Pointers on replacing lower radiator hose and flushing engine block

[faz]

For my 2005 3.0i X5, I have bought a new lower radiator hose and temp sensor that connects to it, due to a leak that Weasel here helped identify in this thread. . (Thanks Weasel.) [BTW, dealer took care of the damaged fan shroud and agreed it was damaged due to their installation.]

Before I start working on this tomorrow, some pointers with the following would probably help things go smoothly: (everything looks straight forward, just want to confirm a few things)

- do I need to rub a small amount of grease/lubricant to the quick connect end that connects to thermostat? (it seems like it is very tight spot and perhaps not easy to push the hose up all the way without some sort of lubricant.)

- same question with regards to the temp sensor that clips into to the lower part of the hose. Just clip it in with a little lubrication perhaps?

- To get to the engine drain plug, I need to remove the underpanel, right? Is this removal straight forward? On my other cars this has involved having simply some tiny bolts removed, but this thing being a 'SAV' I am wondering if the underpanel is harder/more involved to take off? (some searches on here confused me a bit.)

- heater setting during the engine drain: ignition key to 2 (car not running), set max heat, turn fan on at min, THEN open engine drain plug, let all coolant drain, radiator drain, expansion tank drain, close all drain plugs (engine, radiator, expansion tank), fill up coolant with bleeder screw off until coolant comes out of it with no bubbles.... the heater fan is still running with heater settings set to max during all this, correct???

Any advice is greatly appreciated.