Hey Folks,

My 2 cents......just had my outer left boot done at 110,000ks, to my knowledge this is the most common boot to go..why I do not know? I may double up on things and am trying to answer multiple posts.....anyway

It is not a good idea to keep driving if your rubber boots are cracked or about to go because you want to avoid replacing any thing else but the rubber boot and the lube.....nor is it a good idea to do unnecessary mileage if you get the clicking noise because things can potentially get worse and cost more and in some cases (non x5s) which I have read about led to loss of steering at the affected wheel which puts your life and passengers in danger.

Checking the cv boots is a service item in which one I can't remember but since I don't believe in BMW'S Ultra extended servicing BS I would get them all checked regularly.

Once the rubber seal is split the inside can become contaminated with road debris i.e. rocks, dirt, gravel etc which in turn rubs against the precisely machined metal surface underneath causing further damage and performance issues.

This is why in theory many dealers replace the shaft because diagnosing whether there is any surface damage and then re-machining yours exceeds the cost of replacing entire shaft with a BMW factory re-machined shaft. Of course they will keep yours and re-machine it and stick it in the next sorry sob's X. You can request a new one but how much and willing the dealer would be I do not know?

My boot and ac re-compression where done together and took 3 days at a very busy dealer. The boots are a wear and tear item however when you buy a cpo/ prem selection (aus) they really should cover it because they are certifying it/ saying this car is in excellent condition, an 'about to go' cv boot is not excellent at all. I know many older subaru forester owners who at 150,000kms have not needed this maintenance and they look at me like wtf when i say have you had your cv boots done?

The grease on the wheel arch is the tell tale sign to a split boot but if you are unsure take your car to a lot, drive and reverse it with wheels fully turned each way and if you get clicking bumping you know for sure....it is not a pleasant sensation at the wheel.

There are some excellent web pages on 'CV' tech on the net. It would be good to hear what a mechanic X member has to say about cv boots though.....

1 boot on my 06' took about 3 hours, gave me a loaner car and went home called 3 hours later.

Boots
 

I had both front axles replaced last year with non BMW parts for half the price and hardly any labor. My guys said the new boots were thicker and no AS susceptible to tearing easily....