Preventitive Maintenance
 

Hi Guys

I sold my 3.0 E53 after an excellent year of driving, and a couple of faults, including a full on road fail (fuel pump). So I chopped it.

Turns out I really miss the E53, so I am going in again!

For some reason I am going to buy a mint but, high mile (nudging a 100,000 miles) 2005 V8, however I do have the quite an appetite to throw some cash at it when I purchase it. (really hard to find a low mile one now, in such nice condition)

What to you guys think would be the top 5 preventative maintenance items?

I am thinking
- New battery
- New fuel pump (for sure thats what got me last time)
- New hoses and header tank on cooling system
- New water pump?
- New oil in Tranny + diff(s)

I have a good indy shop to do all the work, anything obvious I missed?

Cheers
stu

That's a good list but may not be necessary all at once if you are willing to do a little monitoring?

A new battery is nice, but they often give lots of warning before dying so I wouldnt toss one in without any symptoms, IMO.

Fuel pump, yeah, that's harder to predict. It's not so bad a hit nowadays since the pump is now available separately. A Pierburg or Bosch pump will last a good long time. I suggest doing the fuel filter at the same time.

A cooling system overhaul would be great, as parts like to die one after the other if replaced piecemeal. It's pricey though. Dont forget the heater lines.

Fresh fluids are always a good PM move if you dont know the history of the car. Engine oil, diffs, transfer case, coolant, and power steering. There is some debate on doing the tranny if it is still on factory fill at this mileage. Some prefer to leave it alone. You might want to do some research on your own for this.

Check plugs while you have the hood up, and oil leaks in the plug galleys or around the valve cover as the gasket is a common failure part.

The cabin filter is a commonly overlooked part, and I'd do the engine air cleaner too.

Sorry, I know that's more than 5 lol! If you can get its service history, that can pare the list down a lot.

Now you do realize that a V8 E53 is at least 2-3X more expensive to operate after warranty than say a 3.0 version, correct? Hope you and your Indy shop are in the same frame of mind on approaches to your LONG TERM ownership plans.

My personal recommendation is to build up your DIY skills and save the labor portion of the repair bills. You will be happier in the long run.

In order of importance:
Starting (Daily Driver? This is a MUST 1st)
Stopping/Suspension/Tires
Cooling
Electrical
Driver convenience items (A/C, radio, cleanliness)
Exterior

These last two are equal

Explanation:
Starting - What good is the vehicle if it does not start? In a daily driver world this is number 1. Preventive steps; Check battery (Volt and load tests) Read Starter amp draw (under 150-200 -OK!)
Stop/Suspension- Brakes - heavy vehicles EAT brakes, buy items focuses on quality, rebuild/replace everything at 100K. The front and rear suspension parts have failed by now so if they are not NEW, replace them. (Thrust/control arms etc). Lots of postings on DIY approaches.
Cooling systems - Pressure test and build up a parts list
etc etc

Good luck with your new purchase...

A Must
-Cooling system including all hoses
-Timing Chain guides & tensioner