.


"MotorcraftTest Tough Max BXT-3478
$80
800 (CCR)
36/100 (Warranty)

Optima Red Top 34/78-1050
$140
750 (CCR)
24/72 (Warranty)

Duralast Gold (North) 34DT-DGN
75
900
36/96

Napa 75XDT800
100
850
18/75

Champion 4X4 DT34
60
770
36/108

Duralast Gold (South) 34DT-DGS
75
800
36/96

Exide Nascar Select 78DT-84N
70
770
24/84

Diehard SUV, Truck & Van (North) 39890
90
900
36/100

ACDelco Professional 78DT-7YR
90
850
24/84

EverStart Maxx-1N
60
900
36/108

EverStart High Power DT-3
40


I have a nasty feeling that the factory "Delcos" are good for 2-3 year MAX!!!!!

EricL

The "problem" with the ratings is ... they are all over the place depending on the size of the battery (i.e. group xxx).

Some of the Interstates were in the middle of the ratings. However, the "life test" results were either fair or poor with one exception (which is what the Delco's got). One Interstate model/size tested got a very good "life" ratring (Group 65).