Everything Broken On My Cheap BMW 5 Series ( E60 / E61)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 19 ส.ค. 2024
- I bought a cheap, 11 year old BMW 525D E61. Here's what's good about it and what needs fixing!
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I'm 27 and I like the looks of estate cars over saloons
Good on ya!
Ye i'm 15 and i will never buy a saloon estate cars is much more practical and much better loocking
Same here. I'm 25 and really like both the styling and practicality of estates. First car was a gen 4 legacy wagon. Even though I currently drive a coupe (E92 335i) I would love to get another wagon/estate some time. I wish BMW would have the option of an M5 wagon. I'm in love with the F90 M5 Competition. If only it came as a wagon/estate... I would take that over the saloon in a heartbeat.
@@JamieB-E92 How about an alpina estate?
I’m 22, just sold my m235i and now looking at 2010 320ds 😂 is it the same engine that has the timing belt failure though? 😬
Real estate wagon over SUV any day. Great color btw
Yes the blue really is quite nice!
I’m onto my third now. Loved my F11’s. Onto a G31 now.
Mystic Blue, same as mine.
I bought the 530D, such a good car but damn, lot of little thing can get fuc*ed. The design is timeless tho.
How's the engine tho, u have which version?
@@emirbenaissa3441 2007 173kw, Engine is fine, great for what I need (long-distance highway drives). I replaced the timing chain for a new one, and now I plan to change the oil in the transmission, but other than that it works like a charm. Just the regular oil and filters change every 10k km. So far I did 35000km on it without any issue.
@@mikulas13 wow great man drive safe hope u e joying those sweet juicy 520NM of torque haha
Im 24 and own an e91 330d touring, i love the look of estate cars!!
What's your fuel economy like? I have the 328xi and the things heavy as shit gets like 17 mpg in city
@@abointedtoyblingofmats jesus, im getting an average of 41.5mpg over around 6000miles. Will go up to the 50s on the motorway/highway
I own a 2007 bmw e61 525d msport paid 5k with 120k on clock put new discs and pads all round from euro car parts air compressor went i wired a metal tyre compressor to the air suspension £15 from lidl. Works perfect said i would put proper £250 bosch on one when the lidl on packed up that was 3 years ago. Still running on cheap lidl compressor. Good car. Do all my own work on it
gordon smyth how did you attach it?
I turn the air tyre compressor up side down and cabletied it to the BMW compressor frame. Took the air sensor of old pump and pkuged it into the harness . And. Cablle tied it to tyre compressor. I got a. Tyre compressor with a screw valve end used a old tyre valve to original bmw inlet pipe
FairPlay mate good idea
Just got the same car last week, your videos will be a Godend no doubt. So far it's passed it's MOT without any tinkering, only a few minor things to resolve some LEDs in the rear window braking light were duff so I'll be replacing that and they recommended changing the brake hoses too. This weekend I'm replacing all the fluids and filters and next week I'll be taking the gear box out as it's a bit rought when shifting out of 5th gear, fingers crossed it's nothing major.
Yes. A sensible adult with good articulation, calm demeanor and nice presenting style doing well edited video series on a car I'm considering buying.
I was a chauffeur for 15 years and made a career of driving saloons, but outside of that world I can't think of a reason to buy one. I've moved 3 times in past few years and I've gone from Mondeo estate to Nissan X-trail to Peugeot 206 😂(I got it free under the condition I could get it running) Now looking forward to getting back to an estate as I have 3 dogs and do a fair bit of towing and since I've driven E60's a lot I feel it'd be a good, sensible choice.
Looking forward to going through all the videos, thank you in advance.
I love my 06 530xit wagon. Fiancé and I have a few of em. it’s a little more high maintenance but we do most quick fixes ourselves and when we’re not arguing while working on it we bond over our crippling love of these German engineered babies!
I have just replaced all the bushes, front and rear (Meyle) on my 535d. The ride and handling has been transformed for the better. Really enjoyed the first installment.
Thanks Lee and good work on your there. Probably needs doing on mine!
Good to see an R & R notification in my inbox, again.
I remember when BMW released the E60 and I thought they’d completely ruined the 5 Series, but over time it grew on me and now I think it’s one of their best designs. You seem to have your work cutout with this one, though - I’m looking forward to seeing how you get on with it, Neil 👍
Best of luck,
Andy 🏴
Big thanks Andy, glad to hear it. Yeah, i agree it does grow on you. Yes, a few things to fix but nothing too difficult i hope!
