The optima 34R sucks really bad, im glad i got it as a gift. For the last few days i noticed my 3.4L cranking very slow although it would start. Decided to take her to Auto Zone to check the voltage, everything was fine but the cranking amps were only 300....pretty sad for a 1000 amp battery. I went to Sears and picked up a Die Hard Platinum, same type of design with a few hundred less cranking amps but a full 4 year warrenty. Oh yea i had the 34R for only 2.5 years.

 

the red top optima is hyped up to be alot better than it is.

 

sorry to hear your bad experience w/ your optima. i dont know if the 34R is a redtop, or has the reverse terminals, and im too lazy to look into it, but my yellowtop has been going strong w/ tons of total drains, and a big stereo system for over 5 years, and i barely crank it for half a second, and my truck starts right up.

 

Yea no kidding. The Die Hard was more expensive but i like the 4 year warrenty.

 

We see a lot of vehicles with the Red Top coming in the shop(including my Maxima) for a bad battery. All around the 2 year mark

 

Was a great battery for the last 2.5 years but its sad to see it go this eaily.

 

Dang my cheapie AutoZone Duralast battery lasted longer than that, even with a drain that would kill it dead if I let it sit for more than 2 days.

Rob

 

I have had good luck with mine. They are so expensive they probably sit on the shelf a while.

 

I hate my Optima red top. Complete garbage. I've only had it for two years and it's already giving me trouble. The first time you run it a little low, it will never be the same.

 

I loved my red top....nothing but good luck with it....had it for ever 3 years on my tacoma and never an issue...with lights amp all that crap

 

never had an optima, but i've bought batteries from Advanced Auto and had good luck and a great replacement warranty as well. now Die Hard on the other hand, bad luck with them and the local Sears store has found ways to void the warranty on both of the batteries i bought from them. will never buy there again. my advice, don't say anything to Sears when you bring in a dead battery or they will twist your words and void the warranty. in my experience.

 

I never used a 34R in my truck. I only went through 3 regular 34 red tops from '91 through '06, and the last one is now in my Volvo, since I put a yellow top in the truck. The regular 34 fit fine, turned around. Battery cables were long enough.

Out of all of the red tops I've had in all of my vehicles, I've only had 2 crap out early on me, and both of those were because the vehicles sat unused for extended periods of time (one month or longer in winter up here). I usually get about 7 years out of each of them, so I have to say that I have been a satisfied customer with them.

 

another issue with the Optima is that i guess because they are a gel cell, they take forever to charge. we have seen cases where someone jumps the Optima and then lets the vehicle charge the battery. They take so long to recharge that a lot of the time the alternators burn out trying to charge it. So if you run one low put it on a long slow charge.

 

Can anyone tell me if the Die Hard Platinum has side posts? I am ditching my yellow top but don't want to rewire my ends again for a top post set up.

 

no side posts. but i've been happy with my DHP group 35.

i bought one from a fellow member as a back up, he had the battery sitting in his garage in colorado for about 4-5 month, after i bought it, i had it sit in my garage for 4 months till mid march. i put it in and started right up with no hesitation after the whole cold winter not been charged. needless to say i'm sold on it.

 

auto batteries in the sonoran desert are really good for 3-4 years. i wouldnt spend top dollar for a battery here. I prefer interstate batteries.