Infectious Off-Road.com

I have been running Optima Yellow tops in my vehicles from back in my competition stereo days. They have always been great and lasted a long time.

Well after 6 years my Yellow top in my Jeep finally gave up the ghost and I need to look at replacing it. I have heard that Optima is no longer as good as it used to be.

Is this true and should I look into another brand of battery that will be better?

[quote="Dirty LJ"]I have been running Optima Yellow tops in my vehicles from back in my competition stereo days. They have always been great and lasted a long time.

Well after 6 years my Yellow top in my Jeep finally gave up the ghost and I need to look at replacing it. I have heard that Optima is no longer as good as it used to be.

Is this true and should I look into another brand of battery that will be better?[/quote]

They moved their factory to Mexico. Sucks, Im in the market for a new battery too and now Im debating whether I want to spend $220 on a non domestic battery. My last yellowtops are still in my old Jeep, 10 years old and still take a charge.

a lot AGM batteries out there, but i've only used optima

As a former Optima guy, I would get the Sears DieHard Platinum. Same battery as the Odyssey, only cheaper and with a better warranty. And made in the USA (Optima moved to Mexico).

X2

Thank you for the advise.

I picked up a Die Hard Platinum today from the local Sears, even talked them into giving me a discount on it making it less than $200.

Cant wait to see how it holds out against a winch.

We use odessy at work now because optima moved to mexico. No issues so far.

so how has the platinum held up. I need to find a new battery that can handle my winch and accessories. Especially being able to handle the cb when the engine is off.

my old battery took a dump in the blueberry crack at the newb run.

[quote="81BigBrett"]so how has the platinum held up. I need to find a new battery that can handle my winch and accessories. Especially being able to handle the cb when the engine is off. [/quote]

So far I am very happy with it. At the Newb run I never turned my CB off and it ran all night. The jeep started in the morning no problem. I also leave the radio cranking while I work on the jeep here at home for long periods of time and don't have any problems.

I have not been able to play with the winch on it yet, If you want you can come over and we can test it out in the sand across the street from my house.

I bought mine partly because of this thread. I am amazed. It cranks my heep faster than any battery that I've ever had in it. Winch, lights don't even phase. I even left my keys in the on position overnight a couple weeks ago. Was sure i was going to have to jump it... Started right up like nothing.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

Never knew that Optima is now manufactured at Mexico. Is this due to cost cutting?

Cost of labor in the US is going up and most people won't buy the more expensive product.

Sent from the beach with a beer in hand!

[quote="Dirty LJ"]Cost of labor in the US is going up and most people won't buy the more expensive product.

Sent from the beach with a beer in hand![/quote]
But they will buy two or three bad products and dill with extra head aches instead of doing it right once

Yep you are correct, but the average person is too dumb to realize that.

Sent from the beach with a beer in hand!

[quote="confirmer"]Never knew that Optima is now manufactured at Mexico. Is this due to cost cutting?[/quote]
Mostly as a result of going mainstream.

You used to have to go to a specialty shop to get an Optima battery. They were hand made and expensive, but the quality was unmatched. Then they got very popular based on that reputation and received contracts to provide batteries for every Autozone and chain auto parts store in the country. Suddenly, they needed to quadruple the rate of manufacture in a short period of time. They moved the operation to Mexico where labor and property is cheap and the EPA can't regulate their operation, so they can pump out batteries by the thousands in short order. Also, because big retailers like Autozone really cut into the profit margins by expecting deep discounts for bulk purchases, Optima had to make a cheaper battery out of cheaper components.

Some companies are very wise about meeting increased demand, and will take their time and do it right so that quality will not suffer - Optima did not. Wise companies will not lower quality in order to chase big contracts - Optima did.

I recently bought a yellow optima battery from [url=http://4wheelonline.com]4 Wheel Online[/url]
, but before purchasing it, I asked the representative if its still US made and she confirmed. The Mexico made optima was market for other country but not in US and Canada.

So i guess I'll update, I ended up buying the Sears Platinum Battery for around $250. So far I'm extremely happy. I haven't had any issues with a low battery from sitting, it always cranks and starts right up, even after sitting for a few months. When I forget to shut off the lights, it is still able to crank over and start without any issues.

I give it a of 5.

[quote="confirmer"]I recently bought a yellow optima battery from [url=http://4wheelonline.com]4 Wheel Online[/url]
, but before purchasing it, I asked the representative if its still US made and she confirmed. The Mexico made optima was market for other country but not in US and Canada.[/quote]

Nope, and Nope. That 4wheelonline employee is full of crap (as usual). I have 2 sitting in my garage that say "MADE IN MEXICO". The US plant was completely closed in 2009 and all US employees were terminated, then ALL production moved to the Mexico plant that was opened in 2000. Now ALL Optima batteries manufactured for the US and European market are made in Mexico by Johnson Controls, the same company that makes batteries for Autozone.


[quote="81BigBrett"] So i guess I'll update, I ended up buying the Sears Platinum Battery for around $250. So far I'm extremely happy. I haven't had any issues with a low battery from sitting, it always cranks and starts right up, even after sitting for a few months. When I forget to shut off the lights, it is still able to crank over and start without any issues. [/quote]

It is an awesome battery and everybody knows it now. Prices have really gone up in the last couple years.