Anyone seen how a radiator is structured? Not me. My OE unit was taken out by a crash-for-casher. It leaked between one of the radiator's plastic tanks and the aluminum part. The radiator is quite simple. It comprises of horizontal channels, and then a tank at either end. The tank is clamped onto the radiator with a rubber gasket in between. The collision resulted in the tank-radiator joint failing producing a slow leak. The aluminium was undamaged and seemed robust.
I replaced it with a cheap £65 Mahle-Behr made in china aftermarket unit. I think the most likely difference between a cheap and expensive radiators is the size and wall-thickness of the horizontal channels. Also, the plastic tanks would probably have thinner walls on cheap units. The new unit was super light weight, but the cooling performance was completely fine for a grocery car. Unlike parts for japanese cars, the aftermarket unit had perfect fitment right out of the box. No luck this time buying from china. The shipment cost made them more expensive.
Can anyone identify the "(M)" logo of the OE unit? It should be one of the german oem's. I find it always useful to know who made what in case I need to find oem parts.
I replaced it with a cheap £65 Mahle-Behr made in china aftermarket unit. I think the most likely difference between a cheap and expensive radiators is the size and wall-thickness of the horizontal channels. Also, the plastic tanks would probably have thinner walls on cheap units. The new unit was super light weight, but the cooling performance was completely fine for a grocery car. Unlike parts for japanese cars, the aftermarket unit had perfect fitment right out of the box. No luck this time buying from china. The shipment cost made them more expensive.
Can anyone identify the "(M)" logo of the OE unit? It should be one of the german oem's. I find it always useful to know who made what in case I need to find oem parts.
