9 replies to this topic

[brianmini]

Righ obvious question, sure its been asked before.

whats the best battery to fit in the battery box, biggest output versus cost.... looking to only spend about £45 tops, but want as powerful output as possible.

Oh and what sizes should I be looking at? 038 standard mini size? Will an 063 for example fit? Because they can be picked up very cheaply and have a big CCA.

Edited by brianmini, 05 May 2009 - 11:47 PM.

[L400RAS]

Hi brianmini,

Most people agree the "best" battery (that will fit) is the type 075 (from a peugeot 306 Diesel i believe), however this is apparently a lot more expensive than the similar 063. Both fit, and im sure are a lot better than the standard mini battery, price up the 075 in your area ?

HTH
Ryan.

[minipac]

hi brianmini try looking on ebay they start from about £33 + postage. this is one i have found item number 220400469903.
just makes it in under your £45 mark

[andrewstrachan]

I got a Bosch 75 at Costco for about £45 - if you've got one near you (and a membership)

[Wil_h]

I have never used anything other than the standard 38Ah battery and never had a problem (my hillclimber uses an 18Ah and no laternator). Why carry all that extra ballast around when it's not needed.

A bigger battery is useful if you have a big stereo, maybe, but for normal use it had little if no advantage. Cranking is governed by Ohms law, so unless the bigger batery has a much smaller internal resistance (which it dosent) then cranking will remain the same.

The only thing you will be able to do is crank the engine over for longer. But if your car needs lots of cranking to get it started, it's not the battery that is at fault.

Just trying to save you a few quid in the cost of the battery and fuel bills.

[Ouster]

I got an 063 battery from my local motorfactors for around £35.

[blacktulip]

I have never used anything other than the standard 38Ah battery and never had a problem (my hillclimber uses an 18Ah and no laternator). Why carry all that extra ballast around when it's not needed.

A bigger battery is useful if you have a big stereo, maybe, but for normal use it had little if no advantage. Cranking is governed by Ohms law, so unless the bigger batery has a much smaller internal resistance (which it dosent) then cranking will remain the same.

The only thing you will be able to do is crank the engine over for longer. But if your car needs lots of cranking to get it started, it's not the battery that is at fault.

Just trying to save you a few quid in the cost of the battery and fuel bills.

very good advice this

[ccwgtb]

As has been stated above, the standard battery is more than enough to run a Mini unless you have a particularly powerful stereo or the like to run.

However, the cost of car batteries has been rising over the last few years due to the increase in the price of lead. One of the peculiarities of this is that batteries that are used in many different brands and models of car, (such as the 063 which fits conveniently in the Mini's battery box) are now frequently cheaper than smaller but less common batteries such as the standard Mini battery.

I'd recommend checking prices locally before you make a decision. It may turn out to be cheaper to get something like the 063. It certainly was last time I replaced my battery.

[Big_Adam]

I just got the battire that fitted, no really. Went into the shop and the guy just goes "think that will fit?" I said yes. Been good ever since.

[brianmini]

Thanks for all the great info.... but i've just realised, silly me, that i'd bought a replacement battery last year, and stored it away when the MOT expired. The reason my car was struggling was I'd fitted the old battery that had been flattened so many times it was gubbed. Didn't even need to charge the "new" battery, plugged it in and it worked a treat.