Newbie - 2001 4.4i shared experience

[amcink]

Hello X5world

First of all I would like to thank everyone for been such a great knowledge base that my expirience on procuring an 01 4.4i was without hesitation and you help me on providing me a clear vision of what I want it and needed it. Therefore . Attached are photos of my 01 (2 weeks old) just washed.

I also would like to share with you some advice I received from a Classic BMW owner that I met and he shared his experience with me on how to keep you car in shape in order to keep it for a long time. These are his recomendations:

1) For a car show look I recommend the wax named "Zaino".
Be prepared to sweat since they have a three step
process. You could give them a call for any questions.
They are very helpful.

2) Never mess around with it's electrical.
Forget about upgrading your stereo system. Unless the
technician knows BMWs or highly recommended by the BMW
dealer, try not to mess around with it.

3) Never jump start your X5. and never
jump start another car with your X5. It sounds selfish
but BMW electricals is very sensitive -- kind of
fragile. If your battery goes dead, just replace it --
DONT jumpstart it -- unless it's an emergency.
If you buy a battery buy and upgrade version -- go to
Interstate Batteries and it will give you two options
-- regular and an upgrade version. Go with the upgrade
version.

4) -- have your radiator fluid replaced by
a genuine BMW coolant ( BUY ONLY AN ORIGINAL BMW
GENUNE COOLANT -PHOSPAHTE-FREE ) from a BMW dealer
only. Use ONLY distilled water -- not drinking or tap
water. The ratio should be 50/50. Replace BMW coolant
in your X5 every two years. You should do this
religiously or else, you might have some gasket leaks,
etc.

5) -- use synthetic oil as much as possible
-- I recommend Vol-Synthese - Lubro Moly --
check your manual for the proper grade. You could buy
it from 'Bavarian Autosport'. Google it again, call
them and request for a brochure. This is a very good
store for BMW parts, accessories, etc.

6) -- check your transmission fluid -- see
if it is still clean. If not, go have it serviced by a
reputable sevice center and try to use SWEPCO or
whatever your BMW manual recommends. BMW usually says
that their transmission fluid is good for 100,000
miles but thise who know usually change theirs around
60,000.

7) -- check you pwer steering fluid --
change if it is dirty -- for transmission and power
steering, try to change the filter too.

8) -- Very important -- use only premium
gasoline -- if you use less than premium, you will
mess-up your catalytic converter -- it's no joke to
replace one -- $$$$$!!!.

9) -- When ordering from Bavarian
autosport,order maybe 10 cans of Ventil Sauber by Lubro Moly (
this cleans your valves -- it's like having your
Bimmer tuned-up for $6.00! Also order Jectron by Lubro
MOly -- to clean your injectors.
These two items should be used alternately . Ventil
Sauber, maybe once every two months, the Jectron,
maybe once every three months. Your Bimmer will thank
you for using these two items. It's like giving them
d _ _ _ s! Hehehe!

10)-- Join the BMW CCA -- again, google it.
You will have a free subcription of Roundel --a very
good BMW magazine and the local magazine which will
expose you to the different BMW 'stuff' here in the
bay area!

I will add one major rule at this time and is rule #11

11) Join X5WORLD!!!!!!

Hope you can read trough these recomendations and pelase provide feed back.

Finally, since I'm preparing to start finding a Dealership for major service and the x5 as 74K miles I have asked around to some dealership their service pricing to beanchmarked them. Please let me know if these prices are reasonables. Attached is a pdf file from one of the local dealers and their cost for service.

Dealership A (see pdf attached)
Engine oil service = $330
Break fuid flush & body inspection = $170
Coolant Flush = $190

Dealership B
Engine oil Service = $250
oil change only = $110
Break fluid .....= $140
Collant flush = $140

Well I guest this is information overload for right know and pelase post your comments and recommendations.

Before I leave I would like to send many thanks to the Nav upgrade forums since with their help I made my first udpate of the OS in the MK3 system from v17 to v30. Now I'm need to get an 2008.1 navigation cd.

I will post my wish list of mods later.

Thank you

[Michelle]

Congrats and :welcome: to the world!

[manonskisjr]

Nice list. Pretty much everything is common sense for an avid X5Worlder but you comprised the list perfectly. I have been jump started and i dont think anything happened? Its just a bimmer not a Maybach

[cbirk]

I just ordered new Nav CDs. I only need #6 (New England).
Send me a message and we can work out a really good deal for you.

Chris

[chilliwilli]

Originally Posted by manonskisjr

...Its just a bimmer...

[Bimmer360]

first of all, which part of norcal u from? I am from sunnyvale/santa clara area.

I agree.

1) For a car show look I recommend the wax named "Zaino".
Be prepared to sweat since they have a three step
process. You could give them a call for any questions.
They are very helpful.

I have messed up with electrical connection from retrofitting SSG paddles, retrofitting a full OEM nav on my E46, Headlight (high-beam) shutters for bi-xenons, Start Button, and more. It's a tricky setup, but not too bad.

