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What’s good: Has become the urban 4x4, thanks to huge road presence and BMW badge. Six-cylinder, 3.0-litre, 231bhp petrol or 184bhp diesel and 286bhp, 4.4-litre V8 engines. Better than Range Rover, Discovery or Mercedes ML on the road, very capable off-road. 347bhp 4.6iS in UK late 2001. Three-year unlimited mileage warranty from November 2001. Minor cosmetic and major drivetrain changes, summer 2003. Revised 4.4 V8 has 320bhp and six-speed auto, 3.0d with second-generation common-rail diesel rises to 218bhp yet is capable of 32.8mpg (Combined). New x-Drive system enables power and torque increases to produce usable traction in all situations – new X5 vastly better to drive on and off-road than the original. Four-star NCAP crash safety rating January 2003; five-star rating for latest model June 2003. Diesels have exceptional residual values. BMWs generally had below average warranty repair costs in 2003 Warranty Direct reliability index (www.reliabilityindex.co.uk). Average for breakdowns, problems and faults in 2003 Which? survey. What’s bad: One-star NCAP rating for pedestrian safety. 4.4 V8 expensive and thirsty. High-spec diesels were commanding premiums of up to £5,000 as late as September 2002. Diesel isn’t as economical as you might expect. As with any new BMW, options can hugely inflate the price. Rated one of the most expensive off-roaders to run in 2003 Which? survey. What to watch out for: Reports of blown turbos on 530 diesel saloons may also apply to X5 3.0d. Recalls: 31/1/2001 (cars built 21/9/2000-19/1/2001): possible fault with steering column joint. 16/11/2001 (built 11/11/2000-30/9/2001): fault with radiator fan motor could lead electrics to overload, fan motor to fail and a small electrical fire to result. August 2002: 56,000 X5s recalled worldwide because brake pedal shaft can work free (affects UK imports built up to 2001). 31/7/2002: Bush on brake pedal mounting shaft and pedal itself may come off (affects 1,971 cars). 3/2/2003: Front brake hose could rub on tyre. Clip to be fitted. 24/2/2003: Seatbelt tensioners may not be securely crimped.

here is a link to all bmw owners hand book pdf file free to download http://bmwsections.com

Just for our own research, could you please tell us how you found this forum. If It was by referral from another member, please name and shame :P

Good afternoon. Here will be a short guide for to clean your car to the highest standard. I have been cleaning cars to a high standard for 3 years. I will post links with Halfords as easiest place to buy from This will not include wheels or inside What you will need: 2 Buckets Access to fresh water (hose preferably) 1 wash mitt Microfiber cloths Shampoo Clay bar Back to black Polish Wax (dark car) Wax (light car) Step One. Rinse your car using a hose, on a medium pressure setting, no need to jet wash, this is to remove bird crap, leaves and other 'big' imperfections. Step Two. Fill one bucket with clean water (fresh), fill one bucket with warm water and a cap of shampoo. Add this last, and mix with hand, otherwise will foam up too much. Step three. Wet the mitt in the shampoo bucket, and using a circling motion start to clean the car. When residue is getting minimal, rinse the mitt in fresh water. Shake the mitt around, and rinse it. Then put mitt back into the shampoo bucket. Complete car using this method. Step Four. Rinse off using hose Step Five. Open the clay bar pack, soak in warm water and tear off a small piece about an inch wide and 5mm thick. Use the 'Rapid detailer' it's a spray and will create a mist. spray onto panel and use the clay bar in a small circular motion, if the bar is getting stuck, use more spray. once it runs smooth, move to the next area. Concentrate on a 5cm at a time, try to make this how big the circles are. If you look at the clay bar, it will be brown/black, flip around and continuously check. Clay bars will remove ground in dirt and tar splatters If you drop it, best to get a new piece. Step Six. Wash car. Yep. Using the two bucket set up, wash again, this will remove all residue left by the clay bar. Step Seven. Rinse using hose Step Eight. Dry using 3 microfibers Try to dab rather then drag Step Nine. Polish. Apply a small amount into a folded microfiber cloth, fold onto itself to create a bigger surface area. Pressing quite hard make small circles. Do this all the way round the car. When you get back to where you started it will have gone quite flakey/ crusty. Using a new microfiber cloth small circles to remove polish. Step Ten Waxing time. Using the application pad, make swirls, you do not need to press hard, just make sure the car is covered. It will haze quite quickly which is fine. You do not need to use too much in one area, just so its covered will be fine. Again go round the car until you come back to where you started. Then using the last microfiber cloth, remove as you did the polish, in small circles. Step Eleven Take pictures This is a W reg (2000) and the results are outstanding. Tip: Don't skimp on products. If you want your car to look the bomb, you need to spend money where it matters. I highly recommend buying the products as suggested

