Optima Yellow top

Loco

Loco

I'd wheel it
Does anyone know a local source for Yellow tops? I know that costco used to sell them but there doesn't seem to be anything about them on their website.
Also, I seem to remember an old discussion regarding the colour of the cases signifying different types/qualities (light grey vs. dark grey). Anyone know which is better/longer life?
Alternatively, anyone know of any type of better battery? Billavista how do you like your Oddessy (I think it was you that bought one a while back)? How does it...
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aweber

aweber

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Get the Oddessy, I hate my yellow top with a passion....

Gonna get an Oddessy myself this spring and throw my yellow top in the garbage :(:(
 
R

Root Moose

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FWIW, the Sears Die-Hard Platinum is supposedly the same as a Odyssey... Might be some very minor differences in build quality but not enough to justify the $100-$150 premium between them - and still better than Optima.

Or so I've read on the Internet. :D
 
aweber

aweber

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Morley said:
No love for the Optima? Howcome?
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It does not hold a charge very good. Initially, I had dual battery's in the truck, just cheap ones I bought for $20.00 a piece from a guy I know at a ford dealer who warantee's them. Never had a problem, replaced them with an single optima and always had problems. Can only use the winch for a very limited time now, were before, I could use it almost indefinatly, etc...
 
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Morley

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interesting... I didn't use the 2 I had for winching much at all, I think only twice, but they would hold charge forever... I mean left alone for 3 months and hop in the truck it would fire right up.. Deep discharge is great on them, IMHO,
 
R

Root Moose

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I've heard a lot of complaints about Optimas not lasting as long as they used to and issues trying to make warranty claims.

I have no idea if this is reality or just the fact that you hear more about it since there are so many more Optimas out there than say 5 or 10 years ago.

I've been running a red top in my XJ for around three years and it only recently stopped being a daily driver truck. The battery has been fine. I've only used it for light winching tasks around the property though (unstucking vehicles in snow banks, pulling down walls, fences, trees, etc.)
 
aweber

aweber

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With the dual $20.00 battery's I was able to winch 6 people up Pinion pass in a row with no problems. With my optima I am barely able to winch myself or Bill for more than a minute or so and the charge light will come on. But Bill's truck does weigh 23,456 lbs... :flipoff:

Only got rid of the dual batt's because with the dovetailed front, I did not have the room anymore, but miss them :(
 
aweber

aweber

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Mud Lite said:
Why not duals in the back then?
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Yah, might do, it is getting a revamp this spring with fuel cell and such in back (for making room for kids seats), if I have room, I might go back to duals....
 
chunkytrunks

chunkytrunks

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I had a blue top in my jeep and it was great, i only replaced it because i got a brand new red top for free. I really put a strain on it at BFG trying to get my jeep started for hours and then loaded it on richards trailer with the starter. And i still had lots of power. Maybe because it is my daily driver though.
 
S

SuziCrazy

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My red top has to remain on a charger or forget it. I tried bringin it in under waranty and they gave me a hard time, infact refused to do it. I'd buy a cheap crappy tire battery anytime before buying one of these again
 
2

2Greys

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I bought a Yellow Top as pretty much everyone on JF had nothing bad to say about them. The two things I did learn during my research into it was:
1. There is a difference between old Yellow Tops and new Yellow Tops (latter being better) as the new ones are supposed to be identical internally to the Blue. The older ones I gather were less likely to last if they were being used to start the vehicle.
2. Rumour has it that the Yellow Tops Costco carries are not the same as you buy elsewhere (good luck getting two years out of them). Knowing more about the electronics Costco carries, that is not suprising.
 
aweber

aweber

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2Greys said:
I bought a Yellow Top as pretty much everyone on JF had nothing bad to say about them. The two things I did learn during my research into it was:
1. There is a difference between old Yellow Tops and new Yellow Tops (latter being better) as the new ones are supposed to be identical internally to the Blue. The older ones I gather were less likely to last if they were being used to start the vehicle.
2. Rumour has it that the Yellow Tops Costco carries are not the same as you buy elsewhere (good luck getting two years out of them). Knowing more about the electronics Costco carries, that is not suprising.
Click to expand...

My piece of crap was made less than a year ago and was bought at autozone in the US...
 
chunkytrunks

chunkytrunks

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I think the problem is what John said. If it is in a vehicle that tends to sit then they crap out fast. But if it is in a daily driver they are great.
 
2

2Greys

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I mulled the Optima but I think it was $80 more than what I was quoted for a YellowTop and so I stuck with the Yellow Top. If this one ends up biting it sooner than expected, I will probably go with an Optima.

aweber said:
But not as great as an Optima, and that's all that matters :flipoff:
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chunkytrunks

chunkytrunks

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Yes, my next battery will be the Oddessy also no doubt about it. Expecially since it is basically the same price and i have yet to hear a bad thing about them.
But i can't complain about my 2 optima's i have had. They have never let me down and have been great battery's for me. Plus my red top was free so i couldn't turn that down.
 
2

2Greys

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Can't complain about something free. :)

chunkytrunks said:
Yes, my next battery will be the Oddessy also no doubt about it. Expecially since it is basically the same price and i have yet to hear a bad thing about them.
But i can't complain about my 2 optima's i have had. They have never let me down and have been great battery's for me. Plus my red top was free so i couldn't turn that down.
Click to expand...
 
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