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veedub87

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
First off, it's not like I thought Autozone Duralast batts were good to begin with...
I had the misfortune of having a dead battery today, which stranded me at PV Mall. I've had the Duralast battery in my car for less than a year. Unfortunately, it was the only alternative when I had to get the battery originally, because it was late and Autozone was *right* there(and they were out of Optima Red Tops) - figures. I was in a bind, so I opted for the $70 Duralast - it sucks, because you don't usually 'shop' for batteries - you don't usually have any foresight in the situation, unless you pull out a known good battery and decide to toss in an Optima before the existing battery dies - you usually find yourself in a situation like 'sh*t - stranded, dead battery, must get new one immediately'.. Yeah. Piece of shiznit. So, anyway...there happens to be a Sears Car Care place right at PV Mall, and luckily, they were stocked with Optima Red Tops. It was a bit hard to get the battery distribution fuse block back on top because of a tiny clearance issue, but nonetheless, I finally have a quality battery in the GTI... http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif
 
#3 ·
Re: Duralast batteries suck (High dB)

Quote, originally posted by High dB »
Optima batteries have a higher failure rate than duralast even.

Would you care to back that up?
I have had mine for 3 years now and run it down quite a bit listening to the stereo etc. never had any problems. Neither have any of my friends who run them
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Not to mention, just the physics of it all. Considering that Optima's run a gel acid rather than the liquid in the cheap batteries which is one big cause for battery failure. In a liquid consistancy the corroded carbon that falls off the plates in the cell accumulates at the bottom, ofetn enough to create a connection between the two plates of a cell, shorting that cell out and dropping your battery voltage from about 12 to 9V. In a Gel battery this isnt as much of a problem
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Modified by BigBlockBug at 7:14 PM 10-22-2005
 
#4 ·
Re: Duralast batteries suck (BigBlockBug)

Take your duralast to AutoZone and they will replace it for free (at least thats what they did for the one I had just under 2 years) with no problems.
As often as the desert kills batteries Ill take the free Duralasts as long as they give em to me.
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#5 ·
Re: Duralast batteries suck (veedub87)

ive gone through 3, 1 every year from autozone... the replacement was free but still... f* that... mike hooked me up with a red top, never going back to anything else http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif
 
#6 ·
Re: Duralast batteries suck (VR6inAZ)

A couple of weeks ago at Prescot Rally we had a Yellow Top in the Talon. We ran all of Friday, mostly at night with lights on and most of the day saturday when we started to have low voltage problems. We took a look and figured the alt as it is near the turbo and a common failure on those cars. We found someone to swap us batteries so they could charge ours on stage and we could continue. When we where putting the new batterie (Red Top) we found that the alt lead was not connected and we had ran all that time on batterie alone. This was at night with 4 100 watt lights, regular headlight and most of the day saturday. It was unbelieveable.
I also run a Yellow Top in my Van. It has been in there for three years and I use it for work. I run the radio in the van all day long and I often times use it to run inverters for canopy lights racing and power tools. It would sit at -0 for months burried in a snowbank on the side of my MN house and start the car every time. I am a very strong beleiver of the Optimas, they absolutely rule.
 
#8 ·
Re: Duralast batteries suck (BigBlockBug)

Quote, originally posted by BigBlockBug »

Would you care to back that up?

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Dude.... I've talked to several places that stock Optima batteries and they have told me the same thing. While Optima batteries have superior performance when you have a good one, they do have a higher failure rate due to bad cells in them. All I'm telling you is what I've been told. You apparently know something they don't though, and I don't feel like arguing with you. I also understand the construction of a battery and how it works, so go impress someone else with your battery knowledge.
BTW -- Why do you take this so personally? You act like I'm insulting your manhood. I'm not bashing the Optima, I run a yellowtop in the Jeep.
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Modified by High dB at 9:24 PM 10-22-2005
 
Discussion starter · #9 ·
Re: Duralast batteries suck (High dB)

Quote, originally posted by High dB »
Optima batteries have a higher failure rate than duralast even.