INTRODUTION... It may be the cheapest BMW you can buy, but the smallest of the line still packs fine design and handling poiseIt may be small – but it’s every inch a BMW. That said, the 1-series jostles for your buying cash against some serious opposition: Audi’s A3, the Mercedes-Benz CLC/C-class sports coupe and upmarket version of the Volkswagen Golf. It carries a couple of aces with it, though, writes Ray Castle of motors.co.uk. First for some buyers theBMW badge is to hook them. Second, it’s a rear-wheel drive car in a chunk of the market where most are front-drivers. This gives it a sweetness and balance in its drive that no rival can quite match. 1-series comes as five-door hatches, two-door coupes or as a soft-top. Here we’re focusing on the five-door because it’s by far the commonest. HOW MUCH SHOULD I BE PAYING ... Though the first 1-series are now six years old they lose value slower than most, so you’ll need £7500 even for a 2004, 54-reg 116i with 60,000 miles, though you might also find a 118 diesel showing higher miles for that money. Push the budget to £10,000 and you’ll get a 118 turbodiesel Sport from 2006, 56-registered and with 75k miles. Add to your cash pile so you’ve £12,000 and a 116 ES from 2007, 57-registered, that has just 25,000 miles recorded is yours. If you’ve £15,000 to spend, you can buy a 188 SE that’s covered just 10,000 miles and is from 2008 on an 08-reg. WHATS THE BEST MODEL... BMW isn’t over-generous in equipping its cars, so entry models have plastic wheel covers and do without air conditioning, although all have six airbags, anti-lock brakes, remote locking, electric windows and a CD player. Move up to the ES model and you’ll get all that plus air conditioning and alloy wheels, while the jump to an SE model rewards with digital air conditioning, an arm rest and a wheel with multi-function controls. Finally, the Sport brings bigger alloy wheels, lowered suspension and a sporty-trimmed cabin, plus all you’ll get on the SE. Engines run from the 115bhp 116i, which has enough power but isn’t exactly sparkling, to the 130i M Sport, which packs a 3.0-litre, 261bhp engine that delivers true performance car speed. For most buyers, though, the 118i or 120i petrol models are the ones to have, and they produce 135bhp and 150bhp respectively, although the 118 diesel with 120bhp is a good all-rounder, too, while the 163bhp 120 diesel is quick but economical. Diesels are pricier than petrols, so you’ll have to settle for a car a year older on a set budget. We’d go for a 118 diesel SE, or a 118 or 120 SE petrol. Most 1-series have manual gearboxes but those with automatic transmission, while scarce, aren’t usually dearer. From 2006, BMW introduced Efficient Dynamics, which improved fuel economy and lowered emissions across its engine range. A year later, most 1-series gained Stop-Start, which stills the engine to save fuel whenever you’re halted in traffic and you pop the gears to neutral. To re-start, you just dip the clutch and the engine fires. As with its other models, BMW offers a huge array of extras. Look out for well-specified cars but don’t pay extra for them. WHERE IS THE BEST PLACE TO BUY ONE ... BMW’s Approved Used scheme is among the oldest of its type and also ranks as one of the best. Cars get a bumper-to-bumper pre-sales check and any problems found are put right. They’re also sold with at least a year’s warranty cover and breakdown assistance, too. All BMW dealers offer the scheme and most of the cars are relatively new and low-mileage. Prices are often (but not always) on the high side. You also find 1-series at car supermarkets, often at keen prices. For older, cheaper cars, independent dealers would be the first place we’d look, particularly if they specialise in the marque. Finally, don’t rule out the private ads because you might find a bargain nestling among the classifieds. WHAT SHOULD I LOOK OUT FOR ... Relax. All the signs are that the 1-series is exceptionally built and soaks up the miles with little need for more than routine servicing. You should check, though that the gearbox feels slick and precise on high-milers – if it feels sloppy it may need a rebuild soon. On the other hand, if yours has done 10,000 miles of less and the manual shifty feels tight – don’t worry. It’ll just need to cover more miles to loosen it. If the car has Stop-Start, drive it long enough to see that it works correctly – there have been a few cases of the system malfunctioning. BMW issued a recall on cars made between September 2004 and May 2005 to fix a fault with the rear suspension, so if yours is that old, check that the work’s been done. The car’s computer tells you when a service is due so check that one’s not due soon and, if there’s a service history, verify that it’s genuine by calling the dealer who worked on the car last. Insurance runs from group 10 for the 116i to group 17 for the 130i. Servicing is reasonable for a prestige make, while BMW 4-Plus scheme offers sizeable main-dealer discounts for work needed by older cars.

