Am I being unreasonable at German & Swedish?
Discussion
This is not a name & shame, this is just a post to assess the PH collective opinion.
As I may have mentioned in a couple of posts, the E30 was having a few issues with starting and it appeared that the alternator was on its way out.
As such, off I went to GSF and bought their equivalent alternator on the shelf:
OE this it was not!
The trouble began during fitting where it became obvious that the holes for the bolts were too big compared with the OE Bosch.
Some reseach on E30Zone suggested some alternators with the bigger holes are mounted but require rubber bushes around. These were NOT in the box. As such, the alternator could not be fitted.
As a last resort, and knowing these are the weakness on the alternator, I replaced the voltage regulator for the new alternator to the old one. Surprise surprise - a massive improvement, problem solved.
Check out the brushes on the old one!
So in essence, all I needed was the new voltage regulator which I saw from their website they were selling for £9.50.
Today went over to GSF to explain the situation, that:
1)The alternator wouldn't fit.
2)It turns out I only needed the voltage regulator anyway
3)I would like a refund on the alternator
4)I wanted to pay for the voltage regulator (and keep it).
After a pause of 5 second, the assistant (who had otherwise been helpful on numerous other occasions) said he'd never seen anyone dismantle the alternator in that way (the way he looked at it was the way we used to look in dissection class!). I showed him the old volt reg and explained it was two screws to replace.
I explained the situation a second time and he said he needed to go and speak to his manager.
On return, he didn't look optimistic and stated:
- I need to take the new voltage regulator out of my old alternator.
- I need to fit the new voltage regulator to the new alternator.
- I need to bring the new alternator/regulator combo to the shop.
- I MAY then get a refund (may not happen).
- I can then buy a voltage regulator seperately should I wish.
I suggested that perhaps I order the voltage regulator, get it in store ASAP. Then, when it arrives, I take the 'new' alternator sans regulator, fit the newly ordered one, and that could count for a refund.
Apparently not.
I know the above has a little lateral thinking behind it, but is it too unreasonable? I certainly wasn't grumpy about his refusal, and I see where he's coming from about splitting/mixing stock from certain suppliers but I suspect it's all the same supplier/manufacturer anyway. Perhaps, I just wished for a little more flexibility.
I suspect it'll mean ultimately, me having to take the old alternator out and to the shop to demonstrate the difference in the fitment and do the whole thing the long way.
Opinions?
As I may have mentioned in a couple of posts, the E30 was having a few issues with starting and it appeared that the alternator was on its way out.
As such, off I went to GSF and bought their equivalent alternator on the shelf:
OE this it was not!
The trouble began during fitting where it became obvious that the holes for the bolts were too big compared with the OE Bosch.
Some reseach on E30Zone suggested some alternators with the bigger holes are mounted but require rubber bushes around. These were NOT in the box. As such, the alternator could not be fitted.
As a last resort, and knowing these are the weakness on the alternator, I replaced the voltage regulator for the new alternator to the old one. Surprise surprise - a massive improvement, problem solved.
Check out the brushes on the old one!
So in essence, all I needed was the new voltage regulator which I saw from their website they were selling for £9.50.
Today went over to GSF to explain the situation, that:
1)The alternator wouldn't fit.
2)It turns out I only needed the voltage regulator anyway
3)I would like a refund on the alternator
4)I wanted to pay for the voltage regulator (and keep it).
After a pause of 5 second, the assistant (who had otherwise been helpful on numerous other occasions) said he'd never seen anyone dismantle the alternator in that way (the way he looked at it was the way we used to look in dissection class!). I showed him the old volt reg and explained it was two screws to replace.
I explained the situation a second time and he said he needed to go and speak to his manager.
On return, he didn't look optimistic and stated:
- I need to take the new voltage regulator out of my old alternator.
- I need to fit the new voltage regulator to the new alternator.
- I need to bring the new alternator/regulator combo to the shop.
- I MAY then get a refund (may not happen).
- I can then buy a voltage regulator seperately should I wish.
I suggested that perhaps I order the voltage regulator, get it in store ASAP. Then, when it arrives, I take the 'new' alternator sans regulator, fit the newly ordered one, and that could count for a refund.
Apparently not.
I know the above has a little lateral thinking behind it, but is it too unreasonable? I certainly wasn't grumpy about his refusal, and I see where he's coming from about splitting/mixing stock from certain suppliers but I suspect it's all the same supplier/manufacturer anyway. Perhaps, I just wished for a little more flexibility.
I suspect it'll mean ultimately, me having to take the old alternator out and to the shop to demonstrate the difference in the fitment and do the whole thing the long way.
Opinions?
GadgeS3C said:
I think I'd have put the voltage regulator back on the alternator, taken it back and asked for a refund as it was the wrong one. Then buy the voltage regulator.
Which seems to be the solution being offered. If they sell the alternator with a different regulator then they'll be liable for warranty issues as the manufacturer will rightly refuse to help. IMO.He is not being unreasonable. clearly it is the wrong alternator and you should have taken it back. If this alternator was taken back and resold the warrenty issue would be with GSF not the supplier as it would not warrent a tampered with item.