It's a common trend for me, I usually hate new BMW designs but they eventually grow on me
This is the same car that my work colleague has, had it the last 7 years now with 230.000 and every day is doing more 120 miles commute per day. And still working fine!
i'm 25 and I bought a passat estate, 11 plate.it looks dope in white, with all the chrome. love it. really like these series where people show their used cars. they bought for reasonable sums and are trying their best to maintain them well, but with some budget to get the most for their buck. love it.
I have the same/similar car with a fully manual gearbox. Best I have ever owned... Currently 202k miles on the clock.
What engine size?
I think the headlights sweeping around the body work with its details look like the spirit of ecstasy wings on the rolls royce
2005 300k e60 with the m47n2 engine. Bought it on 107,000 miles in 2008, I changed the oil religiously every 6 months. Gearbox going strong still just engine burning a little bit of oil.
I miss your M3. I still have mine. Love your channel. Glad there’s still new videos even tho M3 is gone.
Thanks Michael. Done anything to your M3 recently?
My dad’s got an 08 525d m sport saloon as a second car which I’ve begged for 1st refusal for when he eventually sells. Phenomenal cars for the price these days
Finally a new vid 👍😉
I personally love this estate version.
But to many possible issues plus i hate diesels , and a nice petrol one was over 5k, so after my old lexy been destroyed by a lorry, got a 3gs lexus. Didn’t regret it at all.
Only the N47 engines have the timing chain problem. I had to choose between a 2009 170HP (N47) E60 and a 2007 160HP. Bought the 2007 with the M47 engine.
M47 mine done 218,000 miles. Still going strong only needed a new turbo at 200,000. Also change thermostats every 30-40k
I drive an E91 touring, it's a beautiful thing with the m-sport kit on.
Me too. I have an 06 325xi manual and it came with the sport package/leather / sport seats / moonroof etc. man these cars are hard to find!
Ooooh friends
E91 325d manual here.
She's done me proud the other month, week long tour of Scotland with two mountain bikes on the roof and baggage for two in the boot done 2k miles and cost us about 300£ on fuel. Some beautiful machines they are.
As the owner of a 325d, these are all the things I was hoping to get sorted over the last 2 years of ownership 😞
Great to see more content from you Neil. Look forward to subsequent episodes.
Big thanks Richard.
I'm 25 and got myself a late 2004 E61 525i Touring, also M-Spec but the version without badges everywhere. Should be quite rare I think. Just crossed the 150000km mark. Perfect daily driver if you ignore the electronic quirks, like PDC not working in the winter.
Great review - looking at 525 and 535 for exactly the same reason doing 110 motorway miles a day and needing a tow car for my track car.
535d all the way mate 👍
I've had a 2007 325d E90 since new - it's now sitting at 137k and still pulls like a champ. Had the DPF warning go on at 75k, just had it scrubbed by hand and mapped out, still well within emissions 5 years later. True about the audio input on my model too.
Purchased a 335d SE estate and I love it. Can’t believe how much car you get for the money. Good choice on the 3.0L lump. Great engine from what I have experienced so far!
I had a Saab 9-5 Aero Estate at 28 years old so I must be a total grandad. Had it 5 years now. It does have 300BHP though!
nice car, what year? and what gearbox do you have, because i am planning to get one maybe, and i am afraid that auto gearbox is a little bit slow)
@@alex1132000 2004 5 speed manual. Its a proper sleeper.
BMWs get to a point after a few years where everything starts to break. Speaking from experience.
Instead of cleaning youre DPF wich is a temporary fix you can buy a downpipe and install it, youre engine and turbo will last longer and you add 20hp. i did this with my e60 535d when the dpf got full.
I had a 535d 2007 plate. Amazing car. Took dpf & egr off. Had a custom down pipe, Wagner intercooler & remap 385bhp 545lb/ft (700NM). Michelin supersports, H&R front & rear anti roll bars. Left the m sport suspension as factory as ride was superb. Very comfortable and obscenely fast. Probably my favourite car I’ve owned. I changed the gearbox oil when I bought the car. I wish I’d never sold it.
Wow that's some nice mods!
Still miss my E61 535d LCI. One of the best cars i ever owned.
I miss my E60 530xdA LCi. Drove 670k kms with it and still miss it. Broke down the timing chain at that mileage.
@@Wunderbaumsporting holy shit , were u on the stock chain?!
