Recommendation for (non-Optima) battery for Breeze battery box

[JohnK]

My Optima yellow top has given up the ghost and I don't even have the car on the road yet. This is just a few months after a pretty new Optima red top in my '67 Mustang had a spectacular melt-down. I'm done with Optima batteries (cue the "I told you so's")

Ideally, I'd love to go with an Oddysey Extreme, but my online searches haven't turned up a group 51. Does anyone know if Oddysey makes a battery that will fit the Breeze battery box? If not, what other batteries do you all recommend?

Thanks,
John

[egchewy79]

Per Kleiner’s recommendations, I use a cheap lead acid interstate battery from Costco.

[Hoooper]

I would either do a lithium if you want to save weight, or regular cheap autozone battery if you dont. Not much reason to use an equally heavy but more expensive AGM battery in these cars when you have it mounted upright in the engine bay, its not like we need the higher energy density of those higher end AGM batteries

[Chopper]

John - I had a Autozone Gold battery in my Breeze box that was made December 2014, I bought a replacement on Tuesday. Autozone didn't have a group 51 in stock, trying a NAPA "The Legend" battery this time.

My past experience has generally been that the parts store batteries hold up pretty well, my street cars I generally get 5-7 years out of them.

-Brandon

[rthomas98]

I am currently on year 2 of a group 51 battery from walmart and it has been abused through the build process and still cranks strong. Abuse meaning turning on and off lights. Sitting for long periods. Cranking engine for the first fire up multiple times to prime it. Bought it with the intent to replace it once on the road, but has held up so well I will probably keep it in it.

[Otee453]

I went with an Interstate Battery Group 51r
The "r" has the positive/negative posts reversed from normal position. I preferred that configuration the way I routed my wiring.
It is nice that I have an Interstate Battery warehouse near me. Always can get a good discount

https://www.interstatebatteries.com/products/mt-51r

[tonywy]

If you want a good lead acid battery I would look at a Motorcraft. I believe the group 51 was designed for Ford back in the day. You'll pay more for the Motorcraft but, they last.

[John Ibele]

Don't think you need to walk away from AGM batteries when you walk away from Optima.

When the battery in my 2010 Prius died in 2020, I checked my records to see when I last purchased a battery for the car. Funny, I keep pretty good records, but no record of a battery replacement. I checked AutoZone for the price of the OEM replacement. $220, what the heck?? Turns out that because the battery is in an area behind the rear passenger seat (hey, it's a Prius), they use an AGM battery because of its reduced outgassing potential and frequent start requirements.

Anyway, that turned me into a believer, since that's 10 Minnesota winters without a replacement. I picked up a group 51 AGM (non-Optima) battery for the roadster. No usage / life / reliability experience to share at this point.

Interstate (https://www.interstatebatteries.com/blog/what-is-an-agm-battery-and-whats-the-big-deal)has a decent layman's explanation of AGM advantages, FWIW.

[Blitzboy54]

Per Kleiner’s recommendations, I use a cheap lead acid interstate battery from Costco.

Same

[CP82AERO]

My Costco sells an Interstate battery for $104--that's an amazing price and so will be going that route.

[Nigel Allen]

My Costco sells an Interstate battery for $104--that's an amazing price and so will be going that route.

Less than a tank of fuel

[Rdone585]

You didn't mention tracking the car, or concern about corner weighting. However, at least in my setup, I would benefit from having the weight of a lead acid or AGM battery on the front passenger side. I can not fit a battery up front, so I opted to go with a lithium (5.5 lbs and smaller) battery behind the passenger in the trunk. I only added this to the discussion to say that - you probably don't merit the need to spend the bucks on a lithium battery, because you might actually benefit from the weight up front to balance the cross weight of the car.

[BadAsp427]

During the build, I installed the rear battery box as well and went to O'Reilly for there AGM. I've NEVER had to charge, jump start or even maintain my battery. Here is a LINK (https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?29472-Carl-s-20th-Anniversary-8690-Graduated-12-000-miles&p=344413&viewfull=1#post344413) to my build thread on my battery install

[Scott L]

I got 8 years out of my first Autozone gold in the Breeze box. Now I have a relatively new Optima yellow top. Hope it works out - no I told you so's required ;-)

[BEAR-AvHistory]

I got 8 years out of my first Autozone gold in the Breeze box. Now I have a relatively new Optima yellow top. Hope it works out - no I told you so's required ;-)

Not sure what the story is but my Red Top has been starting the car since March 2015

[Jeff Kleiner]

Per Kleiner’s recommendations, I use a cheap lead acid interstate battery from Costco.

My recommendation hasn't changed. Go with a tried and true lead acid from Interstate, Autozone or Advance. When it gives up the ghost in 7 or 8 years replace it with the same.

Jeff

PS-I told ya' so :p :)

[JohnK]

Not sure what the story is but my Red Top has been starting the car since March 2015

The short story is that in March 2015 Optimas were still made in the US, whereas they are now made in Mexico and are not the same battery at all.

[Theshandman]

Same
Ditto.