Aftermarket parts from febi or victor reinz are crap ?

[Leafsrule531]

I wanted to have a discussion on this to see what everyone thinks. I order a lot of parts from FCP Euro and I end up usually getting the OEM or aftermarket ones because the BMW ones are so expensive. I end up spending a lot of time working on my cars and It ends up being frustrating when these parts fail prematurely.

For example I had ordered a valve cover gasket for my E46 from Victor reinz and it ended up being crap and I had to replace it with the original BMW one since the aftermarket one was leaking. I ordered an ignition switch from Feby which went bad after 20,000 miles and had to replace that too. More recently I had a heater control valve which went bad which I had replaced 10,000 miles ago on an E 70 X5 I went crazy trying to figure out why my AC was not working and I had no codes being thrown finally I ended up replacing the heater control valve with an original bmw one which I had replaced very recently with a febi and that fixed the issue.

My point is that it’s very frustrating when these so-called aftermarket parts are a decent replacement but I have not had very good experiences with them. They are very hit or miss to the point where maybe I should just dish the money and buy original to begin with.

I know this has kind of been discussed in the past but What does everyone else think since the aftermarket parts market has become a bit more mature and more enthusiasts like us who are trying to keep these older cars alive end up using them.

[Tbonem3]

You just learn over time which aftermarket or OEM parts are ok and which aren't.

The best way to save $, but still get the quality part is to buy the OE or OES (supplier) version which is the original equipment, but without the BMW markup.

Febi/Bilstein is not crap. Viktor Reinz is a little closer to being crap.

We also have to contend with more and more outsourcing to China. So there may be a high quality OEM(anufacturer) like F.A.G., but their products aren't made in Europe anymore but China, to a lower standard.

Things off the top of my head that should be genuine BMW:

Waterpump
Radiator
Fuel pump
driveline parts like pilot bearing/TOB

Then there are parts where the OE(S) is perfectly fine like lemforder for suspension. Febi would be the OEM , then you'll see Meyle which is aftermarket, then there's the URO / Hamburg Tuning junk.

Even with M3Fourm gone, I think there have been enough posts on this new forum where you can search each part or refresh job to see what's good and what isn't. Or make a new thread, when in doubt, and we'll figure it out.

[Slideways]

Luck of the draw in my experience. I had to replace an OE BMW coolant temp sensor under the manifold after 20k miles. Replaced with the OEM one from FCP this go around as it is the same exact sensor. Also replaced the VANOS gasket with OE BMW one and that seems to be sweating on the front timing cover. Vicktor Reinz valve cover gasket has gone for 50k miles and reused many times - pretty much leak free other than some really light oil residue at the very back corner.

[Tbonem3]

Sorry, there's something I forgot to expand on-

OEM refers to the brand, the manufacturer. That brand, let's say Bosch, makes parts that are original equipment for our car and that part would be referred to as OE or OES (by FCPeuro sometimes).

That same company might make another part, sold in the aftermarket, for our cars, like bosch does with let's say an oil filter or brake pads. Now, those parts aren't original equipment, so we call them OEM even though OEM really refers to the company, not the part.

Some "OEM" parts are perfectly fine - I'm sure the Bosch cabin filter is perfectly acceptable compared the Corteco one, but the corteco (I think) is OE and the Bosch, in this case, would be OEM.

Then there are OEM parts which you don't want on the car. OEM Bosch brake pads are junk compared to genuine BMW Textar or Jurid, for example.

An OEM designation just means that that company makes a part that was original for our car, even if that part is just one little nut and washer for some obscure part of the car. Then that same company could make a waterpump, and it would be "OEM" but would you use it?

[Tbonem3]

Oops, forgot another little wrinkle

Sometimes you buy the OEM part (Febi flex disk/giubo), but inside the box is an OE part (SKG flex disk). You just have to know that (I and someone else have posted it before I believe)

Then there are aftermarket companies like VNE that purchase OE parts in large quantity and repackage/resell. The OE throttle sensors and cam sensors are AB Elektronic. If you order OE sensors off FCP euro, they'll label them OE, but it's sold as VNE which is not an original parts manufacturer. FCPeuro also sells Genuine BMW sensors (which are still AB Elektronic) for twice/thrice the price.

I saw a post on m4 forum where a guy bought "VNE" brake rotors and was upset. Didn't bother to inspect the part themselves and conclude that the parts were actually genuine I guess. I think OE for semi-floating rotors is ATE. The zimmerman get called OEM, but I'm not aware of any original parts that Zimmerman made?

