Optima yellow top. Have had it for 7 years and its held up amazingly well. I am gone for work 2-3 weeks at a time each month and its always has a charge and fires the truck right up when I get back.

 

I've got dual 800a red tops that I wired in myself. I've had great luck with them. One of the two I've had for probably 8yrs.

 

Same here, our company has an account with continental so I have batteries on tap but when I put one in the vehicle it lasts till I get rid of it

 

Yea I was thinking yellow top. Had one before for 8yrs and would still have it if my dad hadnt traded the car with the battery in it.

 

I haven't had any issues yet, but this is definitely the weakest battery I've had to date.
if I sit with the radio on, no lights just waiting on the woman, within 5 minutes I get the "low battery start engine" chime, I've done a few AVR tests and it barely passes. this past winter a few mornings I was doubting it was gonna start and it cranked pretty slow.
its my factory battery, 3 years old.

I had good luck with a red top in my s10 I purchased that in maybe 05? and it lasted 2 vehicles right up until I sold the truck. sounds like you guys are saying optima aint what it used to be? that's a shame.

ZEAUSE- that battery you mentioned, is it the "mega tron" ? I went on the interstate batteries site and it only lists 1 for my year of truck.

RS/SS 4.8- whats the P/N on that yellow top? i'm only finding a red top listing

 

I have heard from a few loyal optima guys that there not what they once were.

I put two marine optima's (blue top maybe?) in my ski boat a couple of years ago, one of them was ran dead on the water first couple times out and wouldn't ever charge back up. For $180ea I wasn't impressed with current quality. I went back with normal deep cycle batteries and had better luck.

Was riding with a friend and his truck started smelling like rotten eggs going down the road. Popped the hood and the red top optima was smoking out of the vents. Needless to say we didn't put an optima back in it...

 

That's sad to hear. Use to be some of the best batteries you could buy. My yellow top is at least 7 years old. Been great so far, curious how long she will live

 

Not only that but they have gone way up in price while the quality has gone down as well. I used to sell them years ago wholesale, and the price continually went up and up.

 

Wel there goes that idea lol.

 

Yeah my headlamps noticeably dim when the turn indicators or brake lights illuminate, even with the engine spinning 2000+ rpm.
Not surprisingly its GM service manager claims “it’s normal.”

Installing Whelen strobes (for jobsite use) is going to necessitate a battery and/or alternator upgrade.
Thinking about installing a second battery in that empty underhood tray originally intended for diesels…