Good Replacement Batteries for the e39?

you guys are driving me nuts in this thread!
I'm trying to make a decision on which battery I should get after my INTERSTATE battery died on me a couple of days ago! Oh yeah INTERSTATE i said!
DURALAST or Walmart's MAXX ??

The Duralast battery the AAA tech pulled out of my car was 5 years old. That's a pretty decent service life.

that's it, I'm leaving my house and heading to Autozone and grabbing the Duralast 49-DL for $99

Originally Posted by jado_84

that's it, I'm leaving my house and heading to Autozone and grabbing the Duralast 49-DL for $99

Call Walmart and get a price for Group 49.
Then give the info to Autozone, they will price-match it.
I paid $80 for Duralast 49-DL!

While Consumer Reports never tests the Group 49 battery as it is not very common, I can say from reviewing their report, that the WalMart Maxx batteries appear to have a more consistent test record with CU as far as life and performance....so the nod goes to them, over the Duralast.

My own experience is the East Penn batteries are terrific. Harder to find and more expensive though.

I just purchased a Duralast DL-49 from autozone for 98.99 with a 10% discount and a 12.00 core charge. The battery is great car starts better and idles smoother. It is slightly shorter than the battery i removed which was a black battery with no label. Other than that it fit perfectly. I got offf work went to start the car and got nothing but tick tick tick. Jumped the car off drove to the gas station filled up the car got in and tick tick tick again. My battery was toast I shot to autozone instantly and bought the DL-49 had it three days and im happy.

duralast all the way--never look back--duralast batteries tested better than optimas period enough said

Originally Posted by cdawg246

duralast all the way--never look back--duralast batteries tested better than optimas period enough said

By whom? Consumer Reports tests batteries, and in their most recent test, Duralast was not #1 in any size. They came in #2 in two instances. In all cases, the top spots where AGM batteries when available in that particular size (absorbed glass mat, sold under the Sear Platinum, Optima, and East Penn under the Intimidator lines). When an AGM battery was not available, the best rated conventional battery was most often the Walmart Ever Start Maxx battery.

Duralast is not a terrible battery in general....most were in the upper end of rankings...but in a couple case they were at the bottom. CR does test several examples from various places around the country to hopefully get a fair sampling.

Just pulled out my Interstate Battery from the trunk since it's been DEAD and can't hold a charge, and realized it's only 2 years old! I'm like WHAT!~?!?@!?@?!
I've never seen a battery die that quickly, and what I've noticed is that whoever installed it in the past have not put the draining tube on it :-| could that be a reason of it dying?

I'm about to install my new DURALAST but waiting for my hands to unfreeze since it's 15 degrees outside!
Below is a couple of the old and new battery

The AAA guy that replaced my battery mentioned that Interstate batteries were no longer made in America. Something about Johnson Controls too but I was freezing my tail off and he was babbling on about this and that.

The lack of a vent tube shouldn't cause the battery to do anything weird electrically but it can lead to corrosion inside the battery box if not vented properly.

I just got done installing the new Duaralast; it's about an 1/8 of an inch wider than the interstate battery so it fitted just exactly, I had to run the drain tube along with the top of the battery but as soon as i connected the negative pole my trunk light went on which put a huge smile on my face, I turned on the car for 2 minutes, made sure all electrical are working... Everything seems well beside when I lock the car i lost the beautiful BMW "beep" sound but it still locks normally!
So overall, MISSION ACCOMPLISHED! Let's see how it's gonna run now...

Mine ran a lot better after the transplant. It's wild how much the E39 depends on a fully charged battery to perform properly.

Originally Posted by jado_84

I just got done installing the new Duaralast; it's about an 1/8 of an inch wider than the interstate battery so it fitted just exactly, I had to run the drain tube along with the top of the battery but as soon as i connected the negative pole my trunk light went on which put a huge smile on my face, I turned on the car for 2 minutes, made sure all electrical are working... Everything seems well beside when I lock the car i lost the beautiful BMW "beep" sound but it still locks normally!
So overall, MISSION ACCOMPLISHED! Let's see how it's gonna run now...