@@emirbenaissa3441
Yes. I just bought a 525xdA Lci with 450k kms, drives perfectly and no rattles or kloncks :)
@@Wunderbaumsporting hey man, the e60 online diesel six are all M57, so all 525 530 and 535 d don't suffer from the timing chain problem , it's the LCI 520d that worries ( the 177 bhp). I am looking to get either an e39 second phase 525 or 530d... But the e60 in the LCI version is sexier altho less reliable. I live in Spain and these e60s with over 300.000 are somewhat affordable to me but I always worry about cars with high mileage generally speaking. Altho I sold my 1995 e34 525 TDS on 500.000 and she was running tough, it was more of a panzer than a car, really tough car. Drive safe and if u could give feedback regarding the acceleration, comfort and maintenance on your e60s I'd appreciate it. Drive safe!
@@emirbenaissa3441
Yeah it isn't a common issue with M57, but I have actually snapped one timing chain in N47 520d with 180k km and my very own 530xda M57 with 680k km :) Nothing lasts forever. And by the way the LCi has way less electrical problems and the gearbox is way stronger and works way better, even though it is physically almost the same gearbox than with the pre-Lci. Also the injectors are piezo and engine is way lighter than the older version. Other than snapped timing chain at 680k km the M57TU2 was bulletproof, it had original injectors, turbo and was unopened.
I highly recommend getting the Lci if you can afford to buy one. Or at least with the TU2 engine.
Most of the issues and problems are issued between 250.000 and 350.000. After that most of the parts have already been changed once. That's why I bought one that had been driven 450.000 and already sorted out rather than paying 5000€ premium to get a car that would have been 280.000 driven. This worked out fine with the last one I had and my new car is also fully sorted out so should have some trouble-free kilometres. 😁
Yes, as some of the others have said - great to have another one of your videos mate!
Started watching when you were doing the boxster ones and bought a manual 3.2 (still can’t believe how cheap they are for a mid-engined porsche), looked at these 5-series as it’s a great all-round package but ended up with a scooby wagon - bit thirsty but I don’t do loads of miles.
It must take quite a while to do all the editing etc but we do appreciate it👍🏼
Thanks Paul. Yes you’re correct the vids take ages to make, this one took 12 hours to research, write, film then edit just for a 13 minute video! But it’s comments like this that make it worth it. Many thanks.
Wow, fair play - I only just have enough time to do the work on my cars let alone all that extra stuff! How’s the garage project coming along...?
Garage plans are with the council for approval. If they get approved I’ll do a quick update video showing then plans and next steps.
sounds like we’re in a similar situation then - council have been sitting on our application since July! Look forward to seeing your plans mate
E61 is one of the best looking wagons of all time! I got a 2008 535xi USA version. Love it, but total basket case with the rear door wiring and water leaking problems though. Needs lots of work and $$$
54 plate 535d with 171K miles on the clock. I needed this video 5 years ago! Watch out for the inlet manifold cracking!
Exhaust manifold do you mean?
Nice! I own a 330d but it’s a e46 coupe manual 6 speed
Mines running 290bhp and 450ftlbs
Comfy good on fuel handles well
Goes like stink
And with a 3 inch downpipe and straight pipe sounds awesome. Mines currently on 127k and My last 330d was on 218000 miles and is still going.
With regular services and maintenance they will just keep going!
Timing chain is a killer in the 2 litres. Was about to buy an 09 car but switched to an 06 in the end as it was the last year with the older bulletproof engine
I drive my 530d with 260.000km with Tuning to 280bhp and 600NM
No engine problems beside some oil sweat:D
Under 6 seconds to 60mph (on reeeeeally dry Street 🤣)
2007 they did the change, mine is from January 2007 still with the M47, it happened with the face lift
@@rw1415 I believe apart from knowing the year, the models with the new engine have straight exhausts while the older diesels have the downturns pipes
@@rivolinho mine has the straight one, with the M47
Great to see R&R back, great choice of motor, look forward to the repair vids
Big thanks Phil
I have a 2005 525i touring which I converted to lpg at 128k. Currently at 165k and going strong 🤞. Keep the content coming :)
I LOVE my E61 535xi wagon, driving mountain passes every day is a thing of beauty. Repair costs are high though, if the rear hatch stops working the pump alone costs $1600!!! Ugh! If you ever visit Utah you can rent mine on Turo. It’s the best ski car ever with blizzaks and slays the mountain passes! :)
Aluminium
Inlays or carbon are available as OE to rectify interior.
