3.0 vs 1.8 battery?

[Rockclimbersh]

Hey guys did a search but didn't see much on replacing a 3.0 battery. I don't want to go to a dealership or spend a ton on OEM. Is there anything wrong with going to autozone and getting a duralast there? 1.8 threads I was reading had good reviews on them and said fitment wasn't an issue. I tried to replace a TT battery once with Autozone and it wouldn't fit due to a weird notch audi intentionally put in the cradle for the battery, just so you couldn't use a generic battery. Chapped my ass. Will I run into this?

Thanks in advance.
Greg

[Maverick]

you don't search at Autozone.
you search here.

best battery for normal use and cold weather

Optima Red Top 75/35.... direct replacement.
no problems on 8 F cold start after my car sits for 2 straight days.

[Maverick]

btw, 1.8T and 3.0 use same kind of battery.

[Rockclimbersh]

Hey maverick, thanks. The red top isn't too small for the area and knocks around?

[Rockclimbersh]

Hey, just checked some pricing and it looks like I'll need to drop about 140-150 on an optima red top. That seems like an awful lot of scratch for a battery that's going into a car that's 6 years old and has 70k on the odometer. I want something decent, but I dunno if I need top of the line. Thoughts?

[Maverick]

Optima Red Top is the same size as the factory battery so the battery will not move around.
you should read about how Optima battery design its battery, it's different technology than conventional battery.

$140-150 is a very good deal for that battery which also saves you 30lbs of weight!!!
I paid $180 for mine installed last summer when my battery died and I didn't have tools to swap myself.

a brand new regular battery costs like $100 i guess, that isn't that much less for a Red Top

no offense but if you think $140-150 is a lot of money for a very good, long lasting and light weight battery, you should sell your car because you will need to do Timing belt job soon since you are at 70K and that will be at least $500(just for parts).

[AudiA4Turbo22]

^^where did u come up with that?

my OEM battery was 2x the size of the optima, i used the red bracket that come with it to prevent it from moving.

[Rockclimbersh]

Alright. I've already replaced the timing belt with full kit, water bump, all seals, etc. Replaced all the rotors and pads. I dont' have a problem spending money when it's needed and warranted. But I'm not a fool for asking a question about saving some. I've seen so many posts where people get these comments for asking questions about saving money on something. "you shouldn't have bought an audi if you couldn't afford..." It's not that I can't afford it, just asking a question because I don't throw money away if it's not necessary. Maverick, don't get me wrong, your frequent and valuable advice on here is always appreciated.... you just struck one of my growing pet peaves on here. Thanks again for the info, I will use it to make a more informed decision than I would've made 20 minutes ago.

[Maverick]

^^where did u come up with that?

my OEM battery was 2x the size of the optima, i used the red bracket that come with it to prevent it from moving.

I compared the Red Top with the factory battery side by side last summer.

[A4 Moda]

How about the YellowTop?

[Maverick]

to the OP, if I think you can't afford an Audi I would have said so. I am not that kind of dick who size people up, I know how that feels when others do that to me.
I just got a sense that your car is getting old to you and you don't want to keep it since you said "6 years old and has 70k". Thus there isn't a point of spending anymore money on an old car.

[dewey527]

i just put the red top in over the wknd, it fit perfect and it is a lot less weight...i bought it from amazon and it was $150 with shipping! plus i got it in two days. model #8020-164

[GTMRS4]

I bought mine from the dealership but you'll need extended allen keys if you do it yourself. It takes about 10mins to swap

[dewey527]

good call on the extended allen, 6mm i believe

[NyteEscape]

quick question. what is the difference between the red top that Maverick mentioned (9022-091) and the one that dewey527 mentioned (8020-164)?

the 9022 is the 75/35, which seems to around 40lbs which the 8020 weighs around 30lbs. is the 9022 more powerful or have more cranking amps?

my battery is dying, so i'm looking to get something good that will last me a while.

Edit: I linked the respective batteries to Amazon in case you guys wanted a reference. Just click on the underlined model numbers.

[road_tripper]

I put an Autozone 49-DL battery in my '03 3.0. It's got 850 CCA (1000 cranking amps). I've had it in for about a year, and it has started the car in -58F in Peace River, Alberta on the way back from a road trip farther north where the daytime highs never got above -30F.

I live in Las Vegas, so it has seen 120F temps as well.

It hooks up to the stock vent tube. Since it's longer than the stock battery, you have to remove a a small plastic block that's attached to the car body with a plastic rivet. Prying worked well for me :)

I bought a $10 battery blanket from JC Whitney which has performed great, keeping the battery warm on those "minus too many" mornings in the frozen north.

[festerfm]

i had a battery layin around my garage.. it's got 750 CCA and is just a c*nt hair taller and not as long as the factory batter.. i just took a block of wood and put it by the battery.. more cca than i need, and no moving around, and oh yeah, FREE!!! lol, but just go to wal*mart and get a battery w/ the same dimensions as the oem one..