bored7one4

what the best batteries for my rx? i need a new one?

Lexmex

If you are serious about getting a good battery and will keep your RX much longer...get the Optima Red Top 34/78 like the one I got on my RX. You can usually find them at Costco or at Interstate Batteries (where I got mine). I had a friend get one from Stinger but he had terrible issues with the connector on the battery popping out. There is a really lightweight option from Odyssey, too but not as much power.

The guys at Interstate can even do the install work.

See this page on my cardomain site for the battery pictures.

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2215309/5

Tammy

Your group type is 24F ..
Many folks are very pleased with the Cosco "Kirkland" battery, if you have access to Cosco. Interstate is very good and might be your original battery type. Napa and Walmart "Everstart"are also locally recommended. In our heat, batteries last about 30-40 months. I recommend which ever brand is most available to you for service and exchange.

toy4two

Johnson Controls bar none. They are the OEM for Interstate, Kirkland (COSTCO), and a Gold model at SEARS.

The Optima are also very good, but not really needed unless you are putting some severe duty on your battery, like lots of vibrations (off roading) or have a hot car stereo system.

I have the COSTCO Kirkland in my RX, works great.

Lil4X

Good suggestions, all. Just remember that warranty is pro-rated monthly. It doesn't necessarily mean you are getting a "better" product. If you buy a battery with an extremely long warranty (in excess of 48 months), the warranty probably won't be saving you a lot of money when you have to replace it.

I had a dual-battery optioned Suburban that NO ONE could figure out. It killed batteries (both) in 24 months - without exception, no matter what I paid for them. Finally I gave up and started using decent but cheap batteries and just replaced them every two years.

A 60 month battery that fails in month 54 will only bring you only a 10% discount on current MSRP. You probably should shop cold cranking amps and local service rather than extreme warranty.

bizzy928

From now on all our batteries will be Kirkland. As stated above, Johnson Controls makes them.

I'd rather have a fresh battery every 4-5 years than buy an expensive battery and wait for it to fail.

TunedRX300

Here is a list of batteries made by Johnson Controls, just branded differently.

http://www.autobatteries.com/brands/index.asp

BTW, "AutoBatteries.com is brought to you by Johnson Controls, Inc.,"
I replaced mine two years ago with Duralast from Autozone, $50 and free installation.

LiqrSicc

So anybody know whats the difference between the yellowtop and the redtop optima's?

Lexmex

Unless you are are going to run a lot of aftermarket stereo equipment, stick with the Red Top. Only on car audio sound competition cars do I see the Yellow Top. For instance, the Blue Top is for marine uses but works just fine in cars.

You are going to get more cranking amps (1000) out of the Red Top 34/78 than the Yellow Top 34/78 (870) and more cold cranking amps, too (800 versus 750).

See, http://www.optimabatteries.com/publi...cal_specs.html for Yellow Top

and for Red Top http://www.optimabatteries.com/publi...cal_specs.html

The Red Top also weighs less 38.8 lbs. versus 43.5 lbs.

steevr

I was just debating between the Kirkland and the Optima Red Top. I have the Optima Blue top in my boat with an aftermarket stereo and swear by it.

Lexmex, is the Red Top in your RX a perfect fit or did you have to use an adaptor?

Thanks.

salimshah

I will only list the problems.

1. Size is smaller than Panasonic. LxW are not an issue but smaller height causes problems. Platform (riser) and or adjustment to the clamp/hold-down is needed.

2. Terminals:
a) Posts on red top are further away from the corner of the battery. Calmp bend angle has to be changed [causes stress on the post].
b) Not sure if this was required for RX but in one application the battery has to be spun so that the +/- terminals end up on the right side [left or right].

Salim

Lexmex

This is true. The clamps are farther away and you will have to cut the plastic ties on the cables to let them extend a little farther. There was an RX with the Red Top that had the terminals on the other side. The one that I got at Interstate Batteries follows OEM just they are spread a little bit farther back.

I have friends at the track who use pulleys (like my URD pulley or Unorthodox pulleys) plus run a lot of audio/video applications in their cars and do not notice the gain from the pulleys until they have the Optima Red or Yellow Top installed. Having the Sun Automobile Hyperground and Hypervoltage kits also helps.

Again, if you are going to keep your RX for a lot longer...go with a Red Top otherwise follow the other suggestions.

Lexmex

I do not have that little platform adapter. I had to bend the top clamp at an angle like you see in those pictures on my web page. I cut the ties on the battery cables and pulled them back.

Lexmex

I wanted to show some pictures to get a better idea.

There was an Optima Battery known as an Orange Top that had the terminals similar to OEM positioning on the top of the battery. I saw one in San Antonio, but it did not have the amount of cranking amps I wanted. Not sure if they still make one. However, this Red Top below is interesting.

The folllowing picture is one from one of our RX300 friends in Hawaii that I noticed on Car Domain. http://www.cardomain.com/ride/347565

This battery appears to follow the placement of the Orange Top as the negative cable is on the right side. I am not sure what Red Top this is or its power rating.

Lexmex

Now, let's take a look at the placement of my Red Top, which is the 34/78 and the most powerful they make.

Unlike the Red Top above, my terminals are on the back. The negative is still on the right as in the previous picture, but with different placement on top.