Just wondering what everyone gets after the stock goes bad. I need one asap so if anyone knows of a good place to buy in Duluth let me know. I really wanted the optima red top but shane at tintmasters said they had a high failure rate or something, anyone have issues??? I was also looking at a stinger one, so if anyone has these please give me some pros-cons. I would like to trunk mount it this summer but for now I just need the battery. Thanks
I went through 3 "Subaru Brand" batteries the first year I had my car.... the 3rd time they blamed it on my "aftermarket accessories" so I went and bought the best interstate battery they had from N/A Auto Electric in Duluth. I haven't had a problem since, and it works great in the cold. I think I paid around 70 bucks.
ive had 1 subaru brand batt since i bought the car...it was a factory forester battery that was "dead" that i brought back to life...4 years ago
I use a die hard gold. I have never had a problem with them. You can get tham at any sears auto department.
Never heard of problems with the Optima. I have been using a yellow top for emergency radio communications backup for four or five years now. Gets tossed and beat around a lot. They are suppose to last longer and take more vibration then standard batteries. Big bucks though.
My Subaru batteries ^#@T the bed in the super cold weather.... they were fine at 0F but at -15F they'd be dead when I went to start the car. My sis had the same problem with her WRX battery, but my parents haven't had a single problem with their factory 01 legacy outback battery.
<--- still running the original OEM battery, 2004 WRX. *keeps fingers crossed* Once it dies, I'll probably pick up an Optima red top.
I still rock stock, and I use my battery w\ the car off eery day for at least an hour. (knocks on wood) hope it doesnt die
04 stockers...and I start my car every 2-4 weeks and it has been doing fine...But once it goes out...Optima is going in...
My Optima Red Top hasn't died yet...it still cranks the EJ22T, even though it doens't fire it up...lolz! I think it's been a year now..
Optima's are fairly good bateries. Their inconsistencies come from being manufactured in different plants around north america. So you kinda get a crap-shoot as to the quality, but for the most part they seem to do pretty well. I've had two yellow-tops in my car. The first failed within a week of purchase, it was exchanged, and this one has been fine for about a year. Unless you're running some serious electronics, going to Stinger is probably overkill, and for that money you can get a Kinetik, which will whollup all over the stinger. But again, you're talking $200-$300+ for those batteries. (Altho with the kinetik, you get 1600 CCA's out of the same size as a stocker:marlboro If you've got a stock electrical system, or just a small stereo go out and get yourself a decent Interstate battery, or an Optima or something of the sort and call it a day. You'll never come close to justifying one of the super-high performance batteries.
Exide Orbital ftw. I've had mine for eight (yes eight) years, with a few of those being abused by a decent system. I went through three batteries and alternators before this guy. $150 very well spent. Last year in 20-30 below weather she cranked fine just fine. They use the same "spiracell" technology or whatever that the Optima's use.
Walmart 19.99 600cca. i have gone through 3 optima red tops and every one of the died over winter. As long as it was being used all the time it was fine, but as soon as I pulled it out and put it in the basement of the house (so it didn't freeze), not a one of them worked come spring time. from now on, it is the cheapy battery from walmart. Oh ya, and they are almost the size of a motorcycle battery, so they are alot lighter then the red tops. russ
Model? Type? 600 CCA @ what Temp? I'm assuming at that price, it's a lead acid battery... Have you used it during the winter at all? My battery had a hard time starting her up this morning.. and it's the subaru stocker, so i figure it's time to replace it. after a lot of hunting this afternoon, i'm thinking about getting an odyssey PC925T myself... http://www.odysseybatteries.com/battery/pc925t.htm http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?autofilter=1&part=ODY-PC925T&N=700+115&autoview=sku
Consumer Reports magazine October 2006 issue top picks for Group 35 Auto Batteries which are for Subarus are: (1) NAPA Legend 7535, (2) Duralast 35-DL, and (3) DieHard Gold 33035 (North). CR has never steered me wrong.
still running stock.... no probs yet... now that I have said that we will see what happens this winter...
I have my stock battery in my 02. It got a little weak towards the end of the winter last year. I took it out, refilled it with distilled water. Now it is as good as new.
I don't understand??? Then why have they consistantly rated the Subaru WRX a recommended buy for four years in a row if the windows were such a problem?
Seriously, the batteries from Wal-Mart/Sam's Club are cheap, work great and are reliable. Edit: I'm talking the ~$60 full-size ones, not the $20 ones mentioned above.
