Alternator - what would you do

[shimmy]

My car has done nearly 70k miles and i reckon the next thing to go wrong will be the alternator - at which point you get caught for recovery and full price new one probably costing me at the same time a missed ferry or a missed trackday:bigcry:

So i have decided to swap mine out now and fit a new one trying to avoid this issue (no warranty)

but as with most things on investigation there seems to be endless choices to make so ill put them up here and you can all decide what to do. It seems like gearboxes most available are recon from old units with new interiors. Some have 2 year warranties some 1 year


Not with the prices i have allowed for NOW handing my unit back to them which saves £50-100 as i reckon with my unit still running i can sell it for more on ebay

[_Nathan_]

No option for a super special carbon and titanium lightweight one? I'm disappointed in you.

PS. Underdrive pulley may help with alternator reliability?

[shimmy]

PS. Underdrive pulley may help with alternator reliability?



smarty, underdrive pulleys going on next week hence the thought to swap out the alternator at the same time! :blalalala:

[_Nathan_]

lol, great minds and all that ;)

[cantfind1]

Ah yes the alternator, did this on mine fairly easy job, went to GSF they do a fully reconed unit with yours as exchange think it was a Valeo, but they may have a choice.

Only about 160quid. Comes with a 12 month warranty same a s a new part!

Much cheaper than the dealers.

[Mark CSL]

With the cash you have shimmy buy the £400 one :hahaha:

Me i would wait till it went bang :smokin:

[shimmy]

With the cash you have shimmy buy the £400 one :hahaha:

Me i would wait till it went bang :smokin:


trouble Mark when it goes bang it will cost double the £400 in other costs

if i swap it out now i might pay £250 then sell mine for £150 :thumbs:

[mattCSLnut]

Smart thinking there Shimmy ;) ... my CSL is now on it's third alternator :whistle: ... the last one began to failed @ 69 500 miles, on the way back from Brands Hatch TD last November :bigcry: ... Since I have BMW Warranty, RAC & ADAC breakdown coverage, all I paid was £250 warranty excess for Murketts BMW to fit a NEW one, with the bonus of two years warranty :thumbs: Since you don't have any of these luxuries it's the best £250 you're going to invest in the CSL. I vote for BOSCH reconditioned unit or if you're feeling "flash with cash" let Murketts either sell U one or fit it (with 6 year + discount for either) to get that 2 year warranty deal. Failing all that you could always try "Good will", as this is yet another M3 week point.
BTW... Welcome to the 70K+ miles CSL Club :beer:


My car has done nearly 70k miles and i reckon the next thing to go wrong will be the alternator - at which point you get caught for recovery and full price new one probably costing me at the same time a missed ferry or a missed trackday:bigcry:

So i have decided to swap mine out now and fit a new one trying to avoid this issue (no warranty)

but as with most things on investigation there seems to be endless choices to make so ill put them up here and you can all decide what to do. It seems like gearboxes most available are recon from old units with new interiors. Some have 2 year warranties some 1 year


Not with the prices i have allowed for NOW handing my unit back to them which saves £50-100 as i reckon with my unit still running i can sell it for more on ebay

[mattCSLnut]

Ah yes the alternator, did this on mine fairly easy job, went to GSF they do a fully reconed unit with yours as exchange think it was a Valeo, but they may have a choice.

Only about 160quid. Comes with a 12 month warranty same a s a new part!

Much cheaper than the dealers.


Last time I checked with GSF (Nov. '09) they quoted me £170 + VAT for a Valeo one, plus they wanted my old unit in p/x, as you say. The benefits for buying from Main Steeler are, you get 24 months warranty, not the standard 12 :whistle: plus the "6 year +" discount on parts & labour applies to most CSLs now, making some parts more affordable. Another BMW receipt in the CSLs History file is nice too, if you like that sort of thing :whistle: It's all down to individual budgets, I guess :beer:

[mole]

What did you go for in the end Shimster? Did you fit it yourself?

[Yanto]

Rich -may be worth a call to BMSport - they said they could recon. Can't recall price..would prob go that way for conveniance if wasn't going warranty route. :thumbs:

[Nords]

I said, secondhand bosch, but with warranty I'll be getting it sorted with at the same time as my flap!

:thumbs:

[shimmy]

I bought a Valeo recon unit for £200 at Bennetts and Simpsons fitted it. Valeo are good units, OEM on e36. Glad I did it as it seems like I was living on borrowed time at 70k miles.

