75K Mile tons-o-maintenance - how much can I DIY?

[rdeyoung]

Hey guys,

I have my 2006 E53 3.0i that has just about reached 75K miles, and after taking it to my mechanic, there are a bunch of things that were written up that need fixin' :

- Valve cover gasket leak ($800 ish im assuming)
- Power steering inlet and return hose leak ($320 est)
- Right front axle boot torn
- Front control arm bushings torn
- Preventative cooling overhaul

that's a big ass expensive list of fixes!

Im wondering how much I can DIY and save some money. Ive seen some videos on the valve gasket replacement and seeing as the gasket only costs about 45$ its probably worth it to DIY even though it seems pretty scary... I dont think I have the ability to do the axle boot or control arm bushings... What is involved in the "cooling overhaul?" Also, is it worth the 320 to do the power steering leak fix or should I attempt this as well?

Sorry for all the questions! Thanks in advance

[Ricky Bobby]

Power steering you can fix for $120 including a new reservoir and 2 hoses and some ATF.

VCG you can DIY and throw a fresh set of spark plugs in there for $110.

Axle boot is up to you, if its already torn and leaking grease you may need to do replacements, if its just starting to crack you can re-boot it. The boot kits are 15-30 bucks depending where you get them. I would do both sides. If your joint is pissed open and leaking grease everywhere you may need a new joint or new axle.

If the control arm bushings are torn you need new thrust arms (much easier to replace the arm as opposed to finding a press to get the bushings out) but I would overhaul the ball joints, and other control arm (wishbones) while i'm in there. That is a DIY job if you have a BFH.

Cooling overhaul can be done with T stat, hoses, expansion tank, a gallon of coolant, and the water pump if you want to do it. I'd let the indy tackle that, I hate bleeding coolant lol.


How handy are you? By your posts I'm guessing not terribly.

[rdeyoung]

Im under the mindset that if I dont need to buy a new expensive tool that I will probably never use again than its not worth doing it yourself

I actually prefer going the DIY route especially if its going to save me a crap ton of money. The most far out DIY I did was installing a new canvas top on my E36 convertible, and that was a bitch. Ive never done anything that involved removing parts of the engine because im afraid I wont be able to put everything back correctly. Having said that, I still think I can do the valve cover gasket if I take my time - but when it comes to the control arms/axle I might have to leave that to a mechanic because there is too much going down there and being so unfamiliar with "torque" im sure something will go wrong.

The left axle was already replaced because the boot was fully torn. So is the right, so im sure that whole axle will need replacing too

[Quicksilver]

Just a thought;

You can always DIY but let's be honest time is money and if what you say is true
" Ive never done anything that involved removing parts of the engine because im
afraid I wont be able to put everything back correctly." Then that might be a clue
as to what your getting into.

I hate to break it to you but BMW's require some expertise to get things done properly.
if you cut corners you won't be happy with the results. Don't think i'm trying to discourage
you but facts are facts.

I am very mechanically inclined and DIY is not a problem for me but I decided no
thanks. For the money I paid to get it done and the time it would have taken for me
to do it the result was a great deal of peace of mind. I just made sure I had a great
shop that did each job only once with a warranty and provided a loaner.

OBTW here's a heads up: If your gonna drive your BMW my suggestion would be start
putting your money away now. Think car note money for about 6 months. That way when
an issue comes up you got the coins to keep it up. It's the pay me now or pay me later
thing. A new one cost more than 70K

[ProfessorX5]

FYI a bit of a cheat for the coolant bleeding, what I did, and it worked

1. Drive a bit on a bumpy road - get them bubbles jumping!
2. Do the bleed procedure on a steep incline, or with the front end jacked up about 6 inches.
3. For extra sexiness, you can stick a turkey baster (minus the squeezable part) in the bleeder hole and pour coolant through there to fill the hose for sure.
4. Then you can squeeze the rubber thing before you put it back on to create enough suction not to spill the excess.

Voila! Coolant bled, with no spilling.

I only lived in Texas 2 yrs, my neck still got a little red

[tmv]

Everything on your list is DIY-able. However, as Quicksilver pointed out, you might not be up for them. If you have the time and place, DIY them. It's never too late to learn.

[StephenVA]

All of these items you mentioned are easy DIY project one at a time. Nothing on your list would take "Special Tools", if you want to invest in good hand tools that will become your go to set for future projects. If you like to save $$ then invest in training and tools. If not, choose the DIFM path (Do It For Me), as a person turning wrenches in a shop that has done more than a few of these, will be able to complete the task in less time, will not be learning on YOUR car, and have all the tools to do the job right. Nothing in life is free and BMW are one of the vehicles that require you to pay to play. Time = $

This X5 forum site has Articles on each one of those weekend projects- See the top of the webpage for the pull down list.

It really comes down to do you want to get your hands dirty and learn about your X5 or do you really like to just drive it and let someone else do repairs?

Oh, as your vehicle ages the replacement of worn out parts excellerates so these issues will be coming up again and again. So lay out a plan now or choose an exit plan.
Your minivan is calling.

[m j b]

I would get solid estimates at a trusted indy before making any rash decision. The valve cover gasket job is pretty easy and shouldn't cost anywhere near $800. The front-end bits are a lot easier for someone in a shop with a lift, presses, etc. than for us in our driveway on our backs. Power steering shouldn't be expensive nor difficult.

I used to DIY everything on my cars. Somehow though, I'm getting older and less willing to bother with it, and paying some youngster to get dirty for me is becoming more and more attractive.

[squidzilla]

There lots of videos on youtube that you can watch to learn how to do this stuff. If you have a spare car, then you can take your time. I look at is as learning some new skills.

[upallnight]

Like everything else in life, you need to learn to crawl before you can walk, you need to walk before you can run.

If you never worked on a car before, you're better off taking it in to a mechanic. Do the easy stuff such as washing and waxing the car, rotating the tires, changing the oil.