Update on shifter knob/starter solenoid

[Am Piobaire]

Hi guys,

you will be please to know that my troubles were neither my new wooden shifter knob, nor the starter solenoid . Actually it was the battery. I should have twigged earlier, but I was befuddled coincidence. I mean, when you fiddle with something and then the car doesn't go, you tend to put 2 and 2 together and come up with 3.

I came back from my weekend away and put the battery on charge (just in case) and then stuck it in the car. It fired first go and then I went off to band practice (i play in a pipe band). We went for the usual beer in the nearby pub after practice and got in the car and hit the starter and got nothing. My battery had died. Rang the NRMA road service and he came out and had a look, put the meter on it and said the same thing, your battery is rooted. They can supply a new one for $185 AUD. Oh well, it will have to wait till next week until payday. Fortunately I can still get to work on the K100.

Andrew
1988 white 525i - with a stuffed battery
1991 white K100LT

[George M]

was quite a coincidence :-)...glad you got it resolved.

[henryw525i]

Hi guys,

you will be please to know that my troubles were neither my new wooden shifter knob, nor the starter solenoid . Actually it was the battery. I should have twigged earlier, but I was befuddled coincidence. I mean, when you fiddle with something and then the car doesn't go, you tend to put 2 and 2 together and come up with 3.

I came back from my weekend away and put the battery on charge (just in case) and then stuck it in the car. It fired first go and then I went off to band practice (i play in a pipe band). We went for the usual beer in the nearby pub after practice and got in the car and hit the starter and got nothing. My battery had died. Rang the NRMA road service and he came out and had a look, put the meter on it and said the same thing, your battery is rooted. They can supply a new one for $185 AUD. Oh well, it will have to wait till next week until payday. Fortunately I can still get to work on the K100.

Andrew
1988 white 525i - with a stuffed battery
1991 white K100LT

Are you in Australia too? We had this conversation on another board....most of us came to the conclusion that your best off getting a genuine BMW battery from the dealer.....cost effective etc etc

[George M]

nothing special about the BMW battery...no reason to pay twice the going rate. Most of us in fact run an aftermarket battery with equivalent cranking amperage/warranty that fits perfectly and has the proper vent tube.

[winfred]

i like the mb55 interstate (not sure what the new # is i think they changed it) it's the same that came in the old mercedes diesels

nothing special about the BMW battery...no reason to pay twice the going rate. Most of us in fact run an aftermarket battery with equivalent cranking amperage/warranty that fits perfectly and has the proper vent tube.

[Hector]

more...

[henryw525i]

Yeah I run an aftermarket battery also, there are plenty of options out there including gel cel. We did a price comparison here in Aus and found dealer batterys to be priced competitively with other after market brands

[Am Piobaire]

Yes, I am in Australia, but I'm not on any other boards

Are you in Australia too? We had this conversation on another board....most of us came to the conclusion that your best off getting a genuine BMW battery from the dealer.....cost effective etc etc

[bill g]

My car is a 1989 535i - your battery may be similar, I don't know. Anyway my battery died early this year and I got quotes from $198 up to $224 for genuine replacement. I ended up buying a new battery from Australian Battery Co in Dandenong Victoria for $150. It was an Exide Premium PDIN66 maintenance free 600CCA - similar to genuine but slightly smaller physically, with vent tube fitting as per original.
Incidentally the genuine old battery was 8 years old so they do last, certainly much longer than any other battery I have ever had. Maybe the Exide being cheaper will not go the distance.