Girlfriend and myself will be there

Hi Sam Welcome to the Forum Try looking at www.realoem.com put the last 7 digits of your Vin into the search box then check out the relevant sections if the black trims are available, you should have no problem finding them. If they aren't there, then I would try a Body Shop or the aftermarket suppliers. Wheels same thing get the style and part number then I would check the Specialist dismantlers Good Luck Dave

Holy Moly Just get well soon Stu Dave

Morning Joey Just looked back at my notes when we did it, First there is a cover strip that runs across the top of the front bumper/nose above the grills, this needs lifting and prising out. Then the rubber closing strip that covers the joint with the inner/outer wing needs removing. Now the two trim strips either side can have the plastic rivets lifted 6 aside from memory then the trims can be removed. In the wheel arch there are torx bolts 3 each side holding the liner, peel back the liner. There are 2 bolts holding the bumper to the bumper iron, now undo the screws above the grills and the bumper lifts forward. Careful of electrical and washer connections. Support the bumper (we put a blanket over it to protect the paint). Now there are just 2 really fiddly to get at torx bolts that hold each headlamp in place move the headlamp forward and change the bulb !! SO SIMPLE !! Having done it once I guess I could probably do it in 30 to 45 mins now, it was the head scratching working out how it went together/came apart that took the time. My local Dealer's hourly rate is close to £200 per hour (someone has to pay for the free coffee) so a Diagnostic session £130 is about par for the course.

Hi John.... I think he means like if you softly run your fingers over each button it’ll show what shortcut has been assigned to each button.. just softly without pushing button in.... let’s say you want radio 1 set for button 1.... tune your radio into radio 1 and then keep button 1 pushed until you see a message on Idrive screen saying “saved shortcut” ... then maybe you want the navigation option on button 5.. again open up navigation and then push and hold button 5 until you again see the message appear on screen... they will then be saved... try it and go into another radio station then push button 1 and it should change to radio 1 or whatever you set... hope that helps mate russ

My dad had a 1600E MK2 Cortina. Always kept it so clean. He died when I was 14 and at the time we lived in Wales. My mum wanted to come back to her family so we moved. We left that car in the garage. I pleaded with mum to try and sell it but she just said it wasn't worth much!.....Funny thing is I can still remember the reg no. KBL 820D

Come on Richard with 300+ hp and a strut brace you are to busy holding on to worry about the heater 🤣🤣

Morning Me Again Simple answer is yes, all the warnings are just a check box. From memory open either LCM or ZKE and at the left side open (again mamory) either coding or functions you should see a page of check box options just un-check the suspension warning Dave

