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New Battery MUST be purchased from MB

Pitts Pilot

Pitts Pilot

Active Member
Joined
Mar 11, 2012
Messages
698
Location
Near Folkestone, Kent
Car
SL63 AMG 6.3, VW Tiguan 2.0
After a thread regarding the high power demand of the ICE in my SL [Can one increase the rate of charge to the battery?], I decided to replace the aging front (engine) battery.

I emailed Varta who make the 12v 35Ah battery attaching a photo of the battery:



and asking for their part number, only to be told:


Dear Robert

Unfortunately this battery is only made for Mercedes Benz as an original equipment, and for their spare parts programme.

The limited number of applications doesn't make it viable to introduce under the VARTA brand for the replacement Aftermarket.

As such it's only possible to purchase the replacement battery through the Mercedes Benz network.

Regards,

Debbie.
Customer Service Team
Johnson Controls Power Solutions Europe
[email protected]


So, if I don’t want to buy the battery from a Main Stealer, it’s clear that I cannot get one retail.

Frankly, I think this is unacceptable. Why should MB have the monopoly on such a basic component?

Therefore I will need to go to another premium make. Can anyone advise on what I should buy?
(It's the front engine battery used for starting only).

Thanks :)
Robert
 
I think its because you sent them the MB part number label, just go to any online Varta battery dealer (if you want to stick with Varta) and enter your reg number and it will give you the battery for your car.
 
Have you tried the main dealer for a price on the battery? I've always found them as cheap, if not cheaper than other aftermarket suppliers.

All you gotta do is ask...
 
I think that both SavMan and SPX are correct...
 
W211 aux OEM battery is FIAMM brand. Ask them.
 
It's not that Mercedes have a monopoly on the battery, rather Mercedes have requested Varta to make a battery to their (MB) specification, for sale only to MB.

We often had this problem with Bosch equipment on our trucks: eg an alternator with "Bosch" + Bosch number, only to be told by the Bosch agent that we couldn't buy it - not on the price-list.
 
You're pic shows a 35Ah battery. Are you certain that's for starting and not the brake stand-by battery? Is there not a battery somewhere else -the boot for instance- that shows 75Ah or greater? That would be your starting/main service battery.




.
 
Last edited:
Just realised that this is the starter battery which you might find is only MB
 
Think the crucial factor is its 140mm high instead of the more normal 190mm-ish?

£104-22 FROM Inchcape

According to a German forum (W / H / D) 207x140x175mm.

there is one guy on there that used a BERGA [ DON'T KNOW THEM] battery type 544 402 044 7502 priced around 60 EUROS but had to modify the mounting in some way.
204356659-w988.jpg

204356657-w988.jpg



PS have just found the that battery is 170mm high so really any suitable battery would do if you were prepared t for it not to fit!
 
Last edited:
Druk said:
You're pic shows a 35Ah battery. Are you certain that's for starting and not the brake stand-by battery? Is there not a battery somewhere else -the boot for instance- that shows 75Ah or greater? That would be your starting/main service battery.




.
Click to expand...

Have a look in his last thread, where you'll see that the system although similar to a W211 is slightly different. This is definitely the starter battery.
He has replaced the rear battery not long ago.
 
If it were me considering how sensitive that era of Mercedes is to power supply I would stick with an OEM one from Mercedes.
 
I'd normally be all for replacing / upgrading the battery to something else, but this MB/ Varta battery although only 35Ah, has 520A (EN).

That Berga has 44Ah and 440A (EN)

Considering this is a starter battery, I know which figure I would be more interested in.
 
I am finding this thread a bit confusing. If the OP has a SL350, the main battery is in the engine compartment and the auxiliary battery is in the boot.
The former is for starting the engine and the latter is for all electric powered items like the roof etc. If the latter is below par, you get a message 'electric consumers offline'
 
To be honest I'm struggling a bit with this. I can't imagine a guy with a hobby like flying Stunt Planes can't afford to buy this battery from Mercedes. The comment about 'unacceptable' monopoly doesn't make sense either. Its just a consumable part for your car like any other part, some are available from 3rd party manufacturers and some some are not. If you wish to spec another battery just take the physical measurements of the one you have, make a note of the pole positions and capacity/duty specifications and spec one up yourself, lead acid battery capacities and specs are broadly directly related to physical size (for the same style of duty). You may find if its an odd size that the OEM merc is the only fit.
 
SavMan said:
If it were me considering how sensitive that era of Mercedes is to power supply I would stick with an OEM one from Mercedes.
Click to expand...

I agree 100%.

Only use the MB one. We have had issues with the aftermarket ones.
 
camerafodder said:
To be honest I'm struggling a bit with this. I can't imagine a guy with a hobby like flying Stunt Planes can't afford to buy this battery from Mercedes. The comment about 'unacceptable' monopoly doesn't make sense either. Its just a consumable part for your car like any other part, some are available from 3rd party manufacturers and some some are not. If you wish to spec another battery just take the physical measurements of the one you have, make a note of the pole positions and capacity/duty specifications and spec one up yourself, lead acid battery capacities and specs are broadly directly related to physical size (for the same style of duty). You may find if its an odd size that the OEM merc is the only fit.
Click to expand...

Fair comment but I guess you can't blame the guy for asking on here if there is a cheaper equally good alternative? And as an afterthought looking at the specification of that battery - its nothing special- apart from its odd size :doh:------ no special encapsulation material - no special electrolyte or plates ---no unique battery pillars/mounts ------ so why is it double the price one might expect from a battery that size? ;)
 
Last edited:
grober said:
Fair comment but I guess you can't blame the guy for asking on here if there is a cheaper equally good alternative?
Click to expand...
I agree, its just all the other 'fuss' that seemed so un-necessary.
 
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