My 2007 probably needs a new battery. I base this on the fact that the trip odometer always resets to 0 every time I start the car, and the time/date always need to be reset. It still has the OEM battery it had when it was born 12/07, so it probably is time. Since I bought the extended maintenance from MINI, I thought/hoped that maybe a new battery would fall under that. Well, of course it doesn't. But that wasn't the only disappointment. "How much for a new battery with you guys?" I ask the MINI dealership when I called to check. I'm then told that MINI designed it so that the computer tells the alternator to overcharge the dying battery. If I just go and put any battery I buy into it, it still needs computer reprogramming because it doesn't know there is a new battery without being told. So, an hour labor to install and reprogram costs $118, and the battery itself is either $155 or $165 "depending." Depending on what, I don't know. I was just flabbergasted that something like this would add up to $283. The SA admits it is one of MINI's "things" that is designed so that only a dealership can take care of it. Anyone know if this all is true, or is it some devious plot by the dealership to make some fat cash off of me?

 

I say put a new battery in and see what happens! Over charges the battery???? Maybe the dealership over charges....not the alternator!

But what do I know.......

 

I'm guessing if the car is smart enough to know that the battery is dying then it is smart enough to know that the battery has been renewed.

I also haven't seen on any forums that the Mini must be taken to the dealer for the battery to be changed...

 

6th gear, huh? There's been several convo's about this issue. The ones that stick in my mind are the ones that throw the word 'stealership' around. When those guy start talking about things costing several hundred dollars that the local mechanic can do for the cost of a new battery ya gotta wonder, especially when they try to 'explain' it to you. Keep looking.

PS: If memory serves there are two connectors on a battery. Lefty loosy, righty tighty.

 

I replaced my battery with a Sears Platinum...$199 and I installed it in 30 minutes. No problems, no computer "resets". My Scanguage II says its charging at 14.1V now just like before I replaced the battery.

The factory battery was 4 years to the day when I replaced it. The Sears battery has a 5 year replacement warranty. Peace of mind.

Again, sounds like dealership BS.

 

For almost a $100 less then that you can get a 17lbs battery from Braille. Weight savings and cheaper. Or even better yet go to an autoparts store and buy one for a $100 and put it in yourself.

 

+1 for Porthos. Replaced mine for $108 at O'Reilly's Auto Parts and took about 20 min. to take old out and put new in. This was back in Sept.2011. Didn't have to reset anything.
07 MCS

 

I wasn't questioning my ability to take out an old battery and put in a new one. I was just wondering if the dealership story was BS or not. But thanks for all the responses.

 

No reprogram, it is no different then disconnecting your battery. Just replace it yourself and tell the dealership to F off.

 

Best advice I've heard all day

 

Lets be totally fair here.

I fully agree with the posts that say "just replace the battery". This is safe to do and there will be no damage to the car if this is done.

BUT

There is a "Battery Replacement Program" that the dealer can run on the car after a battery is replaced. If the dealer replaces the battery then they do this a a mater of course as they are told to do it in the battery replacement procudure.

Let me highlight the falsities and the truth in the dealers statements.


This is totally false. the alternator does not "over charge" a bad battery as that would cause it to possibly explode.

Although not required there is a Battery Replacement Progamming that the dealer does when they replace a battery. Really all this does is tell the computer what the amp hour rating of the battery is so that it is "not over charged"


seems like normal Dealer pricing to me that is why there are independent shops and auto parts stores.

As for the SA admitting it one of those "things" MINI does to get business yes it is and well it is probably the most truthful thing they said to you.

But as with most things it can be gotten around and in this case "just replace the battery". If after replacing with a "known good battery" (you can buy new batteries that are bad) you are still having problems with the clock and all then i would have the dealer do a "Battery Replacement Programming" on the car.

FYI if your car still has the OEM battery from 2007 then you are very lucky most OEM MINI batteries dont last more than two years.

 

2 years a little short for an OEM but 5 years is way too long for sure. I normally change the battery in my car about every 4 to 5 years. More frequently if I store the vehicle.

 

I agree that two years is a short period of time but the MINI OEM batteries are rather cheap. Mine lasted 21 months and i know my dealer was complaining to MINI Corporate about the numbers they were having to change in 2008 and 2009.

 

That is weird, my 07 orig battery was good for 4 years.

 

There is a procedure that is run on the car when a new battery is installed. It is described in the Bentley manual; some sort of re-programming that they do. There has been at least one person on NAM who replaced the battery and still had issues until the "stealership" ran the new battery program.

So it's possible that you'll have to pay that part of the fee anyway--but at least you can save yourself a good chunk of change on the battery itself.

 

Damn that sucks. I would be pissed if that happened to me.

Mine lasted about 4 1/2 years. I could have possibly stretched another couple of months but I did not want to risk it. Last time I ignored a battery in a car was with my Nissan Spec V. I was driving down the freeway and turned the headlights on and the car lost power. When I turn the lights off the car fired back up. When I finally got off the freeway the car completly died. So I won't chance it again.

 

I got one from NAPA that's specifically for my Mini, it even came with a vent tube like the OEM one. It was only $103 after turning in my old one. No problems here...

 

We replaced the battery in our R53 last year with a factory second battery (I think that's what they're called?), it wasn't any sort of special battery either. Only paid ~$40 for it and it works great. Didn't need a reprogramming or anything.

I don't know if the same would go for the second gen, but just thought I'd share.

 

Well, right now I'm just hoping mine lasts until Monday (my next off day). Thanks to everyone for chiming in!

 

Dealerships in my opinion are good for one thing..selling cars..I would never take my car back to thier service dept. for anything. They are money hungry thieving untruthful vultures. Again just my opinion folks.

 

Our 07 battery lasted until 2 weeks after the warranty ran out. It then died while running the fan waiting in line for a ferry. The dealership replaced it for $160, they had some example pricing listed on the wall. I was going to ask how much it was, but I could point out their notice instead. The last time I was at the dealer, with the 08 with an ailing battery the price on the wall was up to $240.

I'd do the battery swap myself, but I can't work out how to get the battery out form behind the bulkhead, and the programming procedure outlined in the Bently manual is not something I can do.

 

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ment-help.html
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...07-mini-s.html
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...04&hg=51&fg=20

So you don't have to start a new thread

 

Hi!

I just replaced the battery on my '07 two weeks ago. Honestly, it looks worse than it is. It took me all of 4 minutes to expose the battery using no more than one wrench and a screwdriver.

 

Not that anyone really cares, but just to bring some closure:

Batteries Plus had a Rayovac battery (made by Deka/EastPenn) for my car, $99.99, and a $10 instant rebate. Well, it was really supposed to be $104.99, because they didn't have the 47 I needed. He assured me the 48 would fit and was the same (with more cold cranking amps or something, I don't remember what he said), but when I mentioned the price wasn't the same he adjusted it down for me. I changed it right there in the parking lot to make sure it fit and worked; it did and it does! So after tax, $97.55. Much better than $283!

 

Dear all,

This might seem like a dumb question. But It is concerning me.
I have never replaced a battery hence this question.
I wanted to disconnect the negative terminal to do some stuff. As i kept removing the 10mm nut, it keeps giving tiny sparks as the terminal was moving due to the wrench movement. Will this spark (on/off of current) damage anything.

Thank You