Optima battery suggestions
 

Im looking to get an optima red top battery for my 89 supra turbo. Which one should i get?

I'd recommend something else. DieHard Platinum is also built by Johnson Controls (well, we can't really blame Johnson Controls, Optima is a subsidiary) but is of far superior materials and quality.

Optimas are disposables, even in their own eyes. I went through two... they're local company so I spoke to them about replacing the first one. They refused, the second time I just went to Sears and had them bin the Optima (ask some experienced auto techs, you might find that they fail a lot more than you think).

High quality and cheap never go hand in hand.

but the optima battery i was looking at is the same price as the optima and i researched the diehard batteries and people gave it bad rep.

I didn't suggest a regular DieHard nor the DieHard Gold (the regular DieHard batteries have been made by a number of different manufacturers over the years, as such I won't recommned them... they're like a box of chocolates...); I suggested the DieHard Platinum. Do as you wish, of course. I'm merely giving you my opinion... after two Optimas I did a LOT of research before buying my next battery.

Try this another way... don't search for GOOD reviews... search for BAD reviews. Go to Google and search the following terms: "Optimas suck", "Optima sucks", "DieHard Platinums suck" and "DieHard Platinum sucks"... USE QUOTES. Look through the results to make sure they're referring to batteries.

Absolutely do not base your decision on my recommendation; do your own research, read up on how they're all constructed and make an educated decision. There is a LOT of bad information about Optima batteries though and it gets hard to know if the source is reputible. I'll start with pointing out that Optimas are not a Gel Cell as people like to claim. It is a sealed AGM (absorbed glass mat) battery; Nothing very unique about this actually, a lot of higher quality batteries are... it reduces damage due to vibration and reduces internal shorting due to moving particulate from what I recall. There are supposed to be power advantages to the AGM construction as well, but I do not recall the details. AGM batteries do require slightly different charging strategies if drained significantly... if using a battery charger make sure it is AGM compatible. Gel batteries require a COMPLETELY different charging strategy and really should not be supplied power from an alternator without the requisite controller added in between.

Just going off memory here... things may have changed a bit in the past couple years, so do your own research as I said (don't rely on people just saying what they stuffed under the hood because Joe Bob said he had one too). ;)

Actually, it looks like I may be mistaken. I'm seeing a lot of info that JCI does not make the Platinum, but the DieHard Gold line.... I don't know about the other DieHard models.

From what I'm finding EnerSys may be the maker of the DH Platinum.... they make the Odyssey series of batteries. http://www.enersysreservepower.com/
http://www.enersysreservepower.com/f...odernMarv.html

Just wondering what type of battery do you use in your car cre? I Also need a new battery in my supra. I have a Yellow top in my Rx-7, yes RX-7. The people who drive rx-7's recommend the Odyssey batteries.

I run a DH Platinum myself... it's payed for itself a couple times over. Been on it for about 5 years now and recently had to drive pretty much on just the battery to get out of rush hour traffic and into a parking lot (took almost 30 minutes to get to a spot safe to stop). I'm sure the alternator was still contributing some power, but when I took it in to get it tested it was completely dead.

I have beat the crap out of my battery on a number of occasions and it hasn't failed me yet.

I don't know a lot about the performance benefits and concerns with the Odyssey batteries. All I know is hearsay and there are a couple conclusions of my own which I can draw with little reservation. One thing I do know is that they are NOT dry cell batteries as they like to advertise.. they are still an AGM lead acid battery.

I've heard that they are susceptible to heavy damage if over-volted (certain types of battery are though, it's a fact of life).

They are generally a bit heavier than other batteries of the same dimensions. A lot of people like to buy the smallest one they can get their hands on to replace larger batteries... the weight ends up being the same or perhaps less, but you risk greatly reducing the serviceable life of the battery by putting a much heavier load on it than you should... for a daily driver or a vehicle which sees short run times it will not last long. If you get the right size, the Odyssey and the DieHard Platinum are heavy.

They offer strong deep cycle resilience.

They have a very good warranty (same as the DieHard Platinum... hmmmm...).

I keep reading (now that I'm trying to refresh my memory) that the DieHard Platinum is the same battery as the Odyssey; This is a definitely possibility as EnerSys does make batteries for other companies but will not reveal who. If this is the case or not I have no problem recommending either. I've yet to see Consumer Reports do a review of the Odyssey, the DH Plat is a favorite of theirs though.


RX-7? I know a LOT of Supra guys who are RX-7 (and 8) fans... a couple own them along side their Supra.