Best Replacement Battery

[L1FHR]

Originally Posted by GotV8?

I got OEM, didn't feel like getting any aftermarket since Battery is one of the most important component to running our M properly.

Yeah. I'm leaning more 70% toward spending the money on OEM. BMW made the battery so I'm sure their engineer know more about the power supplier to the car more than any other person out there.

[PYE46M3]

Interstate from costco or everstart from walmart

[tom @ eas]

Originally Posted by L1FHR

Yeah the car is not even 45K LOL It's only 40,600 miles. I'm debating to just get the OEM since that's the best bet especially with an M car. BMW created the car so most likely they know more about what's good for the car then I am so why try to change or replace things other than OEM. Also, I like to keep my car stock or at original parts until my extended warranty over or hit 80k miles.

True, but BMW accounts for all sorts of variables - like starting the car in the middle of Death Valley in summertime or underneath a bank of snow in a German winter. If you want to save a little money and shed a little weight - the 06-08 Z4M battery is a good choice and drops right into place.

California is essentially ~80F all year, so the car demands very little from the battery, which is partial to why the stock unit lasted this long.

[pbonsalb]

Originally Posted by L1FHR

Yeah. I'm leaning more 70% toward spending the money on OEM. BMW made the battery so I'm sure their engineer know more about the power supplier to the car more than any other person out there.

Some people feel better having a BMW dealer perform all maintenance and repairs. It is usually much more expensive, but the dealer is highly likely to do a good job. You can’t go wrong, apart from spending much more than you need to spend.

But for your information and education, BMW probably did not make the battery that it installed in your car. For a while it contracted with Douglas. More recently with Exide. Not sure what company it outsources to now. Battery specs are pretty basic and standardized — if BMW specs 90AH and 900CCA in a Group 49, you can find nearly identical specs in non BMW branded batteries. Just a few companies make most of the car batteries installing in vehicles in the US. Any name brand battery will work just as well in your BMW as a battery from the BMW dealer.

[Space Fox]

Originally Posted by tom @ eas

True, but BMW accounts for all sorts of variables - like starting the car in the middle of Death Valley in summertime or underneath a bank of snow in a German winter. If you want to save a little money and shed a little weight - the 06-08 Z4M battery is a good choice and drops right into place.

California is essentially ~80F all year, so the car demands very little from the battery, which is partial to why the stock unit lasted this long.

Do you have a link to this battery? I'm between this and the Optima w/ mount. Florida car so no crazy temperature swings or winter storage to worry about.

Also got to love when someone creates a thread asking for advice then ignores all advice and just decides to go OEM..

[tom @ eas]

Originally Posted by Space Fox

Do you have a link to this battery? I'm between this and the Optima w/ mount. Florida car so no crazy temperature swings or winter storage to worry about.

Also got to love when someone creates a thread asking for advice then ignores all advice and just decides to go OEM..

https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/sho...diagId=61_5704

BMW Part 61.21.2.353.811

Never had any good luck with Optima.

[pbonsalb]

The Z4 battery is not unique. It is a common battery also, just lower CCA and AH — and lighter as a result. I think it is an H6, but would have to double check on a battery chart. The stock battery is an H8. Should work fine in a warm weather climate. Might not hold a sufficient charge to start the car if parked for a month, and might not last long or always start the car if asked to do serious winter duty. I would run one but my car sometimes sits for a week or two and overnight winter temps have hit as low as -20F.

The BMW Mini battery used to be a lightweight option. Minis have gotten bigger so I am not sure how the current battery compares to the one in the 08-13 M3. Probably still lighter.

Any H5, H6, H7 or H8 will fit the box. Each size down drops about 1.5” in length. Weights range from about 60 lbs down to about 35 lbs.

Antigravity makes lithium batteries with standard group size covers now so you can have an easy install, drop weight by almost 75% and still have reasonable AH and good CCA for a daily driver. For about $950.

https://antigravitybatteries.com/pro...tive/ag-h8-rs/

[Mr. M3]

Duralast H8 AGM...never looked back. OEM wanted like 300 or 400 since I was out of warranty. The autozone duralast was 200

[Scharbag]

Originally Posted by pbonsalb

A Bosch or advance or Walmart or autozone or interstate or whatever battery will run your M just as properly.

Exactly. It is just an energy storage device. Lead-acid is such a simple technology.

Get one with a warranty. The M is not so special as to need a special battery.

[Battle]

How is the one from fcp euro? Lifetime warrenty AGM Automotive

[PYE46M3]

Originally Posted by Battle

How is the one from fcp euro? Lifetime warrenty AGM Automotive

Good luck sending one back for warranty exchange. Will cost you an arm and a leg in shipping and they won’t even deliver it if it leaks on the way.

Interstate from Costco is a much better option.

[dpaul]

Just installed one of these. The lowest price for an H8 that I've ever seen. Exide is a US headquartered company with manufacturing in US and Europe and a very long history (although it has undergone a number of 'reorganizations'). Point being it is not an unknown quantity

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Exide-SP...5-49/308488577

[Throatpunch]

Originally Posted by L1FHR

Yeah. I'm leaning more 70% toward spending the money on OEM. BMW made the battery so I'm sure their engineer know more about the power supplier to the car more than any other person out there.

BMW doesn’t make batteries. Almost all parts on a bmw are made by third parties.

[TX]

Originally Posted by dpaul

Just installed one of these. The lowest price for an H8 that I've ever seen. Exide is a US headquartered company with manufacturing in US and Europe and a very long history (although it has undergone a number of 'reorganizations'). Point being it is not an unknown quantity

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Exide-SP...5-49/308488577

I didn't think you could replace an AGM with a lead acid. The charging profiles are different. Are they not?

