Keep your receipts!! (my new Optima Battery story)

[Captain Morgan]

So yeah..... after 3.5 years of use, my Optima Red Top has been slowly dying this year. I noticed it this fall, but by November it finally got to the point that I couldnt even start the truck without a charger on it despite having a battery tender on it 24/7.

I finally got around to pulling the battery on Thursday so I could bring it up to PepBoys as a core for the new one. I knew it was well beyond warrenty replacement being that I bought it in June 2002, but I had kept the receipt in my glovebox that whole time just incase it failed before now. As I pulled out the mile long slip of paper, I noticed in small text about the Prorated Warrenty and that was good till sometime in 2009!!!!

I'm thinking great.... Ill save like $10 :roll: :lol:

Well I get up to PepBoys, toss the junker Optima on the counter, hand the woman my receipt, she asked a few questions then started punching stuff into the computer while I went and grabbed a new one off the shelf (which I was shocked was STILL the same price as they were 4 years ago).

I stand there for a few moments while she finished entering the info and scanning stuff and finally prints out a new paper and says "the prorate on this battery is $58.13", so im like

Talk about a valuable piece of paper. I was expecting to have to pay another $120 or so for a new battery when I only ended up having to pay $62 because I kept my receipt

Anyway, I figured I would share the story and perhaps save some others money in the future. :tup:

 

[Robert Lone]

Re: Keep your receipts!! (my new Optima Battery story)

Yeah my truck came with a receipt for front pads and rotors with a lifetime warrenty. (so the story goes) It's in with the KB catalog (another useful bit of paper. lol) and service manuals. I never really looked for it but if it ever needs 'em I'll give it a shot.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Re: Keep your receipts!! (my new Optima Battery story)

I have a book of receipts for everything, even oil filters and stuff. I can't believe they just prorated it without the "let us charge it for a day and then load test it" garbage. :tup:

 

[Syclone235]

Re: Keep your receipts!! (my new Optima Battery story)

3.5 years for $120, glad I got the cheapo for mine.

 

[Captain Morgan]

Re: Keep your receipts!! (my new Optima Battery story)

3.5 years for $120, glad I got the cheapo for mine.

nope, 3.5 years for $62 :lol: :tup: and my battery is inside my truck, so a conventional battery is not an option for me.

 

[stlSY]

Re: Keep your receipts!! (my new Optima Battery story)

Red Top

Warranty Info
12V Passanger Vehicle / Light Truck (noncommercial) 36 Months Free Replacement, Remaining 36 Month Prorated
6V Passanger Vehicle / Light Truck (noncommercial) 24 Months Free Replacement, Remaining 36 Month Prorated
Commercial 12 Months Free Replacement, Remaining 36 Month Prorated
Abusive service / Deep Cycle Applciations / Car Audio Not covered

Yellow Top

Warranty Information
D34/78, D75/25, D34, D35, D51, D51R Automotive, LTV, Commercial, Car Audio 12 Months Free Repacement, Remaining 12 Months Prorated
Series String Applications With Battery Management System or CV/CC Charge Method 12 Months
Series String Applications Without Battery Management System 1 Month




Warranty

In the event of failure, retain your original receipt for proper issuance of credit. Claims without proper identification of purchase date will result in adjustment from the date of manufacture.

To evaluate your battery for warranty, take the battery along with your original receipt to the place of purchase for battery testing. If it isn't possible to take the battery to the original dealer, please contact the OPTIMA® Customer Service Center at 888-8OPTIMA (888-867-8462) to assist you in locating a dealer or distributor in your area.

__________________________________________________________________________________


We have been a dealer for and I have used Optima red and yellow tops for years. I have had much better luck with yellow tops, most of the red tops have had dead cells within the first 3 years, but that was in use on car audio systems (which is not recommended). The great thing about the yellow tops is they can be used as a starting battery as well as having deep cycle ability.

 

[AlaskaTy]

Re: Keep your receipts!! (my new Optima Battery story)

I just switched to a yellow top after 3 red tops died in 4 years. I've heard there are often problems with the red tops.

