Is VW really metric?

[vanDub]

Just how European / Metric are our VWs really.

The Passat (at least) has a “European Specific” battery with metric dimensions of 175mm x 175mm x 257 mm. While Googling Optima Yellow Top batteries to see if they made a “European Specific” battery I realized that the “European Specific” battery is really an Imperial sized 7” x 7” x 10” converted to metric measurements. Just a pity that Optima don’t make one that size although some here claim a D34 fits.

[mk3pete]

as far as i knew a battery is a battery i didnt think it would matter !!!.......

[Peter Jones]

All VWs are primarily metric up to a point.

There's a few imperial bits in there simply due to market forces and regulations.

Seat belt bolts are imperial, your battery is a standard size based on standards which pre date the metric system,

and your wheel diameter is imperial too. Be grateful for that one, some French cars have metric wheel diameters and that's not a lot of fun when tyre shopping.

Mostly they're metric though. I don't own any imperial sized spanners

[Peter Jones]

Just thought of another one, the spin on oil filter uses an imperial thread too.

[Jace]

I don't own any imperial sized spanners

Fark that's commitment right there! you really are a Dubber, Pete!

[elephino]

There are some South African built BMWs from the 70s that are half imperial and half metric. So you do need two sets of spanners for them.

[vanDub]

as far as i knew a battery is a battery i didnt think it would matter !!!.......

It doesn't if you use the old L bracket over one top corner and some rods with wing nuts. The VW battery is clamped at the base over projections from the bottom of the case so the length / width measurement and proper projections are very important. The height has some flexability up to 190mm / 71/2" (Supercharge Gold MF66 or 66H).

[Fury]

I have a D34 in my car (mk4 bora) which is bigger then the factory battery. As I couldn't get one with reversed terminals, I had to cut some of the plastic housing for the fuse holder ontop, to fit it.
I believe a D35 is slightly smaller then the D34, and has the reversed terminals... If i knew this before I bought the battery, I would have gotten a D35.

[Fury]

D34:
Length: 10.” 254 mm
Width: 6.875” 174.6 mm
Height: 7.813” 198.4 mm (height at the top of the terminals)
Weight: 42.9 lb. 19.5 kg


D35:
Length: 9.313” 236.5 mm
Width: 6.750” 174.6 mm
Height: 7.750” 198.4 mm (height at the top of the terminals)
Weight: 36.5 lb. 16.6 kg


It is only really the height which is bigger, but this is generally because they include the terminal height in their measurements.