Greydog

Morning Joe Welcome to the Forum There are many out there who don't like the space saver spare wheel system thinking they looked unsafe completely ignoring the fact it was for emergency use and not daily use. So they moved to a more conventional spare wheel. As long as the wheel fits correctly ie: clears the caliper and suspension correctly it should be OK. If I was going to the cost of I would make it a match for the road wheels fitted, unless of course your car has a staggered set up the a compromise wheel is required. Use a BMW Vin De-Coder and it will let you know what was OEM supply at build Then if you check www.realoem.com a BMW online parts list put the last 7 digits of your Vin into the search box and it will call up your model and the combinations available My fat wheeled X5 ( 275x40x20 front 315x35x20 rear) comes with a space saver wheel which looks like a bicycle tyre by comparison. In 18 years I have (touches wood) only had 1 puncture on the X5, due to the difference in sizes I have always carried a small compressor and a tin of tyre goo which saved the day (and tyre) with the puncture and actually lasted so well it was at tyre change that the fitter asked if I knew there was goo in the tyre 🤣 So my solution would be a small compressor and a can of sealant or tyre plug kit much cheaper than any wheel/tyre combo and can follow you car to car. BMW actually supply them now Remember all manufacturers moved to Space Saver wheels as a Cost saving then along came Run Flat tyre technology and they not only save the cost of a spare wheel but also a Jack and wheel brace (all passed on to the customer of course) 😅 Dave

Hi Paul I guess you have looked at realoem to see if there are any clues? Or best would be a check on BMW TIS if you have access Dave

Good tip

Hi Micheal First only buy from a Dealer at least then you have some protection under the sale of goods act Cars have always been a hobby (my sons say an obsession) the BMW straight six engine is in my opinion on of the worlds great engines in either flavour (Petrol or Diesel) If the car has a full BMW history you should be able to verify all major service items have been dealt with as well as any additional work, if the car has a BMW history plus Independent history there should be receipts/invoices for work carried out. The engine should be powerful and smooth (they churn out around 230/240bhp + over 500nm torque) If you haven't driven one they can be an eye opener 0 to 60 in about 6secs 150+ top speed but give 40+ mpg. The reason my Brother Inlaw sticks with them is he commutes in Europe for business, he has a heavy right foot so likes to get a shift on but even he has to work hard to get below 40mpg.oh and road tax will be cheaper than your current car I would think At close to 200k look for evidence that EGR system is in good condition and the DPF has either been replaced or Professionally cleaned. I would have a list of items that if they haven't been changed or there is no evidence of change are a negotiating point, the above plus water pump pulleys and tensioners, AC service. Gearbox is 6 speed ZF automatic changes should be smooth both up and down the box, again look for evidence of at least 2 gearbox services (ZF say every 80 to 100 kilometers) Suspension Same rules apply no squeaks rattles or knocks, bushes have a life and I would expect a car nearing 200k to have service evidence that they have been changed. Wheels check carefully for damage inside edges and out side, Tyres Run Flats have really stiff side walls so that they can do what as the saying goes "what it says on the tin" and allow the car to be driven when they are deflated. However if driven while deflated they cannot be repaired so often a new tyre is required. Also due to their construction many folks think they give a harsh ride which is why they switch to conventional tyres. Non run flat tyres can safely be used on a run flat rim but not the other way around I have never heard of an MOT failure due to this but everyday is a learning day. For what it is worth my Brother Inlaw has run his cars with both. The X5 I own was only produced by BMW for 3 years (the reason I keep it just over 200 left) the Alpina derived V8 engine originally produced 347 hp I had my engine rebuilt a few years ago and added several performance parts which put power above 400hp my Brother Inlaws 530d always felt as strong and his current 540d produces more than 400hp which makes it a real beast Google BMW Specialists there is a register of them and you should find one near you, talk to them and they may be able to offer advice or maybe a health check on an extended test drive Good Luck Dave

Morning Peter Welcome to the Forum First what year is your Fathers X5 ? Second what OBD Readers are you trying to use? Over the years BMW have used a few different Bus systems as things evolve. Bear with me here, your E53 uses I-bus as the primary on board control link Ibus with a rudimentary Fibre Optic link was used in the E53 from 1999 to 2006. With the launch of the E70 variant BMW moved to K-bus and MOST fibre optic systems. With evolution of the Range so the Bus systems have changed/updated The early evolution of I-bus did not like bluetooth OBD coms (Carly for one) also many proprietary OBD readers will only see major control units. Also the correct OBD cable (D-can for the E53) has to be used As an old engineer who has a need to know and my hobby has always been my cars I have several different Diagnostic systems for a number of Marques I and family have owned over the years. For my E53 I have BMW 1.4.0 and INPA/ISTA which give full Dealer level diagnostic's plus INPA/ISTA has TIS as part of the suite which gives repair technique and other information. Having said that it is possible that a previous Garage/owner has been clumsy and damaged the port. or blown a fuse (I have seen a blown Fuse 1 in the glove box cause issues. So check the glove box fuses. Good Luck Dave

