Originally posted by TJ:
The only real advantage to the Optima, or other Gel Cell batteries, like the Orbital/Exide, etc... of the lead acid ones is that the Gel jobs won't spill acid all over when you are off camber/laying it over, etc...or spill their guts going over rough terrain, etc.
If you don't care about battery survivability (You stay on road mostly, etc...)..there's not a great reason to spend the extra $ for the Gel. (Maybe Less acid splash mess in an accident, etc...)
The Red Top/Yellow Top (Optima) has nothing to do with which is "better"...one is for deeper cycles, like if you have a winch, or other draw that could completely drain the battery...the other is meant for starting the engine, just like a regular battery.
Either "top" can run a winch or start the engine....one is just better at each function.
(Yellow for winches, etc...red for starting)
In most cases the Optima will outlast the normal battery. The one in my Frontier is nearly 6 years old...the longest any other normal battery I've had has ever lasted in Arizona heat is just under 3 years.
That, and not getting that white furry corrosion all over your terminals makes the extra $$ for the Optima well worth it, IMO.
The red top is the normal one, the yellow top is a deep cycle, meaning, it'll survive better if it gets run all the way dead than other batteries.
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