CajunRunner
Member
Can't beat the drowning battery story, but I'm also running an Optima Yellow Top. Just installed it when I did my stereo. I'm looking forward to zero corrosion.
best lasting batteries?
- Thread starter mistaj0hnny
- Start date
DewRunner
New member
i went wheeling last summer at night, bright lights, radio, cb, 100w spots, and 55w fogs, when i turned it off it wouldnt turn over. so i went and got the diehard platinum battery, the biggest selling point was i was driving two trucks so the runner would sit a week and i would have to jump it again each time i wanted to drive, and yeah this fiberglass non spillable batter can sit on the shelf for two years and still go out and start a car. and im not sure how accurate this is but they told me if i crashed or something and cracked that battery it will still work fine
brian2sun
Elite Member
This sounds lame, but I consider myself a bit of a battery expert only because I have sold and installed thousands of them for regular customers and noticed which brands came back for warranties and which ones didn't.
Optima batteries are one the best brands, but they are also ultra expensive. Based on my experience, the hands down winner for longevity and price is Interstate. I rarely ever had to warranty an Interstate (maybe 1 out of 50-100) and I also put one in mine the 1st day I bought my 4runner in Nov. '01 and didn't replace it until Nov. '09. No batteries are meant to last 8 years, and I actually only replaced mine for preventative maintenance - it still tested perfect and no visible damage. You could buy 2 Interstates for the price of one Optima, but it will last just as long and put out just as much power.
Optima is my #2, but that's just because they are so expensive, then Die Hard #3.
Optima batteries are one the best brands, but they are also ultra expensive. Based on my experience, the hands down winner for longevity and price is Interstate. I rarely ever had to warranty an Interstate (maybe 1 out of 50-100) and I also put one in mine the 1st day I bought my 4runner in Nov. '01 and didn't replace it until Nov. '09. No batteries are meant to last 8 years, and I actually only replaced mine for preventative maintenance - it still tested perfect and no visible damage. You could buy 2 Interstates for the price of one Optima, but it will last just as long and put out just as much power.
Optima is my #2, but that's just because they are so expensive, then Die Hard #3.
theizzardking
New member
i still like the Odyssey 's you can fit 2 of them in teh stock location and each one still has more cranking power then yellow tops, look at teh actaul specs of the battery to know what your getting.
here's a little reading to help interrupt the specs of a battery
Battery Basics - Selecting a Battery
a here's one on deep cycle
Deep Cycle Battery FAQ
has a good section on how temps effect deep cycle batteries with chart.
here's a little reading to help interrupt the specs of a battery
Battery Basics - Selecting a Battery
a here's one on deep cycle
Deep Cycle Battery FAQ
has a good section on how temps effect deep cycle batteries with chart.
Mr. Leary
New member
I'm in that crowd. Had a Optima Red Top. Hated it. It did not hold up long in my truck (starting battery). I replaced it when I went with a dual battery system in the back of the truck. I now have a Die Hard Platinum goup 65 (big powerful sucker) and my Vision X secondary battery that I kick in while winching (mass amps, bad starting battery). I find that the Die hard can handle running more accesories (including my 9k winch) much better then the Optima ever did. I have no experience with blue tops. I will, however, attest to the structural strength of the Optima batteries. I once saw a yellow top fly out of a rock crawler and get run over by the guy behind him... put it back in, and he's still driving on it (2 years ago).
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theizzardking
New member
rumor has it those in the latest production run of yellow tops there have been problems and they are not as good as they were a few years ago that's all hearsay on my part take it for what you will, i just know people over on some of the jeep forums were moaning about this.
xStePheNyz
New member
i have a duralast gold from autozone i think it was $89 and they give you like $12 for your old one.
my original battery lasted a little over 3 years.
then i put in an interstate battery. same longevity.
now the duralast, it's been in close to 2 years now, no problems.
but i do not run alot of extra electronical stuff inside. the only thing i have that didn't come already in the T4R is a radar detector which is probably not too much of a drain.
Florida is a weird climate. Whatever they say the battery will last, don't expect much more than 3 years. I wouldn't spend the extra $ for an Optima unless i was running extra gadgets and needed it.
my original battery lasted a little over 3 years.
then i put in an interstate battery. same longevity.
now the duralast, it's been in close to 2 years now, no problems.
but i do not run alot of extra electronical stuff inside. the only thing i have that didn't come already in the T4R is a radar detector which is probably not too much of a drain.
Florida is a weird climate. Whatever they say the battery will last, don't expect much more than 3 years. I wouldn't spend the extra $ for an Optima unless i was running extra gadgets and needed it.
Yeah, hot weather is a battery killer. Even more so than cold weather. My own original battery is still going strong since '04, and that's really good in my opinion. I use my in-dash DVD player all the time with the engine off and I'm really surprised that my 4Runner always seems to start right up with the way I abuse the battery!
theizzardking
New member
this is my last post, but before everyone jumps on teh optima band wangon just please do me a favor and google search, optima yellow top dead.
read a few of the pages......
i have never owned a optima and most likely never will there are far better batteries for alot less, imo , i go more by specs as opposed to brand, just like anything though do your homework and find the failure rate or common problems with any product you buy.(condoms in particular) :cowboy:
read a few of the pages......
i have never owned a optima and most likely never will there are far better batteries for alot less, imo , i go more by specs as opposed to brand, just like anything though do your homework and find the failure rate or common problems with any product you buy.(condoms in particular) :cowboy:
