So.. she's under the knife (sorta)

[PropellerHead]

Originally Posted by PropellerHead

We're back in for the second verse. Just dropped it off this AM:

Yowza! Picked it up yesterday.

Funny- the most expensive service? Coolant and pre-emptive parts replacement! All of those hoses and the expansion tank were more expensive than the transmission service! But like I said, 8 yr old plastic parts are now replaced. I hope that my cooling system will be trouble free for a couple years. Three years? Here's hoping!

This service for all above items was $1800. So, if you're keeping track, that's about $3000 in proactive service items centered around fluids with a few hundred $ in the tie rod replacement and 'love tap' recovery. But, besides oil and mods I did myself, that's all the money I've spent on it in the 18mos I've owned it. Not so bad.

I'm happy. I hope that I've dodged a future tow, even more $, and maybe even salvaged some precious future time by taking care of these maintenance items ahead of time.

Now all I need to do is keep the shiny side up on the road trip this weekend!

[BigGar]

Good call on swapping out the expansion tank. They will simply go when you least expect it. Easy and cheap fix, unless you're in the middle of nowhere or over heat your X5. For the money, I think this should simply be a maintenance item on all X5's.



Gar

[srmmmm]

Originally Posted by bigwave2255

how come you only do such low mileage, no disrespect intended , but wouldn't you get better value for your money if you did some more miles on it.

i have 141,000 km on my 2005 X5 and its performing faultlessly, i suspect that half the problems with these cars is due to lack of use.

my advice is to get out and use "the ultimate driving machine" hehehehe

2002 X5 3.0 244,000 miles
2004 325i 109,000 miles

[admranger]

I hate to add to your repair bills, but your tires are aged out. Replace them. 7 years is the max I'd run tires.

My Michelin winter tires were cracked like crazy after 6 years. I only had them for 3 or so years, so I can't say how they were treated before I got them, but after they were in bags in my garage (no ozone producing devices in the garage). Even when the wheels are on the X5, it is garaged at work and at home. So very limited sun exposure in the grand scheme of things (I drive to work in the dark and drive home in the dark…).

Regardless, check your tires. 9 years old for tires is old.

[BigGar]

I wouldn't sweat the tires. If it's rolling on the 20" wheels the rears are only going to last 10-15k miles anyway.



Gar

[PropellerHead]

Originally Posted by admranger

I hate to add to your repair bills, but your tires are aged out. Replace them. 7 years is the max I'd run tires.

Regardless, check your tires. 9 years old for tires is old.

This is a heckuva thread bump. I wrote this almost a year and a half ago!

As for the old tires:

I bought the X5 from a BMW dealer in Iowa who changed the old tires before I bought it. They had some sort of legal reason for not selling a car with old tires. And I don't care. It was basically $1500 off the price as far as I was concerned. They were brand new when I picked it up and they lasted for awhile.

When they ran through late last year, I switched to some Michelins from my previous X5. I had them laying around so I decided to put off buying new ones. They lasted until just this past month- and might have for longer if I weren't headed on a 2,000 mile end of year trip.

I bought new Michelins a couple weeks ago and they're set for mounting on Monday. For the record, I'm at 44k now. That's 3 big road trips over the last year and day to day driving... I don't remember when I filled up last.

I expect to finish this year's road trip and head into my 3rd year of ownership with a clean 50k miles come Feb, 2014. That'll be about 13k a year. Not so bad. Time for that next transmission service!