Optima Batteries

I've two sets of these once - and got two of them replaced under warranty - so I guess you know what I think of them! However, objectively, they use 30-year-old technology and can't compare to the more modern dry cell batteries available - i.e. the odyssey and exide makes. Since my disasters with the Optimas, I've only had Exide (dry cell or gel types I think they're called) and Odyssey batteries and never had any problems with either. Personally, I wouldn't recommend any other makes. To answer the question, are these dry cell or gel batteries better than the old lead-acid varieties, the answer is resolutely yes. They have better cold-temperature performance, don't have 'memory' and charge up better (this is especially the case if you're winching or have fridges and gadgets running in the car). Hope that helps/ph