My New Project: 2002 X5 4.6is

[e30cabrio]

Looks nice, congrats!

[thrillcat]

Originally Posted by BimmerM3inGA

1.
2.
3. All windows work, but not from the switch assembly on the driver door
4. Passenger rearview mirror tilts down in reverse, but doesn’t move when the button is pressed to adjust it
5. None of the interior/exterior courtesy lights work
6. Doors don’t lock/unlock driver door is locked/unlocked with the key (battery is dead for keyless entry)
7.
8.
9.
10.
11. Airbag light is on

Seems like half your list could all trace back to perhaps someone trying to fix a broken window regulator and not following proper procedure, which means once you get in that driver door you could knock out half your list at once.

Welcome, and congrats. Beautiful color. I wish I had the Imola interior in mine.

[BimmerM3inGA]

After reading these replies, it looks like I need to add a couple of items to my mods list:

1. Angel eyes. Can anyone recommend some decent ones? All the ones I've seen so far look cheap and junky - definitely not an OEM look.

2. X-Pipe. I am a little disappointed by the sound of the exhaust. It's too polite. Does anyone offer a bolt-in kit to replace the resonator?

Originally Posted by J.Belknap

The valve covers are magnesium so use a proper powdercoat primer before the color.

Edit: obligatory timing guide reminder.

There is a local powder coat shop that does very good work. They refinished the covers for my E38 740i Sport after another shop screwed them up. These guys definitely know what they're doing.

It's due for an oil change, and I plan to drop the oil pan to check for bits of the chain guides. I'll also inspect them when I replace the valve cover and timing cover gaskets. It's only a matter of time until it will need that work, it's just not something I'm in a hurry to do!

Originally Posted by X53Jay4.8is

I'd be interested in lowering mine a bit like you mentioned. I need to check out the rear air suspension because if it's like my e39 540it's setup then you can change the rear leveler link with a shorter one and this tricks the computer to filling the shocks to a lower level.I'll let you know what I find.

Let me know what you find. I'll do the same and post it here.

Originally Posted by Ricky Bobby

Have you thought about one of the cluster rebuild services to not only fix your pixels, but to also diagnose and fix the redline lights? I paid $100 for my pixels to be fixed and perhaps it would not be much more to fix yours completely.

In regards to lowering it, you surely can get the H&R sport springs for this model (bcredliner has the kit on his) and it comes with shorter endlinks to compensate the rear air suspension lower to match. Approx $250 for the kit if I recall. Should look awesome! Any other cosmetic mods like the Depo angel eye headlights (huge upgrade for the pre-facelifts) Add some LED tails and some fresh clear sidemarkers and shes a beaut! Maybe an X-pipe on the exhaust if you'd like a bit more grunt.

I'm still trying to figure out what to do about the cluster. I have contacted a couple of rebuild services that I've used on other projects, but have not gotten any replies yet.

I sent BCRedliner a PM about how he lowered his, and he said he'd get back to me as soon as he could. I looked up the H&R kit, and it includes front springs and new links for the rear air springs. It's about $300, which isn't too bad. I just want to know if I can keep my stock dampers (at least for now). According to H&R, it will lower the car about 1.5", but in Redliners photos, it looks lower than that. I'm hoping he can help me figure that out.

Originally Posted by Ricky Bobby

Subscribed, I sure hope you keep this one!

That is the plan this time! It sucked not having my wagon, so this one is a keeper!

[Ricky Bobby]

Originally Posted by BimmerM3inGA

After reading these replies, it looks like I need to add a couple of items to my mods list:

1. Angel eyes. Can anyone recommend some decent ones? All the ones I've seen so far look cheap and junky - definitely not an OEM look. How custom do you want to go? I (and so does mam4.6) have the same housings that tmv used to have, which are the best look for the pre-facelift IMO, however, he installed them on a halogen vehicle. The housings come with a halogen projector, and you have to bake them open, and swap all your xenon internals into them to make them work on your X. If you aren't familiar with retrofitting it may not be for you. The housings also come with CCFL rings which is outdated, mam4.6 and I both had LED rings swapped in. And also, if your housings are permasealed (manufactured after 10/02), you have to buy new projectors because you won't be able to swap the stock ones over without cutting open your stock lights. PM me if you need help.

Most people go with fishcake321 on ebay for his Depo, plug and play solution. It's $550, but a lot less effort. Do yourself a favor either way and buy a new set of OEM xenon bulbs, for $75 you will see a benefit, the stock bulbs are less than half their brightness at their age. OEM Philips or Osram found at www.hidbulbzrus.com which I have recommended to others on this site and can vouch they are 100% genuine.

Here is link to fishcake321 Depo's, if you email him ([email protected]) he offers a direct PayPal (outside Ebay) discount and will send you an invoice.

