Because its an Optima battery, that'* why. I personally know several people who change their cars more often than they change their optima batteries. I got 4 years out of the stock battery. I don't expect to ever have to replace this one, regardless of the warranty.

I can go on and on, but...
http://www.optimabatteries.com/optim...dtop/index.php

I'd rather pay $160 once for the life of the car for an Optima and know it will start every time, than $130 2-3 times for a conventional battery and have those 2-3 times that I can't start my car, wherever I may be at that time.

You will replace that battery. No battery will last a lifetime, some just last longer than others.

The only reason I have not owned an Optima is the cost. But conventional batteries are getting expensive too so I can see an Optima in the near future. It sure would be nice to have a battery that does not leak. Had the battery in my motorcycle break open when I had it in storage while overseas. WHAT A MESS!!!
Mike

Ok, you got me there. I will replace the battery. But chances are I will replace it after 10+ years, not after 3-4.

Depends on how you use it. We use Optima red tops in every single vehicle where I work. They are all Military vehicles that run on a 24 volt system, so we have two batteries per truck wired in series. They last maybe a year.

I still have the OEM Battery in my Alero. It'* a 2000 thats been on the road since 1999. I thought it was going bad earlier this yer, but it checked out "good" at autozone and it was my alternator that was bad.

Do those military vehicles deep cycle those batteries? Aren't the yellowtops more appropriate for deep cycles?

You are correct in saying it depends on how you use it, but the same would apply for conventional batteries as well.

I'm under the strong impression that an optima battery will outlast a conventional battery under *any* usage environment. You say the Optimas you work with last a year; how long would a conventional battery last under that same environment?

I don't know how long they would last to be honest. Also, no, we don't deep cycle them. It'* just a 24 volt system and it'* cheaper to run two 12 volt batteries in series than it is to get one 24 volt battery.

And I'm in the same boat as the other guy. I just replaced my OEM battery. It had been in the car 7 years.

You got pretty lucky in my opinion. My original ACDELCO battery in my 05 GXP died about 3 months ago. That was what, 4 years?

Every battery I've put in my 95 Buick Regal (currently 212k miles), has lasted me no more than 4 years.

When I was shopping around for a direct replacement for my Bonneville battery, the only location that had one was 55 miles out, and they were asking $160 for it. I got the Optima for $170 after tax. You'd be surprised how few Bonnevilles you see in California. The whole 9 months I was there. I saw two Bonneville GXP'*, and no more than 4 other trims/years.

I need a new battery for my 1999 SSEi. It has an optima red-top and its about 6 years old. Its getting harder and harder to start the car and the battery fails the charging test. I thought I would get a lot more out of the Optima, but 6 years is ok.

So should I spend double for another Optima or get a good regular battery? Up here in Vancouver, BC, Canada the Optima is about $200, while the regular battery I can find for the car is about $100. What are good brands of regular battery?

Anyone know good places in Vancouver to get the optima or other good battery for cheap?