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Thread: Best Alternator?

  1. #1
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    Best Alternator?

    Need to replace the water cooled alternator on a 2003 540i wagon recently bought from a forum member. Fixing problems on a list and alternator is done. Have read a ton of the information on this forum wondering how bad are the cheaper Chinese alternators opposed to a reman Bosch, AC Delco, Pure Energy? Always have opted reman over new Chinese but seems they have much better quality than the parts of years ago. Always "feels" better knowing an OE part is used but prices alone can differ close to $200 and not have to return a core on the new stuff. Know Pure Energy has a great following with reliability and probably the way to go, wondering if many of you have good reviews much better over the cheaper Chinese counter parts at close to 1/2 the price and no core return. Are the Chinese parts better by than the past or is it still a crap shoot hoping for the best and being one of a lucky few getting a good one, or just not chance it going for peace of mind with a remanufactured...saving a few bucks has its advantages, but replacing same part in a year is a PITA. From past experience, even the better parts can have their faults.

    In the past have had so-so results on some cheaper parts, some been perfect...some not. Chinas quality has improved, any consensus on the alternator?,

    TKU much...
    Last edited by SCRSUVS; 01-31-2018 at 06:50 PM.

  2. #2
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    Get a rebuilt Bosch or used / known good one. Not a place to cut corners.
    Last edited by CPHES; 01-13-2018 at 11:55 PM.

  3. #3
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    From past experience, even the better parts can have their faults.
    I too keep hearing that.

    Sample of one on a 528i, not a water cooled. I put an aftermarket one on, came with a little test tag in the box suggesting something like 145A performance, purchased because it was less than a new regulator for the existing Valeo with 245K on it, that was still going strong. Sold it 10K later with no issues. The OE one didn't fail, I just didn't trust the brushes, a wear item, with it being my wife's DD. YMMV.
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  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by CPHES View Post
    Get a rebuilt Bosch or used / known good one. Not a place to cut corners.
    That was my first thought, always have preferred known quality, still wondering how others have faired with the Chinese alternators.
    Prices vary from $175ish to Bosch @ $420ish, $250ish is a good saving if the $175ish part holds up...and I have had quality parts non
    Chinese fail, even though replaced for free. Frustrating getting the one that fails.
    General consensus...one vs the other?

    Mike WW

    I always believe in preventive maintenance too...
    Last edited by SCRSUVS; 01-31-2018 at 06:53 PM.

  5. #5
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    I’ve never seen a denso replacement for the Bosch water cooled unit we use.

  6. #6
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    Close friend been working on his cars for years, family even owned an Auto Parts Store in SF bay-area 50s - 80s until crushed
    by the kind of parts we are talking about. BMWs definitely different than many other cars, but basic philosophy" parts are
    parts", just take time when working on them. His first response when I asked him he replied buy the cheapest Chinese and hope
    for the best. Asked again and this was his response.


    "Unfortunately, there's nothing like Consumer Reports for auto parts. It's a black hole as far as quality goes. Anything new will be Chinese and probably all from the same manufacturer. Shop for the best price on those. Rebuilt - quality could be anywhere - potentially even worse than Chinese new. I used to shop NAPA because they cater to professionals. Too much bad s%$^ and they'll lose volume customers. Junky places like O'Reilly and Autozone are price only - they won't lose much by selling crap. So what if they lose one DIY customer? Maybe try NAPA but I hold my ankles whenever I call them. Even then, if they quote you for a new unit, it'll be Chinese. Wish I could be more help but I've been fighting the same question for years and haven't come up with a good answer.

    Been 20+ years since I left the auto parts business. No such thing as new Chinese then. I had some inkling of good v. bad rebuilders but all that has changed.

    Concerning mechanics: Anybody not familiar with BMW's needs to slow down and look at videos, manuals, and forums to get it right. Their business is all about speed and minimizing labor and most won't do that. They'll half-ass their way through the job and use your car as a learning experience (don't know who worked on my Jaguar but definitely the case there). A guy that works on BMW's all day will have done your job multiple times and know all the tricks."


    My question asked qualifies & falls into the category ask a 10 people and get 10 different answers, some may have had excellent results
    with a cheap brand, some not with another. Funny when one can remember the good old days when NOS was the part you'd get and we all took that for granted...honestly, after giving this more consideration there is no easy answer, still interested in others experiences...
    Last edited by SCRSUVS; 01-15-2018 at 03:12 AM.

  7. #7
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    Try and call Alternator Starter Exchange in las vegas and ask if they can rebuild your water cooled unit. The owner rebuilt my s52 and m54b30 alternators for a decent price.

