Thanks, RB; I didn't realize the dipstick tube was such a key part of the cold weather kit. Makes me wonder what was changed in that update... Is there a way to tell if the one installed is the new or old? I dug through the maintenance history on our X5 and found a note from March of 2008 where the shop, "Installed heated intake manifold, newer dipstick and modified stick tube," when the owner reported an oil leak and smoke from the engine bay. I'm guessing it's the new tube, but there's no part number listed so it's just a guess. Do you know of any photos of the old style that might be lurking around? I've looked & came up with about nothin.
If it was the new tube that was installed, it's not a panacea; the valve cover, gasket, oil separator & hoses,
and the alternator were replaced on mine again in Feb. 2012.
