Advise on when to replace battery and which is best

We've had our 2002 Protege since October of 2001. Should I replace the battery or should it be good for the coming Toronto winter?
If it should be replaced, should I get a replacement from Mazda? Are there some specific makes that I should get instead of the Mazda battery?
Thanks for any recommendations you may have.
Larry

I have a 2001 Protege MP3 that I bought new in July of 2001. I decided it was time to replace the battery when I stopped at Wendy for a burger and decided to sit in the parking lot to eat it. Turned off the car but forgot to turn off the lights (and had the stereo playing). Within 10-15 minutes the battery went flat -- so much so that the Kenwood lost its settings. I let it sit for a half-hour or so and was able to crank it over and it started fine afterwords.

However, it was a four year old battery and time to replace it. The Panasonic battery that comes in the Protege is small. I bought a new gel battery (sealed top) from Optima. They sell in AutoZone among others for about $120. Three year warranty. Longer than stock, it fits on the stock tray, but the holddown is made for a taller unit. I added the replacement holddown to the left side (looking from the front) mount and it seems fine and cranks over nicely. I thought it better to replace a working, but old battery in the 70 degree (F) weather than get stuck later.

never hurts to get the Optima... if you can afford it

I picked up an Optima Red Top 35. Fits the tray ok except for the lip on the bottom of the battery. Cutting the shroud around the battery to hold it in is all you need to get that to fix. I also had the tie strap bent down to hold the shorter than stock battery. I have a 2001 and I knew the battery wouldn't last another Cleveland winter.

340 CA vs. 910 CA. More is better.

I picked mine up for $129 after tax and core charge from Advance Auto Parts. Just return your old battery and show them the receipt and get $10 back. I have heard Costco has cheaper Optimas, but since no one I know has a membership, it was pretty useless.

I'd wait until the OEM one goes bad; in my experience the stock battery far outlasts any Autozone or O'Reilly battery I put in the vehicle afterwards -- usually by over 100%. Never tried an Optima, but haven't heard of them lasting any longer, which is all that matters on a stock car w/o a massive stereo. If you're racing, the weight reduction might be worth the extra $$. All this said, I've yet to kill the OEM battery in my early '03 Protege. My last new vehicle, the OEM battery lasted 5 years and replacements lasted around 2.

HTH

I bought my optima redtop for 80 on sale at Sears. Its not impossible to find them on sale. They are sweet though. You can mount them anyway you want and they have additioinal side spots to hook up things like auxilary lights and stereo power cables.

BTW, Yellowtops are overkill for your typical application.

i have the optima redtop(gr35). its nice cuz i dont have to worry about leaving the lights or stereo on and my battery dieing. OEM batteries in newer cars last typically 3-6 years. if you're worried about it, just buy a new one.