New member and you guessed it...Questions!

[Spartan]

Well, a quick intro is always a good start, so my bio is not stunning! Almost 30yrs in Australian army, served in Infantry initially, progressed to Intel and finally ousted to the History unit. None were bad, just being medically discharged with PTSD, TBI, and some physical damage makes life somewhat harder than it should be. I'm fed up with Global politics from all the lying and cheating Democracies, mine inculded. Just looking for the next fix on war to keep their budget going. MHO. Enough of that crap...
I was a Ford man for a long time and whilst living on a military handout (they call it a pension), towing a caravan was not practical while using petrol/gas. I had the chance to sell my beloved Ford for a tidy sum and found a 2006 BMW X5 diesel with 6 speed transmission. So much more torque and not revving hard to do it. It handles well, comfort is great, (six discs damaged) on the stock seats so far. Even the economy is pretty good, considering people tell me it is not the best. So, I now have a car in the one colour I swore I would never own...BLACK...! But it looks great, metallic black with a blue fleck in it.

So, my questions, and yes I am aware of the search functions and tried it, I will get it right and save asking once I have mastered it.
1) are all instrument clusters the same, can they be used from one type to the other as long as they are in the same classification? eg E53 3.0i to 3.0d
2) for some reason the roof lining was recovered, great, but they did not put back the panoramic sunroof blind. Summer here is not pleasant. Any thoughts or suggestions on what I can do to fix this one?


Many thanks in advance, Jeff

[andrewwynn]

Cluster has two grades high and low I don't think you can swap between them and you need to stick with diesel one

Is the sun shade missing or just shoved back until the roof? Mine got shoved on where I couldn't see it.

I don't think that's your case but I would get some diy window tint film get the mirror finish type that will reflect the most IR light

[Spartan]

Originally Posted by andrewwynn

Cluster has two grades high and low I don't think you can swap between them and you need to stick with diesel one


Is the sun shade missing or just shoved back until the roof? Mine got shoved on where I couldn't see it.



I don't think that's your case but I would get some diy window tint film get the mirror finish type that will reflect the most IR light

Aah, I wasn't overly sure about the diesel and petrol differences. I hoped they would just be simple plug and play items I never considered a high and low standard though. That makes sense as I had that with my Ford, it being the high level. It is just the digital readout on the bottom that is hard to read on the left side, it is there and if you get close enough you can read it, but not while driving. the other half is OK.

As to the sun blind, I think it is missing entirely, it looks pretty baren back into the void LoL. I did think of using that static stick film with the perforated holes in it, either way it seems to be an option. It wont get much use. I have noticed that it has the most horrible sound like air leaking, but I went through one of those touchless car washes today and under all that water pressure not a single drop came in, so I am blowed if I can figure out the air leaking sound.

[wpoll]

Hey Jeff,

Welcome to XO!

Dim text display on lower cluster display is likely just a lamp or two out.



Two screws and a couple of electrical plugs and cluster is out...

Lamps are at green arrows...



Replacement bulbs are these: -

[andrewwynn]

There are a lot of weather seals on the car check them all for the air leak. It's likely not a leak just a whistle. Look at the trim around the windshield, it may lift up at speed and cause a whistle. Also the lower seal on the doors tend to lose clips check all those.

[Fifty150hs]

Originally Posted by andrewwynn

There are a lot of weather seals on the car check them all for the air leak. It's likely not a leak just a whistle. Look at the trim around the windshield, it may lift up at speed and cause a whistle. Also the lower seal on the doors tend to lose clips check all those.

Check to make sure the jack pads are in place too. I've heard of those whistling when they aren't there.

[andrewwynn]

Unrelated but have to share: craziest whistle I've ever heard from a car was my convertible z28.

The weather seal at the top of the windshield had a dual seal with a gap in the middle (think of letter "B" laying on its back.

That set up for a whistle a little like a teapot that started to say the water was hot at just about triple digit mpg when the top was down and was a full roar boiling water just about 200kph.

Fun experience and possibly they even discovered in testing and left it in as a bit of a high speed indicator.

I think I'm missing one of my jack pads I'll have to investigate if I'm getting some whisle from that.

[Spartan]

Hey thanks Andrewwynn, Wpoll and Fifty150hs for all that great info. Stepping from the Ford to BMW, I expected complexities to everything but so far I have honestly met very simple responses to the situation. I am not trying to down play the importance of your contribution...it has more to do with the perception people have whn working on a BMW compared to a 2005 Ford.
Some simple examples, light fading in the Ford dash, try to find the failing SMLED and desolder it, replace with another and put it the right way around. Today I found a full set of new coil over front and rear suspension, adjustable at that for the BMW under $500. My Ford was quoted at $1200 this is AU dollars.
They both use the same six speed transmission, yet Ford seems to fail more often. It is coupled behind a 4.0ltr inline 6cyl efi motor. Power 190kw, Torque 383nm in the NA version. The Turbo version develops, Power 245kw, Torque 480nm and the late models had diesel, still the same transmission coupled to a 2.7ltr V6, Power 140kw and Torque 440nm. When you compare the fact that the failure rate of the transmission in the Ford here is quite large, it makes you wonder and at AU $6000 a go for repairs, it is almost cheaper to buy another car. The 06 BMW develops 150kw of power and 480nm of torque from a 3.0ltr inline six. I have not heard anything bad about the transmissions in the bmw.

Other areas that also seem to come out cheaper, must be because of the design and engineering of the cars. Both that I had and have were AWD. No particular reason, luck of the draw. The Ford had done its dash on both differential bushes. The cost per diff to remove and replace them with new ones was astronimical...again in AU dollars but supply, remove and fit the rear was $2600, while the front was quoted at $2900.


I did a lot of this myself and only used the help of a workshop for the impossible So, I spent $700 all up, but a lot of hard work and long days under the car only to find it was great to drive but not tow. Now five days into the Beemer and it feels like it is a natural part or extension of me when I drive. Sure there are some little things to fix, so questions will arise and I will search as well. Am I happy I changed Yep, you betcha! With helpful guys like you, even being half a world away, knowledge and experience can trancsend all obstacles.


So my heartfelt thanks to you for making my first foray into the Forums so pleasant and welcoming. Here hopefully are pictures of my Australian Ford Territory and the BMW one week apart. The BMW cost me $2000 after I sold the Ford, not sure if I won or lost on that deal but I know that I have a good towing vehicle now.

[guntherrex]

the upgrade in looks is already worth the money I'd say

[Fifty150hs]

Originally Posted by guntherrex

the upgrade in looks is already worth the money I'd say

+1