Arnott all the way.
https://www.arnottindustries.com/part_BMW_yid21.html

Thanks buddy!

open to all suggestions, going to my mechanic Saturday morning to place my order

How many miles are on that shaft Josh?

I replaced mine at 136,000 miles. Dealer did the work so he used an OEM driveshaft, combined with a used transfer case that had 76,000 miles on it, but no wear on the coupling splines. I drilled it into the tech to make sure he greased the daylights out of that coupling before putting it back on the front driveshaft and have put 163,000 miles on it since the repair. The service manager has told me he's never had a repaired one come back in, but I do put a ton of miles on the vehicle and wonder if I'm close to a possible replacement again.

2002 X5 3.0 290,900 miles
2014 428i 12,700 miles
2004 325i sold at 123,600 miles
2001 325i sold at 66,000 miles

^I would be sure to use the longer driveshaft stub like Josh is - its known that the OEM driveshaft is decently short and only engages 1" of the splines on the pre-facelift - and many times that is what would strip out over time/miles/wear

Hi. Thanks for the messages.
I had the stock 4.8is trim painted to match the TiAg paint. I've had it done twice. After the first painting someone backed into my front bumper in a parking lot so when I had that fixed we filled the license plate holes and had the bumper, flares, etc. sanded, primed and painted again.

In the wheel wells I have a clear film over the painted parts to keep rocks/debris from messing up the paint.

I think removing the license plate and using tow hook plate holder help to clean up the lines. Make sure you use a good body shop that will take its time with the prep work.

The photos below are before the stance was lowered and have a filter applied to the photos.


http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...psobewygz4.jpg

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...psnsfea4cm.jpg

170k. The stock length shaft is laughably short. I'd replace it with a longer one for sure. I found a aftermarket shaft that had two options, it was OE+half an inch and then OE+1inch. I went with the +half an inch because supposedly it retains the ability to remove and install without the need to unbolt the tcase. Seeing the wear I wish I had gone with the +1inch but I am sure with the little extra coupled with brand new splines it'll be just fine.

If it had stripped, I'd have gone with the +half an inch and new output splines.

received Matte Black Kidney Grill from ECS Tuning, going to put it on in Spring and keep using my stock plasti dipped one for now

Change my front outer PDC sensor. No more annoying beeping sounds when in reverse...

cleaned it :). then topped my washer bottle up , and broke then lost my washer cap , :(
still got a nice clean car though

the washer bottle cap just clips on and it is probably down by the stiffner plate thats where I found mine.