Hot Rods How long did your optima red top last?

i May have a record,
I got a new one in 2001,it finally gave up on me this morning!
I don’t know if the new ones are as good, we will see.

 

When ever I replace a battery in one of my cars I mark the date with a paint pen. I purchased my Red Top on 5-18-2001 and had to replace it last year, in June, 2017, so about 6 years. I replaced it with a Yellow Top. From what I understand, they are supposed to last longer but who knows.

 

New math?

 

I think 48ford meant 2011

 

I’m at 6+ years,no problems. Battery tender on it all winter.

 

I pull my batteries in the winter and store them in the storage room its heated.i average about8 yrs on them,red tops

 

Still have one I put in a dirt late model in 2005. Then when we switched to dirt modifieds we kept the battery and used it in those cars until 2012. When we retired from racing winter of 2012/13 we stuck the Optima in the new trailer to run the winch. Still there and doing fine. I just stick it on a charger a couple times a year since 2012.
SPark

 

Sorry, anothercar guy I meant 2011.

 

I had a red top that was 16 years old (yeah, I couldn't believe it either). It was still good, but out of caution I replaced it. I kept it on a tender all the time, but I guess I should have kept using it just to see how long it would have lasted. Somehow I don't think I could ever have that kind of longevity out of a new one. Seems I heard the quality isn't quite what it used to be.

 

Can you use a regular old battery tender on the Optima batteries? Don't they take a special charger?

 

I use a regular tender on mine, I also have a power kill switch on car to kill any draw. if you have a radio with memory ,or any kind of small draw, it will kill a battery fairly quick, if its not on a tender.its really hard on the optimas.

 

I use the small tender on mine. Bought it in 05 and just replaced it as a precaution. Still tested good.

 

............I used a regular Battery Tender Plus on my Red Top for 16 years. If I was doing something wrong nobody ever told the battery.

 

Sounds like they were just a little too good, but they've fixed that, natch.

 

A friend gave me one he had used for a few years didn’t what it anymore! Put it on a charger. Have been using it as a starting battery. And now using it in my T.
When I first got it I read you had to charge them different. Can’t remember but i worked for me, it was dead. Still working great


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We have some blue tops at work that are 10 years old and still going. They are used on a electric truck to run the lift gates.

 

13 years on my first one, 8 years so far on the current one. I'm sold.

 

11 years before it died, replaced it with another red top.

 

Had 2 failures on 2 red top batteries in 2 different cars in the last couple of years. In 2012 it is my understanding they moved all production to Mexico, interested in seeing how everyone does with the new batteries they are purchasing. Always had good luck prior. Last few have been Odyssey. Keep us posted.

 

Had one for 10 years in a 31 hotrod and sold the car.another in my daily 64 elky for bout 7 and still going strong.another in the girls daily 63 c-20for about 5 also and still going strong.i put em in every customer's car that will let me

 

2.5 years, replaced by optima, that one did ok for the remaining 3 months I owned the car.
No more for me.

 

The US made red top in my Model A is 14 years old.

My 57 Ford is on it's 2nd Mexico made red top in probably the past 6 years. Unless this newest one lasts quite a while, I will probably not buy another Optima.

 

I don't know. I used it in my '49 Studebaker Champion sedan for 4 years, then sold the car to another club member who moved to another state shortly after. One thing I can tell you - it never failed me, winter or summer - day or night.

 

USA-made blue top and a yellow top, both going strong at 10-years when sold.

A litany of Mexico-made red tops, all failed inside of 6-months.

 

I do believe that charging requires a different type of charger/ maintainer than those used for a lead acid type battery. I purchased a Optima's 12v performance maintainer/charger. Word of caution using this in the cold weather! The wires rubber insulation will crack and split when ya wind them up for storage around the unit when yer done. Don't ya just love off shore auto parts.

 

Nope, 2001
I remember that’s when I put the battery in the trunk

 

The newer Optima batteries suck in my opinion. The old school ones were really good. For me if I spend a lot on a battery it's Odyssey

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One year.


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When I built my convertible I put one in and took 3 to get a good one, so in 2004 I installed the last warranty battery. I had to replace that one and replaced in in 2016. So I got 12 years out of that one. I have the battery on a battery tender, so I attribute that time to the use of a tender