When I had my mustang, I went through 2 red tops within 2 months. I upgraded to a yellowtop which lasted for 4yrs, BUT, I kept a trickle charger on it 24/7 while it wasnt driven. I'm certain that the trickle charger kept it alive for that long because when I forgot to hook it up one time for 1week, the battery went dead!
That said, my stock battery in my truck went dead after 3yrs and 9kmi and I replaced it with a Advance brand rather than an Optima which actually has a higher reserve and CCA than the specified yellow top did.

 

The consensus on most, if not all off-road forums is that the best battery out there currently is the Sears DieHard Platinum P-4. I don't own one, but it's what a lot of the hard core guys have. A bit pricey though at $225...

 

I'll stick with a Duralast Gold for around $100 with a 8yr warranty from Autozone. Always had good luck with those.

 

You mean these?? LOL

Old pics BTW

 

There;s an Advance Auto only 1/2mile from my house. Autozone is ~5miles through about 20 traffic lights through a busy section And it's the ONLY one within 20miles. Two others closed down about 5yrs ago.
I picked the Advance Auto because of convenience and afraid of local Autozone closing for warranty on me....
Its got a 3yr warranty. Plus, Advance used to have a $35off coupon code for all orders over $85 when purchased online, which made my battery costs only $75. They have 25%off right now.

The Autozone Duralast is a 3yr warranty 8yr Pro-rated. Which only means like $20 or 30credit after 3yrs if it goes bad..fyi and both have the same specs. 850cca's and 150min reserve

 

Yep, those are the ones Weed
My oem 750cca is still hanging in there, but it will get a Duralast when it dies.

The prorate doesn't even start until after 3yrs, My dad got about $45 credit on a 6 yr old Yellow top Duralast.

 

I had good luck with two red tops. My last battery purchase went into the wife's Expedition, and it's a Duralast Gold/yellow top from Autozone. I will prolly do the same when the original goes out in my truck. If accessories are a concern than like what was mentioned - you can almost by two for the same price.

 

Yeah, but I think the key here is WHEN and WHERE they were made. Johnson Controls bought the Optima division of Gylling (Swedish Company) in late 2000. Operations went pretty much as before, unmolested by Johnson until they started phasing out production in the Aurora, Colorado plant in 2005. By mid 2007, Johnson Controls pretty much had not only moved production to Mexico, but had significantly altered the unique SpiralCell technology pioneered by Gylling in a cost saving move.

These ARE NOT the the Optima batteries of seven or eight years ago...

 

I agree, and yes my experience was in '02-'04. I would not buy the product again, just to clarify.

 

Opinions are like a.. holes- well anyways, I put a yellow top in my ram in 06 when the oe battery failed- still there, now 172,000 on truck. Got a pair of FREE blue top marine, Optima sponsored the Ozaukee Co. Demolition derby 2 years ago, one died, the other lives under my hydraulic tilt bed trailer to operate the winch and hydro pump when it is not hooked up to my truck with the power plug on the back. Just put a pair of red tops in my brothers 94 cummins. I have a 6 volt optima in my 31 ford, just replaced under the 3 year warranty. Have a Gold from Advance in the 2000 G Voyager, Replaced the Original Battery, plenty of cranking power, but way short on reserve capacity, If I turn the dome lights off, and open the doors with the radio on, it will be dead within 2 hours. I can leave the radio on in my 1500 all day with the yellow top, 6-8 hours, and it'll still start. Have run it dead a few times charging Dewalt 18 volt batteries on the lighter outlet charger, but usually it takes at least 8 to drain it. Guess it is just luck of the draw.