Replacing Battery in '03 Boxster
 

I had to jump start my Boxster the other day on a real cold morning (25 F)after not driving it about a week. Restarted yesterday morning OK, so battery is probably up to full charge again after driving it.

The question is whether I should just go ahead and replace the battery after 3.5 years and 37K miles. I don't drive much--maybe 5-6K miles a year. Clearly, I can't leave the car unused for a week in the winter without attaching a trickle charger.
It wasn't a problem in the summer.

Porsche offers the same battery for $200 plus install. Not maintenence-free!
Autozone has a maintenance-free replacement for $97. ($85 with the old battery)
It's a Duralast 48DL, 700 CCA.

I'm thinking of getting the Duralast and asking my Porsche dealer to install it--since I don't want to bother resetting all the electronics myself.

Does it make sense to replace the battery at this point? I have a trickle charger,
which might suffice for the winter. I just bought a jump starter so I don't get stuck anywhere.

Is resetting the electronics a hassle? I know you need the radio code (it's somewhere in my papers.) What about the on-board computer and windows, etc?
Seems like a job for the dealer.

This is a Porsche-certified car, bought used 8 months ago and still under 2 year warranty. I doubt I can get them to replace the battery ( the warranty says
batteries not replaceable if not maintained properly--whatever that means.)

Your battery is a goner. I would repace it.

Kragen has one for about $65. Costco for $55.

Do it yourself, it is easy.

Good luck.

PS-the original OEM battery is crap and overpriced. Box batteries in general don't due well when sitting, ie in low mileage car.

:)

PPS-You will need the battery code to reset radio (PITA). The rest of the electrics will reset themselves.

Rich,

Are you sure the windows, door locks and on-board computer reset themselves?
I've heard you have to keep some juice on the system from an external source when changing the battery. The radio code is a trivial item.

I just came back from a trip out, and is starting OK for the 2nd day. Temp in the 40s today. I tend to drive less in the winter, and that has been a problem the last 10 days or so. The consensus seems to be, however, that a new battery is needed.

The battery on '03 died last winter. In fact it went completely dead a couple of times and I just recharged it it. None of the electronics needed resetting. Even after disconnecting the negative while working on it this year my electronics and radio were fine.

I would suggest that you replace the battery yourself as Rich suggested. Go with one of the cheaper ones as said previosly

I just replaced the battery in my 03 last week.

Interstate has a battery that's identical to the OEM battery, but it's close to the price of the OEM battery. I have a motorcycle shop, so we can get Interstate batteries wholesale, however, it was still much more expensive than the batteries you can get at Autozone, Kragen etc. I liked the idea of something that was an exact fit though, so I went with the Interstate battery.

On the 2003 you don't need any codes, just to re-set your window stop points, the clock, oh and the trip meter will re-set itelf to zero.

http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=2950&st=80&start=80

If you are going to go with the AutoZone 48 then you can buy it for less at Costco or Walmart.

I have the Duralast and it fit and works fine. Hook a battery charger ( on trickle) to the cables before removing the battery and you will not have to reset anything. If you do not have one, they are cheaper than a Porsche install.

Search the forum. We all posted the batteries we used and their prices on one post (might be the one Tool Pants linked to). For about $5 you can get a thing that plugs into the cig lighter on one end and a 9v battery on the other. Plug this thing in and it keeps all the settings alive while the battery is disconnected. It takes about 5 minutes to replace the battery yourself.

My stereo isn't stock so I can't confirm that the cig lighter thing saves the stereo code, but I expect that it does.

Your battery needs to be replaced. Best to do it now and know you have a good battery for the next few years.

Yeah. The Duralast is the right dimensions to fit and it is maintenance-free.
It is also the right price $97. less $12 for the old battery. I have a trickle charger to do the job. I may not have the wrench to get into the well where the bracket is. Thinking about just having my corner gas station install it. Agree the dealer is too expensive.

The adapter on my Black & Decker trickle charger doesn't fit into the Boxster cigarette lighter hole. Apparently slightly smaller for the Porsche trickle charger adapter. A German car nuisance?

I've never run into that problem. I guess it's possible that a trickle charger might have more circuitry in the plug itself to manage the charge and that could cause it to be larger. I've only used the cig lighter for regular power cords. I think the cig lighter receptacle is a little shallow so heavy plugs (like my iPod FM transmitter that's a big brick with a plug on back) may fall out, but regular plugs with a wire attached have always worked.

I got the Duralast 48 from Autozone and had my corner gas station install it.
Fits perfectly. $85 with your old battery. They know all about keeping a charge on the system installing the battery. Lots of cars like that these days. Memory seems OK after instal, including on-board computer and radio.

Walmart's Everlast 48-3 battery seems the same at $53, but it's made in China, and you don't know if it's a copy or the same battery as Autozone.

The Everstart I saw at my local Walmart was made in Mexico. My Duralast is also made in Mexico. Both are made by Johnson Controls are are identical except for the color of the plastic case.

But your local Walmart could be sourcing batteries from a different place than mine.

Funny, the one I saw at the Walmart's near me said made in China and 650 CCA
instead of 700 CCA. Same price. $53 and change. They have zero customer service so you can't ask questions. Autozone is a car parts chain store and probably more reliable. Either way is a lot cheaper than a Porsche dealer. Who wants a battery you have to fill with water these days, anyways.

Whatever. Walmart branded batteries are Everstart and Everlast.

In the link to Renntech I mentioned and posted pictures of the Everstart, as I did not see an Everlast at my local Walmart on the shelf that would fit a Boxster. So there was no reason for me to take pictures of the Everlast.

If the Everlast version is made in China then that might be good. A battery is made with lead and acid, after all....

If you decide to remove your battery (it's not a problem anyway, you only need to reenter the radio code) you can take it to Autozone and check it for free (maybe you do not even need to remove it). I took mine (dead, because I was messing with the electrics) and they were honest enough to tell me that it's still good. If it's not buy a Duralast there, they know which one fits.

I replaced the OE battery with the Duralast, and still have the OE battery in my trunk. It worked OK for a week after recharging it, but we have had warm weather lately, in the 50s, and I don't know if it can hold a charge when it gets cold again. I don't know whether to hold onto it or trade it to Autozone for the $12 core credit. Does it make sense to hold onto it as a spare? It's 3.7 years old now, and 37K miles.

On a separate note, do you need a trickle charger on a new battery in the winter
(20s and 30s lows) when you use the car every 2-3 days? I had this problem with my old SC, and didn't need a trickle charger in the winter on a new battery
driving about once per week. The Boxster is a main car, and I'm a bit more concerned.

I was at Walmart's today, and checked the Everstart 48-3 battery. It is now $70. with your old battery in trade. Seems like it was $54. a couple of weeks ago.

I also noticed it is a regular water battery, not maintenence free, with six cells
and circular cell covers with cross grooves for a coin or screwdriver. It looks a lot like the Porsche OE battery, and even has the vent tubes on the side. Maybe it's the Interstate battery?

This isn't the same battery as the Autozone Duralast 48 I bought. The Duralast is maintenance free, sealed cell, and has the vent tube coming out of the back.
Price was $85 with old battery traded. Starting OK the last couple of days.
Fits the compartment perfectly.