Hello from yet another E53 owner!

DougieV8 · Post by **DougieV8** » Thu Jun 14, 2012 10:20 pm

Hi all,

Nice forum and easy to join

My E53 is my first BMW and my first 4x4 - It has impressed me well enough that I still own it after 10 months, not bad for me ::) After years of Italian motoring (Fiat, Lancia & Alfa Romeo) I was not sure how I would get on - My last couple of cars have been Alfa Romeo GTA's - 3.2 V6 250bhp. I was finding that the low ride height was not ideal for my day to day needs - negotiating rutted farm and forestry tracks especially!

The X5 has been a great all rounder - Very practical, especially on the dirt tracks! very roomy - beats my wifes VW Touran for space (if there are only 5 of us travelling) - In fact it is the first car that I have owned that three fit in the back comfortably! Performance is great for a big bus - The V8 sound and gearbox in manual mode is fun

I have had some niggles but got them sorted ok, a few others starting now so time to start poking around again.

Cheers
Dougie

X5Sport · Post by **X5Sport** » Thu Jun 14, 2012 10:28 pm

Hello and a very warm welcome to you too. The V8 Crew continues to enlarge.....

Us IL6 folks will be in the minority at this rate...

Richard

Rusty · Post by **Rusty** » Thu Jun 14, 2012 10:30 pm

Welcome along - what took you so long to join

Sorry to hear the niggles have returned - but I'm sure it's nothing that can't be fixed with a little help from the knowledgeable ones on here...

DougieV8 · Post by **DougieV8** » Thu Jun 14, 2012 10:49 pm

Thanks

X5Sport - I take it you have been a member for a while and changed X5 to X6? Keeping your original forum name though - I am a long time member on Alfa Owner but retained my old 166 name even though changing to various other models, annoyed many who kept reminding me that I could request a revised name!

Rusty nail - I suppose I have been hanging off admitting that I own a BMW! Even worse an X!! Amazing though the difference in other road users attitudes - My Alfa's were usually waved through at junctions etc. with smiles, the X5 is growled and scowled at

Rusty · Post by **Rusty** » Thu Jun 14, 2012 11:02 pm

[quote="DougieV8"]
My Alfa's were usually waved through at junctions etc. with smiles, the X5 is growled and scowled at

[/quote]

You have yet to learn the 'X' way then - push - you DO own the road

)

Raj · Post by **Raj** » Thu Jun 14, 2012 11:27 pm

Welcome aboard. Glad it didn't take too long to make the admission and join...lol.

I do love Alfa's but the Italian makes are even worse than the X for niggles and unreliability.

Nice ride from the pic and nice house by the looks of it too.

Sanj · Post by **Sanj** » Fri Jun 15, 2012 6:29 am

Welcome to the forum! Let us know if there's anything we can help with!

Be interesting to know how you get on with the 20's on those rough roads!?!

And yes, great looking place you live in! :yes:

DougieV8 · Post by **DougieV8** » Fri Jun 15, 2012 8:48 am

Cheers - 20s are ok on rough road for me but then I have nothing to compare them with!

Current niggles are squeaky rear suspension following Miles of particularly bad tracks recently - i have read posts and will try and pinpoint which balljoint soon. Gearbox has occassional issues when reversing up steep hills - just going to do soft reset I read about but will get filter and fluid change soon as it is almost 10 years old!

Home is a nice enough place - A small village at the foot of the Ochil hills and only 5 miles from Stirling

dirtymonkey29 · Post by **dirtymonkey29** » Fri Jun 15, 2012 9:00 am

If you get a bit of a "clunk" from the rear when pulling away from a stop, like when you pull away from traffic lights for example, then it will be the rear balljoints and if worth changing them both. There £21.60 each from allgermanparts.co.uk which are lemforder ones. BMW part number 33326767748.
Oh, welcome by the way.

DougieV8 · Post by **DougieV8** » Fri Jun 15, 2012 10:16 am

Cheers dirtmonkey - i have been getting that occasional thump from off side rear since I purchased the car. I got the subframe bushes replaced hoping that would sort it but no joy - The rear end is tighter though and rear tyres wearing better.

Is that the top balljoint arm bush thingy?

DougieV8 · Post by **DougieV8** » Fri Jun 15, 2012 10:23 am

Ok - found that part now.

http://www.allgermanparts.co.uk/ourshop ... 67748.html

Does not look like a balljoint to me - more like a bush!?

To proove my point - called a bush here

- http://www.bmwpartsonline.co.uk/Product-457/

Is this a definate or should I check out more?

Regarding gearbox filter - Why such a difference in price here, am I missing something?

http://www.bmwpartsonline.co.uk/Product ... 4341422673

http://www.allgermanparts.co.uk/ourshop ... 71217.html

X5Sport · Post by **X5Sport** » Fri Jun 15, 2012 11:29 am

[quote="DougieV8"]
Thanks

X5Sport - I take it you have been a member for a while and changed X5 to X6? Keeping your original forum name though - I am a long time member on Alfa Owner but retained my old 166 name even though changing to various other models, annoyed many who kept reminding me that I could request a revised name!
[/quote]

Spot on ...... that and I don't know how to..and easier to remember coz I've used it for so long :-[

CondorX5 · Post by **CondorX5** » Fri Jun 15, 2012 1:14 pm

Oh good, another V8 owner to the fold then! About time too, we need the numbers,

dirtymonkey29 · Post by **dirtymonkey29** » Fri Jun 15, 2012 2:39 pm

Does it creak like an old army bed? And clunks on moving from stationary? Deffo that "axel bush" or rose bush or ball joint whatever your favourite term is.

Regarding price difference looks like one is just the filter and the other is a complete replacement inc filter. I don't know if it was a modified/updated part but that is my best guess.

Give all German parts a ring... There really friendly

Cannondale · Post by **Cannondale** » Fri Jun 15, 2012 2:55 pm

Hi and welcome

The V8 population is now getting big for sure. They will be as commons as Dervs soon

XSeries-forum

XSeries-forum