Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

alternators

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

    alternators

    I need one.
    Anything I should know before buying?
    Any brands I should stay away from?
    M42.
    monoblanco
    www.passportsoccer.com

    #2
    Honestly if it were me I'd just go with an Autozone reman'd alternator. I think they're $130 or so with lifetime warranty. Otherwise you can't go wrong with a Bosch but that's $190 or so.
    BimmerHeads
    Classic BMW Specialists
    Santa Clarita, CA

    www.BimmerHeads.com

    Comment


      #3
      Deff go reman I went through 4 junk yard alternators till I gave up and got the autozone one
      -His-
      87 e30 325i
      87 e24 m6
      05 e83 x3
      94 e32 740i 5spd
      -Hers-
      89 e30 325i
      18 f48 x1

      Comment


        #4
        In my experience, the generic reman alternators are an iffy thing. Sometimes the don't work out of the box and other times they fail shortly after installation. In the most extreme case I went through three units in a few weeks before I gave up and got a Bosch reman.
        The car makes it possible, but the driver makes it happen.
        Jim Levie, Huntsville, AL

        Comment


          #5
          when do you really need to replace it? mine's the original. replaced the regulator/brushes once for $20. it's got about 260k on it now.

          when the bearings fail?
          Build thread

          Bimmerlabs

          Comment


            #6
            Originally posted by jlevie View Post
            In my experience, the generic reman alternators are an iffy thing. Sometimes the don't work out of the box and other times they fail shortly after installation. In the most extreme case I went through three units in a few weeks before I gave up and got a Bosch reman.
            This. The alternator in my 24v car we think out, went through 4 autozone remans, 3 of which never made it out of the driveway because they were so bad. Went OEM and everything has been sweet.
            88 325is - S52 powered

            Originally posted by King Arthur
            We'll not risk another frontal assault, that rabbit's dynamite!

            Comment


              #7
              I would vote Bosch. However, my local NAPA offers a lifetime warranty on alts purchased in his store only, for $85. Keep that receipt.

              Comment


                #8
                I got a Bosch unit that failed in about a year, then warranty swapped it and its been fine for about a year now.

                Idk about autozone ones... I work there and have seen more than one case of an alternator being bad RIGHT OUT OF THE BOX. Not super confident in them myself. But the warranty is fantastic.

                -NICK

                Comment


                  #9
                  Thanks for info. Getting second one in less than a year. Any suggestions for helping them last longer? Is there any common issue? 91 M42
                  1991 318is, AWII, Eibach/GC, Koni
                  Riverside CA

                  Comment


                    #10
                    While any alternator or starter can suffer early failures, I've seen so many generic remans fail that now I only use a Bosch Factory rebuilt (it will be in a black box).
                    The car makes it possible, but the driver makes it happen.
                    Jim Levie, Huntsville, AL

                    Comment

                    Working...
                    X