2) Never mess around with it's electrical.
Forget about upgrading your stereo system. Unless the
technician knows BMWs or highly recommended by the BMW
dealer, try not to mess around with it.

I replace batteries before they go bad so i never came across this one

3) Never jump start your X5. and never
jump start another car with your X5. It sounds selfish
but BMW electricals is very sensitive -- kind of
fragile. If your battery goes dead, just replace it --
DONT jumpstart it -- unless it's an emergency.
If you buy a battery buy and upgrade version -- go to
Interstate Batteries and it will give you two options
-- regular and an upgrade version. Go with the upgrade
version.

agree

4) -- have your radiator fluid replaced by
a genuine BMW coolant ( BUY ONLY AN ORIGINAL BMW
GENUNE COOLANT -PHOSPAHTE-FREE ) from a BMW dealer
only. Use ONLY distilled water -- not drinking or tap
water. The ratio should be 50/50. Replace BMW coolant
in your X5 every two years. You should do this
religiously or else, you might have some gasket leaks,
etc.

agree

5) -- use synthetic oil as much as possible
-- I recommend Vol-Synthese - Lubro Moly --
check your manual for the proper grade. You could buy
it from 'Bavarian Autosport'. Google it again, call
them and request for a brochure. This is a very good
store for BMW parts, accessories, etc.

I dont touch my tranny fluid anymore since 90K

6) -- check your transmission fluid -- see
if it is still clean. If not, go have it serviced by a
reputable sevice center and try to use SWEPCO or
whatever your BMW manual recommends. BMW usually says
that their transmission fluid is good for 100,000
miles but thise who know usually change theirs around
60,000.

doing the same here

7) -- check you pwer steering fluid --
change if it is dirty -- for transmission and power
steering, try to change the filter too.

agree, for me the difference is not that big, so i keep on putting premium only

8) -- Very important -- use only premium
gasoline -- if you use less than premium, you will
mess-up your catalytic converter -- it's no joke to
replace one -- $$$$$!!!.

hmmmm....interesting and never tried this. Will consider this

9) -- When ordering from Bavarian
autosport,order maybe 10 cans of Ventil Sauber by Lubro Moly (
this cleans your valves -- it's like having your
Bimmer tuned-up for $6.00! Also order Jectron by Lubro
MOly -- to clean your injectors.
These two items should be used alternately . Ventil
Sauber, maybe once every two months, the Jectron,
maybe once every three months. Your Bimmer will thank
you for using these two items. It's like giving them
d _ _ _ s! Hehehe!

I was a member last year and let it expire. I don't see the need for my situation, roundel mags are nice but never read any of them. But i highly recommend for those who are outgoing and are into reading articles.

10)-- Join the BMW CCA -- again, google it.
You will have a free subcription of Roundel --a very
good BMW magazine and the local magazine which will
expose you to the different BMW 'stuff' here in the
bay area!

I will add one major rule at this time and is rule #11

11) Join X5WORLD!!!!!!

Hope you can read trough these recomendations and pelase provide feed back.

Finally, since I'm preparing to start finding a Dealership for major service and the x5 as 74K miles I have asked around to some dealership their service pricing to beanchmarked them. Please let me know if these prices are reasonables. Attached is a pdf file from one of the local dealers and their cost for service.

Dealership A (see pdf attached)
Engine oil service = $330
Break fuid flush & body inspection = $170
Coolant Flush = $190

Dealership B
Engine oil Service = $250
oil change only = $110
Break fluid .....= $140
Collant flush = $140

Well I guest this is information overload for right know and pelase post your comments and recommendations.

Before I leave I would like to send many thanks to the Nav upgrade forums since with their help I made my first udpate of the OS in the MK3 system from v17 to v30. Now I'm need to get an 2008.1 navigation cd.

I will post my wish list of mods later.

Thank you

[dkl]

with everything, but how do you do #6 (check transmission fluid) as there is NO dipstick In order to do so, you must break the seal. So, in that case, mind as well change the fluid and filter in the process.

[villajoe]

I've never heard of the cats going bad because of not using premium. Is that true?

I thought the computer adjusts the timing and all you lose is some power.

[HPIA4v2]

Originally Posted by villajoe

I've never heard of the cats going bad because of not using premium. Is that true?

I thought the computer adjusts the timing and all you lose is some power.

Cat can go bad if you run high sulfur, lead but I think modern fuel has none of those (or very little).


BTW, on premium vs lower grade, I do the math since you agree that you'll get less power thus poorer mileage with lower grade.
let say you get 14mpg with low grade @$4.25 and 15mpg premium @$4.50, you'' loose the saving battle cause 1/14x100% > .25/4.25x100%, regradless how many miles you drive!
Not to mention possible engine problem down the road since you force the engine to retard timing out of it's optimum range. Remember the savings to switch to lower grade might be worthwhile when gas like $2-$3/gallon, at $4/gallon it dissipate fast(since the price difference on lower grade to premium stucks at about 20c-25c!).

[villajoe]

Oh I wasn't advocating the use of non-premium I'm all about the power baby!