Congrats on the Duralast. You will like it.
Keep warranty info in the glovebox (all you need is your cell phone #, this is how Autozone warranty works).
I am on the 3rd year with the Duralast and it starts perfect even when it is -10 deg F and wind blowing 40 mph!

Good choice on the Duralast, I put one in 8 years ago and it's still going strong with only weekend driving.

I'd stay away from Sears Diehard as I had issues with them on another car. 3 Diehards didn't last more than 1 year each on that car. Although that battery was only half the size of the E39s!! But then again, that car was only half the size and had only 1/4 the electronics!

Well, after 6 months and a couple weeks, my "new" Duralast today bit the dust. I concede it didn't have the best of possible worlds in my 528i. I haven't been driving the car that much through the winter, maybe a 2-3 times a week, 15-20 miles at a stretch. But I was watching the voltage with the high-cluster test #9, which consistently reported 13.8 V with the engine running and 12.4 V with it off. I also routinely put the car on my battery tender whenever I let it sit for more than 4-5 days.

Today the key button wouldn't unlock the car and when I manually unlocked the driver's door, the speakers started blaring a wimpy stuttering buzz and the instrument panel had no light at all. Measured the voltage on the battery with my handy digital multimeter: 5.9 V. Dead as a doornail, in my book. Autozone had my purchase on record and told me to just bring it in for a replacement. Did that right away, bolted the new one in and measured a charge of 12.6 V in the car. Sure hope this one lasts but now I'm wondering, maybe I'd better check for possible sources of parasitic drain.

Originally Posted by 540 M-Sport

While Consumer Reports never tests the Group 49 battery as it is not very common, I can say from reviewing their report, that the WalMart Maxx batteries appear to have a more consistent test record with CU as far as life and performance....so the nod goes to them, over the Duralast.

My own experience is the East Penn batteries are terrific. Harder to find and more expensive though.

Originally Posted by pleiades

Well, after 6 months and a couple weeks, my "new" Duralast today bit the dust. I concede it didn't have the best of possible worlds in my 528i. I haven't been driving the car that much through the winter, maybe a 2-3 times a week, 15-20 miles at a stretch. But I was watching the voltage with the high-cluster test #9, which consistently reported 13.8 V with the engine running and 12.4 V with it off. I also routinely put the car on my battery tender whenever I let it sit for more than 4-5 days.

Today the key button wouldn't unlock the car and when I manually unlocked the driver's door, the speakers started blaring a wimpy stuttering buzz and the instrument panel had no light at all. Measured the voltage on the battery with my handy digital multimeter: 5.9 V. Dead as a doornail, in my book. Autozone had my purchase on record and told me to just bring it in for a replacement. Did that right away, bolted the new one in and measured a charge of 12.6 V in the car. Sure hope this one lasts but now I'm wondering, maybe I'd better check for possible sources of parasitic drain.

I concur for East Penn. Deka batteries FTW. Exact fit: 649MF. My car is a DD, and I drive it from temperatures ranging from +30°C to -40°C (sometimes lower). That's +86°F to -40°F. Haven't had surprises so far. A bit more pricey, but you get what you pay for. And I'm to poor to buy cheap. Application guide

I've got a Sears Diehard battery that I've had for years.

So I just performed a load test on my 4.5 year old East Penn conventional type group 49 battery....and the results are over 900 CCA. This is above its rating!

I continue to be impressed with this product. http://www.dekabatteries.com/assets/base/0379.pdf

They also make an AGM or absorbed glass mat version, which has an even longer claimed life.

Originally Posted by chiefwej

Where is Bluebee's chart of every available group 49 battery, complete with all specifications, sources and prices?

There is a decent chart here:
- What battery options do we have (1)

One problem I'm running into is that the Duralast 49-DL, at least on Autozone's web site, says it's not an exact fit for my 2002 525i. The chart above implies the same thing.