Looking at the box, that has been in and out serveral times, I suspect others have found as you have.
Looking at the box, that has been in and out serveral times, I suspect others have found as you have.
GSF are right in what they have said to you, I used to work for Andrew page Ltd. Chances are when you take it back complete again you will get your money back, but tampering with parts and taking back in pieces usually gets you a "sorry pal, you took it apart so now its yours" line. GSF have the right to refuse a refund on the grounds of because you took it apart it is now 2nd hand, so I think they have been good in saying you can return it when you have put it back together.
Edited by Special K on Wednesday 9th February 07:41
Easy with hindsight ,but I would have bought / fabricated a bush .
As my Greek father in law used to say , " A piece of doddle "
Most motor factors will supply slightly different models/makes of alternators. Come to think of it so do the main agents.....Who definitely will not stock anything other than a complete car.
As my Greek father in law used to say , " A piece of doddle "
Most motor factors will supply slightly different models/makes of alternators. Come to think of it so do the main agents.....Who definitely will not stock anything other than a complete car.
Sorry OP but i think your in the wrong here, they cant fit a different voltage regulator to that alternator and then rely on the alternator's warranty for the next customer that comes and buys the tampered with alternator!
I found GSF very good over the years, and much better than other parts suppliers, they gave me a very nice discount on a load of parts recently (not from asking, just announced "I've knocked you 20% off"), had one part that wasn't right, took it back and got another one in ready for me.
There are good and bad reports of any company to be fair!
I found GSF very good over the years, and much better than other parts suppliers, they gave me a very nice discount on a load of parts recently (not from asking, just announced "I've knocked you 20% off"), had one part that wasn't right, took it back and got another one in ready for me.
There are good and bad reports of any company to be fair!
oh, they also do FRENCH (assuming you are on about GSF Car Parts)
Sorry Mr dealer I thought I needed a new car so I bought this new one from you but when I got home it wouldn't fit in the garage. I then realised that actually my old car only needed new wheels so I took the wheels off your new car and fitted them to my old car and it works fine now.
If I return the car to you with no wheels and just pay you for some wheels would that be okay?
Sorry OP I think you are asking a bit much. You should have just returned it when it didn't fit.
If I return the car to you with no wheels and just pay you for some wheels would that be okay?
Sorry OP I think you are asking a bit much. You should have just returned it when it didn't fit.
Thanks for the feedback 
As mentioned I completely understood where the guy was coming from. I was just wondering whether the other solution I mentioned could have been considered a reasonable alternative. I never considered the alternator to be an all emcompasing 'tamper' free part (like an HDD for example) - it's all refurbished and then another regulator on the shelf stuck in.
Which seems to be the solution being offered. If they sell the alternator with a different regulator then they'll be liable for warranty issues as the manufacturer will rightly refuse to help. IMO.Tbh, if getting the alternator in and out wasn't such a git of a job I'd have just done this. A previous owner has used a belt which is too small, as such the alternator cannot be fitted normally by securing the base and then adjusting the distance with the pivot. It needs to have the belt hooked around, put into place and blindly try to secure from the back in the position closest to the engine (if that makes sense). If I lose any more skin from my knuckles I may require a graft! 
As mentioned I completely understood where the guy was coming from. I was just wondering whether the other solution I mentioned could have been considered a reasonable alternative. I never considered the alternator to be an all emcompasing 'tamper' free part (like an HDD for example) - it's all refurbished and then another regulator on the shelf stuck in.
Bill said:
GadgeS3C said:
I think I'd have put the voltage regulator back on the alternator, taken it back and asked for a refund as it was the wrong one. Then buy the voltage regulator.
Which seems to be the solution being offered. If they sell the alternator with a different regulator then they'll be liable for warranty issues as the manufacturer will rightly refuse to help. IMO.g3org3y said:
Tbh, if getting the alternator in and out wasn't such a git of a job I'd have just done this.
I think the general consensus is "if your taking it out, replace everything", the biggest cost with an alternator change is the labour/time you spend if you do it yourself!Much better than having it all out again because the casting has now snapped etc
Petrolhead_Rich said:
I think the general consensus is "if your taking it out, replace everything", the biggest cost with an alternator change is the labour/time you spend if you do it yourself!
Much better than having it all out again because the casting has now snapped etc
The casting on the new pattern part is so inferior to the old OEM Bosch, that I'd be more concerned about this new one snapping tbh! My own fault for not just going down the proper BMW/OEM route from the start. Most cheaper patter parts are crap and ususally a false economy.Much better than having it all out again because the casting has now snapped etc
I've never heard of GSF before but am surprised they sell the regulator & pick-ups on it's own. In the past I've always found it hard to find suppliers that stock them & ended up using these people who are very good. http://www.woodauto.com/Component.aspx?Ref=VRG4651...
I find it amazing the amount of people that just buy a new alternator instead of changing the regulator & brushes for a tenner.
I find it amazing the amount of people that just buy a new alternator instead of changing the regulator & brushes for a tenner.
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