E46 Alternator failed - Common?

[JimboM3]

Not had a great day! Had just got quoted £400 to refurb my spoiled alloys that BMW refuse to sort out under warantee when the battery warning light came on. As the car is under the BMW used car warantee thought I would pop to the local dealer to get it checked. About a mile away other warning lights start coming on, AC fails, I lose traction control, ABS etc and finally engine dies exactly 200 yards from th dealership! Fortuneately the dealers pop out with a spare battery so I can get to them and a failed alternator is diagnosed.

Anyone know if this is common on a 53 car? It only has 50,000 miles so seems a bit odd to me.

I am now the weekend owner of a 520d loaner, and its not quite the same!

Jim

[john_p]

The alternator did pack up on my 04 M3 and according to the dealer was a common fault. The battery light never came on, just refused to start one day, jumpstarted it then it died 1 mile down the road at the first set of traffic lights..

Edited by john_p on Friday 6th June 20:35

[JimboM3]

Repaired under warrantee by 9:30 the next day so can't complain!

Jim

[Aubrey]

Jimbo, how were your alloys spoiled? Were they curbed?