Do Optima bateries run on unicorn blood?

FullNelson

New Member
Sep 17, 2007
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Coastal Georgia
What makes the optima battery worth another $50? Will it increase the longevity of my muffler bearings?

Can anyone recommend one of these for me over a, say duralast or equivalent?
 

85supra17

New Member
Mar 31, 2009
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Springwater, NY
As far as i know the material is a gel substance not a full liquid like most batteries. Therefor is has characteristics closer to that of a solid. Much more stability in solids.
 

GrimJack

Administrator
Dec 31, 1969
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idriders.com
There are a number of advantages to the new spiral cell gell batteries. And no, optima is by no means the only people making or selling these, just the most well known.

For those people running solid motor mounts, these will survive the extra vibration, unlike standard lead acid cells. My car, for instance, will destroy a lead acid cell in under a year.
 

steveo

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Dec 15, 2008
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Alberta
Since they are dry cell they can be mounted sideways or even upside down if room permits... Never experienced using one...
 

RazoE

Boobs/Boost, my favorite
Jun 13, 2006
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I had a red-top optima in my 240sx, no problems what-so-ever, once I switched it to my Supra, the damn thing died immediately, and would no longer hold a charge, even if charged overnight, or taken to autozone, where they charge it for free in under an hour..

had to get rid of it, and I never went back..
 

Poodles

I play with fire
Jul 22, 2006
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Fort Worth, TX
I won't touch a normal lead acid battery after having every one I've ever owned leak eventually.

Battery acid does some terrible damage, I won't screw with it again...

FYI: they're not a dry cell, and Wal-Mart used to carry their own brand with the sprial cell...they got sued.
 

hotmk3

New Member
Jun 6, 2009
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Hawaii
You should look into Odyssey batteries.. If I were spending in excess of $100 for a Optima battery I would look into their competition as well.
 

lewis15498

Don't blame ebay cheapass
Sep 28, 2008
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Raynham, Massachusetts, United States
I bought my first optima battery (yellow top) when i was sixteen. It ran hard for 5 years with 0 problems it powerd a couple decent systems, as well as a plow truck for a year. the only reason i dont have it anymore is because it was in my TL when it was stolen....and burned:nono: next time i needed a battery i bought a yellow top... price had gone up to 190 but i still say its worth every penny!
 

steveaw11

New Member
Feb 18, 2009
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georgia
hotmk3;1343168 said:
You should look into Odyssey batteries.. If I were spending in excess of $100 for a Optima battery I would look into their competition as well.


Odysseys are just as good as Optima's and are half the weight or less of the Optima. Plus they are cheaper generally.
 

Poodles

I play with fire
Jul 22, 2006
16,757
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Fort Worth, TX
Odyssey = AGM = what Doward mentioned ;)

Too bad the odyssey's are ugly :rofl:

The full size odysseys are more expensive, the tiny ass ones are idiotic in a DD IMHO...
 

FullNelson

New Member
Sep 17, 2007
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Coastal Georgia
Tanya;1343019 said:
Unicorn blood, lol.

Ive actually had people tell me to stay away from Optimas...

Same here. But they will only say not to use them, and cant seem to describe why there bad. :slap: Kinda like the way people do with motor oil.

Do AGM and gel batteries differ alot, or are they on a fairly even playing field?
 

Tanya

Supramania Contributor
Aug 15, 2005
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Naples, FL
I want a blue top Optima to make my engine bay all perty matching... not really willing to spend $100+ though :(
 

Poodles

I play with fire
Jul 22, 2006
16,757
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43
Fort Worth, TX
Seems like people expect them to last forever... just like any battery they do have a lifespan.

On a side note, Optima's are AGM as well...
 

Valheru

New Member
May 25, 2009
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vermont
I have a 2000 Toyota Celica (in addition to my Supra). I put the yellow top optima in it because I run 1500 watts from my sound system. I had the battery about 2 years beating it the whole time with that system before I got drunk one night while working on the car and hooked it up backwards and blew my alternator fuse. On a 2 year old battery with heavy use i drove 10 miles to the closest parts store with no alternator and didn't really notice any difference in power than when the alternator was actually functioning. That same battery almost a year later is now powering my Supra as the Celica takes a summer break. Never had a failure to start a car in about 3 years.
 

Poodles

I play with fire
Jul 22, 2006
16,757
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43
Fort Worth, TX
Yep, same here.

As long as it doesn't puke it's guts all over my car it was worth it. Cleaning up battery acid and the damage from it SUCKS.