Optima Red Top life span

[Rick]

I was just reminded on Facebook that I replaced a 10 year old Optima Red Top 7 years ago today. The "new" Red Top is in our Mach 1 and still going strong. The first battery was made in the USA, the "new" battery was made in Mexico after Optima was bought out by Johnson Controls.

I have heard a lot of bad things about how Optima's quality has dropped since they began being made in Mexico. I have not seen a difference in the batteries I have been using. Right now I have five Yellow Top's in service and one Red Top. No issues with any of them. I have not had an issue with early death of Optima batteries unless I do something really dumb, like leaving a load on the battery for months with no charge going into it which I have done once.

 

[Metalface]

Being in the market for one of these and knowing that they got bought out thus making most of the more historical information and reviews I've heard "unreliable info," this is great to hear!

 

[Josh P]

I've only got 7 years out of a battery once in the 25 years I've lived here. It was an energizer battery. I'm lucky to see 36 months on any battery.

 

[Kirby N.]

I have definitely noticed a difference in the old optima’s verses the new ones. The old ones were nearly indestructible. I had multiple ones that lasted 10+ years and didn’t faulter no matter what I threw at them. Run them down with the winch, leave them dead, parasitic draw. It didn’t matter. My brother had a red top that I outlasted cars. First one had a huge stereo and lights, next one had a winch and lots of accessories. The one in my Navajo and my jeep lasted forever.

The last one I bought was yellow top and died for no good reason just outside the warranty period and nearly left me stranded in the remote mountains in the dead of winter. It’s not that optima’s are terrible batteries- I still thing they are among the best out there- they just aren’t the outstanding battery they used to be. And to be fair, there isn’t another agm that is much better. I read some where that the raw materials aren’t available in the same quality they used to be so that has something to do with it. Lead? Idk.

Currently I am running 2 superstart O’Rielley brand agm batteries. I also have a spare one of these on the shelf. In my Ranger I am running an Odyssey Exttreme. Interestingly enough, both the Odyssey and one of the super starts tested bad at the parts stores at one point. Instead of recycling them and buying a new battery, I brought them home and put them on the battery tender trickle charger and they came back- holding a charge- and I am running them again. Maybe the optima yellow top would have done that too but I wasn’t in a place to try it. The way it died was odd too- it just stopped working one day.

So in my experience optima’s are not what they used to be- abuse enduring 10 year + lasting super high performing battery- but they aren’t a bad battery compared to what else is available. I am a little annoyed that they sold out and moved production to another country when it used to be down the street. With that in mind, they have lost my business.

 

[Rick]

Going on 8 years on that Mexican made Red Top, no issues.

 

[Flounder]

FWIW, I had a red top, 25, 770 cca fail after two years just recently in the wife's ride. Purchased 2/24/22, dead 1/15/24. It seemed like a slow death -- in the weeks leading up, I could hear her car start more "slowly". Alternator tested fine. Advance tested it (although I doubt they attempted a deep discharge - recharge). It fell under the 36 month warranty, so Advance swapped it with a new one.

If you want to stay domestic, I suggest Deka. They're made by East Penn, not far from here in Reading (pronounced redding), PA. Although their prices have increased significantly in the last 10 years -- but what hasn't.

 

[BrooklynBay]

Optima was supposed to have a lithium battery out over a year ago which is better than their regular batteries. I don't know if they came out with it.

 

[Kirby N.]

I have heard good things about Deka. I even read some parts stores brands are rebranded Deka.

 

[Rick]

Optima was supposed to have a lithium battery out over a year ago which is better than their regular batteries. I don't know if they came out with it.

They came out with a Lithium orange top. They are not for automotive use though, just motorcycles, side by sides etc.

 

[410Fortune]

I run durastart agms in my Dozer, Track hoe and military generator they have been fantastic for the $115-140 they sell them for. We get them in town at the north40 (like a farm store) I use a harbor freight 35w solar panel on all equipment and trailers to keep the batteries up… this really helps them last a long long time

Our house is powered by 16 renogy 600ah agm 12v batteries they were $300 ea when I bought 16 of them, these run our homestead and shop in a 48v system. I also have a bank of 8 battle born lithium ion 12v batteries they were $800 each (ouch) but perform stellar in a 24v off grid setup. I gave up on optima and oddessey batteries for our vehicles, utv, atv lawn mower, snow machines simply because of their price tags. All lead acid batteries now and I try to keep them up with small Solar panels.

I have a Panasonic lead acid battery in my bronco that is from 2011 still going but showing signs of weakness. I run interstate (Kirkland) lead acids in our gas and diesel trucks the Costco warranty kicks ass and interstate lead acid batteries have treated me well for the price ($105-125 ea)