batteries - what the F do you know about them?

[Maengelito]

so it seems as though my STi's battery is on its last leg. it has a hard time cranking especially when its colder outside. subaru batteries are not known for their longevity and its coming up on 3 years old (most batteries i've dealt with have a life of 3 to 5 years). but with my 'bumpin' system (y0!), i expected it to crap out sooner than later.

so with that being said, i will probably buy one of those autozone/pepboys/advance/sears batteries with a 3 year warranty. this is your chance to talk me out of it for various reasons like cold cranking amps, lightweight, etc.

so lets hear what you have to say.

[Jeff]

get big CCA...that helps with the cold starts...and about everything else.

[.RJ]

I always buy the cheapest battery I can find

[JohnC]

I put an Optima Red Top in the truck a couple years ago. It was fine. Then it met the the Z, and was thoroughly defeated within a few months. My vote is get the cheapest battery you can find. Learn to pop-start your car too, just in case. And never get stuck on level ground.

[BLINGMW]

I always buy the cheapest battery I can find

same here, I do walmart w/ 2 year warranty. I'm on my 3rd no-$$ replacement. :lol:

And never get stuck on level ground.

lol

[HAULN-SS]

Or just do like I do and distract the guy at advance selling you the battery so they forget to write the date on it, and make up your own

[Ginger]

Odyssey bling, baby. Hooray for drycells.

Just buy from a reputable (person) dealer so you don't get one that's been sitting on the shelf for a few years. My PC680MJT was great for the Accord... my PC310 for the bike was a dud, working on getting a warranty replacement (ugh, mail order).

Dry cells are great. They don't lose the majority of the capability after nearly being completely drained the way traditional lead acids do. They also don't lose huge amounts of cranking capacity in the cold. I was able to significantly shrink the size of my battery but maintain all the vital statistics (and better some) by switching. You can also mount sideways, flatways, upways, leftways, rightways, whatever.. and you don't have to deal with that pesky distilled water ever.

Oh, but they're not cheap.

[white_2kgt]

Odyssey bling, baby. Hooray for drycells.

Just buy from a reputable (person) dealer so you don't get one that's been sitting on the shelf for a few years. My PC680MJT was great for the Accord... my PC310 for the bike was a dud, working on getting a warranty replacement (ugh, mail order).

I would never put one of those in a daily driver. They just don't have the capacity for all accessories.

For a DD I've always had good luck w/ Optima, I've had a yellow top for 5 years and use it on and off and charge it once a year, still holds great!

[Mike]

I always buy the cheapest battery I can find

same. i went the lightweight route on the hatch and that thing hardly lasted a year. i'm assuming it is because it was a "boat battery" and wasn't made for all the jostling at the track. either way, i was angry.

so yeah, cheapest battery i can find has treated me well for like 8 years now...

[Evan]

IMO Interstate batteries are superior to the overpriced Optimas, Ive actually heard quite a few stories like John's about the optimas just crapping out

[ViPER1313]

Ive actually heard quite a few stories like John's about the optimas just crapping out

Same - cheap Advance Auto battery here.

[Ginger]

I would never put one of those in a daily driver. They just don't have the capacity for all accessories.

As in 'too small'? This may have been the source of my PC310's very premature failure. I may only be able to get credit towards another Odyssey in this instance - if that's the case do you think that moving up a size (which is a substantial increase over the failed unit) would make a difference? Or would I just be better off hocking it on eBay and trying to get my money back?

[JustinG]

Had my Red Top for 2 years, no problems. Depends on the cash you have. I have heard more good stories than bad on the optimas. I know of some people who have had theirs go out within a year but more who have had theirs last. Plus it has a warranty...3 or 5 years i dont remember.

[white_2kgt]

I would never put one of those in a daily driver. They just don't have the capacity for all accessories.

As in 'too small'? This may have been the source of my PC310's very premature failure. I may only be able to get credit towards another Odyssey in this instance - if that's the case do you think that moving up a size (which is a substantial increase over the failed unit) would make a difference? Or would I just be better off hocking it on eBay and trying to get my money back?

