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My current Optima red top finally gave up the ghost and needs replacing. It was installed by the previous owner and I'm guessing it is at least 10 years old so no complaints on that front. I could simply replace it with another just like it but was reading quite a few ratings where folks were not happy with the current Optima quality and life span. I would appreciate hearing from others regarding their Optima experiences or recommendations for other brands you may be using. Where you purchased would also be helpful. Thanks in advance for your inputs.

Stay w/ Optima. Despite online laments from those w/ too much time on their hands, Optima quality continues. Moving assembly to the northernmost strip of Mexico where most manufacturing plants exist the better to ship northward has no bearing on quality, everything overseen by Optima as in their Colorado plant.

Some years ago, a friend was concerned when parts for the 470-ci flat-six Continental in his Cessna 180 Sky Wagon were from South America, 'til a veteran machinist friend, one of the leading Merlin rebuilders at that, told him to relax, for the same reason as above.

Bigotry is pervasive. Fair trade w/ our friends to the south ensures less immigration, more drivable roads.

Ten years is normal for Optimas; has been for me, and we know of a fellow w/ a '41 Cad who went 14 years.

BTW, notice you have a '40 160 sedan. Years ago i owned a well fettled '40 120. 1940 Packards were the lightest ever, with the best power to weight ratios. Your nascent One-Sixty 356 was one of those cars rightly termed "a banker's hot rod" in the day.

Traditional batteries are heavy, Optima aren't. I'm a sport car guy long ago sidetracked by 1939-47 overdrive Packard 8s and Super-8s, by wide accounts the best road cars from either side of the Atlantic or Channel in their years. Hill & Vaughn president Raja Gagour found them "more satisfying" than a concurrent Delage D8, and I believe he was referring to a Delage D8S at that.

But for some reason, few old domestic car owners grasp the concept "weight is the enemy."


Stay w/ Optima. While you're at it, even tho' an Optima a bit lower than traditional off-gassing battery, you might pop-rivet some very thin plywood (plastic will do) to the underside of your under-seat access panel as i did in my '40. A friend with a supercharged '37 Cord Phaeton recounted unintended excitement when he crested a hill at speed and the battery posts touched the bottom of the front seat springs.

I am good white the optima, but it does not like to sit for long period of time with out charging, I run mine at lest 1 a month and actually more, or keep a maintainer on it
Only problem I had was when I had the car painted, sat for a year, had to replace a 4 year old battery
Good luck with it
W

I keep the red top Optima in my hot rod on a battery maintainer when it is parked. In addition, there is a battery cut off switch which is always turned OFF when the coupe is not being used. I think the battery was installed in 2007. You can do the arithmetic to calculate its age.

Stay RT. Hold a charge longer than any other and lasts longer than any other. Have had many that lasted 10 yrs +.