SlamMan02

LOL I ran into the issue a couple weeks ago. VERY Frustrating.

300GT

What climate wont an Optima battery function in?

metroplex

It's unlikely the average Mustang enthusiast will drive in them, but they won't function properly in arctic conditions without external heaters. Ford and other OEM's test their vehicles in various conditions and the Optimas would most likely fail in the cold weather testing and incur an additional and unnecessary cost to the vehicle.

Shelby10'

I had the same problem as you, car wouldnt take a charge...and the green stuff on the positive terminal. Got my Gold series from Sears...works great. Barely fits though and the battery sleeve will no longer fit.

70MACH1OWNER

I went thru this about a year ago. Looked at the Optima battery and they were expensive and didn't fit the battery tray very well plus the insulation blanket was very loose. Than I looked at a Sears Diehard Gold. I was a hair larger and the blanket would fit at all. Finally settled for a stocker from the dealer. Cost was $100 bucks and has a 36 month free replacement warranty before it starts being pro-rated. I would buy a stocker again.

tdbrown75

Nuff said.

Tim

metroplex

Optima = overpriced, reduced capacity, and the AGM lifespan does not justify the increase in price.

GRAYPNY

Different strokes for different folks.

tdbrown75

Have you had a negative personal experience Metroplex, or are you just anti-Optima by opinion only? Not trying to start anything, just curious as I don't think I have ever seen you pass up the opportunity to make a negative comment in an Optima thread.

Tim

metroplex

We've looked extensively at Optimas in a lab. A lot of the marketing is just hype that gets passed around in car enthusiast sites. If the Optimas were the same price as the regular batteries, I wouldn't have a problem using one as long as you don't live way up north.

GT5088

I guess it all depends...if people hype them up enough and people are willing to pay what they charge then it will continue that way until something gives... I don't think the Optima batteries necessarily perform better than other brands but I think many people, like myself, continue to use them because they have had good luck.

Until I have a really bad experience with them, I will still use them. But I don't think they are any better than any brand such as Interstate, Bosch, Die Hard, Duralast, etc etc....it all comes down to brand preference.

JedCranium

I installed a Red Top Optima but I had to take a dremel tool and grind out the tab on the inside of the stock battery tray. I bought a billet battery holder from Wyland that I fasten to the stock tray. It was a little bit of work but I think it was worth it. I didn't have an issue with cable length, I did have to grind down a terminal screw just in case it may short to the bottom of the hood.

Jed

GT5088

looks good

300GT

That doesn't look like the series 35 red top that Optima recommends for the 05+ Mustang. Check out tdbrowns post above and note the position of the terminals in his pic - all the way back similar to the stock battery. Could that be why you had to grind down a screw to get hood clearance? What series is your battery?

JedCranium

I'll take a look at the series in the morning my car is blocked at the moment and I can't open the hood. My challenge was not so much the battery but the billet plate that the battery sits on. That's why I had to remove that tab in the tray. I figured if I screw it up I'll just buy a new tray. The second challenge was I had to drill holes in the billet bottom plate so that I could fasten down the stock battery tray to the existing bolts. That was necessary because remember I bolted the billet holder to the stock tray. Seems like no matter what you do when you get a billet holder there's going to be a few mod surprises.

Jed

LordBritish

I got my new battery installed after much aggravation.

Here's the story.

Autozone sold me a Duralast battery that they said would fit my car (as I mentioned earlier), however, it didn't fit.

So I asked for my money back.

They said they couldn't do that
They would only do an exchange.

I said to them that it was their fault for selling me a battery that didn't fit.

So I asked if they had any Optima batteries and they didn't have any that would fit in stock.

So I tried 2 other Duralast battery models and one did fit: http://www.autozone.com/selectedZip,.../selectZip.htm

However, I think my car hasn't been performing as well with the new battery - just a buttometer impression. No dyno to backup that claim. Perhaps it's my imagination.

I took a Multimeter and measured the volts from the battery and it measures 12.14 volts (cold reading, engine not running).

Is that too low for a cold reading?

Can a battery that doesn't provide enough voltage negatively effect performance?

Voception

No. Once the car is started power comes from your alternator not the battery, you can once started remove battery and car will still run, although your shouldn't try on s197 cause the computer system is so complex you could cause a power surge and blow something. Your performance issue is coming from one place, and that's the bad taste left in your mouth after dealing with retards at Autozone. You now have this feeling you got screwed and your car is paying the price. Trust me, doesn't matter what battery you install if your car starts the performance will NOT change.

2005GTDELUXE

This one happened to me. Instead of going back to the zone I went to Monaco Ford and got one, then drove back to the zone. I waked in with the battery and said I want a refund and they said no. I said the one you sold me does not fit COME OUTSIDE AND SEE. The guy was like , uhhh u got the car here? I said yes and already have the right one. He was pissed off but gave the refund.

LordBritish

Wow, somebody revived my old thread.

Anyhow, I chose an Interstate battery in the end that fit but it's heavy. Heavier than stock.

Been thinking about getting this:



It weighs 21 lbs.

Unfortunately it wont fit the stock tray and I'm unsure how to mount it securely.

impetus maximus

i would stay away from Optima. me and a buddy got one for his Cutlass.
it was a dud. exchanged it for another dud. they are crap IMHO.
Interstate batteries have been good to me since 92.

this spring i'm putting in a 13lb Odyssey PC 680 ($85).
lightweight, plenty of cranking power, and no corrosion on the terminals.