optima battery warranty
06-02-2009, 03:56 PM
#1
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CRAFTSMAN
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 51
optima battery warranty
Had an optima red top in our dragster that was new around this time last race season. Finally got the car out and charged it up and was slow cranking the motor. I figured had to be starter or the fact its a new motor (605 bbc 15:1 compression). went through all the motions of diagnosing the problem. Came down to be the battery weak.
Today the delivery guy made it stop and i pulled out that optima battery and i said " we were at the track, had this battery in a car and it wouldn't hardly start it. Tried to charge it and it didn't make any difference." He agrees to swap it out and says he'll double check the warranty. IT SAYS RIGHT ON THE BATTERY "3 YEAR FREE REPLACEMENT". It has no stipulations or (*) signs leading to any disclaimer. He comes back in and says ok it'll be $xxx.xx for that battery. Said it wasn't covered under warranty because it was installed in a race car which is concidered to be commercial use. He then proceeded to tell me commercial use only has a 1 year warranty and after that its pro-rated cost. Today was the 2nd day it was out of that 1 year, and battery was found bad 2 weekends ago. Needless to say he wouldn't budge at all even though he had skipped the delivery/pick-up dates in the last 2 weeks.
Just wanted to give everyone a heads up if they have any similar situation. Just remember......its in your passenger car. :lol: :wink:
Today the delivery guy made it stop and i pulled out that optima battery and i said " we were at the track, had this battery in a car and it wouldn't hardly start it. Tried to charge it and it didn't make any difference." He agrees to swap it out and says he'll double check the warranty. IT SAYS RIGHT ON THE BATTERY "3 YEAR FREE REPLACEMENT". It has no stipulations or (*) signs leading to any disclaimer. He comes back in and says ok it'll be $xxx.xx for that battery. Said it wasn't covered under warranty because it was installed in a race car which is concidered to be commercial use. He then proceeded to tell me commercial use only has a 1 year warranty and after that its pro-rated cost. Today was the 2nd day it was out of that 1 year, and battery was found bad 2 weekends ago. Needless to say he wouldn't budge at all even though he had skipped the delivery/pick-up dates in the last 2 weeks.
Just wanted to give everyone a heads up if they have any similar situation. Just remember......its in your passenger car. :lol: :wink:
06-02-2009, 09:06 PM
#2
Senior Member
RACING JUNKIE
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 2,044
That sucks. Sounds like you cant be honest with people these days, they want you to lie to them.
He should of warrantied it for you though> obviously he must be getting a percentage of the sales.
I have heard so many bad things about optimas that I'll never buy another one.
We had one in the boy's mustang that was problematic, it could barely turn over a bone stock 5.0, we ended up selling it to his buddy for $40 cause he thought it looked cool....lol
We bought a $50 Walmart Everstart battery, whoolah, no more problems.
He should of warrantied it for you though> obviously he must be getting a percentage of the sales.
I have heard so many bad things about optimas that I'll never buy another one.
We had one in the boy's mustang that was problematic, it could barely turn over a bone stock 5.0, we ended up selling it to his buddy for $40 cause he thought it looked cool....lol
We bought a $50 Walmart Everstart battery, whoolah, no more problems.
06-03-2009, 03:33 AM
#4
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Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Lost Creek, WV
Posts: 533
That is a "UNIVERSAL" battery with no particular application. It shouldn't matter what it is in. 3 year free replacement should be good for 3 years!
I'm in the auto parts business and if I sold a product with a warranty stamped on it like that, I would honor it. Keep the customer happy and coming back!
TS1955
I'm in the auto parts business and if I sold a product with a warranty stamped on it like that, I would honor it. Keep the customer happy and coming back!
TS1955
06-03-2009, 04:09 AM
#6
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RACING JUNKIE
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Coldwater, MI
Posts: 2,998
the optima warranty is BS .. I have 4 of them sitting in the garage, all still under warranty and all no one will replace. Why because 1. I cant find the reciept for 2 of them, and the other 2 were purchased down south and not here.
I went round and round with locals to the point they finally said no, dont bring them back. I called optima they said oh they will replace them anywhere if they are under warranty. I told them they wouldnt, and they said well they were sorry try another dealer. But the battery guy you are dealing with is FULL of it, 3 year warranty is 3 years. call optima tell him what he said maybe you can get somewhere.
