Rod I assume you are in the UK. I just bought a Yaesu one for mine. They are a reputable make, or rather they were until the batteries they made for the Boeing Dreamliner started exploding! I got it from Cannons in Mitcham, not that that will be any use to you. I guess batteries have to have a local source.
Thanks all... very helpful.... The current battery for has been in the car for 10 years (according to the service history)! I've owned it for 6 years. Problem only appeared as I forgot to put the trickle charger on for a few weeks... It seems this was keeping it alive (Just)! Oh well!
Not sure about that. Someone I know who is a manager from a "well known high street automotive chain" said they get more Bosch back than their own brand which are well known to be rubbish.
Ahha! Could be good advice there. Costco are here in the UK and they do sell a lot of good quality gear. I will check them out next time I need a battery. I have bought aluminium jacks, packs of superabsorbent cloths (great value), polishing cloths, oil, those thick blue Scott wipes, great quality tools etc etc from Costco.
I fitted Bosch to mine 2 years ago and had no problems other than the terminals are the wrong way around! Regards Roy
Anyone know if there's an Optima Red Top that fits the 328? I don't see Ferrari on their application list, but I can't recommend their batteries enough. If you know the CCA required, etc, and the orientation of the poles, there's probably one that would fit. The insane heat here in Arizona tends to destroy batteries in 2-3 years, but the red top in my Subaru has been through three years here, plus ~five additional years of service in New England where it saw temps below -40... It's been completely discharged by mistake a few times and brought back to life on a trickle charger. Meanwhile the new battery that came in my 328 is already sucking wind after 6 months. The Optima has the additional benefit of being sealed gel, so no acid spills or fluids to add, and safer in a crash. Also a bit lighter than standard batteries. Car, Marine, & RV Batteries :: OPTIMA® Batteries
Went with an Odyssey. Avoid the Optima. If they ever fully discharge, you will never get it to fully recharge.
+1 to Sears DieHard Platinum / Odyssey 34-78-PC1500DT-A (same battery, Odyssey is probably available in the UK, not so sure about DieHard). I have the Sears branded one. It weighs 14 pounds over stock, but very robust. In all honesty though, it's expensive and an Interstate/Costco or equivalent would be just as good for half the price. I just like the perks of (well made) AGM batteries, YMMV. I have had a lot of trouble with 3 different Optima batteries in both a Land Cruiser and a VW. I would avoid. They are also AGM but very prone to quality control and discharge cycle issues.
I had a Bosch in my 328 which I bought at Pep Boys, but they no longer sell parts and didn't have any 34R batteries. My mechanic says to stick with Interstate (or AAA, who Interstate makes batteries for, but they don't have a 34R either). He says to stay away from Optima and Diehard. The problem is that few shops will install batteries in Ferraris! I think I have a lead on an Interstate distributor which will sell me an MTZ-34R for $350 and presumably also install it. Does anyone have any comments on this? The only lower price I've found in $329 from Amazon, but then I still need to find an installer. Does anyone know if Sam's Club sells Interstate batteries?
you may want to take a look at SLI34RAGM Duracell Ultra Platinum AGM 750CCA BCI Group 34R Car and Truck Battery
The only problem with fitting a battery in the 328 is the risk of dropping it on the wing on the way out or in (it's a long way across to the opening for the battery to come out of/drop into, and the battery is a heavy bugger - Ask me how I know ) Otherwise, fitting the battery is no harder than with any other car - You really don't need an installer (Make sure your new battery has a grab handle! - It will make life so much easier ) Before you start, make sure your belt buckle/jeans/cargo shorts/ 1970's porn star medallion won't scratch the paintwork on the wing (For those in Texas: Remove your belt first - No one really needs a belt buckle THAT big! ) Remove the spare wheel (If you've got a full size spare, wish you had a space saver instead because that's another bloody heavy/awkward item to lift out & in the front compartment!). Then remove the access panel beneath the spare wheel. Disconnect the negative cable first, then disconnect the positive cable. using a socket with a suitable extension, remove the battery clamp (keep unscrewing the bolt long after you think you really should do) Put your back at risk of injury from leaning so far over the wing, whilst hauling the old battery out the bowels of the car, scaring yourself sh*tless that you're about to drop the battery on the wing on the way out. Breathe a sign of relief when you don't drop the battery on the wing (Or cry if you did!), and then go have a beer whilst you try to get your back to recover a bit! Take the new battery, convince yourself that your back's ready to go again, then realise it isn't really ready to go again when you start to lift the battery, but you're at the point of no return now, so crack on. Once again scare yourself sh*tless that you'll drop the battery on the wing, and add to back pain as you lean across the car (watch that wing boy!.....Watch that wing!). Drop the battery into the hole that's barely bigger than the battery itself. Stand back, try to straighten up, breathe a sign of relief that you didn't drop the battery on the wing (Or cry again if you did!), and pray that that feeling in your back will go away (It usually does after a day or two). Go have another beer. Come back to the car, place your hands on your waist, lean back for a split second in a futile attempt to reset your back (it won't work, but you'll try it anyway), lean across the wing again, and try to figure out why the battery won't sit properly in the lip that holds it down. Just as your back is starting to really twinge, and you start to swear, the battery will mysteriously suddenly drop in place for no apparent reason. Refit the battery clamp using the socket and extension, and wonder why the stupid bolt won't screw in. At the point you figure you've missed the threads, you will find that the screw was in the threads, it just takes 500 turns of the retaining bolt before it tightens up. Refit the positive cable. Refit the negative cable. Refit the cover for the battery aperture. Look at the spare wheel: If it's a space saver: Refit it and then have a beer. If it's a full size spare, have another beer, and then refit it. Lean back with your hands on your waist, making a weird howling noise, followed by either: "JEEESUS CHRIST!" or: "OH SH******T!" Consider taking your car for a drive, and then realise you've had too many beers to risk driving it. Congratulations! - You can now tell all your friends that you spent your weekend working on your Ferrari!
Well, my mechanic, who's worked on the car for most of the 19 years I've owned it, and who I trust implicitly, says DON'T buy Duracell, but I will ask him about this one.
Thanks for the advice, but my mechanic says that he'll install the new battery. I do have a full-size spare and I have had to take it out of the car at times, so I know how heavy (and clumsy) it is! My mechanic installed a connector cable to the battery terminals that comes out under the edge of the battery cover and up thru the spare tire so that I can hook up a battery tender without having to take the tire out each time - very handy!
Duracell was owned by P&G and then sold off to Berkshire Hathaway. I bet Duracell car batteries are privately labeled and produced by one of the few auto battery makers in the USA. Duracell's smaller batteries AA, AAA, alkalines etc. are crap. Quality is not what is used to be. Lots of automotive battery discussion here Automotive Electrical | Bob Is The Oil Guy Brands, makers, etc.
Post #16's very accurate (IMO) description of replacing the battery is the reason I have considered purchasing a Lithium batt for the car. I haven't actually done it - pretty pricy - but I use Shorai Li Fe batts in all 7 of our motorcycles and they have been totally bulletproof. I installed my first one in 2008 and it lasted until 2019 with the bike's OEM charging system and no trickle charging. IOW, no particular effort to "properly" charge the battery. As far as battery brand - I've mostly used Costco batts. Here in the USA there are only three battery manufacturers. So most battery brands are simply purchased in bulk from them and labeled as "Die Hard" or "Interstate," or, "Duralast," or...etc.