So today at work a guy brought in a 6 month old Optima Red Top. he ask me to test and it comes back that it just needs to be charged. He doesnt believe the $1200 tester that we have for some reason and wants me to give him a new one under warranty. So i ask my boss and he says go ahead. So i do that and then i test the battery again still comes back fine.

So when ever we have a battery that says that it is fine we sell them as used batteries for 35 dollars. So moral of the story i just got a 180 dollar battery that is perfectly fine for 40 bucks.

the perks of working at an auto parts store.

 

iver heard the failure rates for optima batterys are pretty bad. be carefull i know they look cool but i will never purchase one.

 

Agreed with mak. But at the same time, $40 for that battery is a steal. I'd have bought it too.

 

You should hook me up with one HAHA!!!

 

Ya Im on my third one within a year.... all under warranty but each one had a bad cell, which in turn made the battery poop out.

 

I've heard they're problem prone too, but I'm going on two years with my Red Top and I haven't had any problems. For $40 I'd say you got a pretty great deal.

 

that is a great deal man for sure I have all ways used the yellow top for like 9 years nowand only had 1 go bad

 

Red Top's stink! If you let them run down once they are fried and will not recharge. Yellow tops on the other hand can take the punishment of discharge and recharge over and over again. Never buy a red top. JMO.

 

My Monte had a red top when i got her from the dealer a year ago, used. No problems so far.

 

I bought a yellow top 34/78 series 10 years ago and its been killed from running my stereo in the car several times and i have ran some large woofer setups in the past. I also live in ontario and it endures some pretty harsh weather and it always charges back up after a stereo drain down. I load test it every year with a carbon pile load tester to around 750 CCA and it passes every year still.(rated for 700 I think, my writing is all worn off the sticker)
I did hear that the red tops were a little troublesome but I have never seen a bad blue or yellow top yet. Knock on wood my yellow top has been worth every penny I spent on it.