thanks for all the replies, I stick with the tactic I used as seems to be fine so far, and no greasy looking sheen to finish, but x5 being an oldie now is playing up in other ways soon as the temps have dropped a tad the drivers door wont lock unlock with the fob...but thats another story, same issue last year and it fixed itself when temps rose....

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E53 X5 3.0d SUV prod.date 11/2004 eng.variant M57N Europe Right hand drive N