New E70 owner, Pics and introduction.
 

Hey guys, I picked up my first X5 the other day. Its a 2008 X5 4.8i, truck came in as a trade in at my job and from the time I saw it I had to have it.

It came across as being a steal as I got it for employee pricing, way below retail, and it was in good condition, just a bit dirty. Its black sapphire metallic with black dakota leather. Has iDrive, sport seats, pano roof, seems like 100% options. Also it has 62k miles and valve stem seals were done under CPO warranty two years ago.

Upon first sight
http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/g...s/image_3.jpeg

the inside wasnt too bad, I saw the potential
http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/g...s/image_8.jpeg

it gets better...
http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/g...s/image_7.jpeg

getting it detailed at work, engine bay power wash, no bueno but more on this later
http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/g...s/image_9.jpeg

coming along slowly..
http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/g.../image_11.jpeg

not quite done
http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/g.../image_12.jpeg

BOOM, see what a small detail can do!
http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/g.../image_14.jpeg

http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/g.../image_15.jpeg

The money shot!!
http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/g.../image_13.jpeg

Took delivery of it and things went a bit downhill after two days, driving along and the truck gradually went dead with all engine malfunctions coming up on the HUD. Towed it to the workshop and it was the alternator, common issue so I threw a new alternator and AGM bmw 105amhr battery in there for good measure.
http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/g...s/image_5.jpeg

After a day in the workshop she was back out driving as smooth as ever.. Took the chance to do a few other things, did a coolant service, brake flush, trans pan was leaking so I did the gasket with the pan and reused the old fluid and did the belts.
http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/g...s/image_4.jpeg

Last but not least we finally hit here in the tri-state by snowstorm Jonas.
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Thanks for reading, more updates to come ;)

I also have an E92 335i thats parked for the remainder of the season. Pics of that in the post below.

as promised, here is the toy. 07 335i, space gray, 6 speed manual, fbo and coral red interior.
http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/g.../image_19.jpeg

First of all, congrats and welcome!

Second, I love seeing people bring back a car from neglect. Looks like she is coming together well, keep up the good work.

Very nice. Sport steering wheel on your '08, so it has AD. (I can see the button just below the shifter). A lot of the LCI trucks don't have this. Comfort seats too.

Great choice. Welcome to the fold.

Congrats! The car has all of the desirable options... Great find.

I assume you are a tech at a BMW dealer ... so you have access to the latest and greatest.

Questions:

1. Why did you put in a 105 Ah battery?

AFAIK, the pre-LCI e70's all used the 92Ah battery, even some of the early 2012 LCI's did. Did you also upgrade the alternator? If you did, did you code the car to accept a higher capacity alternator? If not, your standard alternator will never be able to charge the 105 Ah battery fully, correct?

2. You said you did a trans pan and gasket, but re-used the old fluid ... Why?

3. What about the coolant? Did you reuse that too, if not, why not?

Did you use the BMW machine that does an auto flush? My understanding is that machine effectively only replaces 4 quarts of coolant (and is mixed with ordinary tap water, not distilled water), leaving 4 quarts of "old" coolant behind to mix with the 4 new quarts ...

Keep posting. Love having the "inside scoop" from guys who actually work on these machines, especially at a dealer.

Heres one for you guys, found my window sticker, the truck came with two sets of owners manuals, one original and one cpo replacement.
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http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/g.../image_21.jpeg

Thanks for the positivity my friend.

The alternator that went into the SAV was the 220amp version as this e70 has the four zone climate control and physically the 105ah fits into the space in the truck so there was no reason to not use that battery for the high cca rating. When we installed the battery it was registered and the bsd was coded for the agm cell battery so no issues with battery drainage there.

On the part about the trans pan, alot of times with higher mileage cars where a trans flush was not done in the past the fluid inside the transmission contains wear particles that essentially keep the whole thing together so we refill with the old fluid plus 1liter of top off for good measure.

For coolant we just hook up to a shop machine and it flushes the system, it handles the dilution automatically, same for the brakes its just a matter of connecting a small hose to the bleeder and something to catch it.

and just to say, I work for BMW of Manhattan :thumbup: thats how I got the killer deal

Yes sir, electronic damping suspension, just means the struts cost alot more :rofl:. I love the front seats in this thing, im skinny and I dont get held into seats properly but these seats hold me like there were designed for me. The bladders inside the bolsters are right on the money.

You got a really nice car according to the Window Sticker!

Hope you got it at a good price ...

Did you do the dreaded coolant pipe leak check yet?

As far as your responses above:

1. ... high CCA is irrelevant. Only Ah matters. But it sounds like the car has been coded for that battery, so you should be all set.

2. mmmm .... (do you charge the customer for 1+X liters as well? Don't answer that, you may get fired ...)

3. mmmm x2 ....

4. Remind me never to have my car serviced at BMW of Manhattan ... I've heard stories about that place. Now I know why.

But glad to hear that you got a killer deal.

