Talk to Optima

have had three optimas total. The earlier one i had was a yellow top worked great in my daily, Since i had such good luck with the yellow top i thought i would go for the red top in my nova, what a peice of shit it was.I paid almost 200 dollars for it and it crapped out in a month the part store replaced it same thing , Went to a 60 dollar high cca battery works great.Never again will i buy another optima. I hope the big wigs at optima reads this and maybe does something about there overpriced boat anchors!!!

 

At risk of adding to the drama- I had the same experience as so many others:
1st red top was great and lasted forever. 2nd and 3rd red tops crapped out early, and even charging with the "phantom" other battery connected to get my conventional charger to recognize them; they wouldn't take a charge.

 

I put a trickle charger on a friends 6V red top and came out the next morning and one of the terminals had literally melted. I've never seen that happen to any battery.

 

This thread is being monitored by Optima's marketing/advertising company. Then at SEMA, they'll sit down with the department heads from Optima and go over this data. At that point, I hope to get a response from them for you guys. It may come from them directly, or through me. But I'll be at these meetings myself and will make damn sure that they know the score: They gave you the opportunity to speak directly to them and now you're offering them the same rare chance. And hey Optima - just in case you didn't know: This forum is not only comprised of builders and owners, but all of the major media players are either members or lurkers. The world is watching...

Scotty

 

I did not read all the responses but Optima is gonna wish they had not opened this issue to its customers directly. Made in Mexico might as well be Honduras, Indonesia, China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Cambodia, Pakistan F that Sh-it. Made in USA. I find myself daily when I spend my money looking at where products originate from now and buy USA made or search out a product that is made in the USA. I have all together stopped using certain companies do to the lack of their products being from the USA. Optima is losing my money from now on.-Weeks

 

Hate to remind you of this but if Optima advertises in a publication the editors of said publication are not going to allow an acticle with the real facts from real people that have had major issues with one of their advertisors. That's just the way that industry works. It's driven by the advertisors.

 

Is it all fixable? in short, Yes. Just how bad do you want it Optima?

I worked for a company that had shall we say an 'issue' with product. It literally burnt vehicles to the ground. $100-300K vehicles. Oops. (run when someone yells cost savings)

It was all in how it was handled. And we paid every last person made them whole and complete. As well we 'fixed' the problem.

We lost business. But we kept about 70% of what we had. Then we went back and earned what we lost by what our actions had shown. Someone called it integrity

And Denise is right on the money. Don't preach to the choir (magazines) they work for the church. Your customers are in the pews and on the streets.

Scotty is right as well. Total vehicle control on this board? Globally. yes globally check out the countries represented here. One hell of a lot more than you think. And some very influential industry folks that just lurk and soak...well except for a few vocals

So we have all talked. Optima? Your actions?

 

Lyon Station, That's DEKA. They used to be in Reading years ago. Top quality stuff then and now. They manufacture batteries for many companies and put on whatever name the customer wants.

I used to buy directly from the factory, their truck would deliver and take back the cores. A real first class company. They treated me well.

 

Denise: You're right - I could have chosen my words more carefully.

FuelFC: Your story helps restore my faith that messes can be cleaned up and overcome - thanks.

 

Here is the USA MADE DEKA BATTERY
http://www.eastpenn-deka.com/assets/base/0259.pdf

 

After reading about Denise's experience at Columbus, They could make a great battery and I would never buy one because of that incident alone! Even after knowing about her problem in July, it doesn't look like they tried to help!

 

The cynical side of me says that there will be a great deal of spin installed between this thread, and the information actually delivered by the marketing/advertising company. I've dealt with too many of them over the years.

I can all-too-easily see three possible reactions:

1) "Well, there's a few hundred complaints, sure. It's the Internet- you'll have that. On the other hand, we've/you've sold XXXXXX batteries over said time frame, so when you look at the percentages...." of course, ignoring the warranty returns through dealers, lost dealerships, etc....but that's what marketing & advertising companies DO...put the best spin on things. Remember, the marketing/advert co. has to sell themselves to the company as well...tell 'em what they want to hear.

2) "Well, that's sure something we might want to look at down the road sometime...but it's not the question we asked..." although reading the original post, it sure looks like it was. Not a knock on you, Scotty...it's just that I have seen this one happen too.

3) "Do these people have ANY idea how much it costs to make a good battery in America? Sure, it would be nice to have a great warranty & killer product like we used to...but we can't DO that & still make money."

It's a simple fact of business: when one company (Company A) buys another company (Company B), they have to spend and/or borrow money to do so. Company A wants to see a return on it's investment NOW. Suppose Company B was making 8% net profit every year. To make it simple, assume that this 8% is equivalent to 8% of what Company A paid for Company B. (Company A probably paid much more than that, especially in the '90s & early 2000s, but let's keep it at simple math.) At that rate, assuming nothing changes to affect this, Company A will not be completely repaid for 12 1/2 years MINIMUM...not including loan interest, fees, etc.

In a modern business environment, CEOs, stockholders, & boards of directors want profit now...not starting 12+ years from now. 12 years from now, that technology may be obsolete.