Morning Do you have a mirror fold button on the master window switch if not then probably they are not power fold mirrors. The mirrors should fold when the button is pressed or when the lock button is pressed and held on the fob. Check the settings on Idrive to see if they have been enabled. Dave

Morning George Welcome to the Forum I am assuming your car is Diesel ? If it is then the injectors should be the same. You can check www.realoem.com if you aren;t aware it is a BMW Online parts list either search by car type/year or put the last 7 digits of your Vin into the search box it will bring up your model. Once you have the part number double click it will give you a list of alternates/models it was used in. Or check it against the 2.5 engine by a new search. If your friends injectors are used get them tested you don't want to put in something that may be worse than those you have. Also fit new seals and "O" rings Dave

Hi Barry Welcome to the Forum The simple answer is, you have a leak where the leaks is will dictate how simple/expensive it is to fix. It could be a leaking airbag, the air control valve or the compressor. The question is how are your DIY capabilities? If you have reasonable DIY skills the system isn't particularly complicated and the probability is it is a leaking air bag. Dave

Morning Micheal Welcome to the Forum My brother inlaw is now on his 5th 5 series touring his business is in Europe so all his cars cover as many miles as the Star ship Enterprise. He has owned 2x530d 2x535d and the current 540d Xdrive, when he traded the last one in one of the Technicians actually brought his car (that speaks volumes) A car that is 8 years old and has 200k on the clock has covered around 25k per year so depending on what the previous owner did for a living Taxi Driver or Motorway Warrior. Lots of short stop start journeys will potentially put more strain on the emissions control EGR and DPF plus other parts starter, stop/start system. A taxi may also have more signs of wear inside and the boot lip. Having said that one of our sons brought a Toyota Avensis estate that was an ex-taxi from the Toyota Dealer (His pick up was off the road) 194 miles £800 he ran it for 4 years as a second car before it failed an MOT and he sold it spare or repair and almost got his money back. A car used as a motorway car will be actually working the car less than stop start journeys So I would check general condition any marks on the roof from a sign, seats carpet steering wheel pedals etc for wear and tear, does everything work as it should check every function available works. How does it drive, quiet smooth engine smooth seamless gear changes at all speeds (take it on a motorway/dual carriageway) If all is good and you are happy with the car and it's price. Then I would negotiate the cost of water pump new pulleys tensioners and belts either to be done by you or an independent garage don't accept "they have been checked and are OK" DPF filters have a life of around a 100k or so, so has it been changed? Bit of a ramble but there are bits in there that may help I hope Dave

Tyre pressure monitoring has been used on many BMW models and many other Marques since the 90's A lot of tyre fitters hate them as they can be easily damaged when removing a tyre from the rim. My 2003 X5 had them though they were always flaky so around the second tyre set they went in the bin and I coded out the warnings. Next service BMW helpful to the end turned them back on ?? If the steering wheel is off centre make sure you get 4 wheel alignment not just tracking Dave

Morning Aaron Welcome to the Forum Try locking the car then push and hold the lock button Have you checked that the function is enabled in Idrive ? Dave

Morning Martin First have you checked the tyre pressures if they are run flats they wont look flat? Have you checked tyre wear on the front? If the steering is Off Centre something is wrong, either damage (pot hole or kerb) or a tyre with low or no pressure dragging to one side. It could be a sticking caliper causing the drag which may have triggered the DBC/DSC fault What ever it is it needs investigating tyre/brake issues will not effect the engines performance but it's a bit daft being able to go quick if your likely to end up in a bush or a ditch Dave

Morning Zen I have a feeling you will need to contact one of the specialist exhaust system builders for help with this one A friend of our son used a company called Gravity on Ebay earlier this year Stainless 2.5" Cat back system he had to fit it himself (with help) It took two of them (him and our son) longer to get the old exhaust off than fit the new one which seemed well made and fitted well plus sounds good. Tip he hadn't brought new rubber hangers well worth doing Not used them myself and only seen this one being fitted by two enthusiastic but not very competent lads, gave me lots of amusement on a Saturday morning. Dave

