After 14yrs and 194k miles...

[PropellerHead]

Today was the day.

I transferred the title and accepted the transfer of the funds for my (not so) trusty N62 4.8is. The title reveals I am the 2nd owner in 2011 with just 11k miles at the time.

I have SO MANY pictures. A dozen years ago, I would have made a tribute. And maybe I will. It's bittersweet.

It goes to a kid at the local dealership who loves the uncatted AA tune and silly TQ. He's the kind of guy that is converting his E38 sporty shorty to manual. I did the seals and water pipe in 2016 and 106k miles or so. While (I hope) the water pipe will stay, the thing started smoking again. I'm just not doing seals again. Those, along with the leaking rear main were quoted at $16k from a trusted independent. The mirrors wiggle. The suede covered sunroof is separated, and allll the adoring things about a 21yr old smokey beast have become more acutely present since I started moving unicorn parts to the *OTHER* 2004 E53.

The 'Toaster,' a 2015 X3 3.5Xdrive was $less than $10k private party. Sure, it needs the things an N55 needs, and I will do them. That's in the plans. And some other silliness. If it's gonna be an appliance, we may as well make it toast better than most, amIrite? I drove it for work a couple weeks ago, 6hrs in the rain. Peppy. Easy.. mindless.. I'm in the shadows between 55 and 60yrs old.. Easy is what easy does. Baby girl was 7 when we bought the blue one. She cried about selling the 3.0 E53 to our neighbor. She'd come home in it when she was 4lbs 9oz.

This was the easiest transaction I have ever had. The new owner kid from the local dealership and I share the same bank. He transferred the cash into my account and I signed a title.

I have sooo many pics.. Many of them at the PCD Spartanburg homecomings for years as my little girl matured from car seat to front seat passenger. We took her to no fewer than 30 college campuses and 22 National parks in the E53.

Over 194k, we spent hour upon hour on RT66. We'd been to Acadia in Maine. Later that day in after climbing Mt Washington in New Hampshire, she emerged to announce that she just got her period. We'd just dropped her mother at Bangor for a flight home. She found a stranger who helped her through the things. I went to the beer aisle. I took her to the Ben and Jerrys HQ in Vermont for Ice Cream. It seemed like a last grasp of her youth for both of us. We visited the National monument for Women's Rights in Ohio on the way home. I wanted her to be acutely aware of the work generations of women have to to equate their role in our society. After that, we stopped into the Corvette manufacturing facility and museum. She really really liked the 'vette. I am not sure if that's something they grow OUT of or INTO. Gold chains will tell.

We took it to the Southernmost point in the Keys, Seattle a 1/2 dozen times, and both borders. Once she was done with the 12 trips to Disney, roadtrips became our calling.

We'll all miss my '04 E53 4.8is. It was a longshot lifetime buy in 2006 that became a reality in 2011. I think we did right after so long and so many miles, no matter how long or how much $ it took to find the joy.

I'm not going far. More on that tomorrow. We hope.

[Clockwork]

Well I'm glad it is going to a great home.
Hope you have something fun coming down the pipeline

Sent from my Pixel 6 using Tapatalk

[X5only]

Awesome that the car went to an enthusiast. Hopefully the new owner joins this forum, and your former car would continue to have a life of its own here . We can follow and appreciate it knowing where it came from .

[PropellerHead]

Originally Posted by Clockwork

Hope you have something fun coming down the pipeline

I'm up late in anticipation. But like any good wish.. It's not real 'till it's true...

The 0400 wakeup is sooner than I'd like. I just hope I don't fall asleep on the plane and end up in another country.

[PropellerHead]

Originally Posted by X5only

Awesome that the car went to an enthusiast. Hopefully the new owner joins this forum, and your former car would continue to have a life of its own here . We can follow and appreciate it knowing where it came from .

Also.. StopTech calipers and drilled rotors from the white one are available. MAYBE 15k miles. And that seems like a lot given we bought the thing with 32k and it has 66 k on it now. I just KNOW the purchase wasn't that long ago. The rotors are a lil rusty from being in boxes as you'd expect.. but they're here...

Along with adaptive Euro clear corners.. Said the Temptress.

[Happy]

Originally Posted by PropellerHead

Also.. StopTech calipers and drilled rotors from the white one are available.

Call me bro!


E53 RiPPeR
XOuTPoST jUNkiE
ReVELaTiON 22:21

[PropellerHead]

Originally Posted by PropellerHead

I'm up late in anticipation. But like any good wish.. It's not real 'till it's true...

If any of us has hung out on the E70 board, this one miiight look familiar.

Yep. Flew out today and got my 1st Diesel. I'm looking forward to hauling bikes and towing the E30 on it's adventures as the New Year rolls around- if I can wait that long.

[Happy]

Originally Posted by PropellerHead

Yep. Flew out today and got my 1st Diesel.

Prop.. I think that particular X suits you very well! Wise decision.


E53 RiPPeR
XOuTPoST jUNkiE
ReVELaTiON 22:21

[PropellerHead]

Originally Posted by Happy

Prop.. I think that particular X suits you very well! Wise decision.

Thanks for your vote of confidence!

I will offer that doing seals again on the 194K mile 4.8is weighed heavily on me. Letting it go was more of a relief than I expected. It helped A LOT that the kid I sold it to was so happy. His buddies at the dealer love that thing and he got his moment in the sun when he drove it to the back lot.



Even though we spent the time and effort to move over the parts from Ole Blue to the white one, the impending doom I feel from it is unsettling. With the addition of a purpose built bike and tow vehicle in the E70, I fear I may be out of the E53 business for good.

And the diesel DOES feel good! I drove an E70 back when they were new. I never liked them except in V8 trim with big tires. The one I drove felt huge and lumbering and impossible to find the corners on. Even then, as an owner of one SPP E53 or another since 2001, I STILL resented the trend toward huge headlights and what we all THOUGHT were HUGE, ugly grills across the line. Boy did BMW go off the deep end on that!

This one has all the things I would have done. Silly big brakes, KW suspension, Big sway bar, upgraded turbo and tune with ginormous wheels. I will admit I would have stuck with 20's, but the 21's do catch the eye.

The ride home was ALLLL the b@lls that my E53 had and much much more. The deleted DPF(?) doesn't 'roll coal,' but after an onramp apex and full throttle, it was clear this thing was diesel powered. NGL, with that much torque underfoot, I giggled. I can't wait to pull that off with 4 bikes hanging off. I used to LOVE the E53's LOUD exhaust and AA tune wiping the floor with little 4cylinder this and thats but with 4 bikes hanging off the back.



The 4.8is was one of the most fun BMW's I have ever owned. This one is a worthy replacement.Within minutes of hitting the driveway...

[Dking078]

It's been a long one for sure! I remember waaay back when you put the bid dam near sight unseen for the mileage.

I said goodbye to my 4.8 after just shy of 10 years.

Nice to see you ended up with the dog hauler , small world too.