Battery Decision - Diehard vs. Optima

[jjt98]

Instead of going with a dual battery setup in our 21 VIP Vixen I have decided to just get a single higher end battery with a large reserve capacity. I figured this would be easier.

So I have it narrowed down to the DieHard Marine Battery, Platinum PM-1

Or the Optima D31M

Price is comparable on these two batteries around $250 each. What do you guys think? Which one should I go with? The DieHard has the larger capacity and everybody seems to love it. I have read great things about the Optima as well.

Thoughts??

 

[TerryMSU]

Re: Battery Decision - Diehard vs. Optima

I have the D31M. It is a very heavy duty battery. Almost zero self discharge. I have only had it for 3 years and I do not use it as heavily as most would so I would expect no issues anyway. Just yeaterday, I used it to jump start a guys 80HP Johnson. Worked well, but that is what one would expect. (In a spirit of disclosure, I should say that I work for Johnson Controls which is the parrent company of Optima. As a result, I got it at a deep discount.)

TerryMSU

 

[jjt98]

Re: Battery Decision - Diehard vs. Optima

Thanks for the reply. I have done some more reading and it sounds like a lot of people are having problems with the Optimas. Looks like the Diehard is the way to go.

 

[Boatist]

Re: Battery Decision - Diehard vs. Optima

I would go to Costco or walmart and get a group 27 battery.
Diehard is way over priced and no better battery.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Battery Decision - Diehard vs. Optima

I agree with Boatist 100%. There is no reason whatsoever to spend that kind of money on a battery when those costing 1/3 as much do the job just as well. Will they last as long as a diehard -- yes. Will they last as long as an Optima? Shucks they might just last longer from some of the reports that have been surfacing as of late. A recent ad by a local store listed an AGM group 24 battery for $60 off retail. Good heavens you can buy a group 27 deep cycle with higher capacity for less than $80. That kind of margin is insane. You get no more capacity and only a "promise" that the battery will last longer. The way most people abuse batteries it makes even more sense to buy the highest capacity battery you can find for the least cost.

 

[jeffbyrd66]

Re: Battery Decision - Diehard vs. Optima

I just purchased two Duralast batteries from auto zone that are deep cycle/cranking marine battery at $75.00 each seems like a good price and they have a 3 year wty. The ones I replace were Interstate and they lasted over 6 years.

 

[TerryMSU]

Re: Battery Decision - Diehard vs. Optima

One thought about battery warrantees... How much good will that warrantee do you when the boat won't start when you are at the launch at 5:00 am for a bass contest. Or when the kids are all in the tow vehicle with the wife and you have driven an hour to the launch and it won't start. Or when you are out in the middle of the big lake and it won't start. That is why some of us have dual battery set-ups with the high end batteries. That said, for years I did use cheap batteries with no issues.

TerryMSU