Has anyone ever done any substantive comparisons between the Diehard batteries and the Optima models? I have been a long-time firm believer in Optima batteries, and believe them to be the best... especially due to their "spiral wind" plates (more contact surface), and the fact they can be mounted in any direction without leaking.

Of course, I know that Diehard has the much-loved Sears name behind it (something that never grabbed ahold of me though).

Just wondering... Optimas are more expensive than most, but I am the sort of person who doesn't mind putting money towards a better product, provided that it is better.

 

Edge, a good question. Maybe this helps.

Only three companies make car batteries ... Johnson Controls, Delphi and Exide. Think of car batteries like VCRs, only Matushi (sp) the mother company of Mitsubishi and Panasonic make VCR innards despite who has branded them.

Guess who makes Optimas and Diehards?

Johnson Controls

Guess who sells Optimas and DIehards? Sears

Now which is better? Take a look at the Johnson Controls Website. Optimas are meant for commercial use, boats, and .. you will love this .... OFF Road ... SUVs! I though you would like that.

Why? because of their design, they can handle the rugged duty of being shaken to bits over the rough trails (and in the ocean waves and commercial dump trucks, etc.)

So is an Optima better than a DieHard? For twice the price, well its more rugged. Does it matter for a passenger car. Nope.

Now lets look at the numbers, the most important being CCA and reserve capacity and their warranties. (from the websites)
For a normal passenger car size ...

Yellow Top 750 CCA
1 Yr full replacement, 36 month pro rated warranty

Red Top 900 CCA, 2 Yr full replacement

Diehard, 700 CCA, 3 Yr full replacement, 100 month pro rated warranty

So which is best? 900 CCA for DC is way overkill and, in fact, anything 200 CCA over OEM is not recommended as a waste of money (but its nice to know its their).

If you look at the costs versus performance, its no brainer. Diehard wins. If you care that the battery can take a beating on those Off-Road trails like in Canyon Lands, Utah or the Rubicon ... no brainer ... Optima.

Personally, I can't see spending and extra $100 for the Optima when the Diehard should last longer

I hope that helped. BTW, I am not biased to Sears other than its convenient. Other than Craftsman 100% warranty on tools, I never buy anything there.

 

I was well aware of the Optima ruggedness, which is part of the reason I was attracted to them. In the 90s, I had a very sophisticated stereo system installed into my Mustang (4 separate amps, one for each pair of speakers), but when the music was turned up, my voltage gauge was bouncing along to the beat... so clearly there wasn't enough juice.

The solution? Installing a large capacitor or two might have solved it, but the first thing we tried was to put in an Optima Red Top. Boom, problem solved, the voltage remained constant (or very close to it).

That sold me right there... along with the fact that on the coldest of days, in the middle of winter, the car started right up without hesitation. This was for multiple years, not just one or two as discussed earlier.

The Optimas are still my preference - cost & warranty notwithstanding (and neither of which are my greatest concern... just performance!).

I know, I know... a JCW guy saying warranty isn't important... but we're talking about the warranty on a freakin' battery, not on an entire car. Huge difference in cost risk.Sony doesn't make their own VCR innards? Other companies, sure... but I thought Sony was big enough (especially in the TV/VCR/DVD department) to make all of their own stuff.

 

For VCRs only two companies made them for years and I dont think it was Sony. Mitsu and Panasonic. ALL US were branded. JVC might have at the beginning which is just US RCA. Since VCRs are dead, now I think Sony and Toshiba are making the innards for DVD players. I know thats true for HD. Since they are down to $50 for regular DVD players, who knows

As to batteries, after owning many, many cars in the cold of Boston Winters ... I've always just bought the best Diehard sold after the first battery went and thats it ... never had to replace one after that ...ever. Buying an Optima would have gotten better CCA but at twice the cost .... well just didnt seem worth it to me based on history and my "softroader" and going on the Rubicon Trail

BTW, Johnson Controls make many of the OEM batteries as well which would seem a conflict of interest in that they know they are going to die after a couple of years so they can sell you their premium brands...

I also never understood why anyone would NOT buy the best battery in terms of it lasting for years in that its an aggravation having a dead battery in the real cold. Last real cold I can remember here was early 80s with the big storms then. Below zero a lot.