Best brand and source for new water pump?

[LarryM]

My water pump is starting to weep and I've been doing some shopping, but it seems as though there's no consensus on which one is best.

"GMB" was supposed to be good until recently but some say they've been outsourced to China and the quality now suffers. Pelican sells "Saleri" brand as OEM replacement but they have composite impellers. (Sales guy at Pelican says composite impellers have been much improved in recent years and are now preferable to metal. I think I'd still prefer metal.) New "BMW brand" from BavAuto are pricey at $158.

Any suggestions on which brand and where to buy??

[Karl Grau]

You didn't say if your car is M20 or M30 powered but my most recent pump is a M20 unit made by GRAF. It has a metal impeller, seems well made (in Italy) and was $50.00 from autohausAZ.

[LarryM]

Sorry; mine's an M30 (535is).

Pelican (they're close to me and ship fast so I like to order certain parts from them) sells Graf w/metal impeller for $48.50 but the sales guy seemed to think the Saleri w/ composite impeller @ $51.50 was the better choice.

I see AutoHausAZ sells these plus the BMW OE-type replacement, GMB, and Meyle. I didn't know Meyle made water pumps, but most of their stuff is quality.

http://www.autohausaz.com/search/produc ... ter%20Pump

[Mike W.]

I'm one of the GMB fans and have heard the latest feedback. I'd still give it a shot, most of the feedback has been impeller design, which is significant, but not longevity. If its cheap and reliable but not better performing, it's still not all bad.

[wkohler]

I'm not a fan of the Graf pumps, and I had two fail within 500 miles on the 533i. I did put one on the 528i. I decided not to change the pump on the M535i since it was new 10 years ago and I'd like to think better. I had great luck with a Soleri with the composite impeller on my 535is and there's one on the B7 right now.

Meyle is German for "Hecho en Chine."

[Mike W.]

I haven't seen them, but composite shouldn't be the same as the ones that were such a problem on the M5x engines. Those were lexan which is very tough stuff, but not up to WP duty. Composite should be a combo material probably with glass reinforcing. Should be better, but hard to say if as good or better than metal.

[Blue Shadow]

GMB pump is inexpensive and one of the recommended ones. $26½ or so shipped.

part number GMB 115-1060 search it and find the one you want.

[LarryM]

Thought it over and ordered a GMB from AutoHausAZ. Thanks guys.

[DJM1986-5]

All on 535s....I've had a bad run on GMBs - failures within 4k, 4k, 12k and 15k miles. I don't over-tighten belts either. That all happened last year on 3 different E28 M30s. The two 4k stints were on the same car. And I have a GMB on my 535 now and it's going after 12k...but I'm swapping motors. I have a Graf on the new motor and may try Soleri in the future. My $.02.

[a]

I can only speak about GMB pumps for the M 20. They are a great deal for the money.