Does anyone have a recommendation regarding battery replacement for a 2005 XKR: make and source(s)?

Thanks

Tim V.

 

I got an Interstate battery for mine from an Interstate store and installed it myself. That's the brand the local Jag dealer uses for a replacement and charges about twice as much.

 

Batteries mounted in the trunk/boot MUST be vented. When shopping for a XK8 I found about half of the cars for sale did not have vented batteries.

 

If you install a dry (gel) cell or AGM type battery, it does not have to be vented.

 

test, what's a vented battery? Can you give us a couple links from 'good' ones vs the non'vented type? That is new to me and now I'm concerned.

 

The Jaguar OEM battery is, or at least was through '02, a wet cell battery that gives off hydrogen gas when being charged. Because the trunk is sealed you do not want that gas accumulating there for some 4000 watt amp mounted in the trunk to ignite. That would be an extreme base note at about 200 db.

wazari is correct that gel or AGM (Absorbed Glass Mat) do not require venting but the Jaguar OEM batteries do. There is a fitting at the top/front of the battery, under the tie down bar, with a small rubber tube venting gas out of the trunk.

The several cars I looked at last Summer had wet cell, universal type batteries without venting.

The vast majority of batteries in the US are made by only 3 manufacturers, Delphi, Exide and Johnson Controls, under many brand labels. Last time I looked, Consumer Reports top rated the Interstate brand, made by Johnson Controls which also makes DieHard (Sears), and Motorcraft (Ford).

 

Test
Does interstate make a vented battery?

 

Yes they do. I just replace my OEM battery with an Interstate MPT-93. A 1000 amp, 1000 cranking amps, 850 cold cranking amps for $135 and I installed it myself.

It is a wet cell and it is vented. The vent is located in the middle of the battery.

http://www.interstatebatteries.com

If you do a search on Jaguar XK8 they will show you a different battery that looks exactly like the OEM that I replaced and about $60.00 more with less power but it weights more too by almost 15 lbs.

 

They list one specific to the XK8,

MEGA-TRON PLUS - 85 MONTHS - 720 CCA

I was not trying to sell anyone a battery.

Wanna have a house built in the mountains of North Georgia?

Things a little slow at the moment but that that leaves time for tire rotation.

 

Do a search for MPT-93. When I did a search last December the MPT-93 and the MPT-H8 both popped up. Now only the H8 pops up when you do a search for Jaguar XK8.

I installed the MPT-93.

The MPT-H8 is the one that costs more and has less power.

My local Jaguar Dealer wanted $280 to install an Interstate (which they recommended) replacement battery.

I'm not trying to sell anyone anything, I just answered his question.