Automotive

Which car battery to buy for MB c300 ? Kirkland or Exide AGM ?

  • Last Updated:
  • Dec 6th, 2021 1:47 pm
Deal Guru
User avatar
Mar 13, 2004
13840 posts
5545 upvotes
Ontario
I don't know for sure but I know on VW you need to program the new battery for it to work properly and I'm going to guess and say that may be the same with Benz & BMW BUT if you get an OEM battery it will be the same size/CCA and other specs so its an easy drop in and connect. However if I were you I would maybe call a good euro shop and get their opinion on it they may tell you otherwise.
yashgandhi wrote: He said he saw some Mercedes and BMW used aftermarket batteries and vehicle computers didn't work properly. I told him that I got energizer AGM battery from Costco but haven't installed it yet. He said return it and get it from dealer or interstate.
Deal Fanatic
Oct 26, 2008
7022 posts
2907 upvotes
Victoria, BC
sickcars wrote: I don't know for sure but I know on VW you need to program the new battery for it to work properly and I'm going to guess and say that may be the same with Benz & BMW BUT if you get an OEM battery it will be the same size/CCA and other specs so its an easy drop in and connect. However if I were you I would maybe call a good euro shop and get their opinion on it they may tell you otherwise.
In BMWspeak, there is registration and coding (two different steps).

Registration is letting the ECU know that there is a new battery (so it doesn't charge the new battery at the same rate as the old one - assumes the new battery is well-charged and not partly-sulphated)
This has to be done with an appropriate device, not your standard OBDII tool.

Coding is letting the ECU know the specs of the new battery (CA, CCA, Ah, RC, etc.). If the specs are exactly the same as the old one then this step is not necessary.
Some OBDII tools are capable of registration but not coding - has to be a step up.

You can skip registration, but are then going to overcharge your new battery and shorten its life. So registration is definitely recommended.

I imagine VW and M-B are similar. But maybe fewer options in aftermarket tools to do registration and coding.

The dealer-only advice could have some merit as they might be better at keeping shelf stock in ready-to-install condition, and more likely to have the exact fit and specs.
If they are not competitive in price, you have to do some work at Costco/Walmart/ etc. to ensure you get not only the exactly right battery but also one that is up to snuff.
Quite possible that dealerships get a premium product from the battery suppliers, but no way of knowing for sure.
Most batteries have a high recycled content (cases, plates, separators, etc.) . Nothing wrong with that as long as it is done well.
Factory batteries from Europe in your new car are probably all new components and no recycled material. Not necessarily so with domestically-sourced replacement batteries at the dealer parts counter.
Deal Addict
User avatar
Aug 30, 2020
3374 posts
6363 upvotes
YEG/YYZ
yashgandhi wrote: Apologies for reviving old thread. My mechanic told me that for Merc and BMW do not get anything but original battery from dealership. Is this true?
Can you just buy any battery from Costco/CT/Walmart and throw it into your BMW like any other car? Sure, will probably run and start, but battery life will definitely be shorter, and not following BMWs (The designer and manufacturers) instructions.

From Official BMW service manual
Vehicles with the automatic engine start-stop function or particular engine types and optional equipment are equipped with a special vehicle battery (AGM battery), since only this battery type can provide elevated power requirements over the extended service life. Installing a different vehicle battery can cause problems with vehicle electronics, can reduce functions or can cause leakage of battery acid.
So right away BMW recommends an AGM. However AGM's still have different specs. So if you don't use an OEM battery, you'll need to code the computer to know the new specs. Even with an OEM battery, you're still supposed to register the new battery.

Also from official manual
When installing a new vehicle battery, the battery must be registered and thus must also be registered with the vehicle electrical system.

When installing a battery of a different size or a different battery type, this change in vehicle data must be programmed into the vehicle data in accordance with specifications.
BMW- You gotta pay to play.
Deal Guru
Jun 11, 2005
13892 posts
3539 upvotes
Toronto
Varta AGM for your Mercedes would be the most ideal.
Deal Expert
Jun 24, 2006
15768 posts
11163 upvotes
Do AGM batteries drain at a reduced rate? I have one in the Armada, and I recall a time my youngest left one of the over head lights on all night. This happened once with the original battery and drained it to the point in would not start. With the AGM it cranked over without hesitation.
Deal Fanatic
Jul 26, 2007
7579 posts
5272 upvotes
Toronto
Gutty96 wrote: Do AGM batteries drain at a reduced rate? I have one in the Armada, and I recall a time my youngest left one of the over head lights on all night. This happened once with the original battery and drained it to the point in would not start. With the AGM it cranked over without hesitation.
Nope, same as regular acid lead car battery. Only that you can install AGM batteries upside down or side ways if you choose to. Though, they seems to be dying quicker among mb community.
Deal Expert
Mar 23, 2004
35606 posts
18999 upvotes
Gutty96 wrote: Do AGM batteries drain at a reduced rate? I have one in the Armada, and I recall a time my youngest left one of the over head lights on all night. This happened once with the original battery and drained it to the point in would not start. With the AGM it cranked over without hesitation.
Current draw/power used is current draw. It doesn't matter whether it's coming from an AGM battery, a Li-Ion battery, wall outlet, a generator, or what have you. An AGM battery may have a higher capacity than a flooded battery but that's all down to capacity. AGM has less losses due to resistance and can deliver the capacity they have remaining better than another battery (better current delivery) but that's about it. Battery age and condition also factor in. A brand new battery with a rated 50Ah capacity...will have 50Ah+ capacity. When that same battery ages, whether AGM or otherwise, it could have much less capacity. So leaving an overnight load on an old battery will drain it faster than a new one, even if all things are equal and the batteries are the same. That's essentially why you replace a battery once it gets old--it no longer holds capacity and/or can't deliver voltage or current as it once did.
Deal Expert
Jan 27, 2006
21844 posts
15619 upvotes
Vancouver, BC
ES_Revenge wrote: That's essentially why you replace a battery once it gets old--it no longer holds capacity and/or can't deliver voltage or current as it once did.
I wouldn't say when it gets old... but rather after it's been abused over a period of time. New batteries have been known to lose a lot of capacity due to repeated deep discharges, over charges, and other types of abuse.

Top

Thread Information

There is currently 1 user viewing this thread. (0 members and 1 guest)