[bimmerque]

Can anyone give a review on the Optima Batteries? Does anyone currently have an Optima Battery now? what is your take? improved performance? faster cold starts? I am interested in putting one of these in my ride, but I am trying to get a feel from the experts...

[benzo23]

Oh boy I love a nice battery thread in between the "which intake is best" and "3 stage manifold" threads...I personally have no experience with optimas in my e90, I replaced mine with an OEM battery from the dealer and had it registered and have had no problems what so ever. If you don't know what that means I urge you with a passion of the christ to search "register battery" before this turns into a 5 page tangent by the battery nazis on this site.

[tibra1]

I would buy an Optima for my car in a minute..if they made one the right size..

Unfortunaltly they dont and unless you want your battery flopping around in the trunk causing a nice short, fire or spill..its OEM //

[fdriller9]

I have a braille 21lb battery in my car. It has a lower cca rating so it takes a second or 2 longer to crank in the winter.

I wouldnt recommened getting a braille though. Not because its a marked up deka battery, but becuase its not good for a daily driver.

[E90 87ss]

I have a red top in the SS, it did make a difference. I was running electric fans, two JLs to a 1000 RMS amp with a cap, aux foglights, upgraded headlight... anyways it solved the dimming problem when everything was operating. The alternator was also a weak point in my system despite being new I think it was 95 amps or so, but the battery compensated for it... The BMW doesn't really need an optima unless you are adding a lot of electrical components, I believe the alternator output is 180 amps or something, it's relatively high....

[Ateam]

I think people do it for weight savings and not extra power output

[Route 16]

Had a yellow top optima on my Mit. Eclipse, made a big difference on my sub & rockford fosgate speakers and better performance/response.

The alternator was weak and the battery did help. Since I sold the car and gave the battery to my brother for his mazda it has ran better than before and the kid that bought my car said "uhh the alternator didn't work"..."I told you multiple times already, get the Optima"

I would get one for BMW IFFFFFF they made one for that size. Already asked Optima 3 months ago for any plans....none.

[bimmerque]

Valuable insight! Thanks family!

[dangeris]

I currently have an Optima battery (but not for my e92) and for the performance it's great. However, I live in PA and Optima batteries don't do well in the cold at all. IF you live in a warmer climate that would be different. Long story short, had it since the begining of last year and I've already replaced it with a Dura-Gold because after this past winter, it died and although I can recharge it with my charger that is capable of AGM, it can't hold a charge past 65%. Go OEM and you can't go wrong.

[TSM330i]

Originally Posted by *********

I have a braille 21lb battery in my car. It has a lower cca rating so it takes a second or 2 longer to crank in the winter.

I wouldnt recommened getting a braille though. Not because its a marked up deka battery, but becuase its not good for a daily driver.

I have one too! I haven't had any issues so far.

You're probably right about the cold start issues. I'm going to leave a battery tendor on it during the winter months just in case.

I do like the fact that it weighs less than half what our stock batteries weigh though.

[fdriller9]

Originally Posted by AW325xi

I have one too! I haven't had any issues so far.

You're probably right about the cold start issues. I'm going to leave a battery tendor on it during the winter months just in case.

I do like the fact that it weighs less than half what our stock batteries weigh though.

Yea I keep my on a tender when I'm home.

That's really is the only benefit. It helps in my case since i have a heavy trunk sub setup, but if I were to go back, I would have stuck with a regular battery.

[hurricane56]

I never really saw that much of a benefit from Optima batteries. I had one installed in my previous car, a Pontiac Grand Prix. At the time the car only saw use in California, with no severe cold weather starts. The battery, which was an Optima Red Top only lasted about 30 months before it failed. I replaced it with a Sears Diehard Gold battery.

Maybe I got a dud, but it just seems like there's no advantage unless you have some custom stereo set-up.

[E90 87ss]

Originally Posted by hurricane56

I never really saw that much of a benefit from Optima batteries. I had one installed in my previous car, a Pontiac Grand Prix. At the time the car only saw use in California, with no severe cold weather starts. The battery, which was an Optima Red Top only lasted about 30 months before it failed. I replaced it with a Sears Diehard Gold battery.

Maybe I got a dud, but it just seems like there's no advantage unless you have some custom stereo set-up.

No dud, they fail relatively often... 3 year warranty so no worries during that time period... It's worth it if you can take advantage of it...

[Glim]

90 ah interstate AGM for me