So Optimas are good if... You often run lots of electronic accessories in your car. You plan to mount your battery upside down or in the trunk. You only start your car once a month. You go off-roading to shake up a bottle of chocolate milk. You just like the looks of a red or yellow battery. You like stuff that "ownz". You like spiral cells. None of these apply to me.
I only have one thing to say: Mine is rated at 650 ca and 540 cca. When I bought it (3 years ago), it tested at 1400 cca @ 12.85 volts... I just tested it last week and it's still doing 1100 cca at 12.8something volts. Thats more then doubled the power that is advertised... I will never buy another battery.
Since they are so great explain to me why my work MAKES SURE we don't have them, we run your stadard auto zone battery. I have yet to see a GSA vehicle with an Optima. It either doesn't make sense in a medium term enviroment (IE we switch out vehicles every 5-10 years) financially or something. Now our rigs see random cycles, some of the equipment runs 8 hours a day 5 days a week, some sees only a few hours a month, and others see 24/7 operation. Maybe as said before its an enthusiats battery.
Hey, I only have an Optima in my Ranger. The 'Stang gets good ol' Motorcraft, until I hit the strip. I put in a motorcycle battery then. You're right, it really is an enthusiast's battery. They are good batteries for the right purpose.
I had my Optima for about a year so far. Combined with my alternator and capacitor, it can handle my 2 amplifers + subwoofer. My capacitor has an LED display showing the voltage. The Mustang electrical system is a 12V system. My capicitor reads about 14.8V when the engine is on and about 13.5-14.3V when the subwoofer is hitting heavy notes which is still much more than the standard "12V." My stereo installer tells me that my electrical system is great if it manages to stay over "12V" on the LED display. I'm sure the battery isn't involved in the whole cycle, but compliments it. Kudos to Optima for my personal purposes. But yes, I agree that if there is no heavy power-draining electronics in the car, Optima probably isn't necessary over Motorcraft.
Good to hear. Im on year 4 with 59k, it still has a bright green light. When it's time to buy another I'll go with factory, because the cables are bent a certain way and as mentioned above fitment issues.
The Ford GT uses an Optima, can be ordered from the Dealer parts counter. http://www.mach1registry.org/forums/showthread.php?t=56657
I have to admit, it’s a good looking battery and performs great under duress, but I’m personally going with an Optima mainly for the fact that it promotes fumeless operation. Kind of a must for us guys with the trunk mount battery conversion. Anyone have a picture of the "unique" battery hold down required when mounting it?
When I am at home, I'll go ahead and take a picture of the custom part that holds down my battery tight.
I have one of those. My OEM battery was about three and a half years old, so the timing on this was good for me.
Your battery has nothing to do with that.. Only when your CAP hits about 12.7 are you drawing all of the power from the alternator and are beginning to draw off of the battery..