Don’t throw out the phone cradle. You can get modern interfaces from bmw/online auction that will allow iPhones etc to dock there, charge, use the cars antenna for signal boost and connect to the car without Bluetooth.
You can get a Bluetooth module that enables comms from the phone including music if you didn’t get the dock adapter.
DAB/DMB all available too.
My advice would be get a upgrade to the iDrive. Move from CCC to CIC with better up to date controller.
I have all of the above fitted from factory (not the CIC that was retrofit) on my 2008 535d.
Some 172M Spiders are needed too. Keep the 135Ms for winter.
Carbon black; best colour.
Thanks. Will look into those. CIC upgrade looks interesting. Have to say I’m not a fan of the 172M wheels though!
I have loved estate cars ever since I was a kid! 😂 love the 5 Series 😍
When you service you bmw remember to change you PCV vent/filter located next to the airfilter.ofcourse you have to change the water pump and termostat with those milage.other car's have it done when they service the belt.
Have a 330d e46 m57 engine. Take care of it and it take care off you 🙂
Great choice! I just bought a 2010 535xi version of this car in the same color. It has been OK so far - needed the serpentine belt, one of the coolant hoses, and one of the control arm bushings. It leaks from the valve cover gasket pretty badly so that is next. The rear window defroster doesn't work either... apart from that it is perfect. My $400 1999 540iT on the other hand, needs a ton of little things.
Nice video. Have an Lci 530xd e61 manual transmission myself, and love it :)
No problems with it yet, only service. The only thing i've done and i recommend, is to change te bushings in the front caster arms to powerflex. Totally changes the steering feel an stability under braking.
When it comes to engine temp, why dont you use the secret menu in instrument cluster? Hold down the trip button to access this menu, then press up to nr 19, then dial in number of two last letter in vin number added together, then choose nr 7, wich is engine temp.
With my 550i I just bought a boostaroo and bluetooth receiver and it fixed the audio problem for me.
We have had BMW cars since 1952, alongside a few Range Rover, now the 535D, and the next car is definitely the BMW!
ive heard that 520d's have problesm with timing chains but i have an e61 520d 2007 177hp with about 150,000 miles but never had any major or engine problems nor with timing chain! its a great car!
I agree about the AUX. I have e83 and it's similarly placed, getting in and out people broke it twice. And most of AUX cables are either too short, or too long.
That is so true about aux cables being too long or short😀
It’s not the cap that causes that.
on other models like my e46 Touring w nav you can change the input level of aux to match, my wife’s e83 standard radio and your e61 don’t allow it.
As per location, When I put her aux in I put it back there a la Bmw uk instead of the glovebox ala Bmw NA. When I installed mine I put it in the useLess console pen holder on the e46.
This car has the same 3 timing chains as in the 2.0 n47 diesel. Just change the oil every 6k or so and don’t let it overly concern you.
Roy Anderson E60 never got the n57 engine, the later 525 and 530/35 got the older m57. Not the same timing chain. The problem with the n47 is also exaggerated.
@@christoffers1686 it is not exaggerated, some people had the engine fail at 60k kilometers. Can last longer but the problem is there because of the chains guides who wear prematurely causing the chains to lose tension and eventually wearing it's self and the gears in the process. The N57 like I. This video has the same problem but I read it lasts a bit longer than the 4 cylinder n47.
Also the 535d does have the m57 which doesn't suffer from this like also the 525d 163 hp and the 177hp as well as the 530d 218hp and the 231hp but the 235 hp has the N57 so becaureful there too.
Cheers.
@@emirbenaissa3441 In my opinion it is totally exaggerated, if you take the number of n47 ever build, which is bmw´s most produced engine ever, you vill se that the failure rate is very low, the problem is with diesel engines is the company car driver that don't do the miles, instead short rides home-work-home. if you have that usage then you must service your car a lot more than the service intervalls suggest. the n57 engine share the same parts and in theory it should last even worse if the service is neglected, but at the other hand the inline 6 has a natural balance that the 4 pot doesn't have so that might help, and the fact that the people who buy a car with the 6 cyl engine have more interest and therefore take care of their cars. a big problem that the n47 has is the service of the chain located at the back, its an engine out job. I've had the n47 engine and its nice performance/ecomomy, its a lot better than the m47 before it, even tho that engine is almost bullet proof, although you should delete the swirl flaps, same goes whit the m57 engines, same problems whit swirl flaps but bullet proof otherwise, the later 08-10 525d don't have swirl flaps. and the problem should be solved around 2004 anyways, but I would delete it anyway. and the e60 530d was never an n57 engine, its a m57.
