Rip off spare price's

[peter2b]

Just had a look on ebay for a rear screen heater switch for a z3, £71 , but for a ford or mini £5 they don't look that different
Peter2b

[Southernboy]

Have you tried realOEM to check if any other BMW's used the same switch...if so, try a search on those models...

Like this maybe...???

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-E30-3SERI ... SwstxU2y08

Or this.......

https://www.ecstuning.com/ES168266/

[lightning]

I used to have a Ferrari and a lot of the parts were massive money. For instance the plastic heater valve cost £450.

Often the parts were the same as fitted to other cars. For instance that heater valve was also fitted to the 1990's BMW 5 Series. The cost from BMW? £45
Rear lamp lens, £500. Also fitted to a Bova Coach. Cost from them? £50. Fuel injection relay £30. Seemed cheap but took the Bosch part number off the relay to a local car spares supplier.....£4
And so on.
Thing is, most Ferrari owners in the Club didn't seem to mind. But l did, l never really had the money to own that car.

[Wavesong]

Bought mine from a BMW main dealer and paid, I think, about £45. Vastly superior to anything available on ebay and evidently, cheaper. My first port of call is always the main dealer to get a feel for the maximum I should be paying and I invariably find I then go back to them and order when I see the savings (or not) to be made by buying on line and for something of possibly dubious origins. Learnt this lesson time and gain. At least you know it will fit, work and last and I generally find the main dealer prices for Z parts are not outrageous

[Del]

I've found that most main dealers for all makes of car tend to charge silly prices for spares - it simply seems to be how the industry operates to make a bit of extra money. Occassionally (and only occasionally ) you get a pleasant surprise and the cost of an item doesn't seem too bad e.g. BMW antifreeze

[lightning]

I've bought most of my Z3 parts from my local BMW dealer and they've generally been very reasonable. Also l got to know the parts people there and so they are really helpful/friendly.
I don't think l've ever refused a part from them due to the cost.

[Bonzo]

Sopers of Lincoln always seem to quote good prices for spares, and will give an extra discount if you say you are a member of the .net and .org forums! I needed some washers for the sump, diff and gearbox drain plugs and they sent them gratis. Mind you, had had ordered a few other bits a day or so before. Jamie I think is the main man there.

Bonzo.

[bertiejaffa]

ditto to all

Main dealer and Spurs fan are the sources I check first - then ebay

[Mike Fishwick]

Compared to VW, BMW parts are very reasonable - a front strut mount for a Mk.2 Golf GTI for example costs £75 at a dealer, and is the only decent quality mount available. Pattern mounts fall to pieces.

An E46 mount for my Z3 cost £25 . . .

Do not dismiss BMW parts as being expensive until you know, and regard anything frm Ebay with great suspicion.

You can also get at least 10% off for BMWCC membership, which in some case will make membership a profit-making thing!

[Robert T]

Check BMW prices first (you can do this online via Coopers website), and also BM Mini Parts who offer some parts cheaper. Then if you don't like the price, look elsewhere, but at least you have a benchmark to compare it against. Also remember that if you order and collect from your local BMW dealer's parts desk, then you won't have to pay postage.

Generally, the less models that a part fits, the more expensive it is likely to be (compared to similar parts). So something that fits a 3-series as well as the Z3 will be cheaper than something that fits a single engine-size of Z3.

Cheers R.