May I ask: How badly off is the Duralast 49-DL fit from the stock battery fit or from the Duralast batteries that 'do' apparently fit (i.e., Duralast 94R-DLG, Duralast 95R-DLG, Duralast H8-DLG, etc.)

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Originally Posted by bluebee

One problem I'm running into is that the Duralast 49-DL, at least on Autozone's web site, says it's not an exact fit for my 2002 525i. The chart above implies the same thing.

May I ask: How badly off is the Duralast 49-DL fit from the stock battery fit or from the

Strange as I have had the 49-DL in my 540 since 2003 and it is still going strong. Not sure when they decided it doesn't fit anymore.

While the two clamp downs with the 10mm long bolts on both ends hold the battery down well, there is a 1" gap beneath the cross bar that goes across the middle of the battery (in case of rollover)

Not sure if they are trying to upsell to the duralast gold for $20 more?

In any case, it should fit and many have used the 49-DL over the years. Just not sure why they put it on the "Does not fit" list NOW..

The 49-DL fits virtually the same as the stock BMW battery. Autozone's chart is wrong.

Originally Posted by pleiades

The 49-DL fits virtually the same as the stock BMW battery. Autozone's chart is wrong.

Thanks.

It looks like I'm not the first person to have found that Autozone doesn't show it as a 'direct' replacement, e.g., this E46 2009 forum thread:
- DIY: Battery Replacement (Duralast 49-DL)




Googling further, I found out, (confusingly) I think, 'why' two references (Autozone's web site & the excellent battery list here) say the Duralast 49-DL "doesn't fit".

This Roadfly thread from 2005 says it's the LENGTH that's different:
- Duralast Battery Question

Originally Posted by squenton

as far as fitting properly...there are two positions for the battery hold down...so if the battery isn't quite as long as the BMW OE battery...just use the 2nd alternative position...

While this thread says it's the HEIGHT that's different:
- Duralast 49DL battery install - Advice please



BTW, I wasn't sure if this 2008 list below would work, simply because it's for the M5 (which I don't know whether it's different); but the list has the dimensions of the various batteries:
- Summary of battery replacement options

Unfortunately, for the Duralast 49-DL, he didn't list all the dimensions; but the Autozone site does:

• Battery Height: 190 mm - 7 1/2 inches
• Battery Length: 353 mm - 13 15/16 inches
• Battery Width: 175 mm - 6 15/16 inches

Originally Posted by justin13

Just thought it would be a good idea to summarize the alternatives for replacing your battery. The following is a list of possibilities based on my research over the past 2 days (M5 board and internet) with the criteria being the dimensions of the battery:

BMW replacement: $225+ (through stealer). My indy is selling me one for $205 and they can be found under $200 w/BMW car club discount. Many stealers will charge well above $250 so beware. 850CCA 15-9/16" x 6-15/16" x 7-1/2" 62 lbs.fficeffice" />

Interstate H9-110VW (MTP-H9): $205. Same dimensions as BMW replacement. Just spoke to Interstate today and this battery has just recently become available for public sale (no more VW issues) but most shops and even distributors don't know that. Interstate's customer service had to call my local distributor to advise them of this. 850CCA 15-9/16" x 6-15/16" x 7-1/2" 63.9 lbs.

Batteries Plus Werker 95R-LI: $179. This battery has the same dimensions as the replacement. 850CCA 15-9/16" x 6-15/16" x 7-1/2" 64.5 lbs.

Interstate MTP-93: $125-$150. This battery is slightly smaller than the replacement; about 1" shorter length wise and .50" shorter in height. Requires that improvised spacers are used to ensure exact fit. 850CCA 14-3/8" x 6-7/8" x 7-1/5" 45.7 lbs.

Optima 34R: $135-150. This battery is about 5.5" shorter length wise and about .25" higher. Requires that improvised spacers are used to ensure exact fit. 800CCA 10" x 6-7/8" x 7-13/16" ? lbs.