  8. #8
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    So what goes bad on the water cooled alternators anyway? Having driven BMWs for over 30 years now I've never had an alternator go bad, though admittedly never a water cooled one. Brushes yes, regulators yes, bearings, yes. But windings? No. Diodes? No. I realize the water cooled are something of a different animal, but still, what goes wrong?
    98 328is
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  9. #9
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    Get the Bosch unit

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by s14brent View Post
    Try and call Alternator Starter Exchange in las vegas and ask if they can rebuild your water cooled unit. The owner rebuilt my s52 and m54b30 alternators for a decent price.
    Called that shop said he doesn't do water cooled alternators, had hopes he may have been a solution, old days 100% support for Bosch over other choices, but saving a few bucks now days is tempting. Youtube DIY mechanics interesting chose Rockauto Chinese Power Select @$175...gut says Bosch OE, age says save money...rebuilding may be the way to go...IM not 100% positive as pros and cons both sides, and saving a few bucks can be put in the cars headlight upgrades planned. The little stuff sill can get expensive...
    Last edited by SCRSUVS; 01-16-2018 at 02:16 AM.

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by SCRSUVS View Post
    Called that shop said he doesn't do water cooled alternators, had hopes he may have been a solution, old days 100% support for Bosch over other choices, but saving a few bucks now days is tempting. Youtube DIY mechanics interesting chose Rockauto Chinese Power Select @$175...gut says Bosch OE, age says save money...rebuilding may be the way to go...IM not 100% positive as pros and cons both sides, and saving a few bucks can be put in the cars headlight upgrades planned. The little stuff sill can get expensive...
    My Power Select alternator has been fine, had about two years or so, many thousands of miles. EDIT: installed Feb 2016, I would say it has at least 20k miles on it

    Be careful on the whole DIY rebuild if you don't really know what's wrong with it.

    No auto parts store could test my failed alternator, either their machine couldn't secure the funky water-cooled alt, or they didn't have the right plug. I finally took it to a shop that services Bosch alternators for heavy trucks and they were able to test it, but they were unable to repair it because the failed part that was needed is no longer available (sorry I don't remember which part.)

    EDIT: it was the rotor coil

    They sold me a Power Select alternator instead, as Bosch no longer makes them.

    FWIW the Power Select alternators are newly manufactured, not rebuilt.
    http://powerselectparts.com/alternators
    Last edited by sienayr; 01-16-2018 at 05:47 PM.

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by sienayr View Post
    My Power Select alternator has been fine, had about two years or so, many thousands of miles. EDIT: installed Feb 2016, I would say it has at least 20k miles on it

    Be careful on the whole DIY rebuild if you don't really know what's wrong with it.

    No auto parts store could test my failed alternator, either their machine couldn't secure the funky water-cooled alt, or they didn't have the right plug. I finally took it to a shop that services Bosch alternators for heavy trucks and they were able to test it, but they were unable to repair it because the failed part that was needed is no longer available (sorry I don't remember which part.)

    EDIT: it was the rotor coil

    They sold me a Power Select alternator instead, as Bosch no longer makes them.

    FWIW the Power Select alternators are newly manufactured, not rebuilt.
    http://powerselectparts.com/alternators
    Appreciate your input experience, we could write a book on the argument why one is better than another. Or the other not as bad as what everyone thinks is the best. Past experience gets my mind cloudy frustration from the past going for what is better turns out to not be what was expected. As friend said "Its black hole as far as quality goes",May throw caution to the wind buy the Power Select, save $250ish let everyone know if any problems arise from the decision. Its either pay, or try to save hope for the best. Saving these days means more than it did 30 years ago...
    Last edited by SCRSUVS; 01-16-2018 at 09:54 PM.

  13. #13
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    Wasnt sure what brand alternator would be in the car when replacing it today, turned out to be a Bosch remanufactured. Nice surprise, no idea when installed / no date on reman tag, 99% feel it was the second one installed, two in 168K not bad from quality OE parts, probably is the case and really reassures my hesitation of remanufactured parts.

    But IM taking a chance to save $250ish & installed the Power Select from Rockauto, @ $175 shipped after 5% discount. Will report how it holds up, worth the savings, big mistake, or?. This is as much of a test as it is about saving. Prefer OE parts will be interesting to see the longevity of the Power Select. But now have a Bosch core will rebuild and be ready if (when) Power Select fails...(think problem was voltage regulator). Installed new battery after bad alternator drained the 4 year old one, car fired right up. So far so good...$$$$ saved will fix something else...

    FWIW, car was down for almost two weeks waiting for parts, decisions, timing, etc & after it started right up going for the test drive reminded me how much I really like this wagon...(also replaced old deteriorated cowl)...
    Last edited by SCRSUVS; 01-24-2018 at 04:49 AM.

