Anyone else have 5+ year battery?

[Austin Tatious]

6 years, 4 months.

 

[Rich Stern]

The Optima batteries seem to have a longer life than most batteries. They don't use any more lead, but their spiral cell and gel technology appears to work to provide more power and a longer battery life.

Longer life, yes. More power, no.



The longer life is generally due to the sturdier construction. The sprial cells don't get damaged by vibration as easily as the flat plates in flooded batteries.

 

[TomT]

I think I can get 5 years out of the Duralast. I can buy 2 of them for the price of one Optima. Will an Optima last 10 years? For that matter, will my Trac last 10 years?

 

[Chris Kulbaba]

I have an 01 ST, recently replaced the battery for an optima yellow, but it was still going strong w/ green light when I took it out this summer.

 

[Jeff C]

TomT, several memebers here have moved Optima's from vehicle to vehicle. I don't ever plan on getting rid of my ST, but if something happens to her, I'll be pulling the Yellow Top out and putting something else in.

 

[Ron Dacher]

The OEM battery lasted about 4 months shy of 6 years on my 01 Sport Trac. The longest I ever had a battery last was 9 years on a 1987 BMW 325. This was after the OEM lasted only 2 years and BMW replaced it free with another OEM (they didn't even pro-rate it).

 

[kil roy]

unless i missed it im really surprised that no one mentioned the battery going

dead then killing the 4x4 relay in the process.



i think if i hit 5 years and had a 4x4 i would swap it out just for some piece of mind

 

[Richard L]

Rich Stern,

Yes, the longer life of the Optima battery comes from better construction and better reliability of the spiral cells.



What I meant about more power is that they were avialable in higher Amp Hour ratings than the stock batteries as are most other brands. I will usually upgrade to a higher amp hour rated battery when replacing the OEM battery. I have purchased batteries with over 800 amp hours and made to withstand the Texas heat which kills batteries even more than the cold does up north.



...Rich

 

[Rich Stern]

Rich, anytime I've reviewed specs of spiral wound AGM batteries, I've come to the conclusion, pound for pound, they have less capacity than flooded cells. I've never seen manufacturers specs that suggested otherwise. Durability and lack of spillable acid are good reasons to buy an AGM battery. Best capacity is a good reason to buy a quality flooded cell.