I'm willing to take my chances. After 2 Duralast batteries in 2 years, I'd prefer not to have any of that Autozone crap in my car at all. I don't know what company makes them for Autozone, but even with the free replacements, it's just not worth the hassle. The thing I hated about the Duralasts was that there was absolutely no warning - not that it doesn't happen with other brands... Car started up brilliantly the first time today - head out to run some errands, come back out - deader than dead. Couldn't even power the clock or auto-lock the doors. I was gonna run home and grab my fluke and check the voltage and charging current, but there's just no point when it's deader than dead.
Now, who can hook me up with an Evoms or Carbonio cai? Mine has a weird little brace on it that bolts it to the strut tower, and when I was swapping the batt out, I put some weight on the intake brace, and it cracked the little welded on mount that the intake bolts to, so now it's kinda just flopping around in the engine bay. I had to resort to securing it with a bungee cord for the time being...ghetto fabolous.
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If anyone knows of anything used and local, I'd certainly appreciate a heads up. http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif
 
Discussion starter · #10 ·
Re: Duralast batteries suck (Silver VR6 Corrado)

Quote, originally posted by Silver VR6 Corrado »
Take your duralast to AutoZone and they will replace it for free (at least thats what they did for the one I had just under 2 years) with no problems.
As often as the desert kills batteries Ill take the free Duralasts as long as they give em to me.
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I would if I thought it was worth it...
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#12 ·
Re: Duralast batteries suck (Sinister 1.8T)

Quote, originally posted by Sinister 1.8T »
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Optima http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif

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http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif
 
#13 ·
Re: Duralast batteries suck (High dB)

Quote, originally posted by High dB »
Optima batteries have a higher failure rate than duralast even.

ahh i doubt that..
Maybe the source you received that information from is wrong?
thats like saying champion plugs are better than denso's..
 
#14 ·
Re: Duralast batteries suck (High dB)

Quote, originally posted by High dB »

BTW -- Why do you take this so personally? You act like I'm insulting your manhood. I'm not bashing the Optima, I run a yellowtop in the Jeep.
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more like he just asked you for some more info since your post wasnt very detailed
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looks like there are alot more of us that HAVE or have HAD optimas that have been awesome...than your "sources of knowledge that have told you stories about optimas"
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#15 ·
Re: Duralast batteries suck (VdubVr6PowR)

Quote, originally posted by VdubVr6PowR »

more like he just asked you for some more info since your post wasnt very detailed
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looks like there are alot more of us that HAVE or have HAD optimas that have been awesome...than your "sources of knowledge that have told you stories about optimas"
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I wish I was omniscient at 19.
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Modified by High dB at 2:13 AM 10-23-2005
 
#17 ·
Re: Duralast batteries suck (VdubVr6PowR)

Quote, originally posted by VdubVr6PowR »

lol...never have anything to back up your wonderful posts huh
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and yes, i am smart..thanks
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oh and im 20 tommorow
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I was simply relaying what I was told by three different people. I don't know that I believe it, as I have run Optimas almost since they came out with only one failure... although I guess one in three is kinda bad. I have no experience with Duralast batteries. I don't need to "back up my posts" because I was simply repeating what I was told. You're not as smart as you think you are junior.
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Also --- I was messing with Johnny as far as my last comment to him. He's been a decent person (more than I can say for you) and he's helped me out on more than one occasion. It's not your place to tell me what he was saying.


Modified by High dB at 2:28 AM 10-23-2005
 
#18 ·
Re: Duralast batteries suck (High dB)

Quote, originally posted by High dB »

I don't need to "back up my posts" because I was simply repeating what I was told. You're not as smart as you think you are junior.
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repeating what you were told by who? some cholos down in phoenix? the maker of optima or duralast? who? with posts so unspecific...who knows what you are trying to say. keep trying oldtimer
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#19 ·
Re: Duralast batteries suck (High dB)

Quote, originally posted by High dB »

BTW -- Why do you take this so personally? You act like I'm insulting your manhood. I'm not bashing the Optima, I run a yellowtop in the Jeep.
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Who said anything about taking it personally, i only asked a question there bro. Did you have anything credible to back up a statement about the battery's quality? And no you didnt, just heresay really. SO MUCH DISINFORMATION flys about here on the vortex that everyone takes to be gospel, thats my only point. I didnt explain the chemistry and construction of a battery for your sake, but maybe for others who wouldnt know any better to listen to what people blurt out on the Vortex.
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Thats all no bad blood or anything http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif


Modified by BigBlockBug at 3:33 AM 10-23-2005
 
#20 ·
Re: Duralast batteries suck (VdubVr6PowR)

Quote, originally posted by VdubVr6PowR »

repeating what you were told by who? some cholos down in phoenix? the maker of optima or duralast? who? with posts so unspecific...who knows what you are trying to say. keep trying oldtimer
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You have an answer for everything don't you? The only retailers that gave me that info were NTB and an offroad shop that I was in that was sells them. (think that was Offroad Unlimited, can't remember) The other was a tech I chatted with at BMW in Tuscon when I was there for some service work. As I stated above, it OBVIOUSLY doesn't matter to me as I run an Optima and have for a while. I should have included the word "supposedly" in my initial statement so that I wouldn't make you cry.
 
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