E30 Zone

I thought it would be useful to have a thread (ending up in a wiki article) that helps the less informed members (including me) in finding where you can buy OEM parts for less than the dealer will sell them to you.

I've heard all sorts over the past few years about filters, droplinks, shocks, brakes, exhausts etc and would like to learn more.

For example, BMW up here will charge over £60 for a set of droplinks - is there somewhere that sells exactly the same part without a BMW stamp for less ?

Add any examples to this thread and I'll put a wiki article together when we have enough content.

bmwminiparts <? oem and a lot cheaper apparently


i've never used them though

bmminiparts...

TBH when ive look ar bmminiparts its no cheaper than what i can get the bits from the maindealer for

Thanks guys - a different approach but valid. BMminiparts buy stock from BMW garages and sell it on much cheaper than dealer prices.

I was more thinking about non-BMW stamped parts such as Lemforder, ATE etc being bought from the likes of ECP, GSF etc.

Ecp do lemforder parts droplinks, bushes etc. They are oem so should be perfect.

There is no substitute for BMW when it comes to exhaust IMO. I have a facelift 325i booked in for exhaust tomorrow afternoon. Bosal middle and rear. About the best aftermarket systems but still miles away from BMW quality.

Some things just need to be BMW.

Agree. BMW exhausts (though I doubt they make them themselves - it'll just be that their OEM supplier doesn't supply aftermarket) are superb quality. I've seen 20 year old E24s with the original exhaust still fine. Basically the bodyshell disintegrates around the exhaust.

ECP sell Kengst air filters which are OEM.

I was under the impression that bushes like ARB and trailing arm were dealer only ? Do Lemforder make them ?

capri_rob wrote:ECP sell Kengst air filters which are OEM.

I was under the impression that bushes like ARB and trailing arm were dealer only ? Do Lemforder make them ?

Xengst arn't oem and their M52/4 filter is different in design and of poor quality. They tend to go hard and break up!

capri_rob wrote:ECP sell Kengst air filters which are OEM.

I was under the impression that bushes like ARB and trailing arm were dealer only ? Do Lemforder make them ?

http://www.eurocarparts.com/ecp/b/Lemfo ... d-Steering

bss325i wrote:

capri_rob wrote:ECP sell Kengst air filters which are OEM.

I was under the impression that bushes like ARB and trailing arm were dealer only ? Do Lemforder make them ?

Xengst arn't oem and their M52/4 filter is different in design and of poor quality. They tend to go hard and break up!

Well Baz the last one I bought from the dealer was Kengst ( Xengst ?? ) with a BMW roundel stamped on it - I remember because I was annoyed when I got it home and saw what ECP would have charged for exactly the same thing without the roundel stamped on it!

capri_rob wrote:

bss325i wrote:

capri_rob wrote:ECP sell Kengst air filters which are OEM.

I was under the impression that bushes like ARB and trailing arm were dealer only ? Do Lemforder make them ?

Xengst arn't oem and their M52/4 filter is different in design and of poor quality. They tend to go hard and break up!

Well Baz the last one I bought from the dealer was Kengst ( Xengst ?? ) with a BMW roundel stamped on it - I remember because I was annoyed when I got it home and saw what ECP would have charged for exactly the same thing without the roundel stamped on it!

What filter and for what car?

cecotto479 wrote:Agree. BMW exhausts (though I doubt they make them themselves - it'll just be that their OEM supplier doesn't supply aftermarket) are superb quality. I've seen 20 year old E24s with the original exhaust still fine. Basically the bodyshell disintegrates around the exhaust.

BMW exhausts are made by boysen, or at least the E30 ones were.

ECP used to sell them too.

we're cooking with gas now - what about brake components ? Any OEM stuff on sale cheaper ?

Ate, Textar, Jurid. All OEM suppliers for brakes.

Motor factors and what they sell do change from time to time but combined with a list of who makes the OEM parts originally would be useful as you could then phone around.

GSF sell all the OEM Boge shocks at really good prices

One of the frustrating things with GSF over ECP is they just list the quality parts as BQ were as ECP list the brand so you know what you are buying.

bss325i wrote:Ate, Textar, Jurid. All OEM suppliers for brakes.

anything to look out for when buying these brands i.e. prices or a certain range to get BMW quality levels ?

Colin, this thread although useful, confirms you are indeed a Fifer, (tight cnut)


now see if you can find me some cheap Porsche OEM bits please ?

e30topless wrote:Colin, this thread although useful, confirms you are indeed a Fifer, (tight ****)

bss325i wrote:

capri_rob wrote:

bss325i wrote: Xengst arn't oem and their M52/4 filter is different in design and of poor quality. They tend to go hard and break up!

