Just looking for suggestions for a car that isn't driven much. I usually take it out 1 day a week. It's sat upwards of 2-3 weeks before, but it's pretty rare. I'll usually at least start it and let it run for a while if I don't intend on driving it. Car is almost completely stock 04 GT without nav. Only mod is a catless mid pipe. Next mod will likely be BHR ignition but I just replaced the coils, plugs, and wires maybe 700 miles ago. Live in SE VA, so it's rare we see temperatures in the single digits, let alone below 0.

Any suggestions would be great. I did quite a bit of searching and research but couldn't find any real definitive answers on what I should get. I had considered another AGM Marathon battery like the one in my Miata as it's been going strong for 5+ years, but was afraid the 320 CCA might be too weak. Thanks for any input you can give me.

 

I just replaced my Optima Red Top after eight and a half years, bought June '08.

The best part was it didn't 'fail' suddenly - the voltage just got low.

Purely anecdotal of course, but valid nonetheless.....

.

 

have to agree with stealth.

just replaced my 10 year old yellow top with a red top, my car sits most of the time with a battery tender jr on it..

https://www.summitracing.com/int/par...zda/model/rx-8

got it fast.


beers

 

Optimas are garbage.
I ran them in cars for EVER but a few years ago I went through 5 or 6 of them in 1 year.
After that, can't see myself ever running a yellow top again which sucks because I remember when those were great.

I put a Bosch battery in it and it's been great

 

Don't get me wrong - I replaced it with a Kirkland!

....and it may have just been one of the 'good ones', the Optima plant in the USA shut down in 2009, all Mexican now.....

 

My 8 usually sits undriven for weeks at a time and always fires right up; I can second the Bosch recommendation. Consumer Reports rates the Bosch 35-640B very highly. It's about $125 and available at Pep Boys.

 

Costco now carries Interstate I think, three years warranty and I've never had a problem with it. When they used to have Kirkland, it always have corrosion on the leads. Anyway, the new one seems to hold up and besides I've never had problems with Costco replacing mine.

 

I have an duralast platinum battery and it does well with the S2 starter.

 

Good to know. Interstate was what was in the car when I bought it, but I didn't really know muchabout them.

 

I had also heard Optima went waaaay down hill.

This is the reason that I've heard for Optima going down hill. I was considering a Yellow Top before reading they weren't very good anymore.

Bosch is something I've heard pop up in a few threads so I'll take a look into that. At $125, it's probably one of the cheaper options I've read as well.

This is another recommendation I've seen pop up a few times. I still have the S1 starter, but not sure if it's the recall one or the original. I need to go get the Takata recall done and was just going to see if they can pull any recall history for my car.


Thanks for all the suggestions. I'll be doing some research and pricing today probably.

 

well this is good to know. i knew it was to easy, this is what happens when you stay away from the rx8 club. i guess we will see.

stealth, same with the my yellow top. after 10 years. voltage just got low..

funny i did look at the bosch, but the red top showed up on my door 3 days after i ordered it with no core involved.

beers

 

Just put the red top in mine last week. Has a slightly higher ca rating than the interstate. The guy that drops the batteries off at our shop even said the optima's aren't as good. He recommended the Megatron plus for me but couldn't seem to get one, so he sold me the red top.

 

I run an Optima Red Top. Works great. Honestly, everyone is going to chime in with " I had brand X and it sucked! Brand Y is soooo much better."

Don't buy into it and just research them. They're all made by like the same 3 companies.

 

I've read that Napa Legend AGM batteries are relabeled Braille AGM's (or maybe vice-versa).

Of course, you probably don't want to put an AGM in the engine bay...

 

My odyssey just died after just over three years (warranty is 3 years FML). It will charge to 12.7V but fails a load test and is down to 10V after. I went with the same one again because 3 years is on par with just about any battery in this environment. My previous red tops were replaced once a year (under warranty) so i will never buy another.

The Optimas are/were pretty popular in the local Jeep clubs and now it seems about a year of heavy abuse is all they can handle, there have been a few that have burst as well. Most praise the newish Die Hard AGM's.

I have an Autocraft (Advance Auto Parts) AGM in my BMW 335i and so far so good after a year.

 

Yeah I am on the side of skipping on the Odyssey's I have the smaller one and it failed a little over a year.

Just use old fashion group 35, I have Interstate sold at costco, they usually last like 5+ years.

But the weight savings is very noticeable, which I think will make me relocate my batter in the back.

 

Well I posted earlier in the dumb questions thread, and I know this one is old, but I just wanted to revive it to say that the Optima Red Top that I got does indeed suck. Didn't even have it for two years, not my daily driver, and it's completely crapped out.. I'll either be getting Cosco or Napa Legend, we'll see.

 

I had 2 Red Tops fail in my RX-8 in 2 years. I am now running a Napa Legend 24F, which has lasted 2 years, and is still fine.

My Miata came with an Odyssey PC680 in the trunk. It appears to be about 2 years old, according to its sticker, and it is still going strong. We shall see...

 

I'm in a similar situation where the 8 is my "weekend car" anymore since I bought a truck and didn't want to keep subjecting the renesis to a 2-mile daily commute where it'd be warmed up about the time I'm shutting it off twice a day.

I had a red top for a while and it was great until it got rundown once and then it'd never really take a good charge again, and I did put a yellow top in the truck less than a year ago after mounting a winch (thinking about maybe adding a dual battery system with a blue top as well when I can justify the spending when it's not really necessary), but probably wouldn't go back to optima in the car again.

Any reputable battery should be OK, but I've gone to keeping the car on a trickle charger during the week. Get one that comes with an interchangable "end" for the line and get a connector to wire permanently to the battery, so it's about 5 seconds to plug it in after getting it home (assuming you have power in the garage where you park it).

 

I love the Costco branded wet cell lead acid (standard) batteries made by Interstate. In fact the Interstate group 34 battery was identical in casing, text, and stickers as the Mazda 36mo one it replaced and was recently about $80 at Costco. I'm going to stay on a 3-year replacement plan on the RX-8 even though I put it on trickle charge often. I have a 4 year Costco interstate battery in the other car and it has never let me down even though my better half has thrice drained the battery. Trickles back to life. Before that I bought the cheap wet cell lead acid batteries at Wal-Mart - no issues in motorcycles or cars.

BTW the X-YY sticker or stamping on the battery indicates the month and year it was filled. Never buy one sitting more than 6 months (so now that would be one stickered or stamped as 10-16).

 

WallyWorld is right in front of my apartment, so I get one of theirs, and it has free replacement in 3 years which is all I'm gonna get with the underhood temps (up to 190 f) this cars puts down.

Last battery lasted 37 months GRRR...., and had to pay nearly $70., but I have gotten a few for free, so I'm aheaD.

I use the 34 battery, and some use the 24f which is more capacity, but I only need it to go 35 months he... he...

 

Again, my 8 sits undriven for two, three weeks – sometimes a month – at a time and always fires right up; so I can't say enough good things about the Bosch 35-640B. Consumer Reports rates it very high. About $125 and available at Pep Boys.