So what do you do if you are Company A? You decrease fixed costs....you cheapen the product cost: get cheaper labor; close a plant & get a tax break & depreciation; use less costly materials, and less of them; take out extra features; reduce the warranty terms and make it more difficult to make a claim...and the list goes on. THAT'S how you will get your return on investment in a timely fashion.

It has been stated over and over in this thread alone: "Their older batteries were great, they last forever, they were great value for the money, they lasted 10 years..." That's the last thing Optima/Johnson Controls (or any manufacturer of any product) wants to hear...they want the battery to last just long enough for you to feel you got your money's worth and to consider buying another Optima...probably 6-8 years at most. A 10 or 12 year battery? That's a nightmare. You, the consumer, should have bought TWO batteries in that time frame.

I really hope that I am wrong about these outcomes to this thread...but the business history of the last 50 years or so says otherwise.

 

But you can't charge Corvette prices and keep delivering Chevette cars and expect return customers.

 

Homespun your on the money.

And in addition or looking at your points. How is the IRR, ROI, run rate, scrap rate, CSS/DSS rates (cust satisfaction/dist satisfaction), P&L, gross and net...and all of the dashboard light all looking today for the investor to receive a return on thier investment? If I were to hazard a guess not too peachy.

There are still many successful companies (less and less I agree) that have not lost sight or fact that you can still make a good buck and satisfy a customer at a fair price with quality and still turn a profit with a return to the investors.

And as well have all seen common sense has gone out the window in life and business. Used to be you bought a toaster and it lasted forever and the company that made it stayed in business too. Kind of the old tortise and hare story in a way.

Some night when we all can't sleep I'll tell y'all the story on "Hey Let's Move it all to Mexico and Have Our Own Maquiladora". Back when it was really cool to have such a great thing. That ones a hoot and will make you laugh and cry. Has heroes and villians...everything except the lions, tigers, and bears.

Quality? 100% it was. We had...Hah we had none. 100% failure rate.

We only lost about $25 million cash on that brilliant move, one tractor trailer (still haven't found), all the machinery, blah, blah, and God knows how many customers. Stunningly brilliant I tell ya.

 

Absolutely.

The pendulum was swung all the way to the quality side...and (if you take this thread at face value) when Johnson Controls bought Optima, they made the decision to try to reduce the quality/improve profits...and went too far to the profit side of things.

So now the consumer (again, if you take this thread as representative of their product quality) does not feel as if he/she is receiving adequate value for the money spent.

Now they need to try to swing the pendulum back a bit. Although we may be kidding ourselves...for all I know, their sales are just fine & their warranty returns are minimal.

It doesn't sound as if they are even delivering Chevette quality, with unwarranted failures at six months...one year...etc.

But, what is a reasonable expected lifespan for these batteries? I don't think I've ever heard them marketed as having a longer lifespan than a lead acid battery...just that they are safer and will hold a charge longer.

Back when they first came out they were marketed heavily towards racing because of the safety factor. They have a lot of competition now in racing, and it appears to me as though they are basically trying to use the "racing/high performance glamour" to sell a consumer replacement battery. Where the appearance of the battery is all-important, like in high-end car stereo competitiors, they are far preferred over Odyssey, etc.

 

I worked for a very well known hot rod builder for several years and was there when the Optimas were introduced.As anyone knows who does fabrication, a special battery box is needed to support the Optima due to it's design.Not only was the failure rate high, many cars required new battery boxes fabbed to utilize a conventional battery.This often required more than just a new battery box due to space limitations. It really turned into a can of worms for the car owners, builder and Optima.No one came out on this deal and bad blood was spilled everywhere.Now they are built in Mexico?You would think manufacturers would have learned from the bad experiences many US companies have had trying that scenario.If you ride a donkey to work you sure as hell shouldn't be building batteries.

 

4 years ago I purchased a Optima Red top from a speed shop in Sydney Australia , for my F100 thats used casually , that is probably every second or third day day , the cost out here was around the $400 , but I heard good reports and read about these in American magazines and thought they would be good quality . I've never had any electrical problems with this truck . The battery started to give me problems at 9 months , not holding charge , auto electricians checked out my whole system found nothing wrong , but kept on saying it was the battery . I drove the truck down to Sydney ( 3 hours ) from my farm to the speed shop to hopefully get the battery replaced , they said they had received quite a few reports and were no longer stocking them . I had to buy another brand battery to get home , as I was coming home in the night using headlights etc ..............the Optima battery was in my truck 10 months and would not hold a charge at all the last 2 months ..........never again will I waste my money on these , its got a $80 battery in it and works great


years ago I purchased 2 small Sears Diehard batteries to put in my hot rod with a 12 1/2 to one compression 427 BB Chevy and that thing was as reliable as the day was long , crank that thing over no worries for years and years

cheers

Steve in Oz

 

How bout they all put Optimas in there regular drivers and by Christmas they'll all know what the problems are. When the problems with the batteries directly affect them , then maybe they will address the issue. Still can't believe they would need our input when R&D should have done this for them in the first place.

