Optima batteries at Costco -- anyone running?

[tomjonesrocks]

Our '02 Limited's battery died and I was wanting to go with an Optima. I figured it would be pretty simple to go to Costco and figure out what to buy but the book was pretty uninformative.

From the Optima website it looks like they recommend a red-top (Group Number: 25 (9025-160)) but the only red top at CostCo was "12853" and I couldn't find any books or information that would let me know if that would work or not.

Any suggestions or opinions?

 

[tjkj2002]

If you don't mind a little modifying get the Group 34/78 Optima for more power.The '02 KJ's have a smaller battery then '03+ KJ's('03+ use group 34),but if you just trim the battery tray closest to the fender(basically cut one of the raised edges off) a group 34/78 Optima will fit since I ran one for 7 years till I upgraded to a Odyssey PC1500 battery(for massive power,even over a Optima,better warranty also).

 

[Lancer]

Does the Odyssey fit into the same battery tray?

 

[tjkj2002]

Does the Odyssey fit into the same battery tray?

Not the PC1500.

 

[Ry' N Jen]

I run a 34/78 Optima Red top in our 2004. Excellent batteries.
I would of bought an Odyssey battery, but nobody had the model I wanted in stock. Not even Home Repo, and I needed a new battery ASAP.
If you are running high out put extra lighting or a winch, or both, or plan too, then you might want to consider an Optima yellow top or an Odyssey battery.

 

[sleeve]

I run a Optima 75-25 (Red Top) in my 2002 Liberty. It'll drop right in, without trimming. You will have to bend the battery terminal tabs a bit but the bend change is small and doesn't weaken the terminals at all.

The 75-25 is smaller than the group 34 battery but because it's an Optima, the group 25 battery has almost 200CCA more than the stock 2002 Mopar battery (which only has 525CCA.)

If your liberty is pretty stock - it's more than enough.

 

[ScottZ0]

I use the Optima on my 03 Sport. I got it about 4 months ago. I was kind of stupid, I went for price instead of getting for need. I run a lot of stuff in my car and should have went with the bigger battery. Take the advice of the people on this board and get the best and biggest you can afford.

ScottZ0

 

[Ry' N Jen]

I use the Optima on my 03 Sport. I got it about 4 months ago. I was kind of stupid, I went for price instead of getting for need. I run a lot of stuff in my car and should have went with the bigger battery. Take the advice of the people on this board and get the best and biggest you can afford.

ScottZ0

No big deal. When money permits, buy the bigger battery and use the one you have and as a second. Run a two battery system.
I'll be doing the same thing and installing the additional battery up in my ski box on the roof rack.

 

[jnaut]

If you don't mind a little modifying get the Group 34/78 Optima for more power.The '02 KJ's have a smaller battery then '03+ KJ's('03+ use group 34),but if you just trim the battery tray closest to the fender(basically cut one of the raised edges off) a group 34/78 Optima will fit since I ran one for 7 years till I upgraded to a Odyssey PC1500 battery(for massive power,even over a Optima,better warranty also).

Funny you mention this. I replaced my battery a year ago or so, and I bought a big, honking powerful battery, but didn't think about the profile. It's every so slightly too tall, and if you look at my hood, it doesn't quite close right on the battery side. Hard to notice until you're looking for it. I thought about returning it, then thought, meh, it's only about 1/4" out of closing true on the hood. Next battery I'll get the correct size.

 

[JeepJeepster]

Funny you mention this. I replaced my battery a year ago or so, and I bought a big, honking powerful battery, but didn't think about the profile. It's every so slightly too tall, and if you look at my hood, it doesn't quite close right on the battery side. Hard to notice until you're looking for it. I thought about returning it, then thought, meh, it's only about 1/4" out of closing true on the hood. Next battery I'll get the correct size.

Are you saying the hood hits the battery? That is not good at all.

 

[Dave]

Funny you mention this. I replaced my battery a year ago or so, and I bought a big, honking powerful battery, but didn't think about the profile. It's every so slightly too tall, and if you look at my hood, it doesn't quite close right on the battery side. Hard to notice until you're looking for it. I thought about returning it, then thought, meh, it's only about 1/4" out of closing true on the hood. Next battery I'll get the correct size.

I would get that thing out of there before it wears a hole through the sound deadening material and grounds itself on your hood. Everything will fry.

Dave

 

[HoosierJeeper]

I would get that thing out of there before it wears a hole through the sound deadening material and grounds itself on your hood. Everything will fry.

Dave

x2.....maybe you could cut the battery holder mounts....

 

[Ry' N Jen]

↑↑↑ What these guys say!↑↑↑

 

[jnaut]

Are you saying the hood hits the battery? That is not good at all.

Yep, hasn't proved to be a problem. It's really the felt heat pad that hits it. If it dimpled the hood metal, that would have been a problem. But it doesn't.

 

[jnaut]

I would get that thing out of there before it wears a hole through the sound deadening material and grounds itself on your hood. Everything will fry.

Dave

Been watching it for over a year. Absolutely no extra wear on the heat pad. LIke I said, I was concerned when I first noticed it. But you also have to realize that it's not even across the top of the battery. The way the battery hits the hood, it's just the very corner of the battery case itself. Hard to describe, but if you look closely at your KJ hood, that rounded feature that runs down the headlight is where the terminals are. Those are completely clear. It's just one corner on the far right side of the battery. The terminals don't have any contact with the pad.

 

[tomjonesrocks]

Wound up buying the recommended Optima Red Top for my '02 LTD at a Napa auto parts. Probably paid $40-$50 more than I probably could have if I'd had time to shop around for the best deal. My Liberty is stock at the moment -- though I might add some lights -- anyway I think the red top should be powerful enough for my purposes.

Never really was sure if the Costco model of Optima Red Top would have worked which seemed to have the same specs for $30-$40 less....

Thanks to everyone for their help.