I have a 2013 Mini and was thinking of proactively replacing the battery with winter coming on here in the northeast. My nearest dealership wants between $400 and $500 to replace the battery and synch the computer system. Do I have any reasonable alternative to this gouging?

 

Go to O'Reilleys and get a group 47 Super Start Gold battery for $150, install it yourself.

Perfect world, you should have the discharge sensor on your negative terminal which "doesn't require battery coding" which means you wouldn't need to code it. (We code them to the car anyway, keeps from having alternator problems and electrical goofs from potentially popping up.

FWIW we charge $15 to code battery's to the car, try finding a local shop that has a quality scan tool, like a Snap-On Verus. The Verus will allow them to code your battery for you as well as cheaper than the dealer.

 

as nkfry says, there's no need to buy a MINI / BMW branded battery. Save your dough!