Looking for thoughts on choosing a radiator and what you have had success with. Only criterea is that it lasted more than 3 years.

My experience:
- At 85k miles had headgasket failure and part of the work was replacing rad. replaced with used OE.
- Used OE rad leaked, replace with CSF, then that one leaked so replace with another CSF
- After 2nd CSF leaked, moved to Mishimoto. Now on 3rd Mishimoto... and it has a leak...🤬

Living in florida I really wanted an all alluminium due to the heat. But after 6 radiators in 5 years I'm thining just going back to an oem rad might make the most sense. I've read a few instances on the forum of others who have gone through multiple from CSF and Mishimoto as well. I guess the lifetime warranty is okay, but it'll be less expensive if I could keep a rad for at least 5 years.

Is OEM the way to go, or have you had luck with a specific brand?

 

One take away I have from years of forums is for better or worse factory (OE) replacement parts are best. I have seldom used OEM or after market parts simply because my auto tech buddies in my formative years impressed upon me to use OE (factory) parts whenever possible. I took heed and over the years and with various cars I did as I was advised to do and replaced used factory water pumps, T-stats, fuel pumps, radiators (with one exception), alternators, filters, spark plugs, MAF, O2 sensors, brake drums/rotors, shoes/pads, u-joints, and converters (I did buy used though), etc.

Sure I have used OEM or even aftermarket parts. Once in Salt Lake City on a road trip my '96 Mustang radiator sprung a leak. Ford dealer service department said it couldn't get a Ford radiator in for a few days but there was a local Ford radiator supplier it recommended. Rather than spending my vacation in a hotel in SLC waiting on a Ford radiator I gave the go-ahead.

This was replaced at 60K miles. At 150K miles when I sold the car the radiator was still fine.

Another time I bought an aftermarket soft top for my Boxster. While price played a role -- $1500 installed vs. $3000 not installed for a factory top -- word from others was the aftermarket top was very good quality, on par with the factory top. The aftermarket top fit perfectly used the old top's liner had the same size/location for the rear window, and proved to be a very good top. It gave every indication of providing me with the same service life as the factory top.

The two exceptions above is pretty much the extent of my venture into the world of aftermarket parts...

But I have seen uncountable posts from others who went aftermarket this or that and have come back to report premature failure or other issues.

Now sure not every OE (factory) part is perfect. Some time back went through a problem with my 2020 M-B cargo van. Low pressure fuel pump failed after about 5K miles from new. Was replaced with a factory low pressure fuel pump. After about 5K miles it had failed too. So a 3rd factory pump was installed. (All work done under warranty.) This 3rd fuel pump was good at with around 10K miles on it when I traded in the van. It no longer served my vehicle needs otherwise I would have kept it and I believe the 3rd pump would have been just fine. The problem was just one of quality control as a number of vans like mine had the low pressure fuel pump fail and I don't take my experience as a general condemnation of OE (factory) parts.

So yeah, OE (factory) is the way to go.

 

Thanks for the thoughts and background RockC

I can't find an OE rad, but thinking OEM is the way I'll be going.

 

Want to point out not every OEM part turns out to be junk. If there is no OE option then of course you'll have to install OEM and cross your fingers.

And I wish you 100% success!