I have a 1997 BMW 328i Convertible which I adore. The original battery finally died on me recently and I’m having a really difficult time finding a replacement battery besides the OEM battery sold at the dealership for over $300.
There has got to be another manufacturer out there that makes a compatible battery for a more reasonable price. After two weeks of searching the Internet and visiting auto part stores I’ve yet to find one.
Does this animal exist or am I going to be stuck buying an overpriced battery from the dealer?
You may have to modify the battery tray or use some wood or plastic shims to get a proper fit, or extend one of the cables, but it’s just a matter of Length, width and height…Try google “Automotive battery dimensions” and you should be able to find a size chart by battery number…
Here is one…
You might want to try a specialized BMW Forum. I am quite sure they have come across this issue, and might have better sugestions than we do. GOOGLE is your friend. Good luck.
Spiderbyte:
When replacing battery for 97 bmw 328i
There is a procedure to it. You have to reset the battery in the ecu with a diagnostic tool.
Or use the steps without a diagnostic, here is the link.
After 12 years I would think that Spider has several new batteries.
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Thank you BoutMyWap. Welcome to the forum.
The date field on older threads does confuse many. It’s not obvious that May '10 doesn’t mean May 10th, but rather it means May 2010. If you misread it, you’re in good company.
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To be fair, the OEM battery apparently lasted for 13 years. So maybe the car is seldom driven, and the owner uses a trickle charger, so the first replacement is still working.
Because there in a convertible there expensive because there “vibration resistant “ yours may even have the small shocks on the battery tray. Most modern gel batteries will be fine. You must admit it’s a good idea if it’s lasted that long!