I totally disagree about the Interstates...i have had several through the years and never had a problem with any of them, in fact just the opposite. Any battery maker is bound to produce a bad one now and then, and how many people do you think have busted a side wall in a battery when using it in a boat? My bet is that it happens, and with all brands. Thats hard on a battery, especially if you don't have it strapped properly and are on big water. As for the Optimas, I haven't owned one, but couldn't see paying that much for them. Johnson Controls makes Interstates and Optimas BTW