OPTIMA BATTERIES SUCK
I have spent more than a few hours days dealing with the folks at Optima regarding a 2 year old Yellow Top Optima Battery. Long story short, Optima Batteries Suck, read on for details of why I will never buy another Optima battery.
Before I get too far in my rant about my negative experience with Optima Batteries, here are some links to other folks with similar experiences. In other words, I am not alone. (Links in no particular order "“ 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10,)
My Optima Yellow Top Battery died on me after about two years of very light use. It was installed in a 1973 Austin Mini cooper. The Mini Cooper has a decent stereo system with two Polk Audio Amps, Auto Meter Gauges, a Viper Alarm, and not too much else that draws a heavy load. At first I said, oh well, these things happen and the battery is warranted for 3 years by Optima. Sounds good, right? Nope, Optima will look for any reason to not warranty the battery. You bought the car from a dealer with the battery in it? Then you aren't the original purchaser, no warranty for you. Got it as a gift from your brother, not the original purchaser, sorry. You get the idea.
I took the Optima to a Batteries Plus store, they tested the battery for two days and determined it was indeed dead. They then told me that they couldn't warranty the 2-year old battery (with a 3-year warranty) because the receipt was from O'Reilly Auto. No problem. I took the battery to O'Reilly Auto and the guy at the counter said they don't carry that size of Optima so they couldn't warranty it either. He also mentioned that he wasn't surprised that the battery died before the warranty date. So this is where I turned to the manufacturer for help.
Well, the warranty folks at Optima are the kings and queens of "no". They will look for any reason not to warranty their product. I understand that I am not the original purchaser of the battery, but it is within the warranty time period, and I have the receipt! It isn't stolen, I didn't use the battery for anything unusual. You get the idea. After going back-and-forth with the folks at Optima Batteries I gave up. I will never purchase another Optima Battery again. Optima Batteries and their warranty suck.
So where should you spend your hard earned money when looking for the best sealed car battery? Seems that Odyssey and Kenetik are leading that charge.
Good to know I am not the only one having problems with my optima battery. similar run around on the warranty too
Agreed
“I understand that I am not the original purchaser of the battery, but it is within the warranty time period, and I have the receipt!”
Best case scenario you would get a pro-rated discount from O'Reilly's .(who should have honored the warranty, even if they don't carry that model battery)
I have had (2) 12V Yellow Top Optima Batteries run in a 24V set-up for 7 years without a problem.
Great Mini!
Yep, I have had similar experiences on two occasions. Optima batteries suck.
I have had very similar experiences with optima quality in the past. Sooooo done with optima. optima sucks
I bought a red top optima oct 2017 battery was built July 2017 just put the battery in my minivan and two days later… dead battery left my headlights on. Took it to a place that charges AGM battery it was at 5.2 volts, they put on 1.2 volt trickle and then told me at 9volts it came up cas bad. It’s less than a year old with two days use and it was sitting in my closet for 10 months and it’s bad? Ever since they sold and production went to Mexico. Optima batteries suck… years ago my red top lasted over 7 years in an off road truck with mega wattage stereo system… now day odyssey
May be the way to go..
I bought a optima yellow top in December 2017 but didn’t use it for 7 months ( it was manufactured June 2017) in about July 2018 I decided to use it. In one day it was dead. I took it back to O’Reillys where I purchased it and was told it was bad and what doninwadid I want to do? I told him I wanted to exchange it. They said sort tou dindt use it for 7 months and think you can just bring it in to exchange it? I said yeS. They said no. I said let me speak to the mgr. manager said that they will exchange it but in need to pay for the proration. I said what proration. It’s warrentied for two years… they asked if I was keeping it on a trickle charger to keep it topped off for that time I said no. I had to call the next day the corporate office and it took forever to get a new one. 1 week. Then I found out these aren’t like to ones I purchased in tge 1990’s… those lasted years longer than the 5 years advertized
They originally couldn’t find my name or email in the computer and I showed them the receipt multiple times.
Been odyssey ever since (with the sears logo)
purchased an Optima battery for my 2000 BMW R1100S motorcycle 5 months ago. this battery even though on a trickle charger every 2 weeks the damn thing is dead as a door nail. Took it back to Batteries and Bulbs Plus to see what was going on and they basically told me to bend over while they shove it up my ass. Will never again do business with this company or Optima Batteries,