LowMiles_BlueTL

So my battery went out. No problem, go to Costco and get a battery because Costco batteries have a 3 year replacement. Costco carries a 24F (terminals reversed) but not the 24 I need.

No problem, Sam's club has just as good of a warranty. They also do not have a 24, just the 24F. Crap!

It currently had a group 34-36 battery from AAA (this was my mother-in-laws car). And the plastic cover doesn't fit over the battery (although it looks like the AAA guy tried to make it fit).

I want a battery with a no-hassle 3-year replacement warranty (not prorated). Any suggestions?

And before you reply, no, I am not buying an Optima battery. They have the same warranty as any other battery but cost twice as much. I can't see spending the money for the same warranty.

Thanks!

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

plus, the optima branded batteries quality have gone down in recent years.

the best batteries are made by Johnson controls!
Johnson controls makes the costco branded batteries and also the sears die hard platinum series battery.

check out sears!

acura_fantacy

Go to Advanced Auto Part, they often have 35% off coupon or sometimes $40-50 off $100. The battery costs just over $100. They will install it for you too.

Skirmich

I should point out why Optima Batteries don't have 3 year warranties.
Usually guys running Optima Batteries do so because of the accessories/audio/etc or a lot of high demand applications that will make a cheap 3 year warranty battery crap out in months. So there is no comparison there, if Optima Gave 3 Year warranties they would go into bankruptcy in years.
Cost twice as much but delivers twice as much resistance to load and higher amp draws that any other 1 year warranty battery, except Kinetik of course.

AGM Batteries > Normal Pb Battery.


What it should be said is that an Optima Battery is completely OVERKILL if you just want to crank your stock car and with stock I mean no extra electric loads.

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

When i was growing up, Optima Branded batteries were touted for the their strong strength and warranty.


Today, not so much.
its because of the lack in quality and inferior product.


if you compare all 24 series batteries, the Optima yellow top does not have anything more than the others.

Skirmich

Dunno about that tough hear say will always be a bitch... I have over 4 years with my Current Yellow and it's still going strong.. I will replace it with a Kinetik next time anyway to try out something new.

But comparing an Optima with a Cheapo battery is also dumb, there is no comparison on what your getting... You won't notice though unless you have lots of extra loads in your car. People bashing Optima usually do so because they are running stock and don't see a difference over a cheapo Pb.

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

Conventional Vehicles | Johnson Controls Inc.

I'm not comparing a cheap battery to the Optima.
I'm comparing a GREAT battery to the Optima.

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

lol guess what I just learned.

Johnson Controls owns Optima.

Skirmich

If you compare it to what? to Normal Pb Batteries? You mean in Discharge Power and Load Resistance Bench Testing?


In my Experience with batteries and my Current Setup a Normal PB will drain in less than 2 hours of blasting my stereo (Tested LTH and ACDelco Pb´s) they will drop below 12v fast to my liking, Granted 2 Hours should be enough but in comparison:


8 hour straight with my Optima Yellow and the fact it still had 12.3v on it when I crank the car? There is no match here.. The higher density and internal resistance of the Optima walk over any Cheap Pb Battery.


So I dunno about bench testing, I normally say about MY personal experience.. and in MY personal experience Optima Yellow has been the best battery I ever used in my TL... Like I said I will try the Kinetik next time because I like to experience things and not let any other people decide for me.

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

^if Johnson Controls owns most batteries out there, quote, "135 million batteries sold annually" unquote

that means youre not likely to get a poor manufactured battery.
as JC controls MOST of the market.


This means Most of the batteries on the market will operate at the same standards as your Optima branded battery.

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

in the year, 2000, JC acquired Optima.

Skirmich

Why would you think that? If that were true why my LTH dropped below 12v in 2 hours and my Optima carried a long to 8 hours using the same 1K RMS system?


If a cheap 99 battery were enough why people running 10,000RMS even bother using Multiple AGM Batteries if they can save Thousands of dollars in batteries?


Not because Johnson Electronics own Optima means Optima and LTH are the same battery just with a different sticker. Its like saying the Veyron is a Volkswagen because it owns Bugatti so a Jetta should also run 400kph..


Also this is my next battery 64Ah!!!!

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

butt butt the red top and yellow top both have the same specs as other Johnson Controls batteries!


if the specs were different, your analogy would work.

but they all have the same CCA's and cranking power and 3 year warranty, etc. etc. etc. etc.

3.2TLc

Hey man, just go to your local Wally's World, really seriously decent battery's with warranty at a good price !!!

fsttyms1

I own 5 optimas, one is over 15 years old and still starting my dads S10, one is 10 years old and gets beat around in my ski boat with stereo, the other 3 range from 8 to 4 years of age all still running strong with hundreds of thousands of miles combined They are the only battery i will buy.

fsttyms1

There is a big difference between drycell like the optima and your typical sealed lead acid battery

MBP 03

You can run a 34 series battery in these cars without any issues. The only difference in size between the 34 series and the 24 series in that the 34 series is 1" shorter, but you can buy a spacer that installs under it to bring it back to the correct height. The 34 series has 100 more CCA than the 24. The height of the 36 series is about the same as the 24, but the length and width are larger and that's probably why the cover didn't fit right.

chris03tl

I just put a 25 series battery in our TL.

You lose the factory battery top cover thingamajig but its much easier to find a 25 series (Costco DOES carry 25)....didnt know a 34 would fit, thats an option at Costco also I believe.

MBP 03

Yes. Costco does carry the 34 series, at least in my area.

acutee

Don't use the catalog. Just buy the one that fits. All it is about cca and the right facing side of terminals. that is all. Series are just for references to make life easy.

acutee

Agreed. Been there, done it, both on red and yellow. Optima price is overkill, ways too heavy (more weights means more gas consumption), and they did fail after 3-yr mark; their warranty replacement is horrid, and they don't carry 3yrs warranty. Unless optima wants to speak to me, i still have both cores.

xxx_busa

XS POWER

XS Power | Real Power, Unreal Performance

03blackbeast

I just picked up the size 25 from Sam's for $75. 3 year warranty and it's a Duracell battery. It's been in my car over a year and through a -45 degree winter and did fine the whole time. And the battery cover still fits. I'd recommend it

03blackbeast

I should mention too that the 3 year warranty is a full replacement warranty. Of course it's limited to you not blowing it up or whatever but it's certainly not prorated

tripleguy

I go to a local salvage yard for my car batteries. They pull them out of wrecks and sell the newer ones for $20 each. I've purchased several over the years for my family and never had any issues with them. $100 for battery? NFW!