Just more examples.

[tlow98]

Tbonem3 Great stuff!

You’ve been playing this game for some time. Agree on all accounts and thanks for the M3 specific callouts.

[FBloggs]

From Experience:
Febi...good brand. Heavily used in BMW and VAG production.
I have had no issues with Febi until recently.
I used their outer radius arm bearings in the rear my E46 M3. The bearings were easy to move by hand which is not the case with Meyle HD or lemforder.
I don't think they will go 80-100k miles like Meyle HD.

There's also the issue of these manufacturers having factories all over the globe, as local laws require "X" percent local manufacture/source.
There are differences in the quality of the part depending on its source,

Victor reinz...good brand, but...Head gaskets made in Mexico did not seem to be as good quality as the same oart number sourced in Europe. This is from personal experience and cost in a Ford application.

Lemforder...Good brand, but from experience I found that their front lower control arm (supposedly BMW manufacture with the brand ground off) won't last as long as the BMW branded item. The ball joints were loser.
Is it an anomaly or do they get the poorer sister in the finish bin?

Some it is the luck of the draw and some of it is the origin.

[jet_dogg]

Keep in mind each of these oems have their respective specialties so while they may make an assortment of various parts, certain categories are of better quality than others.

There might be certain unknown variables like some parts not meeting oe quality standards and being sold as second quality with the logos ground off.

I don't like doing things twice or paying more in the long run so I just choose to replace with overpriced bmw branded shit the first time even though I had a horrible experience with coils over a decade ago.

[Arith2]

From Experience:
Febi...good brand. Heavily used in BMW and VAG production.
I have had no issues with Febi until recently.
I used their outer radius arm bearings in the rear my E46 M3. The bearings were easy to move by hand which is not the case with Meyle HD or lemforder.
I don't think they will go 80-100k miles like Meyle HD.

There's also the issue of these manufacturers having factories all over the globe, as local laws require "X" percent local manufacture/source.
There are differences in the quality of the part depending on its source,

Victor reinz...good brand, but...Head gaskets made in Mexico did not seem to be as good quality as the same oart number sourced in Europe. This is from personal experience and cost in a Ford application.

Lemforder...Good brand, but from experience I found that their front lower control arm (supposedly BMW manufacture with the brand ground off) won't last as long as the BMW branded item. The ball joints were loser.
Is it an anomaly or do they get the poorer sister in the finish bin?

Some it is the luck of the draw and some of it is the origin.

BMW opened a plant in Mexico and is assembling cars there.

BMW parts have a tighter quality control and can be a completely different part even if it looks the same. If parts fail under warranty, BMW sends them back for a refund. Just because batteries are manufactured by only three major companies doesn't make a BMW battery equal to a Die Hard. I don't know how a bushing is manufactured specifically but the rule of thumb is always OE because something is compromised in every OEM part. Typically rubber is the issue.

[FBloggs]

BMW opened a plant in Mexico and is assembling cars there.

BMW parts have a tighter quality control and can be a completely different part even if it looks the same. If parts fail under warranty, BMW sends them back for a refund. Just because batteries are manufactured by only three major companies doesn't make a BMW battery equal to a Die Hard. I don't know how a bushing is manufactured specifically but the rule of thumb is always OE because something is compromised in every OEM part. Typically rubber is the issue.

Yeah yeah.
I have owned Mexican built GTIs and they were fine.'
I'm talking about MY experience with products I have purchased from Saintly manufacturers with spotless reps.
BMW are FAR from the most reliable brand.(all of mine were built in Germany).
I accept that because I like to drive them.
I'll wager that when you get in your M3 for a 100 mile trip, you don't wonder at least once if you can get home without some icon lighting up in the i/p.

[Leafsrule531]

Yeah yeah.
I have owned Mexican built GTIs and they were fine.'
I'm talking about MY experience with products I have purchased from Saintly manufacturers with spotless reps.
BMW are FAR from the most reliable brand.(all of mine were built in Germany).
I accept that because I like to drive them.
I'll wager that when you get in your M3 for a 100 mile trip, you don't wonder at least once if you can get home without some icon lighting up in the i/p.

Hahaha it’s not a bmw if there’s no light on the dashboard. My parents just went for a 3 hour one way “road trip” and I made sure they have at least a gallon of oil and coolant as backup in case something happens to their e90 😭😭

[FBloggs]

That's why if you get your hands on an E30, and you pull the cluster, bulbs are missing lol.
love driving them tho.

