Heh, and this is par and parcel of regular PM and a almost 2 decade old chassis

This would be the 3rd water pump. 1st one failed...blew a seal coming off a freeway. Not fun ....on the 3 1/2 hr tow waiting in the middle of the summer. The current WP was probably replaced around 4 yrs ago or the like. Bearing noise...

Comes with the territory. My last 4 vehicles have been 3 year leasers. It's someone elses problem ...

Somehow the E53 had just been in the family since original ownership.

---I just wish I knew about FCP earlier. Not sure if they had lifetime warranty back when I was buying things. Back in the days, I was buying my stuff from RME, AutoHausz, BMW Mini Parts Store, etc----
FCP I originally thought was just some WorldPac dropshipper. But sofar, their lifetime warranty on parts have paid off on some. Sure wish some of my prior purchases were with FCP should it croak out.

I used to use autohausaz all the time. Switched to FCPeuro when they changed from FCP groton and added the lifetime guarantee... something like 6 years ago? Maybe longer.

I buy almost exclusively from FCP. The lifetime warranty is worth it. For the alternators I've had to replace alone. I've got about 100,000 on my last suspension refresh. FCP parts. I'll doing the refresh for free (less return shipping of course). You can even do oil changes for almost free for life. I don't want to ship oil, so I don't. ECS is a good back up, but occasionally, depending on the part, I've gone to Pelican or Autohauz.

I don't fall into the camp of lifetime fluids for warranty but I have taken them up on the following on the Lifetime Warranty...

Rear Wiper Motor
Hatch Stoppers
and most recently, front right axle.

My ABS module was also purchased from them but I doubt I will ever need to take them up on it. Who knows ? That ABS module repair would also have been my second R&R on it.


So I guess it was never lifetime warranty from the get go?
I'm kinda going off memory but I believe that was what caught my eye when I switched my purchases primarily to them. They also used to -price match- as well, but that is no longer the case.

On certain BMW OE items, while they may not be as cheap as BWW Mini Parts Store, Morristown, VA, etc - if the difference is negligible, I end up buying from FCP just because the small markup offsets their Lifetime warranty on all purchases if not the ones I have made with them