LextacyGS4

iTrader: (2)

My hopeless pathetic Lexus battery has failed me once again. Ive had the battery for a little over 2 years and not much miles. I called the dealer that installed it and they said "bring the car in (with a dead battery) and we will run a check to make sure its the battery ($$$) then if it is the battery then we will pro-rate you for the life of the battery (more $$$) and then charge you basic installation to put the battery back in (more $$$), with that said its much cheaper for me to go and buy a new battery. I asked if I can bring the battery in without the car as the car doesnt run and pay the pro-rated portion, then install the new battery myself but was told thats not how they operate....

So before I give them anymore of my hard earned $$, ive decided to go to Costco and buy an Optima. The reason I chose Costco is because someone said "you will never have to buy another battery again" since their return policy is unlimited days, no questions asked whether or not you used the item and what condition its in. Being skeptical I went to check it out for myself, upon talking to the supervisor I had discovered the following. They had no more red tops, which is what I wanted as its cheaper ($105) and has a three year replacement warranty as the yellow is $150 and is only one year replacement warranty. His response was, it doesnt really matter cause thats the warranty from Optima, at Costco, when it fails just bring it back and we will exchange or refund the full purchase price even 4 years down the line. That was GAME ON for me.

Now the choice is to either buy the Yellow Top 34/78 at $150 (he said its going up to $168 on 8/7 in case any of you want one) with 870 CA and 750 CCA or buy the Red Top 75/35 at $105 with 910 CA and 720 CCA?? Should i save the money now since I dont care how long it lasts, I can bring it back whenever. They should be getting the Red Top on monday 8/7 and it will go up to $119 on 8/14 or should i just shell out and get the Yellow?

I know some of you are thinking that all depends on the setup of the car, well I have a stock car with some TVs and a DVD player. I do have a full fledged top of the deck system sitting in my closet that I have still not decided on whether im going to put it in or not. Im leaning more towards not cause the stock radio is OK and I dont want to go through the hassles of removing the stock nav, losing the trip comp and the whole dynomat thing is just a PITA all to get that annoying alternator whine that i can never get rid of with aftermarket systems. So as of now, it will pretty much be just the TVs.

So please voice some opinions and let me know what you think so I can make a decision

LexFather

Maybe search "yellow" in the GS forum, b/c I know I've read before that many here are firm believers in the yellow top. I don't recall too much about the red. From my understanding, those running more wattage use the Yellow Top.

Mike

Lexmex

It is a big debate between yellow and red. Most vehicles that have them where I live go with yellow, even if they do nothing more than drag race. I have always identified the yellow tops with stereo equipment.

I ended up getting the 34/78 Red Top for my RX300. Either the yellow or the red meant doing a custom fitting on my RX, but it is the first electrical mod I will recommend (especially due to price) over other modifications that I have put on my vehicle.

The Red Top 34/78 had 800 Cold Cranking Amps and 1000 Cranking Amps at 32F and weighs 38.8 pounds.

http://www.optimabatteries.com/publi...cal_specs.html

The Yellow Top 34/78 had 750 Cold Cranking Amps and 870 Cranking Amps at 32F and weighs 43.5 pounds.

http://www.optimabatteries.com/publi...cal_specs.html


I got my Red Top at Interstate Batteries in the U.S., because I also went to Costco and they did have Red Tops but none in the 34/78 range.

My cousin is doing some stereo work right now on his Golf VR6, but I also bought him a Red Top, but more people that I know do that kind of work go for a Yellow.

O. L. T.

iTrader: (17)

The typical setup is that if you have a stereo go with the yellow, if not go with the red. The red is a starting battery, the yellow is not. The yellow is a deep cycle battery with lot's of reserve, more-so than the red. People in colder climates will want the red for it's cranking ability. People in warmer climates can use the yellow irregardless.

LextacyGS4

iTrader: (2)

I went with the Red, its cheaper and when it dies, %@#$ IT ill just go in a and get a new one or pay more and get the yellow. I see it as i can always go up if this isnt enough for me, as of now, the car starts up like a champ and the system (with the engine off) is loud like it never seemed to be. The only thing is, for some reason the Yellow they had was 34/78 and the Red is 35/75 but I can live with it. The only thing now is I gotta make that wood bracket for under the battery so that the battery tie downs will work. Do you think i should put the black box back over it or admire the red in the engine bay?

Lexmex

My cousin gave me his wrap from his old battery in his Golf VR6 to put around my Red Top. Otherwise, it would get kind of hot.

My cousin's Golf, also with a Red Top, has sat for several months without hardly ever turning it on as he has been doing some aesthetic work. Still, whenever he does, it starts like a charm.

I had a friend with an RX7 who went with a Stinger battery and it gave him tons of issues, as that car would sit a lot.

My Lexus stays at home during the week, while I drive a Caravan to work (not a nice neighborhood), and every weekend I take it out, starts without a hitch.

LextacyGS4

iTrader: (2)

I was hanging out with someone who claims they know something about cars. His whole view on it was that the reason the Lexus battery died so quicky is because Ive only put about 2k miles on in the all of last year and the car just sits there most of the time. How true can that be?

Lexmex

They can develop what some like to call a memory. Some of us RX owners (including me with my OEM batteries) had this issue where the clock would reset (most common), radio and seat settings also reset and a few had trouble starting their vehicles. At that point, we just scrapped the batteries.

My RX was an auction car that I later picked up at a used car dealer. I started to develop the symptoms of the clock reseting soon after I moved down to Mexico. On a trip up to the Lexus dealer I had a new batter installed under warranty, but the second battery was good for some time, but occasionally had its issues. Went to the Red Top back in Dec. 2004 and it has been chugging along quite well ever since.

Hit Man X

Blue, high CCA and Deep Cycle.

Benjamin T

iTrader: (2)

i thought blue was marine-application only?

also... how cold would it have to be for the yellowtop to cause trouble with the low CCA rating?

Lexmex

The Blue Tops are sold down here right next to the yellow and red, some like it for aethetics, but if I remember correctly there was some type of cost savings by getting the Blue Top.

Tammy

I you don't drive the vehicle much, a Battery Tender Plus is what you need for a monthly trickle charge. This keeps your battery in excellent condition.

http://www.batterytender.com/

Benjamin T

iTrader: (2)

this is the charger optima recommends (from uk website):

http://www.optimabattery.co.uk/engli...a/charging.htm

Lexmex

Those chargers are great, though I never had a use for one on my Optima, one of my buddies with an RX7 used it to charge up his Stinger battery after the car sat for a while.