1989 328 Battery Recomendations

Hi Mark

There are several threads on here if you search refering to the Optima Red Top, this seems about the best choice, Here are a couple of links that might help

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=69182&highlight=optima+red+top

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=88413&highlight=optima+red+top

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=65058&highlight=optima+red+top

http://www.dcbattery.com/optima2.html

 

I used the Optima red top in my 87 328 and the car always started even when the car was in storage for the winter. For the money this is the best battery on the market.

 

Optima Red Top. Had one in my 308 and now one in my 348

 

Interstate MT-34

 

I'm going with the Interstate as well. My mechanic here in San Diego said he doesn't like the Optimas - apparently the deep cycle charge can cause problems. He recommended Interstate.

(No experience with these - I'm pre-emptively replacing the old Autozone battery that came with the car, as it's past the 5 year mark. Just passing on what an expert told me.)

 

optima

 

Optima 75/35 red top is what I have on mine. Unless you drive every so often, get a Sears battery tender, too. I leave it on most of the time.
Plug and play. No maitenance req'd. Never had problems.

 

What he said.

Optimas are not what they used to be.

 

Mark, I have a very fledgling "How-To" article on installing a new battery and tender into the 328. Drop me aline if you'd like a copy:

[email protected]

Best,

Carl

 

Carl's being WAY too humble for me to let this pass without a note. He sent me a first-rate illustrated document on everything you want to know on this topic - and other good stuff as well. Basically went out of his way to give a newbie some very useful reference materials.

 

Go with the Optima - works wonderfully, providing bullet proof reliability and much better than average retention of a charge. Additionally, I've found the Optimas produce less corrosion in the battery box area and that's a good thing! Our family has them in all our cars - multiple ferraris, porsche, lotus, bmw, maserati, alfa, mercedes, range rover.

 

This is somewhat related, and since my search of the archives didn't turn this up I'll ask it here: Anybody have any experience with an unpowered battery tender draining their battery? I have an Optima yellow-top with a battery tender directly across its terminals. When I stored my 328 last fall I disconnected the ground via the quick disconnect. When I reconnected it and tried to start the car two days ago, the engine wouldn't even turn over. I pulled the battery, had it charged and tested at AutoZone where I bought it 2 years ago (it passed the test), reinstalled it, and the engine started on the very first try. Nothing else is across the battery.

Now, these Optimas are supposed to be really low self-discharge, and are advertised as being able to be stocked on the retailer's shelf for 12 months without a charge. My car was stored for maybe 4 - 5 months. My conclusion is that the battery tender presented a continuous load sufficient to drain the battery over that time period. Lesson is that I need to be sure that the battery tender is disconnected from the battery as well.

Anybody with experience to confirm or refute this conclusion?

 

Jon, glad I could help out. Ken & Mark, article sent (pretty big -5MB- hopefully not firewalled at your servers).

Everyone on FC was great when I was looking for a car, this is just my reciprocal contribution to the community. Have several articles happy to burn CDs and send out if folks would like.

[And yes, before I had the garage heater installed, this 328 spent some time in an unheated Minnesota garage this winter...!]

Carl