sorry if this isnt in the right thread? I purchased a redtop optima batterie almost 2 years ago(august 05) from my local sears auto center. 126 dollars with a 1 year warranty no questions asked. battery worked awesome until about a year after buying it. I left my truck parked with my alarm armed for 6 days while on vacation. Came back to it and unlocked/unarmed just fine but wouldnt eventhink about starting. I jumped it and drove 3 1/2 hours home and put it on charger at 2 amp over nite started fine as long it didnt sit overnite. Delt with that for a week and couldnt bring it back to full life. Took it to sears they tested it and said it was bad. They wanted to SEE the vehicle it came out of. so i took them out to my truck and they seen the 8k winch 4 kc on top and 2 on bottom. immediatly the guy said we arnt supposed to warranty this with all these accessories he said he would to it anyways but next time unless its him no way nobody else would. well today same thing happpened and they wont replace it due to all "AFTERMARKET STRAIN" put on batterie. I know this sounds like im complaining to u guys im not. Just wondering if any one else has had this problem or what u think. thanks sorry its so long lol

 

SEARS is feeding you a line of TOTAL BS. Take it back and talk to the store manager.

 

try autozone, we have the optima batteries here, and they have a warranty, we wont care how many accesories are on you truck!

 

yea thanks (89toy) i just thinks its a little ridiciolus. I know it went dead cause it sat with the alarm set for 6 days. just dont want to argue or look like a total pain. the way i look at it if i worked there or anywhere is, if its got a warranty i will replace with as many as u need. It dosent affect my paycheck. theres a reason it has a warranty. autozone hasnt ever gave me any problems. heck i "bought" a used steering wheel puller from my local a.z. went home used it and brought it back halph hour later for my deposit return. How many stores do u know that rent tools out.

 

yeah thats a total bunch of crap. your batterY is designed to handle all that "strain" regardless. they need to give you a new one. they arent optima, they can't dictate what constitutes too much strain on the battery. i guarantee they dont have a "warranty" checklist that says "if over 8 lights, dont take. if over 8k winch, dont take" etc. its totally subjective to the salesperson, who is giving you a bunch of crap

 

Actually you're lucky as hell that they did anything for you.
The Redtops are STARTING batteries NOT deep cycle batteries.
Optima won't warrant them for winching.
They are not designed for that use (deep cycle).
Get a yellow top.
Better yet, skid the crappy Optima's and get an Odyssey battery.



Fred

 

Betcha they DO have a "checklist" that says, winch with Redtop, no go..

Check the Optima's website for an in depth description of their batteries and which one's are deep cycle and will be warrantied with winches.




Fred

 

I work at the Auto Center at the Sears here part-time, but in the 4 years i was there Full-Time, I learned one thing about the company. If you bitch enough, they will give you anything you want.

Oh, and they don't have a checklist, its either battery good or bad. The ONLY time they won't warranty a battery is if they test your alternator and its bad, but like I said if you bitch you get a new one.

And on a side note, Sears is no longer getting shipments of Optimas. They are introducing their own Deep Cycle Battery called the Diehard Platinum. I'm not sure if they are any good or not but they are rated better than the Optimas.

 

As mentioned already, not all Optimas are deep cycle.
The redtops are not and, as such, are not designed to be basically drained dry and expected to come back to life with a charge.




Fred

 

well thanks guys, i didnt have my winch or all 6 kcs 2 years ago when i went to optima. but next time when it comes time to replace battery i will go with yellow top. Just because up power uppgrade iv done since. Thanks all! I prefer dry cell cause theres no corrosion or maintence.

 

Optima's aren't dry cells.
Look at the Odyssey's...

Much better battery, safer, and last longer than Optima's..



Fred

 

I'm with this guy. I also work at a Sears Auto Center as a Tech 3 and I know for a fact that there is no list that they have that says what we can and can't replace them for. I also do sales there and have warrentied several optima red tops with no problem. go bitch. they will give you what ya want. also as stated, you may have to talk to the manager just because of the fact that there are a lot of stupid ass csa's (sales) people that work at sears that think there the ☺☺☺☺ and like to just say no to ppl just to piss them off. just my 2 cents.

oh and about the DieHard Platinums, they are not gel cel like the optimas they use pure lead and acid obsorbed into glass mats. come with a 4 year full warrenty. also if I remember right, they can sit for up to 2 years without going dead
Shane

 

While out wheeling on Friday, I saw a runner, Tofer's I believe with what he said had a "Sears Porfessionial" install done with his redtop. They left everything stock, and jammed a piece of wood under the battery holder/rod. That right there, plus this is keeping me from going there.

 

"They wanted to SEE the vehicle it came out of. so i took them out to my truck and they seen the 8k winch 4 kc on top and 2 on bottom."

Next time take the battery in by itself.

 

i also use to work at sears and yes if you make a big enough stink theyll give you what you want. on a side note, if you break a tool like say a ratchet and they want to give you a refurbished one, just go grab a new one off the shelf and say i bought a new one, i want it replaced with a new one.

 

dont get me started with sears... i will never take a vehicle there again.

 

Yup, I was right.

 

you wanna know why they are like this, one word, commision

 

i used to work there also, and i was the tool dept manager, that includes tools/batteries/hardware, and yes if you go back with a broken ratchet, please ask for a new one, they have to give it to you, some of the refurbed ones have plastic components...

as for the battery, sears goes on a pro rated chart, thats it, no list saying what they can and cannot take back...the battery has a date on it, within the warranty time it is full replacement, after that it is pro rated...yes the optima red top is not a deep cycle, but there is still a pro rate and replacement on it...DO NOT let them tell you they cannot take it back because of your truck accessories...infact, you should have told them no to seeing your vehicle, because it doesnt matter, the battery failed...thats it

but yes, with the winch, lights, etc...you should upgrade to a deep cycle, whether it be a yellow top optima or an odyssey...to be honest, i have owned a yellow top, and i loved it...never owned an odyssey, but have heard good things...do some research, and maybe with your current power needs you can go dual battery?

 

Tell them that they installed the battery in the truck with all the accessories already installed and did not tell you that it would void the warrenty. I was with Sears for about 8 years and most of them in the auto center. They will take anythig back if you bitch enough about it. As they should. you purchaced a battery assuming that you would get more than a year out of it.