e39 540 touing alternator

[colinrob]

got in the car this morning driving to work battery light is on, checked voltage of battery with car running only 11.85 looks like new alternator, phoned BMW approx £300 plus fitting any ideas if it could be anything else?

[blackspider]

Unlikely to be anything else.Have had a few alternators of late failing.
Only other thing with the 540 is the water pump has a habbit of failing,but then all hell breaks loose in the engine bay(fan hits cowl,belt off etc)