Cheers.
@@christoffers1686 I double checked, you are right. The 6 cylinder diesels are all M57 s with technical updates here and there. If am gonna get one it'll probably be a 525d 197hp or a 530d 235hp.
@@emirbenaissa3441 Yeah its a little bit confusing since the later e90 got the N57 enginge, the e60 is the better car anyway, (my humble opinion) :) its a good choice, I'm also considering just that.
Good video. Fantastic car. I recently for an E60 530D, 2004 year. Need to watch for rear ball joints ("rose bushes"), and leaking CV joints and output shaft seals. Also keep an eye on the propshaft bearing. And the front lower control arm bushes at the rear. And the upper rear control arm bushes plus the front. And the waterpump (less common) and leaves down the guttering by the windscreen.
Nothing wrong with a touring,I have an E39 saloon 525i sport that I've had over eleven years and wouldn't hesitate buying another especially the estate version 👍👍
I do love my e91 320D wagon. Quite a good comprise in M Sport spec. N47 timing chain anxiety aside it’s a great car!
I would recommend a Terra Clean for a diesel with high miles if you want to keep it. As well as annual oil changes with long life oil. Ditch run flats👍🏽
Timing chain issue is an issue in the M57 aswell. It’s the absolute mad oil service interval that destroyes the chain.
Keep oil changes to 15,000km and only use good oil like Castrol Edge (not to be confused with shit oil like Castrol Magnatec). And DO NOT remap the engine if you want things to last.
You have a usb and aux in the center console. It is hidden under the phone adapter facing south. I discovered it after a month too :)
Bought my 320 d touring 2009 6 years ago 90.000 miles now done 254.000 no mechanical issues, change oil and filter every 8.000 miles
fully synthetic triple QX fully synthetic bmw LL 04. 20 litre = 3 oil changes car pulls like a train 145 and averages 60 mpg
I'm 20 and have loved estate cars since I started learning to drive around 17-18
Great choice, one of the best looking estate car ever made and not much broken on it. Really looking forward to next episode.
Thanks mate!
the 525D can be chiped to 250PK and 500NM. Feels allot different.
the 530D(depends on the build year) can be chiped to 300PK and 600NM. thats a beast for a diesel
My advice is to change the timing chain if you plan to keep it. Mine snapped last week at 170k serviced every 10k. it does not take long and is on the front of the engine. I had to get my head skimmed, 4 valves and a full set of rockers... I had to rebuild mine myself as the garage bill was £2500!!
Fixed now and I love it again. Best 4k estate by far, that's why I bought one too.
Thanks for the advice Gavin. Will add it to the list.
Great choice. I had a 535d touring and it was immense. The torque was so strong. Dpf is a pain, although no probs with mine (lower miles) - looking forward to see your results. Those bumper grilles - mine popped out when I hooked the front end over a high curb - just check the bumper and grille mounts, as I bent mine. Yours has been slightly pulled too - I can see the tab of the bumper exposed infront of the grille. Re: wood trim - get a set of the normal aluminium cube design from eBay. Not expensive and easy to fix.
Thanks Maritz for the tip tips.
I'm 45 and I love estate cars now but many years ago hated them ,,I have a e92 320 d ,,love the 5 series too it looks very young still,, brilliant review btw
Big thanks Peter!
So i do have to say a couple of things here
1. The wood is an option, the guy who ordered it originally wanted that, other interior materials do exist
2. There is a usb interface, but that was not standard, so if you didnt pay extra for it at the time, you wouldnt get it
3. There is a aux level adjuster so you can match the loudness of your phone on the aux with the loudness of the radio
4. The redline in the tachometer adjusts backwards when your car is at normal temp. So if it stays on low rpm, you know its not warm (But i have to say, it really is kinda stupid to get rid of the temp gauge... Same goes for the oil dipstick, luckily you can check the oil level in the bordcomputer...)
Many thanks for the tips. Where is the Aux adjuster please?
@@RoadandRacetv As I have an E39 myself I do not know that off the top of my head right now, my dad has a E61 and a E63, but Im not living at home and I dont know when ill be back again. Sadly I cannot find anything on the internet regarding that, all I find is retrofit kits
But its the same for the E39, I also only get results for retrofit kits, and mine actually has the adjustment in the audio settings.