  14. #14
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    Resurrecting an old thread here...

    How has the Power Select held up so far? I am probably going to need to replace the alternator in our 540iT soon and I am in sticker shock at the moment.

    Rebuild kit appears to be Chinese parts, the Bosch voltage regulator appears to be unobtainium unless you buy from BMW to the tune of $500ish (FCP price) so may as well just get new Chinese alternator (Power Select from Rock Auto) or rebuilt Bosch (~$397 at FCP) are the conclusions I am arriving at. I wouldn't be surprised if Bosch rebuilds in China now too. A whole different world in the auto parts game than it once was.

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by msvphoto View Post
    Resurrecting an old thread here...

    How has the Power Select held up so far? I am probably going to need to replace the alternator in our 540iT soon and I am in sticker shock at the moment.

    Rebuild kit appears to be Chinese parts, the Bosch voltage regulator appears to be unobtainium unless you buy from BMW to the tune of $500ish (FCP price) so may as well just get new Chinese alternator (Power Select from Rock Auto) or rebuilt Bosch (~$397 at FCP) are the conclusions I am arriving at. I wouldn't be surprised if Bosch rebuilds in China now too. A whole different world in the auto parts game than it once was.
    Yeah, whole diferent ballgame these days on parts new/rebuilt/...all the kits I could find are are Chinese, couldn't find anything else to work. Voltage regulator high on the list of part needing to be replaced if doing the kit. I beat myself up trying to make sure having no avoidable problems after deciding on the Power Select, nature of the beast you still have a chance of buying a new one with problems. (unfortunate fact)... New one has been working perfect, zero problems, IMO worth the saving of close to $250ish bucks over the Bosch remanufactured. IM 99% sure the remans also are Chinese parts...$250ish saving and a new part is well worth it as most of the new Chinese stuff even with the problems they have, have gotten much better in the last 10 years than the Chinese parts of close to 25 - 30 years ago when this mess of finding good parts started.
    Last edited by SCRSUVS; 04-24-2018 at 10:52 PM.

  16. #16
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    I think you are right. Auto manufacturing is global. Bosch has large manufacturing capability and a huge presence, mostly as a VAG supplier, in China for years now. It would not surprise me a bit that the Bosch rebuilds are done there, or who knows where, but presumably they are okay for their exorbitant (for rebuilt) price. I still have confidence in their auto parts, but who knows where things might be sourced from any brand these days. It used to be much simpler, now a crapshoot.

    I'll have a look at a 740i (short sport, kinda sad it is there but it is thrashed) in a local wrecking yard where my brother-in-law is the junkyard dog (he tears cars apart for a living) and see how old that alternator looks, who knows, maybe it was recently replaced before the car was junked.

  17. #17
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    I'll have a look at a 740i (short sport, kinda sad it is there but it is thrashed) in a local wrecking yard where my brother-in-law is the junkyard dog (he tears cars apart for a living) and see how old that alternator looks, who knows, maybe it was recently replaced before the car was junked.
    [/QUOTE]
    Thats actually not a bad idea, you can guesstimate the life line to be close 75K on the low side, with that really being the low side, to 125K + on the average, with 150K more realistic depending on the actual mileage of the odometer. Only thing that would suck is seeing its a Chinese part when taking it off but that is highly unlikely, at a pick and pull wouldn't pay more than $50 with $35 hopefully to be a realistic worth it price...if its a Bosch the core alone is worth the price of admission...hate seeing a car like that in the yard, some people have no respect...

    when I looked at your handle I see "Misty Potato"...and Santa Cruz is my home town...
    Last edited by SCRSUVS; 04-28-2018 at 07:29 AM.

  18. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by sienayr View Post
    My Power Select alternator has been fine, had about two years or so, many thousands of miles. EDIT: installed Feb 2016, I would say it has at least 20k miles on it

    Be careful on the whole DIY rebuild if you don't really know what's wrong with it.

    No auto parts store could test my failed alternator, either their machine couldn't secure the funky water-cooled alt, or they didn't have the right plug. I finally took it to a shop that services Bosch alternators for heavy trucks and they were able to test it, but they were unable to repair it because the failed part that was needed is no longer available (sorry I don't remember which part.)

    EDIT: it was the rotor coil

    They sold me a Power Select alternator instead, as Bosch no longer makes them.

    FWIW the Power Select alternators are newly manufactured, not rebuilt.
    http://powerselectparts.com/alternators
    Did the Power Select alternator come with the O-Ring? Thanks

  19. #19
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    I'm pretty sure it did, I ended up with an extra prolly because I had already bought one

    and the alternator is still going strong!

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