I'm just writing up a quick post for those interested as I searched for some time on this and found limited information and nothing solid on how to replace the factory battery with a cheaper group 49. As a result of the info I learned in this thread CD Changer keeps reloading I realized I needed a battery. I wasn't overly pleased to have to pay $169.99 for a group 95 battery from Autozone or a Werker from BatteriesPlus so I did some research and found the group 49 has been used by many others but no one I found had pictures or really how to info.

Well I bought a group 49DL from Autozone for 89.99 last night and installed it assuming that I would have to make shims as it was smaller than the factory. I was VERY pleased to see you need nothing of the sort as others commented you do. I found that the screw hole on the floor that the mounting bracket used on the factory battery has a next door neighbor. Better yet it lines up PERFECTLY for the tie down bracket on a group 49 battery and holds it rock solid the only thing really needed is to extend the vent tube as it sits on a different side. Here are some pics...

Steve

 

That's what I'm talking about!
I've planned to use the cheaper line 49DL should my battery need a replacement.

Let us if the Idrive is giving you a hard time (not compatible), detects low voltage level, other error, etc.
I know a lot of E39 guys use 49DL as replacement.

 

Nice. Bookmarking for future reference.

 

hey guys, my car had a DL49 replacement when I bought it. The dealer I bought it from replaced the battary. When I took it in for service a few weeks ago, they said my battary level was low and charged it up. They said that I would proably have to put in the right battary later. I am not getting any errors in idrive. Just a heads up. My car seems to not go to sleep, and I think there was a period in its life that it wasn't driven for a while which drained the battary.

 

When I do a search on autozone's batteries, it shows the replacement for an 06 530i is a 48-DL, instead of 49-DL, has anyone used the 48 instead? I notice the 48-DL is 875 CA while the 49-DL is 1000 CA. They also appear to be different sizes

 

Those autozone compute readouts are crap. I've been using duralast 49dl's in my e46. It's wha everyone uses except if they are going with the lightweight optima batteries.

If it works go for it.

 

I just picked up a 49 DL last week and it works beautifully. Just go with the 49 DL. Also the vent tube that exits from your car might be a little shorter so pick up at least 6-8 inches of rubber pump hosing which was .98 cents. they sell it by the foot at autozone. Just make sure its the same diameter lumen as the stock one in the car. ( it comes off easily.)

 

Anyone trust autozone to do the battery install muhahaha , I take it everyone did it themselves?