2007 X3 Battery Replacement

[slilley]

My wife's 2007 X3 battery was only reporting 12.0 or 11.9 volts, instead of the 12.5 to 12.6 volts that I'm used to seeing, so I figured I'd do a preventative replacement before the cold weather hits. Normally I expect to get 5-6 years out of the original battery, but I didn't want to take a chance with my wife's car. Plus, my '04 330i was still on it's stock battery, so I figured I'd replace both batteries.

The first battery I tried was a Autozone Duralast 49-DL, which I've used on other BMWs. Two problems with that battery in my X3: (1) it was slightly too large, so the tie-down bolt wouldn't reach without me doing some grinding, and (2) the vent (located at the center of the battery) was compressed by the tie-down bracket. So that went back to Autozone.

Next up was the Walmart Everstart Maxx-94R Battery. I had read that this was an identical match to my 2004 330i stock battery, and it was. $82 after core refund.

In the X3, the Everstart Maxx-94R is about 1.5 inches shorter than the OEM X3 battery, and perhaps 1/8" lower. The CCA numbers were close enough for me, and the vent location was identical to the stock BMW battery. I used some strips of rubber I had lying around to make the fit snug under the battery tie-down bracket, filling in the 1/8" gap.

So while it's not an exact match to the OEM battery, the Everstart Maxx-94 was good enough for me. Note that there are two versions of this battery out there: an older white version (P/N 94R or 94RN), and a newer black version. I'd always opt for the newer battery, so be sure to compare date-codes if you have a choice.

Regards,
Steve