[mole]

I bought a Valeo recon unit for £200 at Bennetts and Simpsons fitted it. Valeo are good units, OEM on e36. Glad I did it as it seems like I was living on borrowed time at 70k miles.

Bennetts? These boys? http://www.bennettsbmw.co.uk I think you did well to get to 70k by the looks of things.

[Nords]

I have had it on the bike's trickle charger for 2 nights on a row and it still hasn't gone onto 'trickle' yet!

:whistle:

[shimmy]

Bennetts? These boys? http://www.bennettsbmw.co.uk I think you did well to get to 70k by the looks of things.

No Bennets Auto Parts

I found the Bosch website and searched for suppliers and near me there was Eurocarparts, Bennets and Motor Parts Direct.

[shane@mbtech]

Dont want to worry you Shimmy, but I have replaced alternators at a few hundred miles on new cars. Some cars have never had an alternator either at 300k miles that we service.

In theory you have done the right thing.

In reality your new alternator could still fail after 200 miles.

Its one of those things that you will never know.

[shimmy]

Yes I know

old one may have been a gem and run forever but done it now. Part of the 2010 maintenance a la Shimmy

[glendog74]

In theory you have done the right thing.

In reality your new alternator could still fail after 200 miles.

Its one of those things that you will never know.

Come now Shane - let's try to not overly concern the Shim-meister! You know how much these sort of things prey on his mind :hahaha:

[shane@mbtech]

Come now Shane - let's try to not overly concern the Shim-meister! You know how much these sort of things prey on his mind :hahaha:


;)

Shimmy bring your old one if you still have it to spa/ring, someone might need it:whistle:

[mole]

Rich -may be worth a call to BMSport - they said they could recon. Can't recall price..would prob go that way for conveniance if wasn't going warranty route. :thumbs:

Will try them tomorrow/Tuesday :thumbs:

[mole]

Will try them tomorrow/Tuesday :thumbs:

BMSport offering to recon alternator at £80-£150 +VAT - anybody got a view on getting this done?

[DuncanR]

BTW... Welcome to the 70K+ miles CSL Club :beer:
Welcome home Matt, my mortar took another step in the direction of that Club yesterday, 64,000 rolled over EXACTLY as T$ and I were passing Comfy Corner !
PS Please dont ask T$ why he was a passenger in my car !!!:bigcry:

[Nords]

FACK! It has been showing the red battery light only at 6K revs for a couple of days. Didn't use it last night, got in tonight and the light shows at 4K, 4 miles from home and alsorts of lights come on. 400 yards from home it dies a complete death!

If I charge the battery up over night, can I drive it to Bath without the lights on?
:bigcry:

[shimmy]

No

[shimmy]

No


Maybe ;)

[Nords]

Depends where I start from, I suppose!!!

:gayfight:

[Bounce]

I dont think you will get very far,my mate got about 10 miles before it died.I just got recovery to get mine from home on a low loader.;)

[mattCSLnut]

Welcome home Matt, my mortar took another step in the direction of that Club yesterday, 64,000 rolled over EXACTLY as T$ and I were passing Comfy Corner !
PS Please dont ask T$ why he was a passenger in my car !!!:bigcry:

Hello m8... only a few more Ring trips away from the illusive 70K + Club :beer:
I've heard about T$ short lived Ring weekend :whistle:

[Nords]

Well, from a battery completely charged on a trickle charger, a CSL with a fooked alternator, no aircon on, no indicators, mininal brake lights, keeping it in 6th in S5 will make it 44.3 miles before dying (christmas tree lights came on around 35 miles, dying = SMG going into neutral).

:thumbs:

Xenons on, SMG used, will get you about 20 miles....

[shimmy]

Well, from a battery completely charged on a trickle charger, a CSL with a fooked alternator, no aircon on, no indicators, mininal brake lights, keeping it in 6th in S5 will make it 44.3 miles before dying (christmas tree lights came on around 35 miles, dying = SMG going into neutral).

:thumbs:

Xenons on, SMG used, will get you about 20 miles....

:hahaha::hahaha:

did you hitch a lift in full dress uniform?

[Nords]

The 20 miles meant I was 400 yards from home, I had someone running shotgun in a Disco for the drive to Wellsway!

In hindsight, I should have been towed the length of the motorway and then drove through Bath, that was fun!!!!!!