I've installed 2 of these over the years:
BOSCH 49-850bagm. They're fantastic. Pep boys dropped the BOSCH batteries for cheaper absolute junk champions, so we are out of luck now.
The diehard might be a good option:H8-AGM

[Bartledoo]

Originally Posted by TX

I didn't think you could replace an AGM with a lead acid. The charging profiles are different. Are they not?

I've installed 2 of these over the years:
BOSCH 49-850bagm. They're fantastic. Pep boys dropped the BOSCH batteries for cheaper absolute junk champions, so we are out of luck now.
The diehard might be a good option:H8-AGM

I got a deal on the last pep boys bosch battery in town last year.

[dpaul]

Originally Posted by TX

I didn't think you could replace an AGM with a lead acid. The charging profiles are different. Are they not?

Yes, optimal charging profiles are different.

However, you can replace any battery type of any rating with almost any other battery. You just have to code the correct parameters. This is quite easy to do with BMW Standard Tools (INPA, NCSExpert, WinKFP, Tool32), which of course is free BMW factory software, and can also be done with a number of aftermarket phone apps like Protools and Carly.

Since according to BMW documentation, ANY new battery is supposed to be registered, you're going to have to employ one of the above tools regardless.

[stefan_e36]

also had a problem with battery. winter is coming) and today installed this one - https://www.batterie-industrie-germa...-12v-95ah-850a
but I'm not sure if Varta is available in USA
I had to reprogramed a stock capacity 70ah agm from factory, to the nearest - 90ah agm

[irokwrx]

I went with the lightweight. The best thing with this battery besides the weight is the remote that bring the battery back to life after you drain it leaving something on. This has saved me from a jump twice.

[wyatth]

Somewhat bumping a recent, relevant thread.

I'm getting ready to replace my battery and I've decided on an H6/48 AGM battery. I drive 1-2x/wk, and my car is garaged in CA so the battery strains aren't that severe. I can also connect a trickle charger, though I'd rather not regularly (perhaps if I'm leaving town for a few weeks). Given this use profile, I think this size should work just fine.

I've narrowed it down the Odyssey Performance 48-720 (720 CCA, 69Ah, reserve capacity 130, 48lb) and the Duracell SLI48AGM (760 CCA, 70Ah, reserve capacity 120, 44lb). Both are made in the US, have good specs within their class/size, and have solid reviews overall. I was looking at the Optima but it no longer punches well in this weight class, and reviews since they've moved manufacturing to Mexico are too spotty. The OE (Exide?) Z4M battery is another option and specs are in line (680 CCA, 70Ah, 45lb).

I'm wondering if anybody has used these particular batteries and what you thought. On the surface, the Duracell seems a hair better, but the Odyssey claims better deep cycle resistance, longevity, and a 5 second pulse of 1250 amps. Is this all marketing mumbo jumbo, or are these legitimate benefits versus a more "standard" AGM like the Duracell? Are there other specs that should be considered? Thanks.

https://www.batteriesplus.com/produc...ultra/sli48agm

https://www.batterysystems.net/odyss...723cca-battery

[dpaul]

Originally Posted by wyatth

Somewhat bumping a recent, relevant thread.

I'm getting ready to replace my battery and I've decided on an H6/48 AGM battery. I drive 1-2x/wk, and my car is garaged in CA so the battery strains aren't that severe. I can also connect a trickle charger, though I'd rather not regularly (perhaps if I'm leaving town for a few weeks). Given this use profile, I think this size should work just fine.

I've narrowed it down the Odyssey Performance 48-720 (720 CCA, 69Ah, reserve capacity 130, 48lb) and the Duracell SLI48AGM (760 CCA, 70Ah, reserve capacity 120, 44lb). Both are made in the US, have good specs within their class/size, and have solid reviews overall. I was looking at the Optima but it no longer punches well in this weight class, and reviews since they've moved manufacturing to Mexico are too spotty. The OE (Exide?) Z4M battery is another option and specs are in line (680 CCA, 70Ah, 45lb).

I'm wondering if anybody has used these particular batteries and what you thought. On the surface, the Duracell seems a hair better, but the Odyssey claims better deep cycle resistance, longevity, and a 5 second pulse of 1250 amps. Is this all marketing mumbo jumbo, or are these legitimate benefits versus a more "standard" AGM like the Duracell? Are there other specs that should be considered? Thanks.

https://www.batteriesplus.com/produc...ultra/sli48agm

https://www.batterysystems.net/odyss...723cca-battery

I'm sure these are both fine batteries. But I wonder if you're overthinking this just a bit.

I live in Boston and my M3 sits in a cold garage all winter, getting started at most twice a month. It has a lowly Exide H8 FLA battery, purchased recently at Home Depo (where the H6 size costs $119). I've had the same battery in my 335xi for several years - it also sits in the garage and gets driven perhaps once a week (I am fortunate to be able to walk to work and have a Jeep and an Explorer that generally get used for routine about town events in the winter). Both cars always start, do not lose the time/date and do not give electrical drain codes, all without bothering with trickle chargers.

If you've got a battery problem, my experience is that the best treatment is new battery, the cheaper the better. Of course, if there is some other underlying problem, it is possible a more robust battery will give you a greater tolerance for it.

[wyatth]

Originally Posted by dpaul

But I wonder if you're overthinking this just a bit.

Who, me?? Never !!

Good feedback, thanks!

[JPSurratt2005]

I bought a Diehard Platinum AGM H8 900CCA from Advance Auto almost 2 years ago. I've had nothing but issues. It's being replaced for free so hopefully this next one will be better.