E30 Zone

Posted: **Thu Aug 21, 2014 12:14 pm**

I would say there's some things that should come from a dealer but others that are not so critical.

But is the Propshaft centre mount bearing one of those Genuine only parts or would a GSF one for half the price be OK?

Posted: **Thu Aug 21, 2014 12:17 pm**

I often see a GSF van around the back of my local BMW dealer....

GSF often offer two qualities of parts,the more expensive is usually an OE supplier to BMW.

Posted: **Thu Aug 21, 2014 12:18 pm**

I would go to ECP before GSF.. They mostly just label the products as premium and don't tell you the brand.. It's only when they arrive that you realise it's a brand that's even cheaper at ECP or CP4L

Posted: **Thu Aug 21, 2014 12:27 pm**

Just double checking, by ECP I take it you mean Euro Car Parts?

Can't find the part listed with ECP, which I why I looked to GSF

http://www.gsfcarparts.com/524bm0090

but there only appears to be one offering, not the usual budget and OEQ

I've got easy enough access to either store so don't really have a preference.

I'm kind of thinking if the one on the car is original it's done 150k, if a patern part does half that I still won't have to replace it in my lifetime. The saving can go towards something else.

Posted: **Thu Aug 21, 2014 12:34 pm**

Buy shit, buy twice.

Posted: **Thu Aug 21, 2014 12:44 pm**

i use my gsf most of the time, euro once or twice and local parts store. generally GSF are good and cheaper that most. only prob ive had was ordered diff oil and got auto trans fluid!?

Posted: **Thu Aug 21, 2014 12:52 pm**

kieran325 wrote:Buy shit, buy twice.

yeah, but as my accountant used to say "Jam now or Jam later"

If the half price part even lasts a quarter of the OE one then I'm looking at 30,000 miles. I'm quite happy to so the job again in 3-4 years (if I still have the car) for the sake of an extra £20 in my pocket now.

Jam now!

Posted: **Thu Aug 21, 2014 1:07 pm**

daimlerman wrote:I often see a GSF van around the back of my local BMW dealer....
.

Proof

?

Posted: **Thu Aug 21, 2014 1:09 pm**

kieran325 wrote:Buy shit, buy twice.

This!!!!

I usually get parts from BMW Dealer
Have used the odd parts from ECP
Castrol LSD Oil
Goodridge Brake Hoses
Powerflex
PAS Fluid
Brake fluid
Coolant
Engine oil
Water pump
ContiTech belts
Handbrake shoes and handbrake cables
Track rods

Out of ECP or GSF
Defo ECP
More branches, more parts, cheap prices

Posted: **Thu Aug 21, 2014 1:25 pm**

Oh well, just ordered from GSF now, found an extra 20% code so £14.88 and delivered to my door as currently out of stock at local branch.

Posted: **Fri Aug 22, 2014 12:35 am**

GSF driveshafts are utter crap!!!

Posted: **Fri Aug 22, 2014 9:16 am**

On my old 318, it failed MOT from excessive play on steering rack. Bought a reckon from Eurocar, spent about a day fitting it .... it failed MOT from excessive play on steering rack!

The MOT station shimmed it and Eurocar had to foot the bill, there was no way I was taking it out again.

Posted: **Fri Aug 22, 2014 10:19 am**

pony wrote:
daimlerman wrote:I often see a GSF van around the back of my local BMW dealer....
.
Proof ?

Go park up outside your local BMW dealer if you do not believe me!

Posted: **Sat Aug 23, 2014 10:55 am**

pony wrote:
daimlerman wrote:I often see a GSF van around the back of my local BMW dealer....
.
Proof ?

Some of my larger customers are main dealers, it's true!

Posted: **Sat Aug 23, 2014 11:34 am**

Whenever I buy a part from Main Dealer is always from BMW with their packaging etc

Well I'm not sitting outside a dealer
I said proof so bring proof!!!!

Posted: **Sat Aug 23, 2014 11:42 am**

pony wrote:Whenever I buy a part from Main Dealer is always from BMW with their packaging etc

Well I'm not sitting outside a dealer
I said proof so bring proof!!!!

Most of the parts main dealers buy from us are for their non-franchise requirements, they get a better discount from us than they would do from the relevant main dealer.

Posted: **Sun Aug 24, 2014 8:12 am**

kieran325 wrote:Buy Q Drive, buy thrice.

Posted: **Sun Aug 24, 2014 8:21 am**

I rarely buy from the dealer - only stuff I can't buy from Euros. BMW prices are just insane now - £300 for a heater matrix, £35 for a pair of E36 front bump stops etc. Best is £1450 for a 320d turbo - they're £750 from Garrett!

Posted: **Sun Aug 24, 2014 8:47 am**

M3SAM wrote:GSF driveshafts are reconditioned in a shed in Willenhall!!!