[BigDave]

I wanted to have a discussion on this to see what everyone thinks. I order a lot of parts from FCP Euro and I end up usually getting the OEM or aftermarket ones because the BMW ones are so expensive. I end up spending a lot of time working on my cars and It ends up being frustrating when these parts fail prematurely.

For example I had ordered a valve cover gasket for my E46 from Victor reinz and it ended up being crap and I had to replace it with the original BMW one since the aftermarket one was leaking. I ordered an ignition switch from Feby which went bad after 20,000 miles and had to replace that too. More recently I had a heater control valve which went bad which I had replaced 10,000 miles ago on an E 70 X5 I went crazy trying to figure out why my AC was not working and I had no codes being thrown finally I ended up replacing the heater control valve with an original bmw one which I had replaced very recently with a febi and that fixed the issue.

My point is that it’s very frustrating when these so-called aftermarket parts are a decent replacement but I have not had very good experiences with them. They are very hit or miss to the point where maybe I should just dish the money and buy original to begin with.

I know this has kind of been discussed in the past but What does everyone else think since the aftermarket parts market has become a bit more mature and more enthusiasts like us who are trying to keep these older cars alive end up using them.

Find the BMW part number. Google it. Amazon search it and Ebay search it. Eliminate most made in China products. Dont buy URO. then research the brand you might want to buy.

You will find out for instance FEBI makes our Guibo. Mahle makes various things. INA makes all the pullys and tensioners up front, LEMFOERDER makes out RTABS, and so on. Exceptions: Cheap cheap dirt cheap gas hood and trunk struts from China. They last as long as the expensive German ones. So cheap and they work GREAT! Amazon. Had a set for many years now. Going strong, still.

I spent a small fortune replacing every cooling item except my radiator. I spent hours researching things. A $380 Genuine BMW water pump??? NEVER gonna happen. I ended up with little jewel of a pump from Saleri, who BTW does supply the pumps for the regular E46, I bought a MAHLE fan clutch. I did buy the STEEL Genuine BMW gasket for the water pump!
It is a full time job and an art to save thousands and thousands of dollars by buying good/great aftermarket parts. I have owned and wrenched on my car since 2008. I made some mistakes along the way, but nothing horrible. I get better at this every year.

I am no where near as cautious and pathological about buying genuine BMW parts. I do buy some, though. Like my fan shroud, all the various fasteners I try to buy genuine BMW, my interior carpet, drive shaft center support bearing, ANY type of roundel or badging is best if you pay the quite large premium for Genuine BMW. Asian versions are CRAP!!!

Every year I learn more and more what to buy and what not to buy. Its quite an art.
But anyone can find out by spending TIME doing some research before you buy any part.

Recently my new six coils are made by ELDOR and I use just the dual ground NKG Platinum spark plugs. Sweet choice!! Research!

[Arith2]

Yeah yeah.
I have owned Mexican built GTIs and they were fine.'
I'm talking about MY experience with products I have purchased from Saintly manufacturers with spotless reps.
BMW are FAR from the most reliable brand.(all of mine were built in Germany).
I accept that because I like to drive them.
I'll wager that when you get in your M3 for a 100 mile trip, you don't wonder at least once if you can get home without some icon lighting up in the i/p.

I do think BMWs car a bad rep from the mid 2000s when the E60s and eventually F10s came out. The Mexican assembled 3 series seem to be ok so far. I think the issues lie with the individual parts manufacturers more than anything. 2019 X3s almost always need engine mounts by 30k miles. X1s melt theirs by 50k. BMW doesn't make them though. I'm not sure who does but they seemed to have fixed the X3 issue.

[PSUEng]

I generally try to get OE BMW or OES. Certain OEM and aftermarket parts are fine depending upon if I can deal with the failure or not, relative to the part cost savings. That's kind of how I proceed. I don't like working on cars because I have to re-do something, especially if it's something I screw up, let alone crappy parts failing.

Example: I don't buy OE oil filters, I buy Mahle. I DO buy OE gaskets because I've had aftermarket (Victor Reinz) leak, and I have to tear something back apart; I don't want to deal with that. I recently bought BOSCH O2 sensors for my exhaust job, at a significant "discount" to the OE BMW parts, but likely BOSCH makes these for BMW anyway (at least based on visual inspection of the parts.) Many such examples exist of this stuff, many good explanations in this thread.