Replacement Optima battery

dog_party · **Posted:** Mon Oct 19, 2009 3:26 pm

I'm replacing the battery in the Jeep and I'm pretty sure I want the Optima 34, but I wanted to ask about the other type 34 Optima, the one with side and top posts. Does anyone know why that one is cheaper than the one with only top posts?

dgeist · **Posted:** Mon Oct 19, 2009 4:07 pm

dog_party wrote:

I'm replacing the battery in the Jeep and I'm pretty sure I want the Optima 34, but I wanted to ask about the other type 34 Optima, the one with side and top posts. Does anyone know why that one is cheaper than the one with only top posts?

Might be the teminal orientation, so be sure you get the correct one. I think it was the 34R that fit properly (positive and negative switched around). Otherwise the terminals won't reach. Don't know about the top vs side having anything to do with price, though.

dog_party · **Posted:** Mon Oct 19, 2009 5:01 pm

They had two with model 34 on them at Advance Auto. The one with teminal posts on top was $189 and the one with terminal posts on the side AND top was $169. Doesn't matter though, I got them to price-match $159 for the correct one. All swapped out and Jeep is starting up nicely again.

fastRob · **Posted:** Wed Oct 21, 2009 5:27 pm

As it gets a little colder I think it is time to make the switch.

mikey1273 · **Posted:** Tue Oct 27, 2009 6:02 pm

I just had my stock red top die yesterday. after sitting out in the cold of the night it could not turn over the engine. it acted kind of funny on me a month ago and I had it tested and charged and all was ok I was told the battery was fine then.

I did not replace it with another optima, I got an AutoCraft Gold at Advance Auto Parts. Its not a special size the terminales are reversed on our jeep but the standard group 34 fits in perfectly backwards.

BBB · **Posted:** Tue Oct 27, 2009 7:18 pm

Ditto on the AutoCraft Gold battery last week in the CRD with good results. It came with complementary good old-fashioned 1940's drive-in installation service for the Miss's.

Optimas are among the top of the line and offer value for the $$$.$$ in the long haul. We have 9+ year old Optima Yellow Top that is still going strong as a trolling/ camping battery that pulls occasional starting duty. I would of if I could of.

mikey1273 · **Posted:** Tue Oct 27, 2009 8:12 pm

I might have got the Optima but with just buying new tires..... NO WAY!

Two things have me scratching my head about the Optima
1 my optima was rated at 700 CCA

the stores computer said I needed 800 and new optima's are 800 CCA

2 the Autocraft comes with 36 month free replacement warrantee and 84 month prorated, the Optima just 36 month replacment

the Free instal is great and I was the only custiomer in the store when I started the transaction so I got in and out fast. Hell I was only 45 minutes late for work.

Pablo · **Joined:** Thu Feb 02, 2006 10:06 pm **Posts:** 1201

My Optima just died, replaced with Die Hard Platinum (a re-branded Odessey).

Vox Fatalis · **Posted:** Wed Oct 28, 2009 12:43 am

Mine just died as well. I ended up throwing a blue top in there. It's a little higher than the red top, but I've had no problems with it. Had the wing nuts for the 2nd posts. It was good for a dedicated stereo post. ;-)

linewarbr · **Posted:** Wed Oct 28, 2009 8:03 am

I had to buy a replacement and went with the Optima yellow-top. That battery better last me 9 years - it sure cost me enough dinero.

kdlewis1975 · **Posted:** Wed Oct 28, 2009 10:50 pm

I'm not necessarily making a recommendation here...just FYI. I was reading the Nov. 09 issue of Consumer Reports. They have a Diehard AGM battery (50090) rated higher than the Optima Red top (SC34U, rated second)...both in the Group 34 section. The bad thing is that it costs even more...$190 vs. $150. It does have a 48/100 warranty vs. 36/72. The only differences other than the warranty was they rated the reserve capacity as "excellent" while that for the Optima was "average" and the CCAs were 880 vs. 800.

My OEM Optima is still doing well at 75,500 miles...of course I'll learn even more about its performance once it gets uber-cold here this winter.

dog_party · **Posted:** Thu Oct 29, 2009 11:31 am

I'm quite happy with the Optima Red Top so far. It sure has enough juice to kick-start the little tractor motor each morning, that's for sure. I'll give a "longer term" report later.

robotmind · **Posted:** Thu Oct 29, 2009 4:38 pm

I replaced it with a Optima red top 34R

Replacement Optima battery

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