OEM Battery - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

hqduong · 03-23-2011, 08:34 AM

It's been 2 years since I been back on this Forum! Hope everyone is well, I been having too much fun driving my Boxster.

So I am in need of replacing my OEM Moll battery since I left it drain for 2 months during the winter months. I have a 987 2008, anyone know what is a good fit without having to buy a kit to hold it in place, I avoid drilling the car when I can.

I like the OEM fit, but I hate the battery.

I know this discussion has been brought up multiple times but I want to see the latest news.

jmatta · 03-23-2011, 10:08 AM

You'll find many recommendations on batteries, but the best recommendation I can offer is to purchase a battery maintainer. The modern Porsches draw quite a bit of power while sitting; if you don't keep it on a maintainer, you will forever be buying new batteries.

Gilles · 03-23-2011, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hqduong

" I left it drain for 2 months during the winter months"

" I left it drain for 2 months during the winter months" ... in San Jose???

LOL... I am sorry couldn't resist

AndyA6 · 03-23-2011, 11:53 AM

1. Take current battery out
2. Go to Autozone
3. Get replacement
4. Profit???

Norminhouston · 03-23-2011, 12:50 PM

The Autozone battery is a perfect fit.

gregdacat · 03-23-2011, 01:28 PM

+ 1 on Autozone

That is where I got mine. Don't forget those little felt thingys that help keep the cables from corroding.

d18mike · 03-25-2011, 05:31 AM

Another thumbs up for AutoZone -- I believe their batteries are made by Johnson Control.

One quick tip -- most of the batteries have a date sticker on them. The oldest batteries are typically stocked on the front of the shelf. Check out the ones in the back. I found a 9- month difference between the one that most easy for me to pick up, and the one that I bought. Probably not a huge issue, but less time on the store shelf the better.

PhilNotHill · 03-25-2011, 08:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmatta

You'll find many recommendations on batteries, but the best recommendation I can offer is to purchase a battery maintainer. The modern Porsches draw quite a bit of power while sitting; if you don't keep it on a maintainer, you will forever be buying new batteries.

When I took delivery I got a Porsche battery charger that plugs into the cigarette lighter. Costs ~$60 and works great. Has a nice long cord which is thin enough to fit under the door so you can keep the car locked. Salesman said Porsche will replace your battery for free if it fails using their charger.

Global warming must be getting bad if you can't drive your Pcar for two months in San Jose (Calif I assume).

Spinnaker · 03-25-2011, 03:16 PM

I bought a DieHard about a year ago. The price for the Duralast was about the same, but the closest Autozone was about 7 miles and the Sears was only about 1½ miles away.
Being lazy, I went for the Diehard. The last one I bought for the van lasted for 9 years, so I have had good luck with them. Perfect fit and came with the vent tube also. The DieHard is even a bit smaller in size than the OEM Moll, so it saves some weight.
Got a cheap maintainer at Harbor Freight and wired on a cigarette lighter plug so I don't have to clip it onto the battery terminals. If you catch it on sale, they are only about $5. I know they probably aren't the highest quality maintainer out there, but what the heck, I can buy 10 of them and still be money ahead compared to the cost of a Battery Tender or the Porsche version. The longest I have gone without driving it was 1½ months, so far no issues.

Quickurt · 03-25-2011, 04:19 PM

Just bought a Discount AUto replacement for the 987. Perfect fit, 60 month warranty and 36 month free replacement. $165.00 out the door (installed free to boot).
The charger/maintainer is a good idea if you're gonna let it sit, but I'm in Florida, so it gets driven at least every other weekend.
Five years (April 26) isn't bad for any OEM battery.

Quickurt · 03-25-2011, 04:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spinnaker

Got a cheap maintainer at Harbor Freight and wired on a cigarette lighter plug so I don't have to clip it onto the battery terminals. If you catch it on sale, they are only about $5. I know they probably aren't the highest quality maintainer out there, but what the heck, I can buy 10 of them and still be money ahead compared to the cost of a Battery Tender or the Porsche version. The longest I have gone without driving it was 1½ months, so far no issues.

What does it cost if it boils all the acid out, all over the inside of your frunk?
What kind of damage to your car/battery guarantee comes with it?
Reckon your plug modification voided any warranty it may have had?

I used to filter my $7.00 a quart gear lube through cheese cloth, back into my Hewland race gearbox. $8500.00 later, I figured I hadn't really saved that much.

Not tryin to be a smart-ass, just hope you learn from my stupidity!

Spinnaker · 03-25-2011, 10:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quickurt

What does it cost if it boils all the acid out, all over the inside of your frunk?
What kind of damage to your car/battery guarantee comes with it?
Reckon your plug modification voided any warranty it may have had?

Not tryin to be a smart-ass, just hope you learn from my stupidity!

Dear Kurt,

Life is full of risks, and we all take our chances. It has an auto output feature, so it won't overcharge. I figure the worst that can happen is that the maintainer will quit working, and it doesn't have enough output to boil off the acid. Unlike some, I regularly check the water level, so I don't worry about exposed plates happening. If I were independantly wealthy, I would buy the Battery Tender. But since I am still waiting to be stimulated, like the economy, I figure any maintainer is better than nothing at all.
I know that most of the stuff from Harbor "Fright" is of questionable quality, but some of it does work and if it does quit working, all I'm out is $5. I'm willing to take my chances. I have two more of them on Optima yellow top batteries for the sailboat, that have been on them for over two years. Still working with no problems. If I had to buy that many Battery Tenders, I wouldn't have anything at all and would put the batteries at risk from sitting around in a discharged state. If you got the money, by all means, get the best. But some of us have to settle for what we can afford.
I know what you are thinking, if I can afford a sailboat, why can't I afford to buy three battery maintainers. Well, a 51 year old, 26ft boat that we paid $750 for 11 years ago, is far from a yacht.
BTW, you spelled it wrong, it is "Smart A$$", and have a nice drive to Texas.