Today, i installed the optima red top battery. I got it from Advance auto parts for 117.07 w/ taxes. It looks cool and works great. The only thing is the battery bay is to small for it. i wish i had something to make it fit well and lock it down correctly.

 

sorry meant to say the battery bay is too big for the battery.

 

so why would the most expensive one have the shortest warranty?

 

Did you get this with it?



Just put it on the bottom instead and it'll raise it.

Optima sends it for free, or at least they sent it to me for free.

 

doh! It says on the cover to use on the bottom of the battery if necessary.

anyways...I also used a battery terminal spray to prevent corrosion instead of grease.

 

Ok - this is my thread so I'll be asking the questions here!


I can't find my radio code for the life of me (don't have a manual, and can't find it in the glove). So if I do install the battery without the code, does this just mean that I'll lose my presets, and nothing else to worry about?

If that's all I need the code for , I can live.... Please inform!

 

You will not be able to use your radio at all - you can get the radio code by going to the Acura dealer and they should give this number to you for free - just show them your ownership papers.

 

Soundscape, you will loose all ability to use the radio as bareback said and will additionally loose all ability to use the navigation system, until you enter the codes for each one. These are anti theft measures that would make it impractical to steal these two items on the principal that the dealer will verify who you are before giving you the codes to enter.

You may need to have the serial numbers off of the radio and navi to get the codes but they probably can look it up by vin as well.


El Mafioso,
The reason the most expensive battery has the shortest warranty (and i am speculating here) is because of the way that they expect the yellow top to be used. Someone who buys the yellow top battery is probably intending to use it in deep cycle applaications which are more taxing for the battery and hence shorten it's life.

Let me try another way. If you put a red top and a yellow top in two acuras that were exactly the same then the yellow top would probably outlast the red top 9 out of 10 times. Your average car owner will not be buying a $160 battery, however. The people who will be buying the yellow top will be using it for applications like boats, both big and small. In a big boating application you will have the normal starting engine needs that a car would require but additionally you will have long term draining sources that will run while the engine is off (hence no alternator to power it , only battery) like the bilge pumps, the blowers, the radio while you drift and drink beer, etc. Hence the battery consistently gets drained to a lower level than the red top would and this shortens battery life, even in the deep cycles batteries. It doesnt hurt the deep cycle battery like it would a starter battery but still to some degree. In small boats you may have just the battery hooked to an electric motor where you will drain it completely and recharge it completely each time you use it. Again, shortens the life of the battery. A red top would probably not survive many times of this.

Just to reiterate. I do not believe anyone needs a yellow top for their car. Yes it has some additional functionality that the red top does not but imho it is functionality you will never use. If you could have gotten an Acura with fire that shoots out of the exhaust pipes and squirt guns in the head lights would that have made it something you would spend half again as much on ($50k instead of $35k). Although the additional capabilities are pretty cool I'm just not convinced its worth the money. Again, that is just my opinion.

 

Thinking back on it the fire and squirt guns might almost be worth it... bad example, heehee.

 

Did u get the car used?..If you bought it new...the code should be on a small card that the dealer would give you when u initially bought the car. It also explains how to enter the code on the back of the card.

 

k, so it seems im torn between the redtop and yellowtop. gman always has some wise words, so does fsttyms and others. highly appreciated. still havent decided. bout that pic, so does the OEM plastic battery cover fit after putting in the yellowtop from that pic? and does the bracket fit tightly with that yellowtop with the spacer thingie?

 

either will do, its up to your budget, no the factory cover doesnt fit, yes teh battery tiedown holds it tightly!

 

...isnt there also a blue top?

 

blue is the marine purposes... if u got a boat... call optima and get the cover for free because the battery is too short for the battery tie down. add it to the bottom of the battery and then it is just high enough with the stock tie down bar... buy the red, save the money and have more cranking power.

 

ur right blue is for marine. i think i might go with the yellow top, anyone know where i can get it? i dont like ordering stuff online oh and btw, anyone got a pic of a yellow top in a TL?

 

looks just like the red except for the red cover. autozone, auto strauss, pepboys in nyc.

 

http://photos22.flickr.com/28389723_c67bed2681.jpg?v=0

http://photos21.flickr.com/28389722_d502b442e7.jpg?v=0

 

hopefully same in cali. thanx for tha pics, that's F'n funny that the pic with a close-up has the window sticker laid out EXACTLY on the battery so that i cant see it!

 

Hey OT in that first pic I noticed the engine cover is painted to match the car.....how did you do that??!?

 

its been done a million times bro search it

 

Just buy the battery already lol Figure it all out afterwards lol

 

i know i know but i might as well ask since i'm stuck here at work