 

[nborton]

Re: Keep your receipts!! (my new Optima Battery story)

I run the Orbital by exide, essentially the same thing. I just got a 100% free replacement since it wouldn't hold a charge and it was less than 2 years old.

These batteries don't seem to die like regular ones. When a cell goes bad or shorts out inside, they battery still seems to hold enough cranking amps to start the car until things are really shot. Perhaps the ignition demands on our trucks is a lot for them? Similar batteries run forever in boats/small cars, etc. In fact my really old optima is still powering a trolling motor, even though it won't start the Ty.

-n

 

[TNPhoon]

Re: Keep your receipts!! (my new Optima Battery story)

Speaking of warranties:

Is the General Motors Paint warranty for the paint itself or just rust through the paint? I have been told that GM cars come with like 10 year paint warrantys, but I have never been able to find anything about it on the net or anything, and when I called them once, the service department sounded like I asked them where Hoffa was buried.

 

[Jer]

Re: Keep your receipts!! (my new Optima Battery story)

Red Top

Warranty Info
12V Passanger Vehicle / Light Truck (noncommercial) 36 Months Free Replacement, Remaining 36 Month Prorated
6V Passanger Vehicle / Light Truck (noncommercial) 24 Months Free Replacement, Remaining 36 Month Prorated
Commercial 12 Months Free Replacement, Remaining 36 Month Prorated
Abusive service / Deep Cycle Applciations / Car Audio Not covered

Yellow Top

Warranty Information
D34/78, D75/25, D34, D35, D51, D51R Automotive, LTV, Commercial, Car Audio 12 Months Free Repacement, Remaining 12 Months Prorated
Series String Applications With Battery Management System or CV/CC Charge Method 12 Months
Series String Applications Without Battery Management System 1 Month




Warranty

In the event of failure, retain your original receipt for proper issuance of credit. Claims without proper identification of purchase date will result in adjustment from the date of manufacture.

To evaluate your battery for warranty, take the battery along with your original receipt to the place of purchase for battery testing. If it isn't possible to take the battery to the original dealer, please contact the OPTIMA® Customer Service Center at 888-8OPTIMA (888-867-8462) to assist you in locating a dealer or distributor in your area.

__________________________________________________________________________________


We have been a dealer for and I have used Optima red and yellow tops for years. I have had much better luck with yellow tops, most of the red tops have had dead cells within the first 3 years, but that was in use on car audio systems (which is not recommended). The great thing about the yellow tops is they can be used as a starting battery as well as having deep cycle ability.

I normally go yellow top and putting a red top in my Ty was the worst decision ever. I know already I'll be buying a Yellow top within a year or so. I just don't drive my vehicles often enough to keep them up to speed and sometimes forget to put the battery charger on or think I'll be driving it again soon and forget.:tup:

 

[hatrik8]

Re: Keep your receipts!! (my new Optima Battery story)

I think red tops suck. It says on their site they can sit from 6 to 12 months and still start a car depending on temperature conditions. I say that is bull because it wasn't even that cold last week and mine died.

My first red top died about a month ago, I had it for 6 months. It had been sitting for 2 weeks. I brought it to Advance Auto Parts w/ receipt and told them I wanted another one, it was completely dead just from sitting.

Then I put a new one in and it was fine for a while. My truck is sitting because of winter, but I don't think the batter should die in 1 week. I start it up and run it every weekend. I started it last saturday and it was fine. I went to start it this weekend and it was dead, it wasn't even cold this past week. It was way above normal. I'm going to try charging it this time and see if it discharges just by sitting and not connected. I am pretty sure nothing in my truck would drain it. I might ask for my money back if it dies just from sitting alone. If it doesn't die from sitting, I'll just have to disconnect it.

 

[Jer]

Re: Keep your receipts!! (my new Optima Battery story)

I had my brand new red top not start my truck after owning it for two months in the middle of summer and this was after sitting for two weeks. Now, I've tested my idle drain voltage and it's VERY minimal so I know that's not the cause.

