[GTO]

Just wanted to point out the other thread here - link.

Some of these cars need AGM gel batteries which are more expensive. You can of course order them online and save a couple of thousand bucks off the Indian MRP.

[ankurbhageria]

AGM maintenance free batteries are expensive but are heavy-duty.

Order a similar battery online. I am sure batterybhai and other sites have a replacement.

Just make sure you get the same AH rating, C rating and CCA rating.

[arjuunz]

Originally Posted by ankurbhageria

Just make sure you get the same AH rating, C rating and CCA rating.

I had to replace my W204 C220 battery recently. Since the service centre quoted 24k for new battery, I decided to get it replaced outside. The stock battery that came was 95AH, unfortunately Exide had only 90AH and 100AH variants. I got it replaced with the 100AH once, will that be an issue?

Thanks.

[71Convertible]

Originally Posted by awini

My father's 2009 Mercedes-Benz C230 has been a bit difficult to start for the past few days so I had the authorised dealer in Delhi T&T Motors check it out. They say that only the battery needs replacing, which I agree with. However later in the day I got a quote of a little over Thirty Thousand Rupees for replacing the battery! I asked them what brand of battery they intend to fit, and they only say its the OE Mercedes-Benz battery.
Does anyone know what battery is correct for the car and what is its MRP in the open market? Isnt it illegal to charge over and above the MRP? I cant believe that a battery for a 7 year old C Class has an MRP approaching Rs30,000!

The OE batteries are AGM batteries, not the standard lead acid. You won't find a local AGM from Exide and others. The AGMs last 2-3x.

[harry_1732]

Originally Posted by GTO

I'd gotten my C220's battery for about 8 - 9k. Keeping inflation in mind, 11 - 12k sounds reasonable. Just ensure that you get one of the exact same specs.

Hello, thanks for the information.
Can you please mention which battery did you put in you C220 as I have a C220 CDI and looking to replace the battery?

[alabjarus]

Reviving an old thread - my 2016 C-Class (W205) went in for its 4th yr service and they are recommending a battery change, at an ASC quoted price of Rs 37K+taxes. I find it exorbitant and is exploring outside (and local) options, any suggestions would be helpful.

Originally Posted by harry_1732

Hello, thanks for the information.
Can you please mention which battery did you put in you C220 as I have a C220 CDI and looking to replace the battery?

Hi, did you manage a local battery, if yes can you share details pls.

[alabjarus]

Originally Posted by alabjarus

Reviving an old thread - my 2016 C-Class (W205) went in for its 4th yr service and they are recommending a battery change, at an ASC quoted price of Rs 37K+taxes. I find it exorbitant and is exploring outside (and local) options, any suggestions would be helpful.

To update - I replaced the C-Class battery today with Amaron AAM-FL-580112073 (80 Ah). The original one was a Mercedes Benz model and service supervisor at ASC suggested this 80 Ah model. Costed Rs 8500 (with exchange) from neighborhood dealer, though online it was Rs 250 cheaper.

[itwasntme]

Originally Posted by alabjarus

To update - I replaced the C-Class battery today with Amaron AAM-FL-580112073 (80 Ah). The original one was a Mercedes Benz model and service supervisor at ASC suggested this 80 Ah model. Costed Rs 8500 (with exchange) from neighborhood dealer, though online it was Rs 250 cheaper.

Can you seamlessly replace a AGM battery with a standard lead-acid one? Of course your C is long out of warranty but just asking.

[alabjarus]

Originally Posted by itwasntme

Can you seamlessly replace a AGM battery with a standard lead-acid one? Of course your C is long out of warranty but just asking.

I am going by what the supervisor at ASC suggested...itwasntme, moreover the price difference was significant...so decided to take a chance. As I understood from the dealer even Audi's have been replacing stock batteries with Amaron.

[androdev]

Originally Posted by itwasntme

Can you seamlessly replace a AGM battery with a standard lead-acid one? Of course your C is long out of warranty but just asking.

Not in your BMW because how the car recharges depends on the battery type and it will have to be programmed accordingly. Also the regular flooded batteries have to be located under the hood for quick/frequent inspection to check for leaks and venting out any fumes, etc. In your BMW, the battery is in the boot enclosure and not a good idea to keep flooded batteries there.

AGM batteries are truly fit-and-forget type. No dirty leaks and corrosions. Car will notify you when the battery gets weak. It can last a minimum of 7+ years if you use the car regularly, or keep a top up charger so the battery is not left in a discharged state. I think it is worth the price.

