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Thread: nissens vs. behr.....which should i buy?.........

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    SCHUYLKILL COUNTY, PA.
    Posts
    571

    Default nissens vs. behr.....which should i buy?.........

    there is about a $90.00 price difference.
    pros & cons on each???
    i like oem, but i also like to eat.
    thanks
    tim s.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    May 2004
    Location
    Japan
    Posts
    9,249

    Default

    Behr, no question. Nissens is a copy of the old design Behr and still has the weak part in it. I already showed that in pics. Use the search.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
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    4,894

    Default

    Nissen... I got it for 5 years now... zero problem. I don't know what shogun is talking about... Nissen got reinforced neck... thicker than Behr. Behr has metal tube underneath the plastic neck but they expand at different rate... so might get weaker faster.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Location
    NY
    Posts
    144

    Default I'm running a Nissens...

    I'm running a Nissens that I ordered from Radiator.com. I paid $259 including shipping. The Nissens was $10 more than the Behr.

    Why the Nissens? My stock radiator that died was a Behr, so I thought I'd give the Nissens a whirl. I'd heard good things about the Nissens so I thought I'd give it a try. So far (6,000 miles), no problems.

    Here's how I replaced the radiator on my 1995 540ia: radiator replacement procedure

  5. #5
    Join Date
    May 2004
    Location
    Japan
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    9,249

    Default

    o.k., if you are happy. That is just my personal opinion. Have a look here , comparison pics by Sean
    http://shrubbery.student.utwente.nl/...eplacement.htm

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
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    4,894

    Default

    $197 at my favorite online part supplier for Nissen...

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
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    4,894

    Default

    540iA does not have trans cooler... plus nissen radiator does not have those metal sleeve inside the radiator neck. Overtightening clamp on any plastic neck will cause it to fail PREMATURELY regardless of any brand.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Location
    NY
    Posts
    144

    Default Interesting...

    Quote Originally Posted by shogun
    o.k., if you are happy. That is just my personal opinion. Have a look here , comparison pics by Sean
    http://shrubbery.student.utwente.nl/...eplacement.htm
    Both the Behr and the Nissens shown in the pictures look different from the Behr I had and the Nissens I had. I noticed the sections about reinforcement, etc. but I didn't see anything like that on my Behr (stock).

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    Mississauga, Ont.
    Posts
    55

    Default

    I put in a Nissens this summer.
    It's still ok.

    I did notice that the bends on the aluminum fingers that clamp the plastic sides mostly had cracks on the outside.

    I know that this is typical of bends in alunminum over 1mm in thickness, but it still makes me a little worried that it will be a seat for early corrosion and leaking if they weaken too much.

    Try and inspect the rad before you take it home.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Long Beach, CA
    Posts
    2,563

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by tim s
    there is about a $90.00 price difference.
    pros & cons on each???
    i like oem, but i also like to eat.
    thanks
    tim s.
    I bought a brand new Nissens off eBay for my M20 engine and have had no problems so far.

    Ralph Mendoza Jr. - Long Beach, CA

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