Hi all! I recently bought an X5 2009 and am very happy with the car!
I'm new to the forum, I would like to know how to improve the car, improve the interior, or maybe there is a list of what needs to be done immediately after purchase?
Not joined yet? Register for free and enjoy features such as alerts, private messaging and viewing latest posts and topics.
upgrade of my purchase
Discuss your latest mods or ideas, and anything to do with the BMW X5 (E70).
XmikeE
-
- Snr Member
- Posts: 1889
- Joined: Mon Apr 18, 2011 8:30 am
- Location: Kent, garden of England
upgrade of my purchase
Post by sapphireblack » Thu Jul 14, 2022 2:17 pm

As for what to do, how long is a piece of string?
Many would suggest a full transmission overhaul, ie, change all the oils, gearbox and axles.
How good is the service history to date?
Are the tyres all BMW ☆ marked approved , the same make in each corner with the same tread depths.
Interiors can be updated if desired in numerous ways, LED bulbs swaps if you fancy having some fun.
The nav screen can be swapped to the free standing type on later models, this also gives many modern features the younger owner desires including carplay, Bluetooth also if the car isn't so equipped from new is always useful.
There are still some factory retrofit packages, put the car vin into 'realoem.com' to see what it was originally built with and what you can maybe still add. Nothing is cheap from BMW though.
Lots more suggestions will doubtless come from other members

sapphireblack
- lezmtaylor
- Member
- Posts: 994
- Joined: Sat Jul 31, 2010 11:25 pm
- Location: Gloucester
upgrade of my purchase
Post by lezmtaylor » Fri Jul 15, 2022 12:15 pm
Have some fun and fit an E46M type paddleshift steering wheel and convert to paddleshift as well, i've done it, but cannot remember how (the vagaries of being nearly 80).
Also had the lpg conversion fitted.
Ther is lots you can do.
Lez
Also had the lpg conversion fitted.
Ther is lots you can do.
Lez
lezmtaylor
-
- Snr Member
- Posts: 1889
- Joined: Mon Apr 18, 2011 8:30 am
- Location: Kent, garden of England
upgrade of my purchase
Post by sapphireblack » Fri Jul 15, 2022 12:31 pm
lezmtaylor wrote: Fri Jul 15, 2022 12:15 pm Have some fun and fit an E46M type paddleshift steering wheel and convert to paddleshift as well, i've done it, but cannot remember how (the vagaries of being nearly 80).
Also had the lpg conversion fitted.
Ther is lots you can do.
Lez
Does that conversion apply to the E70? I was tempted with my E53 though i never fitted it. I preferred the swap to the face-lift steering wheel which wasn't compatible with the paddles or airbag.
sapphireblack
X5Sport
-
- Newbie
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Fri Jul 15, 2022 10:15 am
upgrade of my purchase
Post by Mikeft5632 » Mon Jan 30, 2023 11:41 am
I installed a device from these guys, so far for half a year the radio has been working fine, you can contact them

https://smarty-trend.com/bmw-x5-x6-seri ... -unit.html

https://smarty-trend.com/bmw-x5-x6-seri ... -unit.html
- Attachments
-
- zCF_sg1ONs0BMAvRPnkBNpaoSSM-1920.jpg (157.86 KiB) Viewed 9412 times
Mikeft5632
-
- Snr Member
- Posts: 1889
- Joined: Mon Apr 18, 2011 8:30 am
- Location: Kent, garden of England
upgrade of my purchase
Post by sapphireblack » Mon Jan 30, 2023 12:16 pm
Flirted with that upgrade numerous times.
Difficult to justify when I rarely use the factory navigation. Looks good though.
Difficult to justify when I rarely use the factory navigation. Looks good though.

sapphireblack
upgrade of my purchase
Post by BulkyFred » Sat Jul 27, 2024 10:43 am
I think a similar https://lilliput.net/monitors/usb/lilli ... sb-monitor monitor would also look good in the rear seats
BulkyFred
Return to “General X5 Forum (E70 2nd-gen, 2007-2013)”
Jump to
- Forum
- ↳ Forum Discussion
- ↳ New members section
- BMW X1
- ↳ General X1 Forum (F48 - 2nd gen : 2015+)
- ↳ General X1 Forum (E84 - 1st gen : 2009+)
- BMW X2
- ↳ General X2 Forum (F39 : 2018+)
- BMW X3
- ↳ General X3 Forum (G01 - 3rd gen : 2017+)
- ↳ General X3 Forum (F25 - 2nd gen : 2011+)
- ↳ General X3 Forum (E83 - 1st gen : 2003+)
- BMW X4
- ↳ General X4 Forum (F26 - 1st gen : 2014+)
- BMW X5
- ↳ General X5 Forum (G05 4th-gen, 2018+)
- ↳ General X5 Forum (F15 3rd-gen, 2014+)
- ↳ General X5 Forum (E70 2nd-gen, 2007-2013)
- ↳ General X5 Forum (E53 1st-gen, 2000-2006)
- ↳ Problems (sub-forums for all models)
- ↳ Problems (F15 3rd-gen, 2014+)
- ↳ How-To
- ↳ Problems (E70 2nd-gen, 2007-2013)
- ↳ How-To
- ↳ Problems (E53 1st-gen, 2000-2006)
- ↳ How-To
- BMW X6
- ↳ General X6 Forum (F16 2nd-gen replacement, 2014+)
- ↳ General X6 Forum (E71 - 1st gen : 2008-2015)
- ↳ Problems (sub forums for specific models)
- ↳ Problems (E71 1st-gen 2008-2014)
- ↳ How-To
- BMW X7
- ↳ General X7 Discussion (G07, 2018+)
- General
- ↳ General car-related discussion
- ↳ Gallery
- ↳ Meets/Events
- ↳ The lounge
- ↳ On the light side
- ↳ Other Marques
- ↳ Buy and sell
- Links
- ↳ Z4-Forum