 

[Captain Morgan]

Re: Keep your receipts!! (my new Optima Battery story)

Well, I guess Im just lucky then, lol.

Ive heard more horror stories about using the Yellow Tops in standard automotive applications then the Red Tops.

Mine lasted for nearly 4 years and didnt give me any problems before now. I know I could leave it sitting up to a month with my alarm on and it would still start just fine. For long term storage I would put my tender on it as I would with any vehicle or battery.

 

[dgoodhue]

Re: Keep your receipts!! (my new Optima Battery story)

I have had problem with my redtop basically shortly after I bought it (It went dead after sitting for a month.) I bought it a little less than ~3 years ago and at the time I read about a batch of Redtops with problems, some even needing a charge at the time of purchase.

Mine currently goes dead if it sit for more than 48 hours. It even goes dead when I leave it with the battery switch disconnected. I should dig out the receipt and get a new before the warranty expires. I am kind of stuck with it because my battery is mounted upside down under my bed with a custom bracket....

 

[Tommyquest]

Re: Keep your receipts!! (my new Optima Battery story)

Johnson Controls bought Optima 5 years ago and the quality has been shit ever since.

 

[Jersey 91/93]

Re: Keep your receipts!! (my new Optima Battery story)

Johnson Controls bought Optima 5 years ago and the quality has been shit ever since.

Johnson Controls you say? I was in two of their plants in Ontario, Canada about a year and a half ago. They weren't making batteries in either though. Seats for the 300C (I think) in one and moldings and other small parts for several manufacturers in the other. I wasn't too impressed with their systems either, but I was biased since I was there to sell them new barcode readers. I was still under the impression that Optima was owned by Interstate. I could be wrong though.

 

[mmp142965]

Re: Keep your receipts!! (my new Optima Battery story)

Johnson Controls bought Optima 5 years ago and the quality has been shit ever since.

maybe this explains why my yellow top still works great. It's over 6 years old now!

 

[Tommyquest]

Re: Keep your receipts!! (my new Optima Battery story)

Johnson Controls you say? I was in two of their plants in Ontario, Canada about a year and a half ago. They weren't making batteries in either though. Seats for the 300C (I think) in one and moldings and other small parts for several manufacturers in the other. I wasn't too impressed with their systems either, but I was biased since I was there to sell them new barcode readers. I was still under the impression that Optima was owned by Interstate. I could be wrong though.

Here it is. Taken off of their website. I remember reading about it 5-6 years ago somewhere else though.

"OPTIMA® Batteries, is a Colorado based company that is proud to be manufacturing a revolutionary product that is rapidly becoming the world wide standard for electrochemical power sources.

The OPTIMA battery was first developed by engineers at Denver's Gates Rubber Company in the early 1970's. Research and development continued during the 70's and 80's. In 1992, the OPTIMA research and manufacturing operation was acquired by the Gylling Group of Scandinavia. The Gylling Group built a new manufacturing plant and corporate headquarters near Denver International Airport.

On November 1, 2000, Johnson Controls, Inc. purchased OPTIMA Batteries, Inc. from the Gylling Group of Scandinavia.

Today, Colorado-made OPTIMA batteries are sold and shipped from Denver to dealers and distributors in 60 countries throughout the world, including Africa, Asia, Europe, Middle East and South America.

OPTIMA® BATTERIES AND OPTIMA SPIRALCELL® TECHNOLOGY are registered trademarks owned by Johnson Controls, Inc."

 

[Tommyquest]

Re: Keep your receipts!! (my new Optima Battery story)

maybe this explains why my yellow top still works great. It's over 6 years old now!

Wow, your my hero. Obviously not every Optima shits out.

 

[Makaveli]

Re: Keep your receipts!! (my new Optima Battery story)

Mobil One oil filters have lifetime warranties. Anyone know what they consider a "lifetime"? Can I bring it back to autozone every oil change & tell them it's not working??