Odyssey 1700: $296. This battery is about 2.5" shorter length wise and .50" shorter width wise but is same height as replacement. Requires that improvised spacers are used to ensure exact fit. 875CCA 13" x 6-1/2" x 7-1/2" 60.9 lbs.

Duralast 49-DL: $85-97. 850 CCA approx dimensions: 13-7/8" x ? x 7" 46 lbs.

Duralast 95R-DLG: $??? According to the web site this is not available, but it was at some time. Might still be available in stores. 850CCA 15-9/16" x 6-15/16" x 7-1/2" 63.9 lbs.

Exide Premium 49-60: $90 This battery is about 1.5" shorter than the replacement. Requires that improvised spacers are used to ensure exact fit. 850CCA 14" x 6-7/8" x 7-7/16" ? lbs.

Sears Die Hard 49: $130. This battery is slightly smaller than the replacement; 1.25" shorter length wise and .50" shorter in height. Requires that improvised spacers are used to ensure exact fit. 805CCA 14-5/16" x 6/7/8" x 6-7/8" 52 lbs.

Consequently, the only models that match the size specs of the BMW replacement are the Interstate H9-110VW (MTP-H9) and the Batteries Plus Werker 95R-LI.


There are other batteries out there that will work, but these are the ones most often discussed and appear to be the closest in size and specification to the OEM battery. With all the battery talk of late I thought this might help those in the market (or soon to be) for a new battery.

BTW, the Exide web site shows four outside-vented batteries which purport to fit my E39:

• Exide Classic 49-60 (850 CCA)
• Exide Classic 94R-60 (730 CCA)
• Exide Global Extreme L4/94R-E108 (790 CCA)
• Exide Global Extreme L5/49-E108 (900 CCA)

Duralast Autozone watch coupons!

Originally Posted by dalekressin

Duralast Autozone watch coupons!

Current price of the Autozone Duralast 49-DL out here is:

• $105 + $8.66 tax ~= $114 (+$12 core refunded on return of old battery)

I googled for Autozone coupons, and, well, it found tons, but, clicking on a few, they seem to have a catch.

Where do 'you' get the coupons when you need 'em (like now)?

Wow Bluebee...that was some really good detective work...you found my old 2005 RoadFly post. As far as if the 49 class size battery fits in a BMW...I've used a Duralast 49 D or DL in my 91 735iL, 95 525iT, 97 740iL, & 99 540iT...and never had one issue or problem with fitment or problems with power.

FYI: Batteries Plus no longer sells the "Werker" name brand...they now sell the RAYOVAC brand name. So if you're looking for a replacement battery at Batteries Plus...you'll be looking for a Rayovac 49/H8 or 95/H9 battery.

As far as replacement batteries go...I would just sum it up by suggesting to look for any 49/H8 or 95/H9 battery class size that fits your use/finances/location. These are the batteries that generally have the specs and approx width/height to power our cars...as well as having the proper venting ability (either from the top center or from the side like the oe battery).

There are basically 2 battery manufactures in the USA that makes all the battery brands (EXIDE & Johnson Controls)...just take note of the battery specs:

• RC - reserve capacity
• AH - amp hour
• CA - cranking amps
• CCA - cold cranking amps

As it has been stated many times before...there are multiple location in the battery tray to secure the battery depending on its length...and it is the battery clamp down thingy that secures the battery...not the brace that goes across the top of the battery. In fact, I believe there is a "cover" that goes across the top of the battery that the "brace" (that some seem so concerened about) supports.

This is a Duralast 49 DL that I installed in my 99 540iT in Jan/2010. Just as everyone else has done...it was secured using the battery clamp down in the middle hole...and the battery is secure & doesn't move fore/aft or up/down...and yes, the brace across the top doesn't touch the battery at all and doesn't really need to because the hold down clamp does its job fine.

(you can see the small sponge/foam "squares" that are on the underside of the brace in the pic below...they touch the battery but offer no support of any kind)