OEM batter w/installation=$405?

[drvai]

My battery won't last much longer. The dealer quoted be an installer batter for 405... Is there a way of getting it cheaper? Does the car need any programing after exchanging it? 40% is labor

[shendrick]

I would guess that the battery itself is $300. Labor + Coding = the rest. Not much you can do.

[bimdo]

a new battery does need to be "registered" so the charging rate will be appropriate for it.here is a good explanation:

http://www.m3post.com/forums/showpos...7&postcount=12

[von_zoom]

Your car not in warranty? Every BMW I have owned has had a new battery installed prior to warranty going away. But, yep, they are expensive.
Just wondering.
vz

[tibra1]

This is why I say that every BMW owner should have a BT Tool...with that you can register the battery yourself..on my 335 replaced and registered my battery....just paid for the battery cost ...$220

[DARK_M3]

How do you know the battery needs replacing (other than the obvious)? My warranty is up in November and if it's that expensive I want to make sure I get it replaced before then under warranty!

[ES_TRADER]

Originally Posted by tibra1

This is why I say that every BMW owner should have a BT Tool...with that you can register the battery yourself..on my 335 replaced and registered my battery....just paid for the battery cost ...$220

Aren't those Like 700 bucks?

[tibra1]

Originally Posted by estrader

Aren't those Like 700 bucks?

Thats the professional version (unlimited VINs and coding)..The enthusiast version does everything except coding (3 VINS) ..costs $290...Bought mine used off e90post for $150

It has paid for itself a dozen times with my 335i and now my m3.

[ES_TRADER]

Originally Posted by tibra1

Thats the professional version (unlimited VINs and coding)..The enthusiast version does everything except coding (3 VINS) ..costs $290...Bought mine used off e90post for $150

It has paid for itself a dozen times with my 335i and now my m3.

What if I want to use it on more than 3 Vins? Is there a way to delete one vin and replace it with another? And then re-load the previous vin that was deleted?

I definitely need this but 700 is not worth it because it would be sitting there I'm storage most of the time

[tibra1]

Originally Posted by estrader

What if I want to use it on more than 3 Vins? Is there a way to delete one vin and replace it with another? And then re-load the previous vin that was deleted?

I dont believe so.

[McconnellSilva]

I have owned has had a new battery installed prior to warranty going away.

[rdollie]

What the??! I've only had my car about 9 months so I'm still learning a couple of things and this is the first I've heard of this. Someone please explain to me what BMW has done that requires you to 'register' the battery when all you're doing is a simple swap?!?

No dipstick, can't change your own battery, oil you can only find at the dealer...what's the opposite of DIY? Seems this car is engineered to maximize the chance that any simple item needs to be addressed by the dealer. I understand it's a complex product but the basics should be something the mechanically inclined can address if desired.

[spyderco10]

Originally Posted by tibra1

Thats the professional version (unlimited VINs and coding)..The enthusiast version does everything except coding (3 VINS) ..costs $290...Bought mine used off e90post for $150

It has paid for itself a dozen times with my 335i and now my m3.

between your 335i and m3, you changed your batteries 12 times?

[Mbauer]

Originally Posted by rdollie

What the??! I've only had my car about 9 months so I'm still learning a couple of things and this is the first I've heard of this. Someone please explain to me what BMW has done that requires you to 'register' the battery when all you're doing is a simple swap?!?

No dipstick, can't change your own battery, oil you can only find at the dealer...what's the opposite of DIY? Seems this car is engineered to maximize the chance that any simple item needs to be addressed by the dealer. I understand it's a complex product but the basics should be something the mechanically inclined can address if desired.

There's a sensor on the battery terminal that monitors battery health, current draw ect. As the battery ages the dme changes the charging strategy to get the most life out of it. If you have the white battery it's a standard battery 2008-2009ish. If you have a black one it's a AGM which is a gel type which handles vibration and has a longer service life. When changing from white battery to black the car has to be "retrofitted" which is a change in programming which is usually additional labor. Yes BMW over engineers everything.... Get used to it. BTW.... If you killed your battery by leaving your lights on ect.... They can tell you when you did it and for how long.