What were you running the 310 in? I run a PC680MJT in the mustang and it works great for starting the car at the track, I wouldn't think of using it for every day cranking and running a radio/heater/ac blowers, lights, etc.

IMO Interstate batteries are superior to the overpriced Optimas, Ive actually heard quite a few stories like John's about the optimas just crapping out

you can't compare an Interstate acid battery to a dry cell application like optima, they are different applications. It all depends on which optima you choose to go with the environment, Interstate batts are perfect for day-to-day duties of a regular automobile, optimas are setup for specific situations. I run the interstate in the truck and mazda, optima is for jumpstarting cars and I had it in my old mustang as a second batt for the subwoofer amps, the odyssey is prefect for a track car.

[Beej]

same. i went the lightweight route on the hatch and that thing hardly lasted a year. i'm assuming it is because it was a "boat battery" and wasn't made for all the jostling at the track. either way, i was angry.

I'd say boats take a bigger beating than any track car.

Anywho, I can't remember the last time I bought a battery. But when I did, it was a cheap one.

[Mike]

same. i went the lightweight route on the hatch and that thing hardly lasted a year. i'm assuming it is because it was a "boat battery" and wasn't made for all the jostling at the track. either way, i was angry.

I'd say boats take a bigger beating than any track car.

Anywho, I can't remember the last time I bought a battery. But when I did, it was a cheap one.

Yeah, but their bumps are generally smoother. In a track car the bumps are hard and fast... I'm really just guestimating based on other's experiences. Nobody really has had any luck with them past a year.

[D_Eclipse9916]

same. i went the lightweight route on the hatch and that thing hardly lasted a year. i'm assuming it is because it was a "boat battery" and wasn't made for all the jostling at the track. either way, i was angry.

I'd say boats take a bigger beating than any track car.

Anywho, I can't remember the last time I bought a battery. But when I did, it was a cheap one.

Yeah, but their bumps are generally smoother. In a track car the bumps are hard and fast... I'm really just guestimating based on other's experiences. Nobody really has had any luck with them past a year.

Boats smoother??? Woah I would say cars are much smoother than a boat hitting wakes at 60mph or more....

Oh and for Optima red tops, dont get one, or be prepared to bring it in a few times. But they have a good warranty and u dont really have to take care of them. Mine went out in 6 months but threw it at advance auto and walked out with a new one. I have heard from a good buddy of mine that works at advance auto that they supposedly go out a lot...

[REED]

same. i went the lightweight route on the hatch and that thing hardly lasted a year. i'm assuming it is because it was a "boat battery" and wasn't made for all the jostling at the track. either way, i was angry.

I'd say boats take a bigger beating than any track car.

Anywho, I can't remember the last time I bought a battery. But when I did, it was a cheap one.

Yeah, but their bumps are generally smoother. In a track car the bumps are hard and fast... I'm really just guestimating based on other's experiences. Nobody really has had any luck with them past a year.

have you been on a boat, hitting a wave at 30 mph is not smooth, if you removed the suspension from a car and replaced it with steel bars that would be more like a boat. - i am talking about smaller boats (under 30 feet) not yachts and cruisliners

[Evan]

IMO Interstate batteries are superior to the overpriced Optimas, Ive actually heard quite a few stories like John's about the optimas just crapping out

you can't compare an Interstate acid battery to a dry cell application like optima, they are different applications. It all depends on which optima you choose to go with the environment, Interstate batts are perfect for day-to-day duties of a regular automobile, optimas are setup for specific situations. I run the interstate in the truck and mazda, optima is for jumpstarting cars and I had it in my old mustang as a second batt for the subwoofer amps, the odyssey is prefect for a track car.

no, they arent different applications. They are both for automotive application. Optimas are marketed and sold as a regular everyday battery. Ive never seen any optima "just used for jumpstarting" (wtf does that mean anyway?)

[.RJ]

Vibration is a bigger problem than bumps.