is there something specific to the 2018 countryman new battery install?

The battery is 6 years old and the dealer is counting on me to pay them +$600 plus labor to install.

1. What is the procedure for removing the housing so to access the battery?
2. Do you recommend secondary brands (AutoZone, for example, sells a compatible battery with 3 yr warranty for $244.00, not installed).
3. Anything else I might want to know?

Once I hear back, I'll likely have AAA recharge the battery and drive the car directly to the retailer or dealer as either option appears likely at this point.

Thanks for reading,

Eric

 

You will need to register the battery (tell computer you have a new one). The dealer can do that. Some euro indepedents can too. Also some code readers. Not sure about auto parts stores. If you have another dealer check them too. One of our Denver ones is over $500, but the Loveland one is just $330 or so. Youtube will have the procedure details, I don/t know them. Or could be on this site too.

 

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...-warnings.html

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ry-charge.html

Make sure you get it registered. I did this with my Schwaben tool on my R58. Looks like the F56+ cars go through more batteries.

Some dealers have coupons for batteries and in the end its cheaper then autozone and such dependent on battery size and type.

 

I purchased a drop in fit AGM of same power rating (70AH IIRC, or 80AH) from Costco. I used a diagnostic tool specific to BMW/MINI and registered successfully. Note you can get higher power batteries, but they're physically larger and there is a backstop on the battery box that holds the bottom side next to the firewall down firm when the forward side battery clamp is bolted down. It is possible to install a 'bigger' battery but you will have to source and install a different backstop clamp and replace the one that is there. Note the same diagnostic tool should also have the ability to code the different AH battery. As long as you're installing the same AH, no problem, just register.

It isn't difficult, and the cost of the diaginstic tool is much less than the labor they're quoting.

 

See here for some more discussion about it, a lot of folks have 80Ah 800CCA AGM:
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ml#post4669106

IIRC Bimmercode can register the battery. I use an ODB-II dongle with it, the vLinker MC+, its similar to an MXLink but cheaper.