I was just wondering because I have both of them right now and was just wondering if one was actually better than the other?? On their site it says if you have a stereo and what not that the yellow top is the way to go. I think my alternator is going out AGAIN so I was going to get a highoutput 160 amp this time along with either the red or yellow and was just wonderin what yall all thought of one over the other?

 

look on the side of the case/top and read how much CCA it has, the one with the most CCA is the one you want in your car. you can never have too much CCA(Cold Cranking Amps)

 

Yellow top is a much better battery. It's a deep cycle, the red isn't. So you can run it completely dead and bring it back to life. You'll kill the redtop if you do that.

 

hmmmm. I thought they were all dry cell batteries.

 

gel cell

 

the red top battery is better for automotive applications

 

The yellow and red top batteries are both gel cell batteries...the yellow is a deep cycle that can be run all the way down and still recharged. If the red goes dead, it pretty much kills the battery.

The important things you want to look at are the CCA and reserve capacity (RC). If you don't mind the extra weight, I'd recommend the 34/78 size...it will fit with a little persuasion, and will put out better numbers in terms of CCA and RC than the stock sized replacement (which is a 75/35 or something along those lines) at the expense of the extra weight.

If you aren't necessarily stuck on Optima, Diehard (Sears) makes a pretty good battery...their platinum 34/78 is what I have in my car, and has better numbers than either Optima, and carries one hell of a warranty. It is made using AGM construction, so no leaky leaky either (like the Optima).

 

Oops, meant deep cycle, not dry cell. Edited my post.

I don't agree the red top is better for a car. Too broad a statement. The yellow top you don't have to keep up on it if you don't drive your car much.

 

I have RED TOP...great battery. both are good..

 

I have run both the yellow and the red in my 69 nova. I have run the red completely dead several times and it has alway recharged and is still working fine. I work for Johnson Controls and they are the owners of Optima. I have never owned a battery that will last as long as an optima. The red top I have was in my Nova for 4 years and is now in my chevy truck. I just bought the yellow top about 6 months ago and its in the Nova now. The red tops are a little lighter and are more of a starting battery with a few more cranking amps. The yellow tops are more of a deep cycle battery. I put the yellow top in My Nova because it has elec. fans and water pump and a lot of elec. accessories. Toss up a coin you will be happy with either.

 

I had a redtop for almost 6 years. It finally died after I let my car sit for 8 months untouched.

 

Optima is the only battery in any car of mine, ever. Everything else is not worth it. That battery will save you a tow, at least once. It may outlast your car. I had a "dead" one that I brought back with a trickle charger. It then sat untouched in my garage over six months. I took it to a friend of mine to help start his car and "VROOM" started his Infiniti like nothing was ever wrong.

My current red top is in its third car, still going strong, outlasting its 4th alternator now.

You would want to use the yellow top if the car sits for long periods. It is also a good one as a second/stereo battery or if you have a system and listen to your tunes with the car off for long periods.

For 99% of folks, red top is the way to go.

 

Where's the cheapest place to get an Optima Red Top?

Thanks.

 

I have personally killed a couple red tops, had a bunch of friends that had terrible luck with them as well. Never had a yellow let me down though. I will never waste my $ on a junk red top again. I will run yellows in any car I care about though.

Just my personal experience, and that of a number of friends.