 

In the past I have had great experiences with Optima. While in Alaska (Anchorage) I installed a redtop in my OT 1973 Land Cruiser (sorry I don't have the part number or date manufactured). Yes it had/has a winch too. In the winter I froze the battery solid several times. I would bring it inside to thaw and charge it back up. That went on for 2 years. After my assignment to Langley AFB in Virginia, the battery lasted another 2-3 years in the cold engine bay outside in the elements. Once it was no longer holding a charge I went with another Optima Battery. This time I went with the biggest yellow top they made at the time. Model # D31A-1125, 1125 Cranking Amps, 900 cold Cranking and 125 Reserve (date sticker wore off long ago). It has been great for going on 3ish years now. Recently I was given a newer Optima by a friend. This one is much newer and will NOT hold a charge no matter how it's charged. It is a Red Top Model # 7586DT, 910 Cranking Amps, 720 Cold Cranking Amps and 90 Reserve. Date sticker is 02/08. Dead as a Door Nail, Kaput, Garbage. Since I wasn't the original buyer, and the receipt is gone it may as well be a paper weight. Worth only $15 core at the local Vato Zone.

Yes it was free to me, but had it held up to it's reputation the original owner would still have it in his truck.

Will i buy another Optima? Not Likely since this is not the only group of automotive enthusiasts having the same issues with the newer ones. Now if I see a trend in positive reviews on newer manufactured batteries I may be convinced, but it is going to take MANY positive reviews in quality and customer service. Price would have to be competitive with the others on the market too. Just too much of a leap of faith for a 50/50 product no mater where it is made.


There are tons of battery failures in this thread, but nobody is fessing up the part numbers. Without that info Optima may see this as some form of band wagon response. I am NOT saying this is a bandwagon deal, but the Optima Corp may see it that way. The company will need some form of part numbers/ model numbers, date codes, whatever to establish a failure trend. Please if you have a Optima battery in question post the part/model/date whatever you still have to provide solid data for them to see here.

 

[X

There are tons of battery failures in this thread, but nobody is fessing up the part numbers. Without that info Optima may see this as some form of band wagon response. I am NOT saying this is a bandwagon deal, but the Optima Corp may see it that way. The company will need some form of part numbers/ model numbers, date codes, whatever to establish a failure trend. Please if you have a Optima battery in question post the part/model/date whatever you still have to provide solid data for them to see here.[/QUOTE]

Part numbers, yes. Serial numbers would be even better. Thanks, Green73.

 

Are we doing their R&D now..... It sounds like it.

If they would warranty their products they would know what part #s failing.

 

I turned the paperweights in as cores long ago. How about this I need to go to the recycling center soon anyway, I will get numbers off of any optimas I see.-Weeks

 

Ha! Thanks, Weeks!

 

OK, to make this Tread informative to more than just the guys at Optima...

I'm interested in a better than usual quality battery ( or batteries, since I have several cars )

Can be Gel or Acid, I dont care.


Who sells them?

 

I think I'm going to stop at my local O'Reilys tomorrow and see if they still have my melted one in the back.

 

What? Seriously now. I am going or others are going to expend more uncompensated energy to do what? This is not our problem. This is thier problem.

See it works like this. Customer (us), service (them)

Tell them to get thier ass in a car. Drive down to a pdc or jobber house in Vegas Monday morning that stocks them and look there own damn self. Bring a note pad and start writing.

Then when they are done there they can fan out across the countryside in thier little cars with Optima batteries in them until they are done.

I am now suggesting Ryan send a bill to Optima/Johnson Controls for the customer focus group time. Scotty ask thier Mktg guy/gal what they would expect pay for 50 people in the same room survey over the counter.

Ryan let me know and I'll help you figure the costing.

Scotty you/they have my number. I am done doing for free what the upper managment in that organization is getting paid for and not doing.

 

I completely agree with you..... am not going out of my way for them. The O'Reily store is 2 blocks from my sisters place which I was already planning on going to tomorrow. I'm kinda going outta my own curiousity.

 

Good read, long but good. I've had 4 Optima red tops with one failure after 10 years. The three that are left are about 5 years old. I sure didn't pay $200 for them and don't expect I will in the future.

A little OT but worth mentioning; Oakdale California was the home to a satellite plant of Hershey Chocolate, it opened on May 22, 1965 and employed about 575 locals, but the plant closed in January 2008 and moved it's operations to, you guessed it, Mexico. So most, if not all, of the Hershey products with nuts are hechos en Mexico.

 

Optima wants some VOC? Here is mine, I have had 4 red tops, 1 in a daily driver it lasted 2 years, the other 3 in non daily drivers, 1 of the others went down in the first 2 weeks. The other 2 are taking up floor space now. I will not buy anther Optima product. Done the research made the calls, tried what others have said to maintain them. So no more. Too late.

 

Here they can actually get started tonight. A lot of these locations within 25 miles of Downtown Vegas 89101 will be open. No need to wait until Monday afterall.

http://www.optimabatteries.com/deal...0006&Button_DoSearch_x=50&Button_DoSearch_y=9