Well Baz the last one I bought from the dealer was Kengst ( Xengst ?? ) with a BMW roundel stamped on it - I remember because I was annoyed when I got it home and saw what ECP would have charged for exactly the same thing without the roundel stamped on it!

What filter and for what car?

M20 Air filter for the chrome turd - about 12 months ago.

Rav335uk wrote:

e30topless wrote:Colin, this thread although useful, confirms you are indeed a Fifer, (tight ****)

pair of bstrds.

I still wake up in the middle of the night having nightmares about paying £190 for a set of 4 Hartge centre caps. Unfortunately it's not a dream.....

Topblag wrote:

Rav335uk wrote:

e30topless wrote:Colin, this thread although useful, confirms you are indeed a Fifer, (tight ****)

pair of bstrds.

I still wake up in the middle of the night having nightmares about paying £190 for a set of 4 Hartge centre caps. Unfortunately it's not a dream.....

I would too Colin

Even tho BMW parts are more expensive than aftermarket items you have to remember you will prob not have to replace the BMW parts again and the others will - just a mater of time.

I was talking to my mechanic mate last week and after I handed him some BMW drop links he said aftermarket (ECP GSF) parts will not last anywhere close to the lifespan of manufacturers own parts.

Get what you pay for!!

Dezzy wrote:Ecp do lemforder parts droplinks, bushes etc. They are oem so should be perfect.

Lemforders for me at half the price of the dealer.

I think the question is what BRANDS are OEM - where to get them is just a matter of who stocks those brands.

People can correct this list:

BEHR - Radiators, Heater Matrixes
LEMFOERDER - Bushes, Suspension Joints, Steering Joints
FEBI - Bushes, Suspension Joints, Steering Joints
MEYLE - Bushes, Suspension Joints, Steering Joints
JURID / TEXTAR - Brake Pads+ Discs
HELLA - Lamps / Bulbs, Exterior Trim
ZKW - Lamps
BILSTEIN - Dampers
BOGE - Dampers
BOSCH - Injectors, ECU's. Electronics
MOTOMETER - Clocks, Gauges


Lemfoerder are the supplier for E30 wishbones abut I know that Meyle / Febi do them for the E46?

Contracts change due to yearly for capacity I guess.

Top idea getting a list of oem parts suppliers together for wiki pages.
Lemforder do most of the suspension components for the e30's along with Febi, I always try and use oem parts, so spend alot of time tracking down bits, I also like to use where possible good second hand bits from an environmental perspective as I feel its a crime to send stuff to the crusher when it still has useful life, alot of energy and resources went into all of our cars over the years, my family think (know) I'm mad and cannot (will not!) understand why I want an "old" car when I could simply go and buy a new one and pay other people money to fix it!

Pagid

Forgot to add these guys are useful for parts (no involvement with them)

http://www.motormec.co.uk/30steer.html

Blitz wrote:Pagid

Would you care to elaborate for those who may not know what Pagid does ?

Pagid for brake discs etc

But Pagid are not the OEm for BMW or the E30. They are for VAG I think.

ATE / Textar for BMW.

Contitech - OEM suppliers of timing belts - Over £30 new from BMW in a BMW cardboard box - same Contitech Belt is £15.90 from ECP

I'm really growing to like this thread. Splendid idea

Elring for engine gaskets. Available from GSF certainly and I think from ECP.

Royalratch wrote:I think the question is what BRANDS are OEM - where to get them is just a matter of who stocks those brands.

People can correct this list:

BEHR - Radiators, Heater Matrixes
LEMFOERDER - Bushes, Suspension Joints, Steering Joints
FEBI - Bushes, Suspension Joints, Steering Joints
MEYLE - Bushes, Suspension Joints, Steering Joints
JURID / TEXTAR - Brake Pads+ Discs
HELLA - Lamps / Bulbs, Exterior Trim
ZKW - Lamps
BILSTEIN - Dampers
BOGE - Dampers
BOSCH - Injectors, ECU's. Electronics
MOTOMETER - Clocks, Gauges


Lemfoerder are the supplier for E30 wishbones abut I know that Meyle / Febi do them for the E46?

Contracts change due to yearly for capacity I guess.

Just because they are an OE supplier, does not mean they are the same quality that is supplied to the manufacturer. That BEHR rad of yours has a poorly moulded thread for the cap for example.

Genuine BMW E46 arms are Lemforder btw.

Every genuine BMW bush or suspension part i have seen is made by Lemforder