[MarcoZandrini]

I just used BimmerLink to check my battery in 2018 M240i. It said the charge is at 68%. I drove the car about 25 miles (mainly interstate). The battery is original. The car starts without hesitation regardless of the temperature.

Should I just replace it?

Thanks!
Marco

[John in VA]

If you're not having trouble starting in this single-digit weather & no weird electrical issues/codes you could consider waiting. Batteries are only going up in price! You can register the new one with BimmerLink so no need to pay a shop for that service.

BTW - where are you in VA?

[MarcoZandrini]

John, I ordered an odyssey battery from FCP Euro. I’ll install and register it next week. I’ll take the old battery to the county hazardous waste disposal facility on Saturday.

[nazali]

The 2 main reasons to change a battery is 1> Age 2> SOH

1> if battery is +5 (years) consider +6 seriously consider +7 change it

2> BUT only combined if the SOH (state of health of the battery) is less =< 55-60%

You can test the SOH, by 2 reliable methods, using ISTA, in the battery health section, or buying a SOLAR BA9 for about 50 bucks and testing.

The BA9 does a comprehensive battery test, anything else and your just peeing in the wind, dont bother with digital volt meters, 4 leaf clovers or a wet middle finger.

Its a science , it works 110%

Originally Posted by MarcoZandrini

I just used BimmerLink to check my battery in 2018 M240i. It said the charge is at 68%. I drove the car about 25 miles (mainly interstate). The battery is original. The car starts without hesitation regardless of the temperature.

Should I just replace it?

Thanks!
Marco

[nazali]

ok missed you last post

BEFORE YOU PUT IT IN, put it on trickle charge overnight

[MarcoZandrini]

Originally Posted by nazali

ok missed you last post

BEFORE YOU PUT IT IN, put it on trickle charge overnight

I installed it today and bimmercode said the charge was 98%.

[bensanford]

Originally Posted by MarcoZandrini

I just used BimmerLink to check my battery in 2018 M240i. The battery is original. The car starts without hesitation regardless of the temperature.

Should I just replace it?

Thanks!
Marco

I'm asking myself the same question - and also wonder if I should install the same size: Group 49 - DIN H8 that was original in my '18 230i. Odyssey shows this size as out of stock. My wife's '21 330ix came the smaller Group 47 - DIN H5 battery.

[dradernh]

Originally Posted by nazali

The 2 main reasons to change a battery is 1> Age 2> SOH

1> if battery is +5 (years) consider +6 seriously consider +7 change it

2> BUT only combined if the SOH (state of health of the battery) is less =< 55-60%

You can test the SOH, by 2 reliable methods, using ISTA, in the battery health section, or buying a SOLAR BA9 for about 50 bucks and testing.

The BA9 does a comprehensive battery test, anything else and your just peeing in the wind, dont bother with digital volt meters, 4 leaf clovers or a wet middle finger.

Its a science , it works 110%

I used a CTEK 56-925 to test my battery in 11-23 and wasn't hugely impressed with how it communicated its evaluation of the battery's condition to me after 23K, 68 months of service, and a life spent almost exclusively in a temp/humidity controlled garage on the BMW-branded CTEK battery maintainer.

I don't recall the tester's canned characterization of the battery's condition ("Replace" (?)), but since the car was still operating normally and living at home, I decided to wait until it went in for its annual service the following June.

That summer at the dealer, I was presented with a readout telling me that the battery was at 66% and was certain to make it through the coming winter. Not wanting to be bothered with having to pay any further attention to it for years to come, I had it replaced at the unsurprising all-in price of $517.52.

[freakystyly]

I just replaced mine on my 2017 last weekend. Mine's a DD that sits outside 24/7, so opposite of yours.

It always started fine, maybe a bit slow in the winter minus 10-20C days but would constantly shut off prematurely seconds after turning off the motor (and throw a warning message). Trickle charging overnight during the weekends just prolonged its life but I figured it's had a full life and time to send it out to the farm.

Picked a new one up for a very cheap price. We shall see how it goes.