If not, go to napa by a Napa Orbital, 10x's the battery a optima is
I went round and round with locals to the point they finally said no, dont bring them back. I called optima they said oh they will replace them anywhere if they are under warranty. I told them they wouldnt, and they said well they were sorry try another dealer. But the battery guy you are dealing with is FULL of it, 3 year warranty is 3 years. call optima tell him what he said maybe you can get somewhere.
If not, go to napa by a Napa Orbital, 10x's the battery a optima is
06-03-2009, 04:46 AM
#7
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Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: LICKSKILLET , MISSISSIPPI
Posts: 1,466
I have a red top that went bad , took it to ADVANCE AUTO PARTS (not where I got it) and they replaced it , no reciept , no questions asked , all they did was look at date on battery your battery man should be reported to company :x
06-03-2009, 04:27 PM
#8
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Join Date: May 2003
Location: Coldwater, MI
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Originally Posted by maniac
I have a red top that went bad , took it to ADVANCE AUTO PARTS (not where I got it) and they replaced it , no reciept , no questions asked , all they did was look at date on battery your battery man should be reported to company :x
06-03-2009, 09:09 PM
#9
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RACING JUNKIE
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 2,044
I agree with everyone else, your battery guy sux and he should be replaced or pistol whipped.
I also agree that whatever top optimas are about as good as a fram oil filter.
We as racers and car mechanics were sold on this supposley new evolution in battery technology.
It was one of the first completely sealed, gel cell batteries on the scene marketed towards folks like us.
They could be mounted in any position even upside down if you wanted, they could be stored for long periods of time without charging, they looked cool as hell and oh boy wasn't Optima a cool name.
Truth is they are nothing but over priced, over rated batteries that don't last and to make matters worse they won't warranty them> Never again.
Im sticking with my $50 everstart.
JMO, Cp
I also agree that whatever top optimas are about as good as a fram oil filter.
We as racers and car mechanics were sold on this supposley new evolution in battery technology.
It was one of the first completely sealed, gel cell batteries on the scene marketed towards folks like us.
They could be mounted in any position even upside down if you wanted, they could be stored for long periods of time without charging, they looked cool as hell and oh boy wasn't Optima a cool name.
Truth is they are nothing but over priced, over rated batteries that don't last and to make matters worse they won't warranty them> Never again.
Im sticking with my $50 everstart.
JMO, Cp
06-03-2009, 10:37 PM
#10
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Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Shepherdsville, KY
Posts: 313
I think your battery guy is a crook and apparently doesn't want your business. I had a red top go bad near the end of last race season. I run 2 so I just disconnected the bad one. I had forgotten about until I started racing this year. Mine said 3 year free replacement on it too. I gave it to my interstate battery guy and he looked up the date I bought it. He told me when I bought it and it was a month past the 3 year mark. He took care of it anyway and he knows I use it in a race car.
I know there has been some issues with the optima batteries and it seems like the problems have been with the red tops. My battery guy said they have had quite an increase in returns for defects on them but he thought it might be because there are a lot more of them sold. My supplier has taken care of my defects and I will continue to use the optima. My attitude about warranties is you don't know how good a warranty is until you have a problem. Maybe I just have better product support but people that sell to me know I won't take any crap, if you beat me once you won't get another chance.
Sorry cepx111 but you can keep your "neverstart" I've seen more of those and the "durajunk" batteries bad at less than a year old then I can count. If you're going to use a conventional battery at least use a quality one. I won't use a regular lead acid battery in my car because no matter how good it is the acid will slosh and leak on a car that leaves hard. A gel cell like the optima or orbital won't leak no matter what. That not only protects the car but it makes it safer.
I know there has been some issues with the optima batteries and it seems like the problems have been with the red tops. My battery guy said they have had quite an increase in returns for defects on them but he thought it might be because there are a lot more of them sold. My supplier has taken care of my defects and I will continue to use the optima. My attitude about warranties is you don't know how good a warranty is until you have a problem. Maybe I just have better product support but people that sell to me know I won't take any crap, if you beat me once you won't get another chance.
Sorry cepx111 but you can keep your "neverstart" I've seen more of those and the "durajunk" batteries bad at less than a year old then I can count. If you're going to use a conventional battery at least use a quality one. I won't use a regular lead acid battery in my car because no matter how good it is the acid will slosh and leak on a car that leaves hard. A gel cell like the optima or orbital won't leak no matter what. That not only protects the car but it makes it safer.
