Has anyone replaced their OEM battery with an Optima battery? And what specific size or type of battery fits an 03 MM? I probably need a Deep Cycle because of the heavy electrical load I place my battery under i.e. Whelen Strobes, Take-Down Lights, Code3 Wig Wags, Able2 ShowMe LED Lightbars, ect. Thanks for any info and help on this subject..........
Contributing Member
I have a red top.Originally Posted by DeputyCSChavez
Thanks to Darrin @ BC Automotive:
$1800 and it was worse than when he started!
Brian (FordNut) FPG # 1458 of 7838
03 MM 300A (Lotsa mods, 130k mi) was 303rwhp/318rwtq N/A
then 476/410 D1SC ProCharged on stock block
then 660/555 D1SC PC on 5.3 wet sleeved Teksid alum big bore stroker
then 365/369 N/A on 5.3 wet sleeved Teksid alum big bore stroker
Now 751/617 3.4L Whipple on 5.3 Boss5.0 iron big bore stroker
03 MM 300B Silver (Mostly stock, originally wife's car, 370k mi) FPG # 7053 of 7838 or 49 of 417 SB
03 MM 300B Silver, Stock, wife's next one, 136k mi FPG # 7134 of 7838 or 89 of 417 SB
04 MM Silver, Stock, on standby 85k mi, FPG # 1212 of 3214 or 432 of 997 SB
01 F150 longbed
01 F150 shortbed
00 F150 4x4 stepside
01 F150 4x4 7700
68 Stang FB (70 351C 4V, 4 wheel discs, project car)
Mods listed here (some items not current): FordNut's Mods
Somewhere in the middle
I have a Yellow Top and have already replaced it once. If I have to replace it again I'm getting the stereo install wiring re-wired to fit a regular battery. Right now its an exact fit for a Yellow Top.
Silver 2004 Marauder
Trilogy #48 (SOLD April 2014)
1984 Mustang GT, stock, 60,000 original miles (SOLD August 2013)
2017 Ram Rebel 1500, Silver: 5.7 Hemi, Lots of extras...
Previous: 2014 Durango R/T
Shelby GT X2--Back In Black
Buy Interstate, they fit.
Last edited by SergntMac; 07-27-2005 at 05:13 AM.
Dis-Member
I had a red top Optima until I put it in the daughter's DOA Focus. I'd been looking for an excuse to get a yellow top. I loved both. I think you'd be best suited to a 34/78 yellow top. You'll need a holder- lots on ebay.
Wanderer
I put a yellow top in right after I bought my MM (03), and already have had to replace it. For the price, you can buy a couple of regular batteries. I know it has advantages over conventional batteries, but longeivity is not one of them. A waste of money for my use.
"Not all those who wander are lost" ~ Tolkien
I have always had the best luck with diehard batteries.
Lives Elsewhere
Ok, will someone explain to me what the big difference is between these Optima batteries and the conventional battery I (we) have?
11.98 @ 115 mph"Comfort, Class and Hair on Fire Performance."
Dis-Member
Inside the unique shell of the OPTIMA battery is a radically superior internal design. The structure of conventional batteries — lead plates hanging in pools of acid — requires those lead plates to provide their own structural support. To accomplish this, the lead is diluted with high percentages of inert stiffening metals that rob those conventional batteries of performance.
The unique engineering concept of the OPTIMA battery uses long thin layers of lead wound into tight spiral cells. Because they're tightly supported on all sides by high strength cylindrical cell casings, the lead ribbons of the OPTIMA aren't required to provide structural strength, so they can be made from high-purity, high-performance lead. This translates into dramatically lower internal resistance and higher output at temperature extremes. OPTIMA batteries can be fully recharged in about an hour, twice as fast as conventional batteries. They also can sit unused four times longer than other batteries, losing less than half a volt in over 6 months of nonuse.
An absorbent glass mat, alternating with the layers of lead, holds electrolyte in contact with the OPTIMA'S greater lead surface area. This laminated construction provides far more active surface area in the OPTIMA. It also supports a thicker layer of plate paste, for prolonged service life — typically half again to twice the life of conventional batteries. This technology is called "AGM" for "Absorbed Glass Mat" and it is a major advance in battery design. The OPTIMA'S revolutionary Spiralcell design produces more power and increased energy, resulting in fast, reliable starts even in extreme conditions. Because OPTIMA is the only battery with Spiralcell construction, no other battery offers OPTIMA'S combination of performance and reliability in land and marine applications. OPTIMA delivers power!
No, I think all that up by myself. It's cut and paste from their website.
MO derator
And remember kids, no running with scissors in your hands when you are cutting and pasting on the internet. Someone might get hurt.It's cut and paste from their website.
Lives Elsewhere
With all that fancy technology and design, why are guys above having problems with these batteries?
11.98 @ 115 mph"Comfort, Class and Hair on Fire Performance."
Dis-Member
Well, they're obviously all lying- filthy, dirty liars.
Seriously? I don't know. I've never had anything but a good experience with any Optima battery I've ever purchased. My Marauder can often sit for weeks at a time. Maybe that's a factor?
The Awesome
It's got'ta be price. See they have a high price and use good propaganda so it must be superior. Right?
I've seen this a lot in motorsports and many other of my hobbies. We're a susceptible crowd because we are usually willing to pay extra in hopes of eeking "better." It stinks. My only defense has been trying to question everything. I'll even try things and I'll be honest when they suck or at least don't do better than their lower cost equivalent. Zaino is first thing that comes to mind in that regard.
I don't see how the Optima is worth it's cost, unless you intend to mount your batteries sideways. Or just like the look of them (Which is a fair argument for some).
Dis-Member
That's certainly a fair comment- I do like the way it looks compared to a regular battery.
Senior Member
Lots of choices out there. Optimas have some advantages, but they're expensive, and, as others have already
pointed out, higher price doesn't always seem to buy any additional longevity. For me, factory fits is important,
and the Optimas don't fit the MM like the original. I'm also anal enough that I'm not impressed by battery companies
that can't be bothered to carry both top and side terminal versions. I don't want any "one size fits all" parts in my car.
OTOH, one thing the Optima definitely has going for it is it'll never get that nasty acid ooze all over the top that
eats up your battery cables. Some batteries are worse than others, but pretty much the only other car battery
I ever had that wouldn't ooze was the Delco Freedom. But those seem to be extinct in the aftermarket. Die Hards,
Interstates, and the ones they sell at Sams, Costco and WallyWorld are all oozers.
The past couple times I've needed to buy a new battery for my Ford product, I've taken to buying original
Motorcraft because they stay fairly clean right up till the end. And they fit perfectly. A little on the pricey side,
unless you find a dealer running a special, but I don't mind paying a bit more for Factory.
Cheers,
Jeff Cook
'03 Marauder 300B, Dark Blue Pearl, Dark Charcoal/Flint interior, Badgeless front and rear, 4.10s and Lidio Tune
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