Stupid Battery situation

[Z4MCSL]

First off, yes I know I'm an idiot so ill save you from coming to that conclusion independently.


I have a z4 (3.0si) with a dead battery

Its MOT ran out and it needed a service so I fannied about before getting it booked in and it sat still for 2 weeks or so and the battery is compleeeeetely flat.

I want to avoid the potential schlep of jump starting/bump starting it on the day of my MOT (as I go to a garage a 45 min drive away) as I can imagine I'll need petrol and it will die at petrol station etc.

I could bump start it now and drive around to charge it up but being in London id rather not drive it around with no MOT as I may easily get stopped (I assume leaving it idling doesn't charge the battery).

So I was thinking i could go buy a new battery but it does feel like a waste.


I have a battery charger but typically I've lost the bloody charger cable to charge up the main bloody unit.

Anybody got any other ideas rather than just buying a new battery

[Simes205]

Check the voltage of the battery.
Buy a new charger.
Or find the adaptor.
Charge.

[Z4MCSL]

Found a new adapter for the charger...however now I think about it I'm not sure its a charger...I think its just a jump starter 🤦🏽‍♂️🤦🏻‍♂️🤦🏻‍♂️🤦🏻‍♂️

[Z4MCSL]

Also its telling me its only good for 2.0l cars now ffs.

Fun times

[320d is all you need]

Z4MCSL said:

Also its telling me its only good for 2.0l cars now ffs.

Fun times

Just try it. No harm.

[330ti]

If a battery has been left flat for any length of time there’s a good chance its had it. Duff batteries cause all kinds of electrical and running problems on BMWs. Do yourself a favour and get a new one of the correct type and quality

[drdino]

Z4MCSL said:

Also its telling me its only good for 2.0l cars now ffs.

Fun times

Sounds like a booster pack.

[Z4MCSL]

yeah last time I jumped it I think that is what caused a stty gremlin in the sound system - I think I will just go buy a new one.

[Mr Tidy]

If it went flat in just 2 weeks I'd say it's probably beyond saving!

My E86 3.0Si would often sit that long without being used and once it had a new battery fitted it never went flat in over 3 years.

But the old one did throw up some random fault codes and an Amber EML just before it died!

I'd just fit a new one so you know where you are with it.

[E-bmw]

^^^^ Wot' e said, it is likely to be stuffed anyway, a new battery won't be a waste.

[JulianHJ]

EuroCarParts are having one of their (perpetual) sales at the moment - I bought and fitted a decent Bosch battery for my parents last weekend, it was roughly half the RRP.

[DaveZed]

Can't you remove the battery and take it to a battery supplier and get them to test it for you? They certainly do it willingly here in South Africa. I've even had one tell me a battery is fine, and just needed a charge, so they aren't ALL just trying to make a quick buck by selling a new battery. If it's that dead though you may need to leave it with them to charge first before they can do a load test.

[Shanksy87]

Get a new battery. This is my line of work, any battery that reaches this state will be damaged. It may jump start and look okay, but its akin to starving the brain of oxygen, it won't be quite the same again. The cost of the battery is small fry compared to the problems bad batteries cost.

[330ti]

Probably worth getting a pro to do it if you can’t tell the difference between a booster pack and a charger