Battery Replacement.. opinions OEM style
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From: Tri-Cities, WA // Portland, OR
FYI, Optima ret top, from what I remember, is a pound or two lighter than the original battery. I ended up using the Interstate Megatron Plus, MTP-35, which is actually a few pounds heavier than the original. I went with the Interstate because, here in Hawaii, it is always hot, and the Megatron Plus built to withstand high heat (MTP II is better, but they don't make it in our size and/or required dimensions). I also wasn't too sure if the Optima would fit, based on the online dimensions and my own tray measurements. Instead of ordering the Optima and having it not fit, I went with the Interstate. So far, I have completely drained the Interstate battery once (3 times on the original), but have been able to recharge it by jumping it and condition it with the Battery Minder. Now that I know the Red Top will fit, I will most likely try that or look at a Kinetik(previously mentioned). Once I move to a much colder area (soon), we will see how the Interstate holds up.
Just bought an Optima battery red top today cause my battery died, and the installation was terrible. trying to get the terminals to reach was a pain. Just thought I would share.
You bought the wrong one. Sounds like it is a 35R. Most places stock the 35...
Last edited by SpoolinUp; Jan 31, 2010 at 03:44 AM.
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From: Orange/Rockland, NY
Thread Starter
Evolved Member
iTrader: (86)
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 1,765
Likes: 12
From: Orange/Rockland, NY
http://www.1st-optima-batteries.com/...Fd1L5QodV0ah3g
This is where I got the measurements.
Good Luck.
Update: So I bought the correct battery today and it went in easy and I was done in like 5 minutes, and I feel like an idiot. So advice for anyone about to buy the battery make sure its the 35 and not the 75/35.
I see that you already bought yours but i will throw this out there for everyone else. When i bought my car it had a mini battery installed...which completely sucked. I didn't have the room for a full sized yellow top optima with my icp. so with a little testing fitting i found that you can get a honda civic yellow top and it fits very nicely. Its' not much bigger than the mini i had before and has never let me down
You may have got lucky (didn't you buy from autozone?).
When I went to buy my yellow top from autozone, the manager was being a total jerk about buying it. I wasn't sure if it would fit correctly, and he said all sales final on optimas. I ended up buying from Amazon for 1/3 the price. When I put it in the bottom corner broke (good thing I didn't buy from AutoZone) and Amazon sent me a replacement without having to send the old one back. Make sure the place you buy your battery from will stand behind it.
I will be in the market for a new battery soon so this post is great. The cold weather shows how weak my current battery is. I had a yellow top before in my crx, so the red top will be my first choice and since it fits and everyone seems happy with it then its a winner!