1st Generation Battery Replacement

[MINIAC]

Having some questions about whether the vent tube could be fitted to an Interstate MT-47 battery, I took a trip down to the Interstate Battery Distributor today.

I ended up getting a VW/Audi OEM replacement battery which is a "perfect" match dimension-wise (242mm x 175mm x 190mm) to the stock battery and has the vent tube hole in the same place:

The battery is made by VARTA a European subsidiary of Johnson Controls Inc. The original battery labels were removed and replaced with a generic ones because the battery is really only meant to be sold to VW/Audi dealerships.

The battery is rated at 540 CCA and 61 Ah and you can see where it fits in the hierarchy of VARTA aftermarket batteries recommended for the MINI:

Warranty: 2 year free replacement / 75 month pro-rated thereafter

$111.44 installed

[thebigyin]

Thanks MINIAC for this post.
I can guarantee that the next thing I am going to need for my 2003 MINI Cooper as it goes into its 5th NY winter will be a new battery

[pcmike]

I wonder where I can find one of these in my local area.... South Florida (33463). Anyone know of a website I can goto to put in my zipcode and find a dealer/distributor? interstatbatteries.com doesn't seem like it would be the best place, but I could be wrong. They don't even list "MINI" under their automotive battery menu.

[evensteven]

Hello MINIAC. Do you happen to know if the Interstate MT-47 will fit into a 2005 Mini 'S'? The OEM battery PART NUMBER ON THE BATTERS IS ....S 61 21 6 920 804. By the by, if I am doing something incorrect about placing this request in the wrong place on this site, please don't hesitate to correct me
Thanks
Steven

[MINIAC]

Interstate MT-47 battery for MCS

[evensteven]

hello MINIAC,

I went to the Interstate Web Site. I punched in the number 563 400 061 3162 which is the part number on your post/thread that appllies to the generic Interstate battery you have in your car. Just what I need. But when I get to the site I find interstate Megatron car batteries with that same part number. Where can i find this battery? I live in central California.
Thanks
EvenSteven
Steven H Gellis
Gellishoward@aol.com

[MINIAC]

Click here for CA Interstate Battery Distributor Locator.

The battery I got was a VARTA battery which Interstate distributes to VW/Audi dealerships. If you go into a Distributor (rather than a Dealer) they should be able to sort things out.