Depo 2000 03 BMW E53 x5 UHP LED Halo Xenon HID D2S Headlight Auto Level CCFL | eBay

These are what Matt (mam4.6) and I have:


2. X-Pipe. I am a little disappointed by the sound of the exhaust. It's too polite. Does anyone offer a bolt-in kit to replace the resonator? Unfortunately unless you want to buy a Supersprint mid-pipe for $800, no. Most everyone on this board who does X-pipe buys a 2.25" stainless (or is it 2.5"?) Magnaflow for about $75 and just pays an exhaust shop to cut out the factory resonator, and weld in the X-pipe (closest to engine) and the necessary extensions to meet the factory exhaust. You should be able to get it installed for under $150 I would think.


I'm still trying to figure out what to do about the cluster. I have contacted a couple of rebuild services that I've used on other projects, but have not gotten any replies yet. I used "bavarianaudio" on Ebay, he is in Rahway NJ and his name is George, I dropped mine off locally. Maybe try messaging him? He goes by "Concrete Donkey" on bimmerforums.

I sent BCRedliner a PM about how he lowered his, and he said he'd get back to me as soon as he could. I looked up the H&R kit, and it includes front springs and new links for the rear air springs. It's about $300, which isn't too bad. I just want to know if I can keep my stock dampers (at least for now). According to H&R, it will lower the car about 1.5", but in Redliners photos, it looks lower than that. I'm hoping he can help me figure that out. It's a 1.5" drop for sure, you definitely notice it more because on the iS and Sport Suspension equipped cars they are a touch lower than standard E53 height, which you may be used to seeing from working on your old E53. At $300 that's great! Turner has a link for $276 plus shipping, it says 1.2" front and 1.0" rear lowering.

H&R Sport Spring Set - E53 X5 2000-2006 with Air Ride Suspension - Turner Motorsport

At the mileage of the X I'd probably just get Bilstein shocks and do it all at once, the Yellow (sports) are stiffer, you probably can get away with doing the B4 Tourings as they are an OE sport replacement shock if you'd like more of a factory ride. However you prob can run the stock ones for a while if you don't want to drop the coin, Bilstein struts are $250 a side and the rear shocks are cheap at $80 per side.

That is the plan this time! It sucked not having my wagon, so this one is a keeper!

See above I hope that helps man!

[X53Jay4.8is]

Originally Posted by Ricky Bobby

See above I hope that helps man!

Ricky Bobby I need your help in understanding how to update my 2003 X5 4.6is headlight system. I would like to have the angel eyes that you reference on your vehicle but I am unsure all that I need to get to make the transformation or who can put it all together for me. You mention that you and Matt have the same headlight setup is that what is pictured on the post? I do not think I have enough posts yet to execute private messages so can you respond back to me via email:[email protected]. Thanks Look forward to hearing from you.

[525iT_Feen]

Sharp vehicle.
Good luck with the rehab it doesn't seem to extreme from what you listed.
I look forward to watching the progress.

[Riggodeaux]

Congrats, BimmerM3, I look forward to your posts. I may be down that way in the Fall for the barrel racing championships and will PM you to see if I can stop by and admire your work ......

[BimmerM3inGA]

Awesome info, thanks Ricky Bobby! I just wanna go fast!

George "Concrete Donkey" did an amazing job rebuilding a thoroughly screwed up cluster for me, and he was the first one I contacted about this one. But he hasn't replied yet - sometimes it takes him a few days.

I'm loving those lights. That's the look I want. My production date is 06/02, BTW. I will get with you when I'm ready to tackle the lights. So thanks for the offer! I just need to finish the repairs first, though.

[Ricky Bobby]

Yeah George does take a few days but he is worth it!

About the lights, btw, which route were you going to take? The Depo's are readily available. If you want to do the Spyder housings, I will warn you. You need to buy the housings NOW, when mam4.6 bought his housings, they were the last set in stock and did not show back up on ebay for 9 months. When they showed up, only one listing showed up and I purchased them for my X. This was September 2014.

They have since not showed up on Ebay again until last week. Judging by the availability in the last year and a half, if that is the route and the look you want to go for, then by all means buy the housings now for $200, and just keep them until you are ready to go. You will need to source LED rings as well if you want to swap those out which I can send you a source for. I would do the retrofit for you if needed but I didn't want to add additional labor cost to the project. Here is the link to the housings on ebay (keywords are E53 projector headlight). Again, maybe things have changed with the manufacturer, but just telling you my experience in the past 2 years is that the availability was extremely limited for this style (facelift looking lights).

1998 2003 BMW x5 E53 "Brightest" CCFL Angel Eye Projector Headlights Headlamps | eBay

If you are swapping your stock xenon projectors in there you would need to bake your housings open and the Spyders. I can walk you through the process.

I will warn you again though, production date of the vehicle does NOT mean production date of the housings. There is a date stamp on the back of them which will show you when they were produced, here is a pic, check both sides as they are not always same:

[BimmerM3inGA]

My stock lights are in very good condition with clear lenses. So I wasn't planning to replace the entire lights if possible. All I really want to do is add the angel eyes to my existing lights.

If they were in bad condition or cloudy, I probably would swap the entire units.

In the photo you posted, the rings are very thin - that's the look I want. All the ones I've seen (including fishcake321's) have thicker rings and that's what makes them look cheap to me. Although he does say that they include LEDs instead of CCFLs.