I can tell you as soon as I have been back home and had a chance to look myself
By the way, if you dont like the interior materials, you can swap them out! (Though it can get a bit tricky in the center console area...)
I had to thermostats, boot wiring, dvd drive, crankshaft pulley, boot struts and tailgate switch but all is good now fingers crossed. I have the 530d lci
Yes bought 530D with all options including head up display. Rn well until two weeks later there was a strong smell of diesel. Spent £1500 fixing it and then the power steering went... got rid of it which I was really sad about. Wished it had lasted
£4k for a car that was over £40k when new... seems very good value, as long as you don't spend too much on mods & maintenance
I'm 19 but i just about to swap my e92 coupe for one of these... an e61 525d manual
At 9:07 you can see that the front tires are Kumho, but later at 9:33 it’s stated that the front tires are Bridgestone
Good spot. Sometime it's not possible to shoot everything in order so the exterior shots were only filmed recently which was after I changed the tyres.
Road and Race no worries. Love your videos, and estates are awesome, I have one
Thanks mate. What estate do you have?
Road and Race 96 VW Passat VR6 5 speed. It’s a weekend toy/project
I love the e60s they age so well, especially e60 M-sport. I have 09 550i with M-Sport. It’s surprisingly fun car with loads of room. Great balance between performance and comfort. For under $6000 dollars it’s a bargain too. I do my own work as well.
Good to hear you do your own work!
The lines before redline on the RPM gauge shows the coolant temperature - 2-3 lines visible indicates normal operating temperature. At 11:06 the engine is cold.
I’ve got a 6-speed manual 530i E60 with 189k miles on it. 103k of those are from me.
Will be watching your vids closely for advice !
I picked up a E46 320D touring for £1500, 2 years later and 20k miles all is well. I love it
The E46 is a nice car and that’s a bargain price!
@@RoadandRacetv it is, and believe it or not it's got no rust on the body and is a very nice example
The Chris bangle era is coming into its own
Estates car are cool, especially quick(ish) ones. I think the 850 T5 left an impression on me as a kid because I’d always take a wagon over a saloon.
These have aged really well like most of the Bangle cars (7 excluded), especially in M Sport trim.
Not just you; I've always loved estates. Had me a 156 Sportwagon once. And I always fancied the Audi's Avants over the years.
Strange coincidence being recommended this video.. I just bought a 2008 E61 Sport albeit the notorious 520d. Did a double take when I saw the video thumbnail as it looks identical to mine! I have come over from E39 ownership as I wanted something a bit newer and an automatic for (again, coincidentally) a new and much longer work commute. Will subscribe and follow you experienced with your E61 with interest.. but so far am very happy with mine. Like you a few issues to sort but an amazing bargain of a car... if that timing chain holds up!!
I'm mourning the passing of my 535d, which got totalled (while parked) by one of the local drug runners. It had ventillated, massaging confort seats, the Harmon Kardon sound system and a head-up display. Oh well.
Things to watch for: The panoramic roof seals get noisy and need replacing. The wring to the tailgate runs through the hinges and shorts out. The air suspension pump doesn't last forever. All costly items, but worth it for a great car.
Estates aka wagons are US auto journalists favorite drug of choice.........every article begs the German car makers to ship more estate models to the US. Sadly the US public has a chronic case of CUVitis and SUVphilis :( and wagons are rare. Looking forward to the fix videos. Even a 2016 X3 has a crazy phone mounting.
I'll tell you what was wrong with my not cheap e60 535d.
1.diesel injectors
2.active steering rack
3.torque converter
4.gearbox mechatronics
5.egr valve
6.Vacuum pump
7.vacum lines and valves
8. Shock dumpers
9.auc sensor
10. AC compressor bearings
11. Water pump(belts, pulleys etc)
12.worn disc brakes front and rear
13.particle filter
14. Oil leaks
Blimey. Quite a list. How much did you pay for it?
These timing chains on the 3.0 facelift verisons aren't lifetime too, they just last much more then N47 :) preventive change is recommended after 300.000km :)..
I wish that these were more common over here in the states!
I nearly bought Subaru Outback until the forums told me avoid pre 2012 diesel's due to engine failures. Had an E61 just like yours , same colour, wheels etc recognise all of those faults !
Lol, glad to hear it!
