Corsa9000

Is there a difference between an MB Battery and the ones you can buy from Sears and others for the W220?

MB Dealer tells me the MB Battery is a gel battery.

Any thoughts? Thanks.

my06clk

MB doesn't own a battery factory. You can get a comparible battery anywhere just make sure it's comparable!!! IF you are going for the cheapest thing versus the Dealers option, that's fine if you own a corolla, but you are making a mistake with this car.

tusabes

Yes the w220 battery is different than older MB batteries or the ones you get at Sears, autozone etc. Though those will all work just fine too.

There is no such thing as a Cheap battery for these cars. I recently priced them... Autozone is about the cheapest at $90 or so.

AAA roadside assist, with Premier discount, came to $166

MB can be $200+

The last 2 will come to your location and install at no extra charge

No $29 specials for this car.

my06clk

AMEN.

westcoast5

Is there any place online where you can batteries?

Skylaw

If you buy the same battery technology that you're replacing, and the proper cranking amperage, you should be OK regardless of brand. For a primer on batteries and a caveat on changing from one battery technology to another, see post #7 at https://mbworld.org/forums/s-class-w...tart-help.html

Corsa9000

I bought the battery from MB Dealer for $240. Sears quoted me $120, but I decided on the MB battery. My original question was: What is a gel battery?

I am assuming instead of acid and water in the cells, this battery uses a gel type acid, which should be less prone to failure due to vibration. Is this a correct assumption?

Skylaw

Your original question was directly answered, in detail, in the links contained in the link I gave you. Please read them.

Half of your newer question was addressed as well. Failure due to vibration was not addressed as a concern in the links; all of the technologies deal with it. The primary causes of battery failure were thoroughly addressed, and the way different battery technologies addressed those causes were discussed. The benefits of the different technologies were also addressed.

If you're going to ask for help, common courtesy would suggest that you read what was provided, and followup questions would indicate in some way that you had.

Corsa9000

Skylaw,

I did read your link and thanks for providing it. I did not see anything specific to a "gel" battery and was just wondering if anyone knows what a gel battery is and its advantages. The link had lots of other useful info but nothing specific to my question, ergo the repeat post.

Thanks.

Stephen04E55

I just got a battery from Advance Auto and it looked exactly like the original except for the three pointed star logo and blue label. CCA and other info matched factory specs.

tusabes

Stephen what did you pay for your battery?

Stephen04E55

It was about $120 or so. Go to advanceauto.com and put your vehicle data in the site. You will see it there.

Skylaw

Sorry, but in fact two of the imbedded links in the reference I gave discussed the gel battery and its construction, and what differentiates it from other batteries, including the (similar) AGM battery. See the 4th paragraph of the link in post #6 above. Then follow the first two links in that paragraph.

Corsa9000

Thanks again Skylaw, I found it. Here is a cut/paste short version for those interested:

3. Wet Cell (flooded), Gel Cell, and Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM) are various versions of the lead acid battery. The Wet cell comes in two styles; Serviceable and Maintenance free. Both are filled with electrolyte and are basicly the same. I prefer one that I can add water to and check the specific gravity of the electrolyte with a hydrometer. The Gel Cell and the AGM batteries are specialty batteries that typically cost twice as much as a premium wet cell. However they store very well and do not tend to sulfate or degrade as easily as wet cell. There is little chance of a hydrogen gas explosion or corrosion when using these batteries; these are the safest lead acid batteries you can use. Gel Cell and some AGM batteries may require a special charging rate. If you want the best,most versatile type, consideration should be given to the AGM battery for applications such as Marine, RV, Solar, Audio, Power Sports and Stand-By Power just to name a few. If you don't use or operate your equipment daily, AGM batteries will hold their charge better that other types. If you must depend on top-notch battery performance, spend the extra money. Gel Cell batteries still are being sold but AGM batteries are replacing them in most applications. There is a some common confusion regarding AGM batteries because different manufactures call them by different names; some of the more common names are "sealed regulated valve", "dry cell", "non spillable", and "Valve Regulated Lead Acid" batteries. In most cases AGM batteries will give greater life span and greater cycle life than a wet cell battery.