Problem with 2 1/2 yr old optima battery

I'm just wondering if anyone else has had any issues with optima batteries.

I bought my red top optima at Costco in november 2010 when my stock battery gave out after 5 yrs of service. Up until the spring of 2009, my tacoma spent all its time outside in the new mexico climate, the north carolina humidity, then back in the hot desert of el paso, tx. The optima was a direct fit with the correct amount of cold cranking amps as the stock heavy duty the truck had with the stock battery.

The problem with the optima was recent; about three weeks ago. I just recently moved to Arizona and have not been using the truck nearly as much as before. Three weeks ago I went to start it after sitting for a week. It took it a while to turn, but it did start. It then sat for two weeks and when I tried to start it, the battery was dead. The truck sits in my garage all day, so the sun and heat aren't beating on it all day. I rolled the truck to a start, and after half an hour, I shut it off only to discover that it didn't charge enough to restart it.

I then took the battery to autozone to have it recharged. After leaving it over night, the store employee informed me that the battery was toast and it wouldn't take a charge.

I took it back to Costco for a full refund and ended up with an interstate battery. The guy at Costco informed me that they no longer carry the optima brand because the batteries weren't lasting very long. I'm not sure if this is a Costco local, regional or nation wide thing but I found it interesting that they no longer sell the optima brand.

This was my experience and am just wondering if this has been an issue for anyone else. My truck has been garaged for the last four years with the exception of a six month stint in Georgia from sept 2011 to march 2012. I don't drive the truck very much because I have a work vehicle. I was disappointed that the optima didn't even last me three years after all the praise I had heard about the brand the the price of the red top battery compared to other brands.

Just wanted to share my experience.

 

the interstate cost the same as the optima?
and just sitting the trucks computers radios.etc all drain power. they keep memory
maybe a battery maintainer would be good for you

 

I paid around $140 for the optima compared to $90 for the interstate. The maintainer crossed my mind after the battery was dead but by then it was too late. We'll see how the interstate works out. I really liked having the optima; sad to have to get rid of it.

 

either maintainer or disconnect it. and charge it every sixmonths

 

Not knowing much about batteries, I trust the products Costco sells (not much 'scientific research' behind that way of thinking). So hearing that they no longer sell the optima brand had me wondering what issues the batteries were having.

 

http://www.optimabatteries.com/product_support/techtips.php

 

Optima's have been going downhill from what I've seen from multiple issues of going toast quickly.