Skype We have had 2 skype dinner parties with friends and regularly play skype board games with family and friends. Teaching the 4 year old next door snakes and ladders is a hoot for both of us Stay safe everyone Dave

thank you all, just an update, full service and swirl flaps off. MPG mixed driving town and about 3 miles on dual carriage way and 12 in town , computer says 33.4mpg and averaging 17.6 mph , she gets a blast of 30 miles each way on motorway shows 44.5 ish, no smoke . i will take out egr fully and exhaust thing mdf ?, does not seem to roar away but is ok for 2.5 diesel i suppose, i was lucky with swirl flaps slight cracking ready to break off, i was told not to remap as gearbox would soon go not built for more than 400 nm, thank you all iwill repost new year when rest is done

Sounds great to me but then my 4.6 V8 averages 18 mpg but if I try I can easily get it into single figures 😈😈

Just the 5 at the moment though we do get "lodgers" and "day care" with the kids dogs so sometimes 7+ This is my current happy band

Winters are the way to go I started using them years back when I did a lot of travelling and business in Northern Europe, they are law there from October on. Try an AMG E class or CLS with out !!! I even have a set of Wintrac Extreme for the X5, as Mick says they don't fix everything but at least you can still get about.

I'd love to be part of this club but it's rare I visit because I find it incredibly frustrating sifting through topics with other BMW Models I have little interest in. Perhaps it would be a good Idea under "3 series Club" to have sub categories E30, E36, E46 etc so posts are easier find and look through, the same should be done for the for sale and wanted pages, Just a thought.

polish and wax are two totally different things. Car polish is a liquid applied to painted surfaces to eliminate scratches and dirt. It does this by containing abrasive elements that scrub the paint surface, actually removing a thin layer of the car's paint wax is applied to add a protective layer on top of a car's paint and clear coat. This layer of wax adds shine to the car's appearance and protects the paint from the elements, causing water to bead up and slide off. best thing is to wash the car, clay bar it then polish and wax it. hope this helps

OK Claire, time to put your tongue away, drooling is unladylike like...................;-)

haha yeah I have got the car now :) only just finished driving it now and very much enjoying it just want the running in period to end so I do not drive as captain cautious so much haha would upload some photos but so far not had a chance :)

I'd like to go to this, count me in. If we don't have a stand how are we going to find everyone?

Hi I have just joined, I'm in Cambridge/Haverhill with my 650i, look forward to hearing about any planned meets! Andy

just been given an estimate date for delivery of the 9th of June definitely ahead of schedule was going to be towards the end of the June not the start. Atleast I have a date to count down to now :D

Lol. .my bad but I love dogs so much ...hello pooch:)

A Lexus IS?????????? Not in the same league as a 3 Series, a Lexus with a manual gearbox is a dog and the diesel engine sound like a cement mixer that's went wrong Stephen

Yeh it's been looked after fairplay even had the blind for the back, only got 40k on it....The roads by me are lovely :) if the weather is dry the roof is down I'm a right poser. ..pmsl

Either shy or so busy earning the money to keep our cars on the road we dont have the time to spend on the boards. :D

Hi Amy Count me in. Dont think wife wants to come so just me at the moment. Mike

Hi there, I love BMWs, first was E30 320, then E46 328, E46 330, E34 M5, E30 325 convertible, E92 335, now currently in E46 M3 CSL and loving it.

Hi Steve, I don't think it's a 5 min job but doesn't look too bad. I found this video whilst sniffing around youtube so it may be of some help to you:

