Hey, all! I haven't been around much since our Fit's been running like a champ. Well, all but the battery about to die. It's cranking slowly after being sitting for a bit.

I did a lot of searching about replacement batteries, and want to try the Miata battery. So, who has attempted sticking the Miata battery into their GE? Any problems/issues?

Thanks, folks!

 

Miatas (at least the one I just checked: '08) take group size 51r (same size as for civics). Here's a current thread on making this one fit in a Fit.

Group 51R battery?

 

I think their battery is a U1R, I don't know the exact dimensions of the 151r we have but I think it's similar. Here's an example:

Mazda MIATA Battery: BatteryMart.com

Doing more research I think the length is less than an inch longer in the U1R than in the 151R and I think around 1/2 an inch shorter in the U1R than in our 151R. I think it may be feasible. With the $30 off $100 coupon and with the $12 core charge added the battery is $87.99. Only $12 less than the battery for ours so not sure if it's even really worth it.

 

They show it as a miata battery, but I think it's a fudge.

U1R is a lawn tractor battery. (While some claim we have lawn tractor batteries, I think ours is more of a motorcycle battery).

Both autozone and interstate show 51R as the group for Miatas (same as for Civics).

The OE size for Fits is 151R

Grp..width length height weight
151R. 4.5"...8.0......??.....22lbs (dimensions) Weight of actual autozone 151r
U1R..5.2"...8.25"...7.2"....17lbs (sears)
51R..5.13"..9.38"..8.88"...28lbs (interstate)

Many have made a 51R work in their fits. I think I'd go with the 151R.

151R availability
Honda $70 plus shipping online (not known if it ships with acid).
Honda $100 plus tax at dealer
autozone $132 (including core) plus tax

Unless interstate comes out with a cheaper replacement, I'll get mine at honda.

 

Actually when I had my NA Miata it was really common to put the U1R into it so it's true but it's not even worth it IMHO because the CCA aren't any better and it's just a few bucks cheaper than the OEM.

 

Better battery for the money is this one right here, I have the next model up which is the BT35 you can find that for $109 with free shipping NO CORE charge.

SHURiKEN SK-BT20 (SKBT20) 850 Amp 12 Volt AGM Power Cell Battery (086429173402) | eBay

Much more CA and will last just as long as a regular car battery if not longer depending on use.

 

Are these meant for the cold? I don't see a CCA rating so it seems it would be good for warm locations not so much for NH where it gets 5 degrees out.

 

Not sure on cold rating, but I am sure Metra the parent company of that product can answer that question.

800-221-0932

 

I found a U1RT 1999 Miata battery for $68 after tax and core refund at a store nearby where I work, so I'm going for it. The nearest Honda dealer is 80 miles away, and the nearest AutoZone is 40 miles away. I'm not driving 80-160 miles just for an OEM size battery if the U1RT will work.

 

Let us know how well it works.

 

Nice, let us know how it goes!

 

Will do. Busy day tomorrow.

 

It works! The Autocraft Silver U1RT battery from Advance is identical in length and width to the OEM battery. It's about 1/2" shorter, which does present a few challenges. The battery box needs to be trimmed up on the front, and a 1/2" spacer made for the battery hold-down bar. After those were accomplished, it dropped in slick as snot.

Old vs. new:






Stock battery box:


Modified battery box:


All installed. Note the spacer in the front to let the hold-downs get tight enough. I used an old polyurethane endlink. You can be more imaginitive, as long as it's about 1/2" high. Lowe's or HD sells 1/2" steel or nylon spacers for $1.50 or so. Nylon doesn't rust.




Despite how it looks, the battery is not touching either the airbox or headlight.

And, all the bolts are 10mm on the battery and hold-down bar. A ratcheting wrench comes in handy tightening down the hold-downs. Remember, negative off first, then positive!

 

cool, thanks for posting. It looks like 45amp hours? I think the OE battery is 35 but I might be wrong. $68 and what store? The Feb/2011 date code is a little disappointing.

In other news I emailed majestic to find out their shipping policy on the Honda battery. They replied they can't ship batteries: local pick-up only.

 

That 45 is reserve capacity in minutes. CCA are 370. It was $68 after my credit card's cash back and a discount code through Advance's Web site.

Yeah, I was disappointed in it being almost a year old. It works fine, though. And I can get another one off the shelf if anything goes wrong.

 

Thanks for being the tester, I'm glad things worked out and it's much cheaper than the oem battery, I'll have to try this when my battery dies in a few years.

 

Thanks!

The alternative to using a spacer and cutting the box is to space the battery itself inside the battery box. I didn't do that due to a lack of suitable materials.

 

Update: Working very well. No change in performance noted from the OEM battery. The car starts faster in the cold weather than on the dead OEM battery.

 

Great, I own two cars, a miata and a fit, that have midget batteries.