F430 Battery recommendation?

Ahhhh.. yep that may have worked. I tried to look through Costco online, but the search function said one wasn’t available for the F430. A few days sooner and I may have tried this out!

 

There is a thread in the 360/430 forum started by someone that claims the Group48/H6 batter is actually the correct size for these cars, as some have had issue with the Group 34R being too tall and risking touching posts on the top mounting bracket during installation. I think some have even had issue with getting the top bar to fit. I believe the group 48 is slightly shorter. It is also slightly less capacity, but not a lot. 730 CCA versus 800 CCA

 

Where can I buy an Interstate MTZ-48/H6? I called Costco but they don’t have any AGM 48/H6.


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What about the local auto parts like AutoZone or O'Reilly's? They both have Grp 48/H6 AGM batteries for 200.00 I have them in my daily drivers and have never had a problem. Some are 8 years or older. Just a thought.

O'Reilly's has the Optima red top in grp 34 size for 260.

https://www.autozone.com/batteries-starting-and-charging/battery/duralast-platinum-agm-battery-h6-agm-group-size-48-760-cca/319460_0_0

This one even has a cover for positive terminal.

https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/b/platinum-5003/more-powersport-30734/battery---automotive-16864/battery---best-fit-16245/7272aa5cfedd/super-start-platinum-battery-group-size-48-h6/48plt/4742700?brand=true&pos=7

 

Optima red tops suck. They regularly leak and also fail by no longer holding a charge. I have previously posted pictures and others chimed in with photos as well, including a Ferrari technician. They used to have a great reputation, but Optima red tops are no longer any good...been that way for a number of years. I have had two in a row leak. I thought AGM were incapable for leaking....but Optima found a way around that technology to get theirs to leak.

Optima red top 34R battery NOT recommended | FerrariChat

 

Yes Ihas seen that issue before, but I thought some Fchat members might still be interested in them as well, but not me. AGM is the way to go and I have been happy with either of the ones I posted. They all are probably made by the same manufacturers for the most part. I would put one in my F430.

 

AGM is generally the way to go. Almost universally, all the top rated batteries Consumer Reports has tested are AGM (but not always). While there are only four or five manufacturers of batteries in the USA, there are differences, even amongst one manufacturer that may private label a house brand...at least in CR testing.

 

BTW, CR rates the Odyssey 48-720 AGM tops in the Group 48 size (score of 92 out of 100) the Interstate AGM Group 48 rated #2 (score of 86).
They did not test Group 34 or 34R batteries.

 

Yes, the Odyssey 48 is the way to go. The 34 is the WRONG battery for our cars.

 

I bought my battery at Batteries and Bulbs Plus. I didn't use their free installation on the 430. I did let them install on my RR Ghost and my Escalade

 

Well @f355spider for the win. The red top Optima ended up being an expensive experience. Recently the car wasn’t starting up a strongly as usual, even with a trickle charger, but overall seemed okay. Anyway, just so happened I got a CEL on the way to the shop to have the cv joints done, so I had them check it. They had a bunch low voltage faults stored, and recommended changing to Interstate. So, now instead of one self installed battery swap. I have purchased two batteries in a 6 month period, plus diagnostic charge, plus install charge.

All this to say, I agree with those who say Optima isn’t a great idea. One caveat… I don’t get to drive the car much. I wonder if the performance were better on a car that was driven more frequently. Regardless, I wanted to update ya’ll on my experience.

 

Used to be amazing batteries and then their quality went south.

 

Optima red top has been around since the 90s I think. It was around 2005 or so I first started hearing people reporting problems...and even today, it is hit or miss. You get a good one, they are great, but lots of stories of short life, and leaking.

 

It might have made a difference, but the point of AGM batteries is low self discharge rate, and resistance to damage from discharge if you do. Optima red top for some reason is fragile if allowed to discharge (at least in some cases)....just like a flooded battery. So it loses some of its capacity from discharge each time, until it becomes unusable. Keeping it always on a battery tender may help prevent it....I hope so. I continue the "self abuse" of using Optima red top in my 430 Scuderia because the battery tray has cut outs specifically for it (it was oem from Ferrari)...and I am too cheap to spend $500 on a replacement F430 battery tray.

 

I used a walmart brand AGM. Same size. fits perfectly.