R56 Battery replacement
 

5 years old and beginning to worry about my battery lasting through this winter.

Started on-line and came up with a Group 47, H5 battery. When I went to a store to purchase, it was smaller than the battery in my MINI. The width of the new battery was about 9 inches and the OE battery is about 11 inches. Went to another autoparts store with the same result. Both places said they could sell me a battery of similar size to the OE , but they were stronger (Amps).

My OE battery specs reads 70 Ah, 570 A, 570 CCA. The smaller replacement battery had similar specs. Batteries of similar size were running 650-680 CCA.

I don't want to have to reprogram the IBS (Intelligent battery sensor). I also want to use the OE tiedowns.

Do I go with a similar physical sized battery or the smaller similar capacity one?

**** MY END RESEARCH RESULTS **** All these batteries fit my '07 R56
Group 47 - The computer sizing programs said this was the replacement but it was narrower by almost 2" than MY OE battery.
Group 40 - The same footprint as my OE, but slightly shorter in height.
Group 48 - The exact size fit to my OE battery.

Buy the best value battery out of these. Get the best warranty and most CCA for your $$$!

Which stores did you try? Autozone, pep boys? Advance auto etc?

Did you also try interstate batteries?

Buying a battery that have more cold-cranking amps (CCA) won't hurt you.
It just have more electrical 'juice' to turn over the starter in the car.
If the smaller unit is less expensive, fits, and it fulfills the OEM specs, grab it!

- Erik

food cannot have too much garlic ...

your car cannot have too much horsepower ...

your car cannot have too powerful brakes ...

your car battery cannot be too big

i have an 1100 amp cca battery in my p/u, it was the biggest one that would fit or i would have gone bigger

scott

IBS, give me a break, or better yet a Margareta.

I put in an Autozone Duralast specified for my 2008 MCS last July. Drain tube and all. No issues, no reprogram or anything. More CCA. Shocked by the $160 price tag though. No issues. New to MINIs, I was seeing some really strange things before it went out very suddenly. One thing it did was when the car was started, the radio would not come back on to the Tuner and the station set when the car was last turned off. I thought I had a radio problem until I changed the battery, then voila!

How much is a stock unit from the dealers parts dept.?

I priced a battery from MINI of St.Louis yesterday for our '07 S for $316.13 installed!!!

But how much is it at just their parts dept. and install it yourself. I'm planning on getting one from MINI when mine goes bad and just change it myself.

Just to give a ballpark figure for a dealer price.

Penske Parts lists a couple.

50AH for $154.99

70Ah for $164.99

Listed in Item 61-Electrical System. Diagram #61-2186

http://www.penskeparts.com/DiagramsM...0&rnd=03192010

I got mine installed at the dealers for $250. Pricey, but glad i did because once i drove away from the dealers, my NAV position didnt work (the NAV was showing i was in the atlantic ocean). Somehow, changing the battery messed up the antenna and the dealer had to replace it free of charge.

Autozone, NAPA, O'Reilly's, Batteries Plus, Les Schawb. All offer a "computer look up" replacement battery (H-5, Group 47) that has a smaller width than the one in my MINI.

Of those of you that have replaced with aftermarket batteries: Did you go with smaller Group 47 battery, or the larger (width and CCA) Group 48?

I went with Interstate Mega-tron II MT 47/HS. No worries on fit, computer reset, or excess power. The clamping system on the Mini holds it in place just fine.
0 degrees, 30 seconds cranking, maintaining 7.2 volts. That is Cold Cranking Amps.
75-100 of them is no big deal.

If your car has an IBS, it needs to be re-programmed for ANY battery change --- per the Bentley manual! Just a quick look at the negative terminal will confirm IBS installed --- IBS has a small enclosure attached to the cable at the battery connector. No IBS - no reprogramming required!

Suggest removing your existing battery and check the mounting space available. My '07 MCS Hatchback doesn't have a lot of room to accept an oversize unit. This will also get you familiar with how the OE tiedowns work.

Are IBS on all cars after a certain date? How do you know, other than looking at the negative battery cable?

I can't answer this one. My guess is that it's included with specific optional equipment. It's pretty easy to look at the battery terminal, if no one provides an answer for you.

Thank you oldbrokenwind!

I bought a battery at NAPA and did not reset the IBS. I don't remember the group number, but it was an 'exact fit' with the vent tube, about $120. I talked with my dealer about it, and they said if the car has no symptoms of a low battery, there is little risk in not resetting the IBS. It was explained that the computer may not charge a new battery properly if there were existing electrical problems when the battery was replaced.

Mike

Waited for a dry day. Took off the cowl. Brought my 10mm socket and drove to the battery store.

Group 47 - The computer sizing programs said this was the replacement. It was narrower by almost 2" than my OE. The 600CCA was slightly higher than OE (570CCA).
Group 40 - The same footprint as my OE, but slightly shorter. 650CCA
Group 48 - The exact size fit to my OE battery. 680CCA

All were in the $104-$110 range. All batteries can be vented with OE tube. All batteries have a lip for the OE tiedown. The batteries you find will probably have different CCA#s, but these three batteries sizes will fit in my '07 Cooper S and possibly all R56s.

So, did you go with the group 48?

I put a new battery in my 2007 mcs. Bought it from my Mini dealer for $174.39 and installed it myself.:thumbsup:

One function of the IBS is to depower "non essential" functions as a battery is near death.

Why not just replace it. If things work normally - drive on. If electrical issues crop up have a battery reset done. Just tell em you were stranded and had to replace the batt to get home.

Advice will vary by dealer: for example - a colleague needed a window re-learn to fix an errant auto-up. Our local dealer (Checkered Flag) wanted her car overnight and quoted both a diagnositc charge and a reprogram charge totaling over 300. A dealer one city away talked her through the "fob in, windows down, fob out; fob in windows up, fob out... routine" for free.

I went with the Group 40 battery due to the higher replacement warranty of their stock batteries.

I appreciated the time the sales person spent with me on multiple trips as I decided on the size. I gave him my business. Otherwise I would have searched longer for a high warranty, high CCA Group 48.

Interesting the interstate mtp-47/h5 is 800cca and the mtp-48/h6 is only 770cca. But both way over the oe 570cca. I can get the 47 at the local auto store for $107.

Closing the door yesterday, the computer thought it was still open. Cycled the door a few times and it went off, but was still erratic later. Battery? It's the original. Might as well get a new one.

Sounds like it could be a battery issue.
Buy the one that is the best value.... warranty, price, cca