Which control arms?

[RMB]

I’m thinking of replacing my front wishbones.
31122343353 & 31122343352
Which are the go to for OE?
Meyle HD, Lemforder or obviously BMW?
I don’t need the lollipops or anything else I have these.
The bmw ones are currently £280 the pair on vertu’s eBay store.
https://ebay.us/m/1wN2pq
https://ebay.us/m/xAFnYQ
Lemforder are £266 the pair on AUTODOC today.
What’s the target price to aim for?
Thanks

 

[Rockhopper]

OEM is Lemforder and if you are feeling flush go for them. Meyle HD are a great option (three of them for the price of one Lemforder...)

 

[Jollygiant]

I was recommended these https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/315100571521
They fitted fine and I have done 3,000 miles with no problems so far.

 

[RMB]

Thanks guys, I am of course assuming that I can’t replace the ball joints and bolts, they’re integral?

 

[Rockhopper]

Depends on the arm - Meyle HD are replaceable.

 

[RMB]

[ref]Rockhopper[/ref], thanks, I meant can I just replace them on my existing original bmw ones?
The bolts are really crusty if nothing else is worn out, which it probably is.

 

[Zedebee]

I used FAG arms on my last car, purchased on eBay. They seemed very good quality and worked absolutely fine. I can’t vouch for longevity as I only did another few hundred miles or so. Just under £100 each from memory.

 

[kis]

I always a bit weary of buying from the likes of eBay. Even Amazon. Riddled with fakes. I guess it depends on what you’re buying.

I usually go for AUTODOC when they have a 40+ percent discount on. Usually stick to the common brands which are known to be OEM spec. Hardly ever buy anything direct from BMW, it’s just a mark up.

I’d personally go with a pair of Meyle or Lemforder arms.

 

[Rockhopper]

Without knowing what make the arms in your photo are it’s impossible to say if they have replaceable joints.
Lemfoder or Meyle are the only ones worth considering in my opinion.
But if you only want them to last long enough to get it through the MOT then go for the cheapest you can find on eBay! My previous pair (unknown make, garage fitted at great expense) lasted less than 5000 miles. The current Meye HD ones have done 5k and they are still as tight as the day they were fitted.

 

[RMB]

Thanks all.
Existing arms are the original factory bmw ones.
I’ve now found febi bilstein, meyhle hd and lemforder on Autodoc (after removing filters).
Prices were £55ea, £77ea and £133ea respectively yesterday. Today a lot more!
BMW ones are still 20% off so £140 each, vertu eBay.
Cotswolds couldn’t compete with that.
I want oem quality and for them to last. I’ll keep watching and playing the Autodoc game of waiting for the prices to dip down.
Most likely I’ll go lemforder if or when the price comes down a bit.
Cheers

 

[Rockhopper]

clear your cookies (or use an incognito window) and try again.

 

[RMB]

Thanks, will try that too

 

[pp1600]

Thanks guys, I am of course assuming that I can’t replace the ball joints and bolts, they’re integral?

Would be also interested if you cannot just replace the balljoints.... done this on many vehicles and I like the fact your keeping the factory arms.
Has anyone tried or done this?

 

[Rockhopper]

On most cars these days its not possible to replace joints on suspension arms.

 

[RMB]

My mechanic (bmw master tech) confirmed I can’t change the joints. But he would happily fit new arms into my newish (last summer) lollipops.