New battery; couple of questions.
 

I recently bought my daughter a 2004 Mini Cooper (manual) for her birthday. Long story short; the battery needed replaced, so I replaced it with an Interstate MT-47. Although Interstate says this is the direct replacement, the battery is shorter and a bit wider. The shop that installed it for me shimmed it up with some cardboard. Should the cardboard be sufficient or should I replace it with something else?

Also, the vent tube is on the terminal side, so the vent tube does not reach. I have had vent tubes in other vehicles (Mercedes/BMW), but those batteries were in the trunk. Is it necessary for this vehicle to have its battery vented? The original battery did not have a vent or it wasn't hooked up. The vent tube was found burried underneath the battery when the installer removed the old one ... and, needless to say, the elbow is squashed and unusable.

cardboard will likely crush...I'd use a harder substance /Plexiglass ect
If the battery is internal/ trunk mounted YES a vent tube is needed

Thanks for the response.

Yeah, I thought the cardboard was pushing it.

No, the battery is housed in the engine compartment, so I really don't know why they supply a vent tube; any ideas?

to send spilled acid out and away from the firewall battery area