Generic vs. OEM for Parts

[psychosinmylobby]

Hi Everyone,


I will be replacing my serpentine belt along with pulleys, belt tensioner, cam chain tensioner. I am wondering about the quality of the non OE Parts and if some of these manufacturers are actually OE manufactures.


I am looking at the following parts and their alternatives:


Serpentine Belt Tensioner: 11287563927
ECS has a generic version from: INA


Power Steering Pulley: 32427553955
ECS has a aluminum alternative: Hamburg Tech


Cam Chain Tensioner: 11317584723
Pelican Parts has a version from: Febi Blistein


I am wondering if anyone know the OE manufacturers for these part numbers and if the alternative manufacturers are actually OE manufactures for BMW.


I am also wondering if I should go with these brand alternatives or pay the full BMW tax to get the OEM stuff.


Does anyone have experience using these other brands when replacing these parts?


Thanks for all your help

[blaster3500]

The OE belt is continental and the tensioner and idlers are INA. Not sure on the others

[psychosinmylobby]

blaster3500, thanks for the reply!

I think I'll go with INA since they are OEM without the bmw tax. Spoon from another forum mentioned Febi to be the OEM for the cam chain tensioner but since it is a critical component, I will go with OEM. I will most likely go with the aluminum pulley from ECS/Hamburg Tech since it wont break as easy as the plastic OEM pulley.

Anyone had any experience with the ECS/Hamburg Tech Aluminum ps pulley?

[parksjm7]

blaster3500, thanks for the reply!

I will most likely go with the aluminum pulley from ECS/Hamburg Tech since it wont break as easy as the plastic OEM pulley.

Anyone had any experience with the ECS/Hamburg Tech Aluminum ps pulley?

+1 recently I've read threads where the engine mounts were replaced (driver side oem + passenger side from 335is) and still getting the PS Pulley damaged - I was hoping that going from plastic to Aluminum, while not solving the problem completely, that it would at least limit the damage to the pulley itself and lower the risk of the serpentine belt being shredded / worst case scenario get sucked into the crank.

[///MPOSTER]

I bought mine a month ago from FCP Euro...Cont belt $21.99, INA tensioner $56.99. Free shipping over $49 and they also give you some codes for more off of 199 or more. I would opt for the regular shipping as I paid for the first one thinking I would get it faster . Then second time I used them, it was just the same amount of days from paying to receiving the items. I wouldn't have even used them but the stupid ECS site was screwing up and wouldn't recognize my login and then when I tried to check out as a guest it kept saying I needed to fill in the zip code , which I tried, but it would not stick. Anyway after doing it over 5 times, I gave up and the next day I found FCP and I haven't really bothered with ECS.