[Ti-Jean]

Originally Posted by drvai

My battery won't last much longer. The dealer quoted be an installer batter for 405... Is there a way of getting it cheaper? Does the car need any programing after exchanging it? 40% is labor

I went through the same trouble recently. My battery was running out and the dealer wanted ~$400 to replace. I ended up not going to a dealership but still bought a BMW OEM battery. I didn't buy the exact replacement and went with a smaller and lighter battery from a different BMW model. I live in California and don't need all that "cranking" power to start the car in cold winter days. I had to pay to "register" the new battery but they also did a bunch of additional coding as part of that. This was done at a local performance shop.

At the end of the day, I didn't save that much (maybe $100). If you're interested in some coding, find a reputable shop in your area that offer coding and have them do the "registration" with the coding. Some also offer remote coding. You could install the battery yourself and use the remote coding to "register" it. Most likely, you still won't save that much over what you're currently being quoted. You simply get more for your money.

[tibra1]

Originally Posted by spyderco10

between your 335i and m3, you changed your batteries 12 times?

Why dont you read up on what the tool does before making stupid comments

You can reset CBS, troubleshoot and clear codes, register batteries, ecu management and data log..lamda sensor adaptaions, tmps sensor fault..etc etc

[bimdo]

Originally Posted by rdollie

What the??! I've only had my car about 9 months so I'm still learning a couple of things and this is the first I've heard of this. Someone please explain to me what BMW has done that requires you to 'register' the battery when all you're doing is a simple swap?!?

No dipstick, can't change your own battery, oil you can only find at the dealer...what's the opposite of DIY? Seems this car is engineered to maximize the chance that any simple item needs to be addressed by the dealer. I understand it's a complex product but the basics should be something the mechanically inclined can address if desired.

i look at it as a pay to play thing.i'm new to the car also,and knew going in that it was going to be expensive.some things still came as a wallet-draining surprise,like the amount of gas it uses (heavy foot at times of course having nothing to do with that ).

so,it's a lot more expensive than the old integra it replaced for a dd,but every time i drive this thing i have a smile on my face,even if it's just to the store.when i take it on some back roads,a much bigger smile. that's worth a lot.

[DARK_M3]

Originally Posted by Mbauer

There's a sensor on the battery terminal that monitors battery health, current draw ect. As the battery ages the dme changes the charging strategy to get the most life out of it. If you have the white battery it's a standard battery 2008-2009ish. If you have a black one it's a AGM which is a gel type which handles vibration and has a longer service life. When changing from white battery to black the car has to be "retrofitted" which is a change in programming which is usually additional labor. Yes BMW over engineers everything.... Get used to it. BTW.... If you killed your battery by leaving your lights on ect.... They can tell you when you did it and for how long.

How does that happen? Even in manual mode, they shut off when the car is turned off.

[rdollie]

Excellent, thanks for the explanation. So if I were to source my own battery of the same type already in the car (e.g., the black AGM or white standard) would coding be needed or would I simply be able to swap it out?

Not an issue yet but I like to know these things in advance. I'm going to have to check on the sensor package on the battery terminal later today.

Originally Posted by Mbauer

There's a sensor on the battery terminal that monitors battery health, current draw ect. As the battery ages the dme changes the charging strategy to get the most life out of it. If you have the white battery it's a standard battery 2008-2009ish. If you have a black one it's a AGM which is a gel type which handles vibration and has a longer service life. When changing from white battery to black the car has to be "retrofitted" which is a change in programming which is usually additional labor. Yes BMW over engineers everything.... Get used to it. BTW.... If you killed your battery by leaving your lights on ect.... They can tell you when you did it and for how long.

[ES_TRADER]

Originally Posted by von_zoom

Your car not in warranty? Every BMW I have owned has had a new battery installed prior to warranty going away. But, yep, they are expensive.
Just wondering.
vz

Is this in writing that they would do this prior to warranty ending? as part of our so called "free maintenance?"

What if I go in and they tell me the battery is still good? is the replacement pending inspection or just changed regardless of remaining battery life?

[positiveions]

i wish there are some forum sponsors that can sell aftermarket batteries and program them too.

[drvai]

Thanks to all for the answers.

My battery is giving low voltages and the low battery alert went off a couple of times during the winter.

The dealer says I dont drive the car enough and that I "use the car with the engine off too much", meaning opening and closing doors and trunk with the engine off, or even having the car off but with the key around.... like when I wash the car (every week).

I tried to get a new one under warranty, but they refused.