Just a couple bits of info you might find useful.
The original BMW battery can be topped up. I pulled mine out and found one of the cells was very low, while all of them were a little low. Add distilled water and it might last another few years. Mine is date-stamped 50th week 2002.
I discovered this after buying a new one (too late!). The replacement I bought is a Varta H3. It's bigger than the original but still fits in a E46 sedan and gives 100Ah over the original 80Ah. So don't trust the cross-reference guides.
The original BMW battery can be topped up. I pulled mine out and found one of the cells was very low, while all of them were a little low. Add distilled water and it might last another few years. Mine is date-stamped 50th week 2002.
I discovered this after buying a new one (too late!). The replacement I bought is a Varta H3. It's bigger than the original but still fits in a E46 sedan and gives 100Ah over the original 80Ah. So don't trust the cross-reference guides.