Another Battery Thread - Help Choosing a replacement for 35d

[Best4x4xFAR]

***I know ANOTHER Battery Thread?!?! I’ve searched and read pages of battery threads, obtaining lots of good information. But most are a few years old, and the landscape of available batteries seems to be ever changing. So please forgive me.****

Well It appears the time has come…

My wife called yesterday when leaving work, saying she got a message about the “Battery Charge Level Low!”. Manufacture date for the car is 6/21/2013, and it shows as the original battery, so just over 9 years of service seems about right (or pretty good I guess).

Pulled out the Foxwell NT520 when she got home and plugged it in. Shows Battery charge state at 41.02%, with the highest charge state in history at 58.20% five days ago (When it was 40 degrees warmer out). Shows last battery replacement at 0 KM, consistent with it being the original battery, but it lists capacity at 106 Ah (?)..

Set the Foxwell to monitor Battery voltage and Alternator load, and took the car for a ride (was 26 degrees, and car did not seem to struggle to start). Voltage seems to run around 14.6-14.7 V, and Alternator load ran from 28% to a max of around 51%. I’m assuming (and hoping) this means alternator is healthy and battery is just old and in need of replacement.

So It seems hard enough to find any 105 Ah AGM Replacements, much less a 106 Ah. And of course, I found out that Foxwell removed the ability to change the battery type/size in the NT520 software (Bang Head – should have bought the older NT510 I guess). I haven’t had a chance to check the battery itself to see if it is actually labeled at 106 AH, as it was dark last night, and snowed this AM, but I suspect it is not, as that is an odd size. So here come the questions:

1) Assume it really won’t make a difference to leave the Capacity set at 106 Ah, with a 105 Ah battery in place (of course will register the new battery after installation, but not the capacity change)
2) Anyone know if you can even code for a 106 Ah (doesn’t seem likely) or why the Foxwell would report the capacity as such?
3) Anyone’s experience with brands/model batteries (there are a lot of battery threads out there, but I don’t see much current when it comes to actual battery recommendations

So the Original Replacement Part number from BMW seems to be NLA: 61217628740

FCP Euro lists an Odyssey 49-950 as a replacement. Odyssey makes great batteries, but this is only 94 Ah capacity..
Interstate Battery Only Lists up to a 95 Ah option..

This is what I have found for replacements thus far:

Local BMW Dealer has a BMW Branded 105 Ah AGM - $220 (It strikes me as odd that this is one of the more affordable options, what am I missing?)
(Have no Idea who the manufacturer is, of course, believe the originals were Exide?)

Rock Auto – Bosch S6-95R AGM - 105 Ah - $245.00
Rock Auto – Deka Intimidator 9A-95R AGM – 105 Ah - $247.00
Local Deka Distributor – Deka Ultimate 9A-95R AGM – 105 Ah - $367.00 (??)
Batteries Plus - Duracell SLI95R –AGM (appears to be made by Eastern Penn) – 105 Ah - $309.00 (??)

Advance Auto – DieHard Platinum H9 AGM – 100 Ah - $210.00
Auto Zone – Duralast Gold H9 AGM – 100 A - $210.00


Thinking Best Option is to purchase a BMW Branded Battery from the dealer and register it with the Foxwell..

Thoughts?