Window Regulators, aftermarket or OE.

[SlickGT1]

What is the consensus on window regulators for the e53?

The OE is double the price of anything else out there. Does it mean they fail less? I don't mind paying OE price, but only if OEM can't match the quality of OE.

Please help a fellow out. My drivers one is on its way out. The cable snapped out of the the alluminum lifter bracket. So it just dangles there, and the whole shit just seems loose.

[Ricky Bobby]

People tend to say the regulators fail all the time regardless, but I've found as long as I don't shut the doors with the windows open mine seem to be holding up fine.

Based on my ownership if I had mine fail I would buy the OE part since it seems to last me a while

[stackz]

I've got a $30 regulator/motor combo from ebay in my front right door right now.

it goes up/down just as good as the rest of my windows and doesnt pop the passenger window fuse under the dash like my old worn out regulator/motor did.

just saying.

I also replaced the two plastic window glass clips while I was in there. $1.25 each from my local dealership. they are a pain as far as I'm concerned.

[tmv]

My old 3.0i has aftermarket window regulators. Work fine.

[TerminatorX5]

there are different aftermarket ones - look at the pictures of the ones you are about to buy to make sure that the bends, kinks, turns of the metal are the same - some of the aftermarket ones simply do not fit properly - off by just a few mm, and some parts are inverted... ask me how i know!!!

they will fail - OE or chinese ones... the design is not the best...

[SlickGT1]

I am pretty sure my drivers side, the one that is failing, is an aftermarket one. The window, even after replacing the plastic black clips, still never felt as tight as the pass side one. I even tightened it all up, and it was still loose.

Personally leaning toward OE.

tmv, which aftermarket one did you go with?

[E53inLA]

We bought aftermarket regulators from Autohaus, and they were terrible. Ended up swapping them with OE. My $0.02.

[David.X5]

I used the Dorman aftermarket version and have had no problems (yet). I compared the original with the Dorman side by side and they seemed indistinguishable to me except the cable on the Dorman seemed a little big in diameter (which I was happy with).

I did get the black plastic clips from the dealer as another poster said. It is not well documented, but the windows take two of the black plastic clips (the clips that attach the window to the regulator). Ended up having to buy the special nuts and bolts too (another $1 to $2) as it had been jury rigged by a PO.

Since I am on a roll I will add more thing - I struggled to tighten the special bolt that fits into the black plastic clip correctly - it seemed to be damaging the clip if it was too tight, and seemed likely to vibrate out if left loose. It is not self locking (seems like it should be). I finally decided to put a drop of removable threadlocker (the weaker formulation) and just snugged up the bolt without making it very tight.


I was afraid to do this, as adjusting regulators can be really tedious and touchy and some vehicles, but the E53 X5 regulator seems to have no adjustment - everything lined up snugly and worked from the first try.

[fmugur]

I fixed my first regulator with the OEM one and after inspecting what went wrong I decided to replace the plastic clips only. That's the only part that worn out. You can get the repair kit but I used only the plastic clips from the kit. There are also metal clips available on ebay which could be better but I haven't had any problem for a few years now with the plastic only version on three window regulators.
BMW x5 Window Regulator Clips Front Right | eBay

[omodos]

ok wifes e46 had same issues, replaced clips first one side held up and still holding but the others didnt, so replaced with MEYLE, they are excellent, another thing i found was replacing the little red clips that the glass sits in....found out the hard way as before i had done so glass was dropping even though i had correct mechanisms installed, they are cheap on a couplke of euros each but worth it

part 6