Online Parts Quality ?

[chazbo1952]

Hello
I am in the midst of a cooling system service on my 330cic and I am questioning the quality of the parts I recieved. I had a $1000 in my paypal account so I bought what I needed on line. I thought by buying Behr I was getting oe quality, the themostat is made differently, the sensor points in a different direction. The radiator has a few differences that scare me because they are on the lower left corner where everything ties in. The reservoir is ratty looking, the seams dont look as good as the oe. The only part I am happy with is the Stewart pump, it looks way better than the orig. I am scared these parts are not of good quality and I hesitate to use them. Am I being paranoid, what do you say use them or return and buy genuine BMW

[drz]

Where did you buy this stuff? eBay? It is always good advice to stay away from eBay if you're not sure what you're getting.

First of all, compare the part numbers (I know you probably did this before ordering, but it doesn't hurt to double-check). Behr is a good brand, and it is probably what you will get if you buy the parts from the dealership anyhow. If the part numbers match, I would be inclined to say that you got the right stuff even if it looks slightly different.

How different are things? Do you have any pictures to share?

If you decide to return that stuff, don't buy from the dealership -- there are places online like autohausaz.com, pelicanparts.com, bavauto.com taht are reputable.

Have you contacted the seller to verify there wasn't a shipping mistake?

[marti5]

I always buy from BMW, know what your getting is correct, will fit snug and a 12 month warranty.

[WhatsAClutch?]

I would recommend listening to these guys I know turnermotorsport.com isn't the cheapest website out there but they do indeed have good quality aftermarket replacement parts for your needs. I would check them out if you decide not to buy from them. I recommend the dealership.