TheSamba.com :: View topic

Wed Oct 29, 2014 9:07 am

Wondering if anyone has put a sealed battery in their VW. Optimas website doesn't list VWS from the aircooled era on their site.

Wed Oct 29, 2014 9:42 am

Yes.

Does it NEED it? No.

Unless you are somewhere way up north, where its super cold. (need lots of CCA)

Or if you are running more than stock electrical items, I really don't see the justice in spending another $150 Extra for a sealed battery.

Wed Oct 29, 2014 10:37 am

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4...highlight=
One of may threads on this very subject from a quick site search :wink:

Wed Oct 29, 2014 6:26 pm

I wasn't impressed with Optimas. Lasted 2.5 years and died of a dead short. Which to me translates to overpriced and over-rated.

Back to trusty Interstates

Wed Oct 29, 2014 6:34 pm

My last Interstate MT45 lasted 7 years. My current one is 4 years old and works like new.

I have a gear reduction starter and 2180 with 9.5... it cranks no problem.

Wed Oct 29, 2014 7:49 pm

I have optimas in 3 of ours. Oldest is 6 years old with over 25K miles on it. Gets parked over the winter. Never an issue starting the car.

Wed Oct 29, 2014 11:01 pm

I guess I was thinking that a sealed battery would not put off the fumes that kill a VW floor pan. That was my only concern. Guess I won't worry about it if they are that much more price wise.

Thu Oct 30, 2014 12:56 am

I haven't seen one last past two years. It may be the climate here kills em quick.

Thu Oct 30, 2014 2:05 am

I have run a Orbatil in my Rail since 2005 or so, a better version of the Optima, thing is it is kept in a climate control environment most of the time, and pushes a SR-17 starter I think, the starter of a Automatic Type 2 I think.... But it does it and still is...

Thing is I went with the Orbital do to availiability, but also, Optima went through some quality control issues when they went to being made in Mexico..... RB

Thu Oct 30, 2014 4:58 am

Yeah - the outgassing was my big concern, which is why I went with an Optima.

Thu Oct 30, 2014 7:22 am

The optima battery of today is not the same as they were years ago. They started using recyled lead, which was part of the change when they outsourced their production. That was when production went to crap. I have seen some displays at the local shops proclaiming they switched back to 99.9% pure virgin lead, but I have still heard bad things about pre-mature failures. I havnt used one since about 2003/4 when I installed one in my baja. I now run Sears re-branded Odyssey batteries with zero issues.

Thu Oct 30, 2014 10:03 am

i like the odyssey 925 batteries a lot, they're compact and don't seem to lose any charge while being in storage