Thanks for the E61 playlist, on my second E61.
Great choice 👍 I find your maintenance videos really enjoyable 😁. If I were you I'd also blank off the EGR and lose the DPF altogether (braces for hate responses) but that's just me. Swirl flaps definitely fail on these and often 👍. Because it's got the ZF box, you can have the software updated to that of much newer boxes, something most tuning companies would offer if you bought their remap 😉. ZF claim that their box is built for life (doesn't require any servicing) but it seems others on TH-cam do opt to service it, or take it to ZF in Germany for the service 😊
I think that's not entirely true. BMW claims that the gearbox has a lifetime fill, but doesn't specify what that actually means. Replacing the ATF every 100,000km is recommended.
Zf recommend servicing the gearbox every 70k miles using Zf lifeguard fluid only.
The problem is with the 525d is that it has the weaker zf 6hp45 not the 6hp70. So go for the 530d instead , for additional transmission reliability.
I think mine has the 6hp28?
My dad got a brand new ‘56’ plate one back in the day. Fond memories of being in the back, going to drive thru McDonald’s 😂
I can’t wait for the upcoming videos because anything e60 related is what i’m most interested in
Wagons are awesome! I have an e30 touring with a 2.5 from an e36. Quick and practical
Glad you are back.
I have around the same budget and needs, will be following this very very closely
Thanks mate!
This in 2.5 is a very reliable 5 series.Remapping is recommendable for sportive drivers and costs not much. You hardly see them at used car shops. Remarkably BMW changed that model very fast. 4000 pounds is no money.
Glad to see you are back mate! Need more regular videos!
Thanks mate, good to be back. Will try!
When I wanted a comfy daily... I also chose a BMW, but.........I wasn’t ‘quite’ ready for an estate, so I decided upon a much less practical E63 630i Sport coupe.. ha. Another cracking vid!
Thanks Wayne. I can umderstand why you went for the coupe!
Nice car. My 530d looks almost identical. I did a egr+dpf delete two years ago and put quantum software in. Now it goes like stink and still passes emissions test every year.
Looking forward to your videos again. I've been considering an E60 530i estate as a daily for a few months now. My budget is also around 4k. Couldn't bring myself to get the Diesel though. 👍🏻
I’ve just moved from CLS 350 and got exactly the same car as this. The interior in mine is like a dark brown and silver dash. The grill was already black so I don’t have to do that but my back window doesn’t open
Looking forward to watching these videos! A 330d/530d touring week definitely on my list to replace the thirsty x5 4.4i
Excellent video! I really like the way you structure and present your videos. A good balance of your thoughts on the car and how to sort out the problems.
Looking forward to following this project and helps keep me inspired to keep going with my TVR.
BMW brakes are really good from factory. Make sure brake fluid is changed and OEM pads/discs are put in. Standard should be Brembos.Oh and FYI both 530d and 525d share the same engine, but different states of tune and manifolds.
I own the 520D (2011 model - 130.000km), and what you are saying about the timing chain failures is absolutely SPOT ON. Avoid at all costs. E60/E61/F10/F11 (2009 to 2016) uses the N47 engine. Not to mention + G30 & G31 520 as well, using the N57, which is basicly the same..
The problem lies within the actual chain being WAY TO SMALL, and combined with a horrid placement of the chain tensioner (in the middle of the eigenfrequency rattling of the chain it seems).
Just fixed my car now from this, and all I have to say - Avoid BMW 520D at all costs.
530d 2008 is safe choice?
that actually the sport seat too. but they're comfortable. i have a full Msport 525xd lci with manual. but the next car im buying is gonna be automatic
Very nice car you got,looking forward to watch the next videos while you do service for all the broken things you mentioned in the video,as I love your DIY way to make things better.
Really looking forward to the series, I’ve just done a lot of your planned jobs on my 09 3 series.
Thanks Oli. What did you do?
Road and Race brake fluid, discs & pads all round (have the same callipers as yours and totally agree about the pedal feel) radiator & coolant, injectors coils & plugs (mine’s a petrol) doing the gearbox fluid tomorrow (getting some help with that, not brave enough to do it myself!) oil changes, cabin air filter, non run flat tyres, front wheels straightened (had some flat spots from potholes) wheel alignment (0 toe angle on the front 👌)Think PAS fluid and front control arms might be next on the list, maybe the idrive / Alpine hifi upgrade.
Defo not changing my wood dash trim though, I’m all about that!