You can explore buying AGM batteries in open market:
https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/techn...-bmw-audi.html

The most used items in my garage are portable air compressor and battery top up charger. Once in 7-10 days I top up the battery so I don't have to worry much about lack of usage of these cars (lockdown, WFH, being out of station, etc.). I do this not to save battery replacement costs but more for safety and convenience so I can drive the car with confidence - before take off checklist

If my bills are in the range of 30K battery replacement every 4 years, I would consider myself a very lucky owner!

PS: BMW battery is in the boot but it has terminals (for charging, jump-starting, etc.) under the engine hood.

[mav2000]

Sorry to bump up an old thread, but why are AGM batteries not available from Exide and Amaron in India? I am sure there is some demand for them.

[VRJ]

Originally Posted by mav2000

Sorry to bump up an old thread, but why are AGM batteries not available from Exide and Amaron in India? I am sure there is some demand for them.

Currently, the luxury segment volumes are low when compared to the mass market segment. AGM batteries are a level or two higher in technology than lead acid batteries you find in the mass market segment cars. So, I believe the volumes don’t justify the investment required. Let’s say even if Amaron or Exide decides to invest and bring AGM batteries, the Germans (Merc, BMW, Audi etc) would void the warranty of the car, if you change the battery outside their workshop. They’ve got to protect their fat margins. With the ever increase of luxury cars, we can expect AGM batteries in the aftermarket in a year or two.

Cheers!

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by VRJ

Currently, the luxury segment volumes are low when compared to the mass market segment. AGM batteries are a level or two higher in technology than lead acid batteries you find in the mass market segment cars. So, I believe the volumes don’t justify the investment required. Let’s say even if Amaron or Exide decides to invest and bring AGM batteries, the Germans (Merc, BMW, Audi etc) would void the warranty of the car, if you change the battery outside their workshop. They’ve got to protect their fat margins. With the ever increase of luxury cars, we can expect AGM batteries in the aftermarket in a year or two.

Cheers!

Varta Silver Dynamic AGM Batteries are freely available in the after market. There is a distributor in Delhi. The name is BIECO and they import and sell.
Cost for a Varta Silver Dynamic AGM of 70AH 12V is Rs 23000 plus Rs 2800 courier charges from Delhi to Bangalore when I last checked in Feb 2023 for my Mini Cooper (2012 model).You can reach them on +91-90132-31632. Also see attached pictures of the battery.
If these are available like this for a relatively low selling 2012 Model R56 Mini Cooper then they will surely be available more easily for the more mainstream cars.

[VRJ]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

Varta Silver Dynamic AGM Batteries are freely available in the after market. There is a distributor in Delhi. The name is BIECO and they import and sell.

My dad has been in the battery business since 20 years and I’ve been in this field for around 4 years now. I’m aware of these Varta batteries that are available in the aftermarket. They import and sell them here. They don’t manufacture in India, whereas Amaron and Exide manufacture batteries in India.

How’s the service of BIECO? If a car using Varta stops in Vizag, how would BIECO attend to it? How long does it take for them to resolve and replace? Having a distributor in Delhi and sending batteries to different cities makes no sense, unless they have a local distributor. A doctor has to go to his hospital and his BMW won’t start. What does he/she do? Will the Delhi distributor send in a spare battery? How does the warranty system work? What does the doctor do in the meanwhile? I ask because, as a local distributor, we generally attend to any breakdowns immediately. If it is the batteries fault, it will be replaced within 24-48 hours.

Sale of luxury segment batteries is less than 1% of our overall sale. Could be higher in tier-1 cities (5% or lower). So, the numbers are pretty insignificant. However, I’m sure we’ll be seeing AGM batteries from Amaron or Exide in the coming year or two. A Varta 70AH battery costing Rs. 25,000 is an absolute joke and is a ripoff. For AGM to go mainstream and for prices to come down and warranties to go up, the local players have to enter this segment.

Cheers!

[PratikPatel]

Originally Posted by 71Convertible

The AGMs are also designed to be used in unvented spaces like trunks (or even in the cabin like in the Miatas). For proper usage of a wet cell battery in a closed space, it should be vented to the outside. Merc/BMW to my knowledge don't have vent exits designed into he trunk space.

Basically, what you have described is a maintenance free battery which is sealed. Yuasa introduced it as the Gas Recombination Technology (GRT) batteries. These batteries will be substantially more expensive than a regular battery.