Replacement Battery question

[Hartge 635]

What's a suitable replacement battery for the e38? I had my car in the car of someone else and it came back with an Interstate batt. I had the white BMW batt before. TIA guys!

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[thrawn5499]

I have a size 95/h9 from Walmart in my 1996. Brand new only a month old now. The last one was the same but failed in the 3 year warranty time so they replaced it free. I had one from autozone before that it it did not last. I have one of these in my 2001 http://m.advanceautoparts.com/p/auto...r-h9/2130016-P. Also new they put it in the day I test drove the car. I had to wait while they put it in, so I know it is new most battery's are made by just 2 or 3 companies I believe and just have different labels on them. A few might be better then others but most are about the same from what I have read and experienced.


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[PiotrC70]

The group size for the battery is a 95R/H9. You can take your pick from the many that are out there. I'd recommend Costco/Sam's first, then go from there. People on here have used Autocraft as well but I have no experience with these. The one in my BMW from when I purchased it 3 years ago is a Duralast 49-DL.

[thrawn5499]

Btw my original stock battery lasted for about 14 years. Wish the replacements would too


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[mooll]

heard good things about the walmart brand ones- but thats mainly cause their warranty is so great. BMW OEM white replacement only if you beat the piss out of your batteries like me. i've found other brands can't handle the beating i give them ha and have to be warrantied over and over.
BTW cheap batteries like the autozone ones are mass manufactured and re branded store to store. so say u buy an auto zone battery, it's gonna probably be identical to the advanced auto one.

[setconstr]

Interstate has a 5 year warranty

[Sabreslight]

I have a duralast gold in my 98 and its holding pretty good considering the beating I've given it

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[MN2K740i]

I have a Duracell in my 39, that battery is a trooper. Car sat for over a month untouched sub zero temps, walked out one day and figured it would be dead, jumped in, hit the key, cranked over like I just parked it the night before.

I'm my E38, I have an Exide battery in that. I'm happy with it so far......now that I don't leave my MK2 plugged in....

[ConvGeorge]

If you're looking for cheap, you can get a coupon code for Advance Auto that will chop $50 off the price.

[toomann]

I have a duralast gold in my 98 and its holding pretty good considering the beating I've given it

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I have the same in my 98. 2yrs in with no problems.

[Qsilver7]

Look for (as mentioned above) a 95R/H9 battery class size...or a 49/H8 battery class size. There's only a few big automotive battery manufacturers in the USA that make most of the brands...they just come in different color cases and labels...but most will have the same specs. The differences between the big 3 are only minor...again, the specs (when comparing battery class size) will only vary slightly...one may have a higher CCA, but the RC may be lower...or one may have a larger AH but lower CA.

Determine how much you're willing to spend and how much warranty you want...or the possible conveniece of the warranty being honored when you're not at home and don't have access to your purchase/receipt info. Many of the larger chains like AutoZone/Walmart etc have a computerized database that will contain your purchase info etc...so if the battery dies and you're out of town...but you see a local AZ or Walmart...then you still have access to your purchase info.

You can see in the chart below what the 4 major battery specs are for batteries manufactured by East Penn (Reserve Capacity/Cranking Amps/Cold Cranking Amps/Amp Hour). Again, if shopping for a replacement battery...look for the H8 or H9 battery class size, then compare specs, warranty, prices, convenience etc and make an informed decision.

Also...even if you go with an AGM battery...you still need to vent it...so don't toss your little black connecting elbow away and gray vent tube!!!!



I have been using Autozone's Duralast 49D & 49 DL batteries in the past...but the last battery I got for the 7 back in 2015...AZ had changed the nomenclature to the H8 DLG:

]

But I also purchased a Duracell H8 for my e53 around the same time...but from Sam's Club.

[ibumpers]

Look for (as mentioned above) a 95R/H9 battery class size...or a 49/H8 battery class size. There's only a few big automotive battery manufacturers in the USA that make most of the brands...they just come in different color cases and labels...but most will have the same specs. The differences between the big 3 are only minor...again, the specs (when comparing battery class size) will only vary slightly...one may have a higher CCA, but the RC may be lower...or one may have a larger AH but lower CA.

Determine how much you're willing to spend and how much warranty you want...or the possible conveniece of the warranty being honored when you're not at home and don't have access to your purchase/receipt info. Many of the larger chains like AutoZone/Walmart etc have a computerized database that will contain your purchase info etc...so if the battery dies and you're out of town...but you see a local AZ or Walmart...then you still have access to your purchase info.

You can see in the chart below what the 4 major battery specs are for batteries manufactured by East Penn (Reserve Capacity/Cranking Amps/Cold Cranking Amps/Amp Hour). Again, if shopping for a replacement battery...look for the H8 or H9 battery class size, then compare specs, warranty, prices, convenience etc and make an informed decision.

Also...even if you go with an AGM battery...you still need to vent it...so don't toss your little black connecting elbow away and gray vent tube!!!!

I have been using Autozone's Duralast 49D & 49 DL batteries in the past...but the last battery I got for the 7 back in 2015...AZ had changed the nomenclature to the H8 DLG:

]



But I also purchased a Duracell H8 for my e53 around the same time...but from Sam's Club.

