All thermostats are a crap shoot.

Get an OEM Wahler or Behr.

Even AutoZone, Advance, PepBoys, NAPA usually rebox the OEM replacement and sometimes you can get them for as low as $45.

FCPEuro has Lifetime Warranty on all the parts they sell, do not mean the part won't fail, just means you do not have to pay for the next replacements.

Parts at the dealer are usually expensive because ALL BMW Parts purchased via a Dealership Parts Department have a 24 Month/Unilimited Mileage Warranty, this comes with a cost, which you end up paying.

 

So what your saying is you recommend getting a wahler or behr? My question in this thread is about the wahlers. I've used the behr and didn't care for it. The wahler in Bavarian auto is $57. Was just wanting to see if anyone has had any experience with it and if they recommend or not.

 

Personally I would get the cheapest, reboxed thermostat I could.

Even one in a Stant box is a reboxed Behr or Wahler.

The main spring gets weak and then the thermostat runs cold usually before they leak at the connector.

Do not expect any thermostat to really last more than 2 years IMHO, you may get lucky, but you need to continually watch them for going soft.

 

I bought whatever they had at Pepboys ***8211; kind of an emergency situation ***8211;*and it turned out to be a Wahler. It cost $65 and has been trouble-free for the past 50,000 miles.

 

Thanks. That's what I was wanting to know. Did you put it in yourself or take it somewhere. Reason I ask is I'm curious how the fit was. Did we very thing line up correctly?

 

If I am not mistaken, the OEM is made by Wahler. I put a Wahler-branded thermostat on my 325i 2.5 years ago and it works great.

 

You are mostly correct. Wahler makes an OEM thermostat, but BMW has their own thermostat that's expensive in comparison. I've always used the BMW thermostat for customers for reliability reasons. I've never used the Wahler so I was just curious.

 

Get the Wahler thermo.
I've used it in my 330i and it mounted perfectly and has been trouble free for the past 40K.

 

That's exactly what I'm going to do. Thanks for the help guys

 

Another vote for Wahler. I just replaced the Wahler in mine with another one a few weeks ago. The one I replaced had been in there for 110,000 miles until it failed open.

 

I bought mine at Advance Auto for about $55. It was marked Wahler on the pump. Fit perfectly.

 

I've seen quite a few Behr thermostats leak, but Wahler has been less. I currently have Wahler, and that's what I would suggest.