True

They call themselves Driveshaft UK

Posted: **Sun Aug 24, 2014 10:16 am**

Andyboy wrote:
kieran325 wrote:Buy Q Drive, buy thrice.

Fitted a set of Q Drive front discs and pads (customer supplied) to a Fiat 500 a couple of weeks ago. Pleasantly surprised to see "TMF Friction" printed on the side of the pad, so, Q Drive or not, there's a bit of pedigree there.

Posted: **Sun Aug 24, 2014 11:36 am**

Andyboy wrote:I rarely buy from the dealer - only stuff I can't buy from Euros.

+1

I used to buy BMW (boxed) oil filters from the dealer but now I go to ECP instead (Hengst, Bosch etc).

Almost every mechanic I see in the locality has deliveries from ECP on a daily basis.

Posted: **Sun Aug 24, 2014 3:26 pm**

Brianmoooore wrote:
Andyboy wrote:
kieran325 wrote:Buy Q Drive, buy thrice.
Fitted a set of Q Drive front discs and pads (customer supplied) to a Fiat 500 a couple of weeks ago. Pleasantly surprised to see "TMF Friction" printed on the side of the pad, so, Q Drive or not, there's a bit of pedigree there.

I'm an Eicher man myself Brian. They used to be shite but the current stuff is okay. At £40 odd for E36 front discs and pads you can't really go wrong. ECP were having a clear out of Eicher gear - bought 3 sets of E36 front and rear discs and pads, about 50 quid the lot.

Posted: **Sun Aug 24, 2014 11:59 pm**

i will use KMS GSF and ECP depending on who has the better quality part but some things i will go to the dealers for

just bought a meyle boxed PAS pump for the e24 from KMS for £135, checked against the chassis no it was the right one for my car and nows its fitted i'm having issues. they can't confirm if its 100 110 or 130bar pump. i need a 110bar one.

off it comes tomorrow and i'll get my original one rebuilt, if i cant i'll just fork out £315 to the dealers.

Posted: **Mon Aug 25, 2014 12:03 am**

Andyboy wrote:
Brianmoooore wrote:
Andyboy wrote:
Fitted a set of Q Drive front discs and pads (customer supplied) to a Fiat 500 a couple of weeks ago. Pleasantly surprised to see "TMF Friction" printed on the side of the pad, so, Q Drive or not, there's a bit of pedigree there.
I'm an Eicher man myself Brian. They used to be shite but the current stuff is okay. At £40 odd for E36 front discs and pads you can't really go wrong. ECP were having a clear out of Eicher gear - bought 3 sets of E36 front and rear discs and pads, about 50 quid the lot.

I'm after a set of discs and pads for an E36

Posted: **Mon Aug 25, 2014 7:47 am**

I get most parts from ECP or GSF. Stick to the premium brands and you'll be fine. Oil I tend to get from Halfords, Wilco or the supermarket depending on whose got a deal on.

The main dealer still has its place though. I got a load of clips for the gutter trim last week. Ordered Tuesday, in stock by 08:00 by Thursday. Fantastic service for a car thats been out of production for two decades.

A lot of the parts prices have rocketed though. The OBC light bar was the best part of £100 the last time I checked. I'll stick to soldering in new bulbs!

Exhausts are still fairly priced though IMO. I got quoted £600 for a new 2 piece exhaust for my 320i. Expensive yes, but will last far, far longer than some sh!tty Klarius system.

Posted: **Wed Aug 27, 2014 2:57 pm**

Well that was rubbish!

The GSF Propshaft mount arrived without the bearing, which is clearly shown in the product image.

No where dose it state bearing not included or image for illustration purposes - so I'd expect to get what is shown.

The fact they don't appear to sell the bearing separately would suggest it comes as one piece.

Do they usually come as one bit or separate items?

Posted: **Wed Aug 27, 2014 8:20 pm**

eddypeck wrote:Do they usually come as one bit or separate items?

I've seen both but they normally tell you if it's just the carrier.

Got mine from here a few years ago, Lemforder part and includes bearing:

http://www.c3bmw.co.uk/StockItem.asp?ca ... m=unassign

Posted: **Thu Aug 28, 2014 10:24 am**

Great link, thanks. I need to find places like this for BMW. Got a fair selection saved to favorites for VW to supply my '86 Golf GTI but it's like starting from scratch and learning all over again with this.

Posted: **Thu Aug 28, 2014 12:53 pm**

eddypeck wrote:Well that was rubbish!

The GSF Propshaft mount arrived without the bearing, which is clearly shown in the product image.

No where dose it state bearing not included or image for illustration purposes - so I'd expect to get what is shown.

The fact they don't appear to sell the bearing separately would suggest it comes as one piece.

Do they usually come as one bit or separate items?

well after a bit of a moan, they're sending me a bearing

E30 Zone

GSF vs Genuine Parts ?

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