ABSOLUTELY the truth !  I went through the same experience but bought two Yellow Tops before I learned my lesson !  You all have been told !  Optima batteries = JUNK !  Check the warranty, it's garbage, 300 cycles, pardon me, I can do that in a couple months of use !  NOT GOOD.  I now have four 22amh AGM utility batteries as my AUX battery set-up under the drivers seat.  Going on year five now and they have been deeply discharged, way below 10.5v MANY times and ALWAYS come back up rapidly and hold their charge.  They are the BEST batteries I have ever come across.  AGM, Glass Matt, batteries are expensive but well worth the investment in my opinion.

On 2013-07-03, at 12:00 AM, Automatic digest processor <LISTSERV@GERRY.VANAGON.COM> wrote:

> I had one of the Optima batteries behind my driver seat as one of my original batteries for auxiliary items. I think that thing was one of the worst batteries, other than the Walmart one. In order to fulfill the warranty I had to drive 350 miles, and I got back a whopping $25. I think I paid something like $140-$150 for that battery. I would say the best thing about it was the advertising. Never again for me. Absolute junk.

Cheers,    

Frank Condelli
Almonte, Ontario, Canada
'87 VW Westy, '00 Kawasaki 250 Sherpa, "98 Ducati 750 Monster & Lionel Trains (Collection for sale)
Frank Condelli & Associates - Vanagon/Vanagon Westfalia Service in the Ottawa Valley
BusFusion a VW Camper camping event, Almonte, ON, June 06 ~ 09, 2013