What kind of battery should I get?

[Das_Amaretto]

Time to replace it, and I'm just wondering people's experiences with theirs.

I was thinking of trying Interstate, I've heard good things, but I don't know where to get a good deal on one.

I run a system, around 1000w total. What about Optimas? I was thinking maybe next time I replace (after trying Interstate) to try them..

[DeeCEE101]

You can't go wrong with an optima battery... I personally run a Optima Yellow Top and have no complaints at all.. Costco has pretty good prices for them...

[D. Dub]

IMHO Optima's are great for a road racing or off-road applications. BUt are really overkill for a daily driver.

Costco has some great batteries with higher CCA's and higher reserves than the Optimas for cheaper prices.

In our climate the bigggest thing you should look for is CCA's

[Das_Amaretto]

too bad i dont have a costco card... seems to be the place to get batt's from.

I tend to also run the system without running the engine, so a battery that will hold up to drains/charges would be great.

how much is an optima anywys?

[infected]

I'm guessing you could pick one up from Canadian Tire for cheap :dunno:

[Das_Amaretto]

No more Die Hard's or Motomaster crap for me. I seem to have to get a new one every year or 2. I'm likely gonna give Interstate a try or maybe an Optima.

Any other recommendations?

[lastprodigy]

Optima red top....you wouldnt need the yellow top for your application.

[GTS Jeff]

Originally posted by D. Dub
IMHO Optima's are great for a road racing or off-road applications. BUt are really overkill for a daily driver.

Costco has some great batteries with higher CCA's and higher reserves than the Optimas for cheaper prices.

In our climate the bigggest thing you should look for is CCA's I find it hard to imagine a conventional battery putting out 800CCAs...and Costco actually carries Optima batteries too. :)

[heavyD]

Optima red top.:thumbsup:

[D. Dub]

Originally posted by GTS Jeff
I find it hard to imagine a conventional battery putting out 800CCAs...and Costco actually carries Optima batteries too. :)

My Costco (Kirkland Signature) battery is 1000 CCA and I can buy 2 for the price of one Optima. ;)

It's also made by Johnson Controls the company that makes Optima.

I'm not saying that Optimas are a bad battery, in fact they are a great battery for specific applications like offroad vehicles, where extra durability is needed, or in an RV/motor home where it sits and drains for a long time, or in an application where a small strong battery is needed, or in a car with a BIG stereo.

But in a daily driver it's really overkill, especially when I can get a higher CCA battery at half the price!!!!!!

I've got a big V8 in my daily driver and I'm all about CCA!!!

[heavyD]

Originally posted by D. Dub
I've got a big V8 in my daily driver and I'm all about CCA!!!

If you need 1000 cca to sart your car in cold weather it's because you have one of the following:

-old/worn out spark plugs that need to be replaced.
-bad coils or ignition wires.
-dirty or clogged fuel injectors.
-low compression

I had an cheap old Crappy tire battery that would sit for the spring/summer months in my winter beater for 5 years. I would charge it in the fall and go. That car had no block heater and would start at -38 deg C with that crappy battery. Why? Because if you maintain the above, you don't need CCA.

[D. Dub]

Originally posted by heavyD


If you need 1000 cca to sart your car in cold weather it's because you have one of the following:

-old/worn out spark plugs that need to be replaced.
-bad coils or ignition wires.
-dirty or clogged fuel injectors.
-low compression

I had an cheap old Crappy tire battery that would sit for the spring/summer months in my winter beater for 5 years. I would charge it in the fall and go. That car had no block heater and would start at -38 deg C with that crappy battery. Why? Because if you maintain the above, you don't need CCA.


:rolleyes: I don't need 1000 CCA but I have a 5.9 litre engine that runs premium and it sure is nice when it's minus 39 up north and it can't be plugged in at a hotel or wherever.

[heavyD]

Originally posted by D. Dub
:rolleyes: I don't need 1000 CCA but I have a 5.9 litre engine that runs premium and it sure is nice when it's minus 39 up north and it can't be plugged in at a hotel or wherever.

I thought you were all about CCA?:rolleyes:

[D. Dub]

Originally posted by heavyD


I thought you were all about CCA?:rolleyes:

Heavy d

Thanx for the backyard mechanic's lesson :rolleyes:

You're just trying to justify buying an Optima at twice the price of a standard battery thats just as good if not better for a daily driver. :D

The Optima is just about good marketting to the auto enthusiast crowd. Its a great battery for specific applications.

Why do you NEED a spiral cell??

[GTS Jeff]

Originally posted by D. Dub


My Costco (Kirkland Signature) battery is 1000 CCA and I can buy 2 for the price of one Optima. ;)

It's also made by Johnson Controls the company that makes Optima.

I'm not saying that Optimas are a bad battery, in fact they are a great battery for specific applications like offroad vehicles, where extra durability is needed, or in an RV/motor home where it sits and drains for a long time, or in an application where a small strong battery is needed, or in a car with a BIG stereo.

But in a daily driver it's really overkill, especially when I can get a higher CCA battery at half the price!!!!!!

I've got a big V8 in my daily driver and I'm all about CCA!!! Wow, what size battery is this? Optima Redtops only come in the smaller "passenger car" sizes. Comparable conventional batteries of that size usually put out 550-600 CCAs. Maybe you just have a freaky huge truck battery?

Also consider that there are two types of Optimas, the Yellowtops for deep cycling and the Redtops for starting power.

[frozenrice]

Originally posted by Das_Amaretto
how much is an optima anywys?

Red Top at Walmart cost me $139.99 plus tax. This was about 3 weeks ago. I figure the extra cost of this battery offsets the 10 year warranty that comes with it. I paid $90 five years ago for a Motormaster Eliminator.

[KoukiS14]

Another vote here for Optima batteries. Im using a second hand yellow top right now cause my lead acid died a couple years back. This yellow top battery has been drained many times and has always come back from the dead. Its still working great, even in this cold weather we have been having. Not bad for an 8 yr old battery...

I also have a Interstate Megatron battery in another vehicle and i cant say anything bad about them either. Had this going for the last 4 years. Has never failed to start in winter.

[D. Dub]

Originally posted by GTS Jeff
Wow, what size battery is this? Optima Redtops only come in the smaller "passenger car" sizes. Comparable conventional batteries of that size usually put out 550-600 CCAs. Maybe you just have a freaky huge truck battery?

Also consider that there are two types of Optimas, the Yellowtops for deep cycling and the Redtops for starting power.

It's in a Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.9 Ltd so you're right it's probably a larger series battery.

I keep forgetting most people here have little teeny cars.:D

[Das_Amaretto]

Originally posted by KoukiS14
This yellow top battery has been drained many times and has always come back from the dead.

Sounds like what I'm lookin 4.

with 10 year warranty, I think I'll go optima. I usu get a $100 Die-Hard, so an extra $40 for 8 more years warranty sounds good to me.

I tend to park and watch movies and play games in my car, which drains the battery. I'm lookin for something that can withstand the drains/charges for a long time.

I don't need tons of CCA (ignition system is gr8), the battery I have now is almost dead but the car still starts no prob (guesstimating it's prb putting out less than 150CCA)... I just can't park and watch rite now.

Thanks for all the info, really helped me decide
:thumbsup: