Boxster S Battery Help Please - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

bugley · 08-30-2010, 03:37 PM

Brand new to the forum and relatively new to Porsche. Glad to finally be here.

We have a 2006 Boxster S that has sat over the summer and the battery is dead. Got the unit out of the car, tried charging, took some charge, brought to the auto parts store and it has a bad cell.

Called local dealer and they want $275 for a new one which I find a bit much so I guess my question is in two parts:

1. What is a good alternative to the OEM Porsche battery?

2. Once I get the replacement and put it in the car, or prior to doing so, is there any mystical encantations or anything special that I need to do prior to hooking it up?

Any and all help would be appreciated.

Bula-Bula · 08-30-2010, 03:50 PM

Get the original Porsche battery... if you have an American or Japanese car I would say go to any place and grab a battery (ie costco, walmart, o'reily's, napa etc..)

If you have any German car (Porsche, BMW, Merc and even VW/Audi) go and buy the original battery...

ALL German cars from my personal experience and from what my mechanic says require more "crank" power from the battery. If you compare two batteries even of the same physical size/dimensions, one made for an American car and one made for a German car... the German made battery will be up to 50% heavier! Why? because the metal plates are thicker and there are typically more of them inside producing more crank power!

You get what you pay for! Don't go cheap when it comes to a German battery!

jacabean · 08-30-2010, 05:44 PM

dude, just buy a good replacement battery . i did and have had no problems and i have owned many german cars and never purchased factory batteries . the porsche battery is a waste of money.

Paul · 08-30-2010, 05:45 PM

Wal-Mart has the correct battery, even has the vent kit.

bugley · 08-30-2010, 05:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bula-Bula

Get the original Porsche battery... if you have an American or Japanese car I would say go to any place and grab a battery (ie costco, walmart, o'reily's, napa etc..)

If you have any German car (Porsche, BMW, Merc and even VW/Audi) go and buy the original battery...

ALL German cars from my personal experience and from what my mechanic says require more "crank" power from the battery. If you compare two batteries even of the same physical size/dimensions, one made for an American car and one made for a German car... the German made battery will be up to 50% heavier! Why? because the metal plates are thicker and there are typically more of them inside producing more crank power!

You get what you pay for! Don't go cheap when it comes to a German battery!

Thanks for the input but the OEM Porsche battery is only 380 cold craking amps and everything else that I've compared it to is at the minimum of 650 amps all the way up to 950 amps. These are name brand batteries for 1/2 the price - they are the same dimensions and they weight the same - despite what your "mechanic" says. Some are even AGM.

Would still like input on the original requests. Thanks, Bugley

Paul · 08-30-2010, 05:59 PM

Wal-Mart's batteries are made here in Milwaukee by Johnson Controls. These same batteries are sold under several other brand names.

Replacing the battery is straight forward. You will need to enter your radio code when you are done.

AndyA6 · 08-30-2010, 07:38 PM

Autozone...

Take the old/dead battery with you, they have the same or smaller size, with vent, perfect fit, years of warranty, $100, case rested!

I have the "medium" qualty in the Boxster, Audi and other German cars over the years, never any problem whatsoever.

As a matter of fact I took a smaller size for the Boxster to save some weight and there is absulutly no problem with my choice. Granted, I only drive in the summer, for year round and colder temps I'd take the regular size.

An alternative would be an Optima (check Costco!), or, for leight weight a Braille.

Our local Porsche dealer wants $ 400 for a new battery, yeah, right!

ALarracuente · 08-30-2010, 07:45 PM

I personally prefer Optima gel batteries like AndyA6 but could not find one low enough to fit the Boxster.

Now, Porsche batteries are most likely made by Bosch. In my opinion, save youself some seriuos dough and just buy a Bosch battery from PepBoys, or any other place, unless you MUST have Porsche logo on everything,

I just rebuild/upgraded my engine from 2.5 -2.9 and 11:1 to 12:1 compression

and found useful to upgrade the battery to a bigger Bosch battery with more cranking power and charge. The additional cranking power may be useful in cold states as well.

If you prefer low weight vs. reliability and power, go smaller like AndyA6 suggest.

This is the battery I got. It definetely looks OEM in my view, white and all, very Porsche-like

Bosch Part Number: 49-850B
Size Code: 64
SKU: 9073755
Warranty: 36 Mo Free replacement, 96 mo Pro-rated
Cost: around $142.99 in Puerto Rico, maybe lower in the 48 states

It is long and tall but it will fit on the Boxster battery tray without cover or tray modifications. The only catch is that you have to use the very first bolt hole on the tray. Normally, it does not come with thread (at least not in mine) but is there and is made for that purpose for sure.

I took the tray out and placed an M10 bolt of sufficient length up through the hole then, bolted the tray back on. To prevent the bolt from spinning while you tighten the battery holder, use an open wrench to hold the bolt head from the bottom of the tray. There is just enough clearance between the tray and the body for this. Use an appropriate nut to tighten the battery holder in place.

Somebody suggested to me to use spot weld, JB Weld or epoxy to fix the bolt head to the bottom of the pan to keep it from spinning while tightening the nut at the top. Personally, I found it simpler to use a wrench and, that way, no major mods are made to the car in case you want to revert the changes in the future.

HTH,
Alfredo

mikefocke · 08-31-2010, 06:04 AM

And for 986 models, I have a dozen cheaper replacements for a 986 listed on my web site. Sorry I can't help you with the 987.

For my personal Boxster ('01S) I choose an Optima but it took a special mounting kit. I made this choice just for the fun of it and not for any specific reason. I ordered both the kit and the battery online. My Boxster gets intermittent use and, in the winter, may sit for weeks with a battery maintainer hooked up.

I delight in figuring out the OEM manufacturer of parts or perfect fit/use replacement parts to keep my costs of ownership down. I don't buy the line about "Porsche branded is better". All Porsche does is repackage something someone else made and repackages it for a higher price.

jcb986 · 08-31-2010, 08:20 AM

I have a Sears Die Hard top of the line...less than a $100 with the vent and works perfectly.

schnellman · 08-31-2010, 08:53 AM

I have had an Interstate battery for two years with great luck. Only about $125 online. Given Ohio winters I keep a cigarette lighter battery tender on her when she has to sit for extended periods. Can't see paying extra for the Doktor's logo.

Paul · 08-31-2010, 02:50 PM

I'm running Wal-Mart batteries in all the cars listed in my signature. I run two of these all winter with no starting issues. About $60 or $70.

Banana S · 08-31-2010, 04:35 PM

Duralast model 48DL here. 700 cold cranking amps, and a vent tube. $94.99 from AutoZone.

(Oh, and thank you for reminding me that I haven't checked the level of distilled water in the battery for almost 2 years! (It was fine, BTW.)

)

Can someone else please answer the OP's question about specific procedures for replacing the battery in his 987? I've always wondered what steps were necessary in order to keep the newer cars happy when the current is completely disconnected...

bugley · 09-02-2010, 03:19 AM

Thanks one and all for the advise and guidance.

Haven't had the chance to put on a full blown search for a battery yet, but your help and input has given me the ammunition that I needed to become a "deformed insumer".

Thanks again.

bugley · 09-02-2010, 04:18 PM

Thanks one and all for your help and input.

Haven't really gotten heavy in the search yet, but will this weekend and your advice is greatly appreciated.

Will let everyone know on what I decide upon for a battery, source, pricing, etc.

Bugley

SoCalKen · 09-03-2010, 06:38 AM

I've had had same Sears Diehard battery in my "00"s for the last five years and still seems fine. Interesting, when I went to sears to pick up the battery, and then returned home, the sears battery was 2/3s the size of the original. I took it back and said you gave me the wrong battery. they looked it up again and said no thats the battery we have listed for that car. At the time I was concerned but told if it's a problem I could get a full refund. A bit disgruntled I took the battery home again and installed it. Looking back, it's the easiest $200 I've ever earned. I will replace this Sears battery with another sears battery when this one gives up the ghost
Ken.