Location: Taylors SC
Posts: 5,326
My VIN: (former)05429
Club(s): (DMWC) (DCUK)
Dave S
DMC Midwest - retired but helping
Greenville SC
That sounds like horrible service. It probably could have been shipped for the cost of sending a person to check it.
-James . . . "Life without knowledge is death in disguise." ~ H.P.G.
Hi guys,
I was looking at grabbing an Optima Yellow Top for my Delorean, and i just wanted to confirm that the D34/78 was the one to go for?
Do you have to mod anything in the electrics of the car to fit one of theses?
Thanks
Pete
Location: Middleburg Heights, OH
Posts: 1,939
I don't recall the model number off-hand, but the correct one fits right in with no modifications. They come with both top posts and side posts in one unit to fit any vehicle type (keep the covers on the top posts!), and it fits snugly in the passenger cubby hole designed for it. Just pull the old one out, disconnect it, pop the new Optima in, connect it, and you're good to go. Save the screws you're currently using on the old battery for the new battery. If you're planning on installing an amp though, you may need slightly longer screws to hold everything in place. My screws were too short, but your mileage may vary.
Pete, you are correct. Mine slips into the battery compartment easily and connecting it is quick and easy. So easy that I stole it and moved it to another car. Now I need to buy another battery! Leaving country for 3 years meant a lot of dead batteries on my return.
-James . . . "Life without knowledge is death in disguise." ~ H.P.G.
Location: Orlando, Florida
Posts: 2,734
My VIN: 01643
Club(s): (DCF) (DCO) (DCUK)
If you need longer screws, the side terminal screws are 3/8"-16s.
You know, I had an optima red top in my car, and was really disappointed with it. I had a cell fail in it almost 3 years to the day after I bought it, and of course the warranty was gone and there was no pro rated warranty. It actually scared the crap out of me because the car started having trouble starting, and I was terrified that it had to do with my starter installation, even though I checked, double checked, and triple checked to be sure it would work. I know that was just my experience, but it's enough of a reason for me to never buy another optima.
To me, if it's only going to last until the warranty is up, then I should just be buying based on price. I just bought a Duracell AGM battery from Sams club and it's performance has been great thusfar. It has a 3 year warranty that is pro rated after 3 years, only 25 less CCA's than the optima, and was about $80 less than the optima. So far I'm sold. I'm so glad to not have to turn the battery off every time I turn off the car now. Didn't used to bother me before that much, but now whenever I turn the battery off it resets the engine computer and when I next start it, it takes about 30 seconds to adjust, home itself, calibrate, find it's bearings, etc. It still runs in those 30 sec, it just runs a little rough as all the settings are being readjusted. As small as it may be, to be able to avoid that now is also priceless.
Hey thanks guys!
I think I'll give the Optima a go, the Delorean has only ever had bad hand me downs when it comes to batteries and I'd like to spoil her this time.
Hey everyone,
Old thread, I know, but still thought this the best place to put this mention, instead of starting a new thread...
I Just had to buy a new battery for my non-DeLorean alternate vehicle (2005 Chevy Colorado). The old battery lasted 9 years. Mileage during that time was only about 30k, but still I thought 9 years was pretty-darn-good, thus the honorable mention.
This old battery was bought from Advance Auto Parts in 2008 (I usually by the Interstate Green-Top batteries, but for some reason, don't remember why, I bought this one instead).
IMG_20171105_135259888.jpg
Thomas
...
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The warmer winters aren't destroying batteries as much, so they're having a much longer lifespan. The sets of batteries in my F150 have lasted over 5 years or so on average now, and probably would have been longer had it not have been for leaving the lights on one day...
I don't know what Advance Auto Parts prices or especially warranties are like, but I picked up my battery from AutoZone. The thing was out of warranty past the 5 years, and they still gave me an additional $72 on my old battery, plus the core charge. Not to mention that it takes longer to wait in line than it does to swap the battery out.
I've ran Optima batteries and and regular lead acid ones in multiple cars, and I can tell you for a fact that there is no difference between them insofar as how they work. The Optimas are great for resisting physical damage and can be mounted in different positions. The only real reason they appear to be better is that they simply have a higher default on Cranking Amps & Cold Cranking Amps than what your OEM recommendations for batteries are capable of. Installing batteries with higher CCA will absolutely help your car start faster, and I'd always recommend going for the bigger capacity whenever possible.
Optimas will not benefit your car over a lead-acid battery just by themselves. Function wise, they're the same. You can easily obtain a higher capacity battery with larger CCA for far less. In fact, AZ even sells a Duralast Gold with the same ratings as the Optima for about $85 cheaper. I've also never bought anything from Batteries & Bulbs, but they too sell a Duracell with equivalent Optima power ratings for about $130 cheaper.
Unless you're running a vehicle in off-road motorsports, skip the Optima and just tie down your battery.
Robert
People they come together, people they fall apart...
Location: Northern NJ
Posts: 8,576
My VIN: 10757 1st place Concourse 1998
As a battery ages it loses capacity. If you start out with a battery that has more capacity it "lasts longer" because it has more capacity to lose before it gets so low that it dosen't have enough left. Is it worth getting all of that extra capacity (longer life)? It depends on how much extra you have to pay up front. It also depends on how you use the car (the battery) and how you take care of it. If you never let it drain all the way, get too cold or otherwise abuse it, a battery can last a long time, even an ordinary lead/acid type. At least 5 years. My problem with the gel-type batteries like the Optima is that when they fail they fail without warning and that seems to happen at any point in it's life, even relatively new ones. Doesn't seem to happen as much with the ordinary L/A batteries.
David Teitelbaum