I was about to get the Duralast H8 but on the autozone site it says it doesn't fit

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[Qsilver7]

I was about to get the Duralast H8 but on the autozone site it says it doesn't fit

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Despite what they say on their site...it will. They want to sell you the more expensive 95R/H9. As mentioned in the other post...you may need to tell them the battery is for the e39 540i (same engine, same power needs).

You can see the Duralast H8 DLG that I purchased and installed in March 2015...its running and working with no problem:

[ibumpers]

Despite what they say on their site...it will. They want to sell you the more expensive 95R/H9. As mentioned in the other post...you may need to tell them the battery is for the e39 540i (same engine, same power needs).

You can see the Duralast H8 DLG that I purchased and installed in March 2015...its running and working with no problem:

I bought a used H8 DLG $65, took it to autozone to check it, it was at 50% with 12.3 volts I think I did good

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[Thresher]

For those that have switched from a Group 49/H8 battery to a Group 95R/H9 battery, has there been a sense of "it was worth the cost"? There are dozens of threads on battery. I've been reading through many of those, and QSilver7's comments have been very helpful (thank you!).

My PDF copy of the owner's manual has the following specifications for the battery:

BMW 740i/L: 12 V, 110 Ah
BMW 750i/L: 12 V, 55 Ah and 12 V 110 Ah

Nothing mentioned about CCA, which I believe is partly responsible for so much confusion; plus not every brand available lists the Ah so shopping is confusing. From Q's post, the 95R non-AGM battery offers 110 Ah, which aligns with the BMW manual. For that battery, the listed CCA is 850. It seems then if BMW says the car wants/needs 110 Ah, then the appropriate CCA would be 850 (absent any BMW technical literature to the contrary).

My car has an EverStart Maxx-H8, 900 CCA battery (non-AGM) The Ah is not known, but based on the East Penn chart, I might be able to assume it is 100 Ah (or reasonably close to that..). This battery's specifications isn't neatly lined up with the inferred specification of 850 CCA and 110 Ah; but it functions. But I also have to put the battery on a trickle charger every 7-10 days because my daily commute doesn't charge the battery enough. I'm unclear if the Ah rating of a battery is as important as the CCA (probably not?)

Replacement of my current battery at Walmart with the same type/brand is about $130 + tax (36 month warranty); switching to a H8 AGM style battery (EverStart Platinum AGM H8 900 CCA ?Ah, 48 month warranty), the cost is $170 + tax; switching to a group 95R/H9 battery (Duracell SLI95RAGM, 950 CCA, 105Ah, 48 month warranty) is bit steeper at $280 + tax. There are of course numerous other H9 options at lower cost, but with lesser warranties, but the 48 month warranties I found for these stood out to me.

I can afford the price difference for the H9 battery; I'm just looking at this from a return on investment perspective, wondering if it is even there. Part of me also wonders if the ability for the E38 to accept a Group 49/H8 battery stems from the earlier E38 models; i.e., 725tds, 728i, 730i/L, etc... which may have had less demands on power consumption? I don't know; maybe the 95R/H9 battery size is meant for my 740iL and I'm simply not using the right battery and should switch to the H9 (flooded style or AGM...).

[Interloper]

A Duralast Gold 49/H8 was in the Mistress when I bought her, and had a marking of "12/15" -- 5 years old at that point, I'm guessing. Worked well enough when I drove back from Nashville. Within two weeks, though, I replaced it with an Autocraft Platinum 95/H9 AGM (950cca, 105 Ah) from Advance Auto, just because I figured that was the "proper" battery and the other one was 5 years old. A new battery would help me baseline the car. I had the $50 off coupon, so I was out the door at $184 and it has a 3-yr warranty. It seems fine, but I keep it on a NOCO trickle charger if I'm not going to be driving it for a while. I'm not sure my limited anecdote helps you decide, since not enough time has passed.

[RobZR]

I have used group 95/H9 and 49R/H8 batteries in our e38 without issue except for one. On those cold days when it's -20F and the wife and kids jump into a cold car, then proceed to turn on all 4 seat heaters and blower full blast, with a 5min drive to school, the 49R/H8 would be left struggling to start the car by the end of the week. The 95/H9 would be good for a couple of extra days into the weekend when we would take it for a longer drive to fully charge the battery.
In a pinch I have used the 94R/H7 battery from my roadster, and it had no issues starting the car. Just didn't have a hole for the hold down bracket.
I settled on the 49r/H8 because it was common with my E34's

[Thresher]

On those cold days when it's -20F and the wife and kids jump into a cold car, then proceed to turn on all 4 seat heaters and blower full blast, with a 5min drive to school, the 49R/H8 would be left struggling to start the car by the end of the week. The 95/H9 would be good for a couple of extra days into the weekend when we would take it for a longer drive to fully charge the battery.

Thanks, this helps! I think my plan will be to switch to an H9 battery; but to do so when I find one I want that is on sale. My current battery still has some life left in it, but better to start planning for the replacement now...