In the Cars for sale section

Morning Oscar Welcome to the Forum First any other work been done recently ? If so back track to see if everything was put back correctly. There are a multitude of things that could cause what you are describing. Crank position sensor,Cam position sensors, Fuel pressure OK,, Fuses and Relays Make sure that all fuses in the under bonnet fuse relay unit are good there are a number of 30amp fuses in there (cant remember if it's 4 or 5) don't just check them visually test them for continuity or change them for a good one. Last but not least Engine earth straps (2 I believe) If that doesn't help then a diagnostic session is needed Hope this helps Dave

It's a special feature to keep your licence safe 🤣

Morning Dereck Never apologise for asking a question how else do we learn Take a look at www.realoem.com a BMW online parts list put the last 7 digits of your Vin into the search box it will bring up your model, then look in the seats section. Scroll to the part numbers and double click the part number it will show a list of alternate part numbers and models they were used in. If available that is Dave

Morning Christopher Obvious things I would check, Tyres balance condition and wear any splits or lumps in the side walls tread wear even side to side front to rear all inflated correctly. Suspension and Driveshafts, nothing loose or allowing movement wheel bearings OK Brakes, Any binding or sticking pads or calipers. After driving any heat felt at the wheel centre would indicate an issue Propshaft, Centre bearings can wear Other things that can cause vibration are Engine pulleys belts and tensioners Hope this helps Dave

Morning Dino Welcome to the Forum Dave

Hi Sarah A good alternator should maintain battery voltage between 13.9 and 14.8 volts (14.2 is optimum). Even worst-case, with all accessories turned on, there should be at least 13 volts at the battery. With BMW's I was shown by a BMW Tech to always test/measure at the charge/jump posts under the bonnet. With my Mercedes with the engine off and after about half an hour the battery drain would begin, I measured a current present at the voltage regulator. I brought a new regulator and then while testing the old one on the bench found the failed diode (works like a one way valve) A Voltage regulator is fairly simple to change and not as expensive as an alternator. There are quite a few Auto Electricians who say if alternator voltage is below 13.7v change the alternator Not easy to diagnose by remote control, so hope this helps Dave

Morning Paul I use a black leather polish (like shoe polish) from Scratch Doctor, The side bolster was grey with wear so I tried using a leather dye but I have to say ended up taking the seat out so I could do the whole thing to ensure an even colour match I was happy with. Then did the other front seat as to me it didn't quite match 🤣 One of my sons said "you have OCD Dad" it looked OK and you don't have eyes in your bum !! 🤣 Dave

If you can;t set the memory something is off, either wrong unit or it's failing With the chap I helped the unit fitted had 2 connectors (1 large 1 small) the cars loom had 3 connectors. When he got the right part they all fitted With regard to the mirrors there are several reasons that they may not work, not all E53 X5;s had them fitted you can check using a BMW Vin decoder to see what was ordered at Build or just pop off the cover to see if there is a motor and limit switch fitted worth checking. Tip, get a good set of trim removal tools plastic retaining clips are easy to break. Also do you have the fold button beside the mirror adjustor Dave

Hi Malcolm Welcome to the Forum Look at www.realoem.com Classic section put the last 7 digits of your Vin into the search box it will bring up your model. Then search the sections for the part you need, when you have the Part Number if you double click the part number it will show a list of alternate parts (if available) and other models that the part was used in (if any) Then BMW have a Classic section and still have spares or the Google the BMW Specialist Recyclers Also talk to guys like BBA Reman, Cartronix or ECU testing they repair all sorts of electrical stuff and may help Hope this is useful Dave

Morning Bruce A guy local to me has a 3.0d E53 asked me in the supermarket car park how he could get his mirrors to close and if I knew how the steering adjustment worked. He came around one Sunday and we popped off the trim panel and checked the part number, it turned out a previous owner had fitted a seat adjustment panel from an E46. Seat adjusted fine but steering column adjustment and folding mirror were a no no. He found the right part through Quarry Motors it took about 45 mins to fit and he sold the E46 part on ebay and got most of his money back along with folding mirrors steering column adjustment and memory, win win For the Service Indicator press and hold the left button (under the speedo) Holding the button down turn the ignition to position 1 you will see the word reset come up release the trip button reset will flash press again and it's reset. Or should be 🤣 Great price on the insurance Old Blokes Rule Dave

Morning Paul Welcome to the Forum Take a look at www.realoem.com it is an online BMW Parts List put the last 7 digits of your Vin into the search box it will pull up your model, then look in the engine section. Once you find it get the part number in case you need to buy new. Just had a quick look seems to be part 3 for one of them don't see the other unless it is part of another acoustic panel Hope this helps Dave