Still runing factory battires. No problems after 4.5 years. Thinking about changing them out after 5 years and replacing them with the red top optima battires.

 

I'm also at 4.5 years of ownership with the original batteries. The truck born on date is Oct '02.

MikeyB

 

September 11th my truck will be 3. with 245,000m still going strong.

 

I'm on my third set of batteries. Originals started requiring cleaning weekly so I replaced with with warranty replacements (mopar/exide). They leaked worse the following summer so I pulled them to use elsewhere (racecar) and went with the spiral wound batterys Mopar offered at the time. They have been in since 04 and all I have to do is blow the dust off of them. No mess what so ever.

 

5 1/2 years, started cranking slow, un hooked 1 battery ( guessed right 1st try)
Cranked faster, bad battery pulling down good battery.
so 2 new batteries, 125$ total, with a terminal cleaner..

 

4 years on the factory batteries. Still good to go.

 

If you were in a cold climate I would not recommend optimas but since you are in Alabama go for it.

 

Do you mind explaining why you think that?

I am still running my stockers at a little over 3 years of service. But I had considered switching to Optimas when I felt it was time to replace them. I am in Texas so it is very warm.....but why wouldn't the Optimas work well up north too?

 

In cold climates a more standard type heavy duty battery will usually have more cranking amps than the optimas.

 

Thanks, I didn't know that about Optima's. My batt's are probabliy 5 years old right now and I've been thinking of changing them out before winter.

 

Thanks, I didn't know that about Optima's. My batt's are probably 5 years old right now and I've been thinking of changing them out before winter.

 

On my 2000, the original batteries were still in the truck when I sold it in January of this year with 173K miles on it.
I'd clean the terminals off every once in a while but they never required anything else.

 

the red tops have 800 CCA....whats wrong with that? they can last up to 10 years if you dont ever pull them dead....

I had a red top in my wheeling rig with a big block for 2.75 years, i abused teh crap out of it, the fan took a chunk out of it, i ran it dead with a winch many times and even pulled it down below 4 volts by leaving the ignition on a few times....plus the truck had a small current drain at the time. It was warrantied and i put it towards a yellow top and haventlooked back.

I had a 97 powerstroke that the oem battereis lasted 8 years...i think its a matter of how they are taken care of

 

??? Never had any problems with Optima's in the cold, I've run both reds and yellows @ -30* and colder...Maybe they sell us special Optima's in the north

 

My 2001 had a build date of May 2000, and I traded it in April 2007 with the original battiries in it. It would still crank great but the little green windows on the batteries wern't very bright any more.