E30 Zone

water pump
cambelt
tensioner
thermostat
Viscous fan

You pays yer money and takes yer choice - there'll always be someone who says OEM only for everything, and cheapskates who never buy genuine anything. Get prices from Cotswold on here though - it's not worth assuming that ALL parts are more expensive from dealers as in some instances it's not the case.

Personally if you can afford it i would go for main dealer for the first three

Water pump being a must, the plastic ones end up breaking up and leaving bits of plastic all over your engine

I work on BMWs for a living and have been doing so for over 20 years I buy all of these parts from my local ECP and have never had a problem or had to replace a component due to premature failure/poor quality.
There are very few parts where I will gladfully pay the dealer premium, but they include cam sensors,pad sensors, certain gaskets and rear top mounts.
Re water pumps, the euros KWP replacement pumps are excellent quality and a fraction of the dealer price and they ALL have metal impellers not like some of the OE crap !

Well I have to say the opposite.

I've used GSF or Euro Car Parts for all of those parts and never had a problem with any of them. There must be only a few factories that make timing belts, and I've bought the contitech one before that has always been fine. One of the main manufacturing companies will make them for BMW, and it's will either be Continental, Gates or the like. As for the rest, all the patern parts I've used have been fine, including the water pump of which had a metal rotor.

Just my 2p worth.

Must admit that pacerpete's endorsment of ECP suprised me,but as he earns from using their parts they cannot be that bad!
I would buy all the parts listed from my local GSF branch without any hesitation,buying always the more expensive option if given a choice.

water pump
cambelt
tensioner + spring
thermostat

get these from the dealer.. although pete has had good experience using non genuine parts.. there could always be that bad batch out there!! and i personally wouldnt take the chance.
viscious fan/coupling get that from gsf/euro car parts

water pump, cambelt and tensioner.... i got mine from ecp a year ago and aint had any problems, and i've done about 6 drift days and a trackday. Everything fitted 1st go and seemed excellent quality.

I have had a water pump, clutch master cylinder an slave cylinder, all bought from euros fail in about a year!

The water pump leaked out of its nose and both the cylinders leaked past their seals.

NEVER AGAIN WILL I BUY PARTERN SHIT unless its the same brand as OE ie ATE brakes etc.

All rubber bushes should be bought from the dealer to!

I had a genuine BMW water pump fail ,within a very short time after fitting.
Stuff happens.

I had 2 M20 waterpumps fail on me.. one had a loose shaft on delivery and the other the impellor became loose?

Bob_S wrote:I had 2 M20 waterpumps fail on me.. one had a loose shaft on delivery and the other the impellor became loose?

BMW?

ecp, I should have made oneself clearer.

Bob_S wrote:ecp, I should have made oneself clearer.

In that case which brand?

Enunciate!

Chris-W wrote:

Bob_S wrote:ecp, I should have made oneself clearer.

In that case which brand?

Enunciate!

elucidate?

DHFiS wrote:

Chris-W wrote:

Bob_S wrote:ecp, I should have made oneself clearer.

In that case which brand?

Enunciate!

elucidate?

procrastinate??

so from the general consensus....

waterpump, cambelt, tensioner, thermostat - all from main bmw dealer

viscous fan - euro car parts/gsf

yes?

Finally, any idea of prices? Don't want the guy behind the parts desk to see my jaw drop.

i fitted a gsf viscous last week, works fine car sounds like a 747 taking off now that is working lol

aftermarket thermostats are CACK and too cheap not to buy original parts.

Personally I would also get the cambelt from the dealer as if that lets go you can kiss goodbye to your engine - you want the best possible quality part.

The rest of it get from ECP or GSF

Every part can fail, there is a rat in every batch and it's just you're luck if you get it. Nothing wrong with ECP and GSF

ricey46 wrote:Every part can fail, there is a rat in every batch and it's just you're luck if you get it. Nothing wrong with ECP and GSF

its a three year warrentee on bmw parts... or was it two years??

'water pumps, the euros KWP replacement pumps are excellent quality and a fraction of the dealer price and they ALL have metal impellers not like some of the OE crap'


I went to GSF for my m20 water pump and it's all metal impellers.

@ this thread

BMW parts only carry a 12 month warranty Mr schnitzer, same as every other supplier

BMW dealer cheaper by a fair old margin when it comes to trim bits and consumables especially compared to ebay mint rare genuines

DanThe wrote: @ this thread

BMW parts only carry a 12 month warranty Mr schnitzer, same as every other supplier

wrong! thats not what my dealer tells me!
well maybe you arent wrong but as i say thats what the guys at cooper tell me... maybe dealers are different with their warranty.

mhuk wrote:'water pumps, the euros KWP replacement pumps are excellent quality and a fraction of the dealer price and they ALL have metal impellers not like some of the OE crap'


I went to GSF for my m20 water pump and it's all metal impellers.

So has the genuine one i fitted to my M20.

Its M50/52 pumps that have plastic impelers.

e30bmlover wrote:

DanThe wrote: @ this thread

BMW parts only carry a 12 month warranty Mr schnitzer, same as every other supplier

wrong! thats not what my dealer tells me!
well maybe you arent wrong but as i say thats what the guys at cooper tell me... maybe dealers are different with their warranty.

Well I couldnt get a replacement black mast aerial, the colour had worn off and it was about 14-15 months old.
Trust me, I tried!

I'd only get the waterpump genuine, ECP's top brand on Belt / Tensioner Kit is Conti or if you prefer SKF/Gates belt kits. Viscous will be Sachs.

Very important to specify that you want the best branded stuff as they carry cheap copies of the most common parts.

Personally I find it very hard to believe that BMW original parts will be subject to any greater quality manufacturing processes than the above brands, who supply the the Vehicle manufacturers in the first place anyway. I'm not sure the same could be said for cheap china / turkey sourced pattern parts.

Hmmm cheers mate. If someone can tell me what sort of prices BMW are charging for the following:

Water Pump
Cambelt + Tensioner
Thermostat.
Viscous coupling + blade


Than maybe I can decide which to buy from.

These are roughly EuroCarPart prices:

Water Pump = £35-40
Cambelt + tensioner = £35
Thermostat = £10
Viscous Couplig + blade = £80


+ I'm in need of a idle control valve... THEIR ABOUT £80 FOR THEM LITTLE SHITS lol.


Thanks

SeymourCake wrote:Hmmm cheers mate. If someone can tell me what sort of prices BMW are charging for the following:

Water Pump
Cambelt + Tensioner
Thermostat.
Viscous coupling + blade


Than maybe I can decide which to buy from.

These are roughly EuroCarPart prices:

Water Pump = £35-40
Cambelt + tensioner = £35
Thermostat = £10
Viscous Couplig + blade = £80


+ I'm in need of a idle control valve... THEIR ABOUT £80 FOR THEM LITTLE SHITS lol.


Thanks

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