I'd like to add to this little guide a few things people should watch out for when shopping for a 1er. If a model you wanna buy has mileage above 100k, I suggest you take it to an independent garage for a basic health check. There are several components which wear out, such as the suspension (especially the M Sport package); on crappy UK mainland roads the suspension gives up before 120k and may need replacing the struts (at least £400 for good struts alone).Don't immediately turn away a car which had its engine rebuilt by an independent specialist. Earlier 1ers (especially diesels) had problems with swirl flaps disintegrating and causing engine failures, but if the engine was rebuilt after 2007, these and many more flaws have been most certainly rectified. If unsure, check with the shop that has done the rebuild. Also, a newly rebuilt engine has new components in it, which will make it last much longer.Brakes and tyres are most common points of negligence by previous owners, by checking what tyres they've used, you can tell how they could have been treating the car. Lots of brake dust on the wheels, unknown tyre maker or not matching tyres may indicate poor ownership and servicing with cheapest components (ASDA oil anyone?).Inside the engine bay, check if nothing is loose, such as intake scoop, air box or engine cover. These may indicate poor servicing standards.Check for any "sweating" from engine components.One last thing: if you see a nice looking (and driving) 1er, don't be tempted to just buy it outright. Be patient and the rewards will be worth it. Research, dig into documentation, be thorough. Buying a car is not like buying a toaster.

As title you may find you get a better response if you post in the correct section . If your post relates to BMW in general then it goes in here . If your post relates to a specific model or series they post it in that section. And if it has no relation to BMW then post in the relevant section .. If your not sure where to post then myself and the other mods are here to help please don't hesitate to pm us . Thanks for taking the time to read this .....

If at anytime you would like to meet in South Wales, I would like to present our workshops as a meet location. I will personally be at your meet with fresh beaned coffee for all at anytime. I can also check your engine codes etc and allow some of your vehicles on our ramps to check the under carriage at no cost. (4 Ramps in Total). Sundays are best. Only a thought in the mist. My M5 is need of some attention from others in the same field. With great respect. Leon Profess LPG LTD.

bmw festival at gaydon is probably the next midlands meet i think here's a link http://www.heritage-motor-centre.co.uk/event/bmw-festival-2/#.UZcwcrWkrJg

No6 does not state wives. So I want to swap my wife

I have recently purchased my dream car a E60 M5, I have previously owned 323i sport and E39 523i , I look forward to meets.

Hotrods diner is a new American style car themed diner that will be ideal for BMW meets its in gravesend area as soon as its opened I will organise a meet but for now add them on Facebook to follow progress

Currently owned: Cosmos Black E38 728i Diamond Black E34 540i Orient Blue E34 525i Touring Cardinal Red '83 Capri 2.8i (the first car I ever bought back in 1992!)

You do it on purpose its going to happen. F1 cars can pull off without spinning in circles, im pretty sure a 328 can

I have my own say on this personally... I'm a 20-year old with a 7-Series BMW that about 4 inches away from the ground. Every driver hates young people. Every driver hates BMWs. Every driver hates the fact that my car is as long as a house. Everyone hates that going over speedbumps for me is like turning upto a 3D movie with no 3D glasses, you just have to rely on the noises to experience the true horror of what's happening with very little vision of what's actually going on. So naturally everyone hates it. Add all this with my personalised number plate and people are more than happy to make assumptions. In Luton (where me and Snypa are from) there's also this culture with ethnics driving posh cars. We have a strong population of Asian residents and they have this habit of renting superb cars out to their younger family members/friends. So on many occasions you will see a Lamborghini being driven by a much younger individual than is the norm, uninsured. Me and my close affiliation of friends are from a higher class than most Asian residents in these parts, so we're quite lucky to be able to afford better cars than the usual 19-20 year olds; MK5 Golfs, BMW 3-Series', my 7-Series and so on. But because of the whole association of the afformentioned culture with cars, we ALL suffer. So, the whole idea of me having my car I take the brunt of the 'oh that's his parent's car' 'he's probably a drug dealer' 'he's got that from insurance frauds' and so on. So ofcourse other drivers won't give me way. It is pretty much down to jealousy. Nothing else. Having nice things attracts two types of people Charlee. Enthusiasts who share your enjoyment and jealous people who want nice things but aren't prepared to make an effort to help themselves.

