This was the response I got from Optima about their batteries.

Any thoughts?

 

I have a red top in Kelley's GTM since March. So far no problems. The ground cable was a little tricky to connect but it fit. I wonder how many car audio files have this as their extra battery in the trunk? Have they had any problems?

I let you see it on Saturday.

 

That's too bad! I was hoping to get one of those as a replacment when our original battery goes kaput! That should be any time now since we'll have had our HHR 2 Years in August, and batteries don't, as a rule, last much longer than that here in the Phoenix area. I'd rather not put another Delco Battery in it, given a choice. Just depends on where the HHR is when it dies. I told my Wife if it happens away from home just have AAA take it to the Dealer anyway. I wonder if an Exide, or a Bosch battery would be any better than the Delco?

 

You could also use use a after market battery box into the trunk with a vent tube, making cables is to connect the old cables to the new box should not be too hard. Then all you would have to make would be mounts for the box.

 

put it in the trunk, there will be no issues especially with a sealed battery like Optima's. you can also look into Kinetiks's...we have done both in multiples in SUV's,cars, and trucks.

 

Why are they saying it needs to be vented?

 

they are idiots. someone dropped the ball. we have done 16 yellow tops which were later replaced by 12 Kinetiks in a car trunk and all is still well.

 

I thought the battery compartment in the HHR is vented. At least there is a tube, from the battery area, through the bottom and exiting under the car.

 

I'm guessing they are saying that the battery itself is not vented for interior use. Placing in the trunk is a little different. I like Optima's, hopefuly by the time I need a battery, they have this addressed.

 

My son has an Optima, yellow top, for his sound system.
It comes with mounting brackets, and apparently, it can even be mounted up side down. He hasn`t said anything neg. about it, and he`s REALLY picky about his RIDE. Not vented per-sa.