| MINI batteries
Whilst at the BMW garage today I was talking to one of the mechanics who was changing a battery on a brand new car because it had been allowed to go flat in storage, I asked if it wouldnt take a recharge and he said yes but it had probably lost around 2% of its capacity due to going flat and as it was a new car they had to fit a brand new one at £230 each.
He then said the batteries fitted to most of the BMW and MINI range of cars are all gel type batteries now, not lead acid, if it had a BLACK casing it was gel, if it had a WHITE casing it was lead acid. He said all MINIs except the ONE have the black gel battery now fitted and they cost around £200 each, from BMW.
Good idea as that means gone are the days of battery acid spillage rotting out you battery box then if you have the BMW MINI black battery fitted. | 
