Interesting. At the opposite end of the country (St. John's) Costco is selling them for $229 Canadian...
..must be the shipping  :)

Tom
http://home.tomrowsell.com

>Subject: Optima Yellow Top 34/78 Battery found in Canada!
>   From: Bruce Ralphs <bar@ISLANDNET.COM>
>   Date: Fri, 23 May 2003 00:20:59 -0700
>     To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>
>Well Gang, maybe this will help some:  Doing the Auxillary Battery
>Dance thing this weekend.
>
>I have spent the last few days trying to find a supplier for Optima
>Battery up here and called our local Interstate and was quoted a 'firm'
>$299.99!  HOLY SMOKES!  ~$220 US!  Looking at shipping something up
>from the US and paying for shipping/customs etc..., 'bout $180 US I
>figured...better by about $70 after taxes than Interstate.  But my
>'instant gratification' switch was on so Interstate it would be
>tomorrow...
>
>I went to Costco tonight to pick up some BULK party junk for a big
>reunion we have this weekend...and walking by the battery shelves there
>were 3 Yellow-topped batteries...34/78 model....I could not believe it!
>  $199.99 Can, about $145 US.  And I have it and can install it this
>weekend!
>
>Thought I would pass this on.  I know Costco is a swear-word for many
>(I own a small business) but what a blessing to find this thing sitting
>there!
>
>Cheers, bruce
>
>'85 Westy
>'02 Snap Beetle
>Victoria, BC, Canada, truly a Westy ;-)