Been looking at wheels recently, found all this very confusing. But then I found this, I wont take any credit for it, only posting so it can help someone else. BMW 1 Series E81 04> 5x120 38-45 205/55/16 225/45/17 225/40/18 235/35/19 3 Series E30 Excl M3 82>90 4x100 20-30 205/55/15 205/45/16 205/40/17 3 Series E36 93>98 5x120 30-40 205/60/15 205/55/16 225/45/17 225/40/18 235/35/19 Optional Rear Upstep 240/40/17 255/35/18* 265/30/19* 3 Series E46 98>05 5x120 30-45 195/65/15 205/55/16 225/45/17 225/40/18 235/35/19 225/30/20 Optional Rear Upstep 255/35/18* 265/30/19* 3 Series E46 M3 99> 5x120 20-25 225/45/18 225/40/19 255/30/20 Rear Upstep 255/40/18 255/35/19 285/25/20* 3 Series E90 05> 5x120 30-40 205/55/16 225/45/17 225/40/18 235/35/19 225/30/20 Optional Rear Upstep 255/35/18 265/30/19 5 Series E39 96>02 5x120 15-25 205/65/15 225/55/16 235/45/17 235/40/18 235/40/19 Optional Rear Upstep 265/35/18 265/35/19* 5 Series E60 03> 5x120 15-20 225/55/16 245/45/17 245/40/18 245/35/19 255/30/20 Optional Rear Upstep 275/35/18 285/30/19 285/25/20* 6 Series 04> 5x120 15-20 245/50/17 245/45/18 245/40/19 245/35/20 255/30/22 Optional Rear Upstep 275/40/18 275/35/19 275/30/20 295/25/22 7 Series 02> 5x120 15-25 245/55/17 245/50/18 245/45/19 245/40/20 245/35/21 255/30/22 Optional Rear Upstep 275/35/20 295/30/21 295/25/22 Z3 96> 5x120 30-40 205/60/15 205/55/16 225/45/17 225/40/18 235/35/19 Optional Rear Upstep 245/40/17 255/35/18 265/30/19 Z4 03> 5x120 30-40 225/50/16 225/45/17 225/40/18 235/35/19 Optional Rear Upstep 245/40/17 255/35/18 265/30/19 X3 04> 5x120 40-45 235/55/17 235/50/18 255/40/19 245/35/20 X5 00> 5x120 40-45 235/65/17 255/55/18 255/50/19 265/45/20 285/35/22 305/35/23 295/30/24 the offset is all about how far the face of the wheel is from the hub. So as you said the smaller the offset the closer to the arch. The larger the offset, the closer the face of the wheel is to the hub, therefor creating more space between the face of the wheel and the arch. You also need to take into account the width of the actual rim. E.g a 9.5" rim with and offset of 45 will sit closer to the arch than a 9" rim with the same offset.

Hi Sam, The facelift comprised of new front wings with then indicators being made slimmer and more moddern making the old black plastic type redundant. The nosecone was also changed to accomodate a new type kidney grille which stuck outwards rather than sinking inwards.

For X5 and X6 http://www.realoem.com/bmw/partxref.do?part=17+42+7+795+757

4 wheel geometry is where they get all 4 wheels pointing in the direction they should be,ie nice and straight,not sticking out/in or too much +/_ camber as to not cause any excessive wear on parts connected and most importantly tyres !! I used to go through a set of rear tyres every 6 months max until i got it done. Some of the best money Ive ever spent :) Ive had my current tyres on over a year now with no wearing issues at all :) and I dont hang about and also have the tendancy to do a little sideways action ;)

i have moved this topic, please introduce yourself in the new members area, thanks

Inspect the rear arches mate - common problem on that shape is rusty rear archs, aswell as the bootlid, bottom of the doors and front wings at the bottom. Ensure that all the electric windows work perfectly with no struggling what so ever. Give it a decent test drive and look out for any major noises from the soft top. As Gav said inspect the bushes, suspension components and brake lines. Doorcards are nice and secure (both of them) glovebox door isn't broken, the LCD display on the OBC isn't buggered, the climate control is fully functioning. Try the key on the doors and bootlid to ensure they haven't been replaced due to any accident damage. Just give it a good old once over mate :) Hope that helps :D