Nice ride! I just picked up an 08 4.8 as well love it. I don't want to come off the wrong way but I disagree with reusing transmission fluid. First 62k is not what I would consider high mileage and second there is no dirt in the fluid that is going to keep your transmission running. Also if your coolant is mixed with tap water get it out ASAP. Many think the crap in tap water has some bearing in the coolant pipe failure.

FWIW I have changed the transmission oil in all my cars foreign and domestic with new filters around 100k and all automatics I have still perform flawlessly. My old X5 was at 170k when I traded it in on the new E70, my Dodge is at 150k and my f350 is at 200k ( its ready for another trans filter and oil change as soon as it warms up).

Either way this is just my opinion and results Good Luck:thumbup:

Just the way I was advised to do things man. I cant wait to start modding this things, gonna get the flared arches and the body aerodynamics kit.

I did a coolant pressure test before purchase, that was all. Lol, enough of that. Anyhow, I bought a set of four dunlop 3D winters and im gonna have them mounted this week, im also in the market for a set of f15 M 20's. The truck is really nice, I love the pano roof, although i keep the shades open, I'll never use it. Those sunroofs are way too brittle.

I feel like maybe you got some bad advice.

Perhaps, the fluid coming out was fine so there would have been no reason to replace it.

It still most likely picked up some dirt while it was out:( I would swap it if I were you. If the filter is new all you would have to do is drain and refill a few times over the course of a few days. $75 worth of fluid and a transfer pump and I think you'd be further ahead. Again just my two cent's

Wow. Sounds very ....uh...let me say unenlightened.

Almost, if you will, superstitious.....or perhaps like BMW techs cutting corners just so issues dont crop up until a bit later and they can disclaim responsibility.


Why not just add 70-W90 to "hold it together"

Its also not a truck. But city kids sure like the idea of calling it a truck.:stickpoke

Scary.

Your dealership actually told you to do things this way???

Was it an actual BMW dealership? Here's the way I see it, most BMW technicians are just "parts changers". They scan the car, read the code(s) and change what the computer tells them is "wrong" with the car. My brother worked at a BMW dealer and he said that few new techs know how to properly problem solve without the aid of the computer. Doesn't surprise me that the dealership would give you that advice.

Geez everyone, don't rain on the guys parade, he's happy about his purchase and just showing it to everyone, if he wants to keep the old trans fluid in so be it, it's his choice and that's that. He was't advising or suggesting to anyone that it's the standard way of doing things.

Point is: the work he's done is according to the way his dealership does things.

OP, and Manhattan BMW, believe that's the correct way.

... reuse old fluid and add "one quart for good measure"?

I'm just gonna say it instead of beating around the bush BECAUSE IT'S WRONG. This is not the way to change the filter in the transmission. You must properly fill it also regardless of whether you use new or old fluid not just chuck in an extra liter for GOOD MEASURE.

Many transmission specialists recommend not power flushing a high mileage transmission but no one that I know of recommends using the old fluid. You do a couple of fluid changes to weed out the old fluid then remove the pan and filter at which point you fill till it runs out of fill plug than warm it up and top it off until it runs out of the fill plug again. Which I usually go one step further with another fluid change after filter is in so that I see perfectly red fluid.

2008 X5 3.0 Si
 

Have been lurking here for a few months, mainly check when I have an issue with my X5. This is my first BMW, and I might add it is also my first luxury car. I purchased it in November of 2015. Flew from Rochester, NY to Long Island to pick it up from a Jeep dealership out that way. Had 63,000 miles when I got it. 5 hours into my trip from Long Island to Rochester, I hit a deer going about 75 on the highway, air bags did not deploy and it was only a shudder in the steering wheel when I hit the darn thing. Happened about 2AM, thankfully I was only about 25 miles away from home so was able to get a tow home and Insurance adjuster came next day. He did not total the car so off to the shop it went. They had it for 5 weeks, took a while for them to get genuine parts and to put it together. All body panels on the front end are brand new, and also everything in the engine compartment from the engine block forward. Total cost to Geico: $14,250!!

Anyway, fast forward a year, and my water pump died, so I am in the process of tacking that job now, the car is currently on jack stands in the driveway waiting for the new water pump, thermostat, and mounting bolts to arrive. I have removed everything in order to access the water pump following a thread that was posted here a few years ago from "it texan". so far everything has gone well, but it is not a task for the faint of heart. Anyway, I replaced the iDrive module a few months ago, that was easy, took 10 minutes but the part was not cheap! Other than that I love the vehicle, but some of the engineering aspects of it leave me scratching my head sometimes. Thankfully I am not afraid of getting dirty and have been a DIY car guy since I was a kid really, watching my Dad and brothers, then doing my own cars. Thus far I am finding the repair work on this vehicle to be the most challenging I have ever faced. And the cost of the parts, even off Ebay are ridiculous. But I do love it though. Definitely a love/hate relationship.