XSeries-forum

Hey Guys,

Just had my new poly bushes fitted all round. OMG it feels like a completely new car! Honestly it seriously does!! Maybe that shows how bad my old bushes really were. 

Here are the Powerflex bushes available for the E53 - http://www.powerflex.co.uk/road-series/products/E53+X5+%281999-2006%29-2649/1.html

I bought the kit on the E of Bay from Larkspeed performance in Leeds - http://www.larkspeed.com/
Spoke to them on the phone they were really helpful and knew their stuff so I recommend them. (Worked out £475 all in for the kit.)

I looked around local BMW indie's to see what they charge to fit and it worked out that my local main dealer (BMW Fairfield) actually only worked out around £50 more as they gave me some discount which worked out £580 all in instead of the original £700 labour. Still steep I know but I hoped they had the correct tools/knowledge etc.

So I dropped it off to them Friday morning and they quoted it would take a day. Got to the afternoon and I received a call to say they were having difficulties removing my old bushes and that it may take a couple of days. So I waited and then received a call yesterday to say they had to destroy one of the rear bush brackets to get it out and the replacement part was £60 but as a goodwill gesture and for the inconvenience they would loose the parts cost and extra labour charges as it took longer than originally quoted.

They delivered the car back last night and I've done around 150 miles since and as soon as I got in the car I could feel a huge difference. The steering felt a little heavier but yet tighter and more responsive. The horrendous banging noise that used to occur when I let off and then accelerated has totally gone. It feels so much more rigid and feels like it doesn't roll as much. I was told it would make the ride a little harder, It does feel slightly harder but if not better in a way as it sort of absorbs quicker and doesn't have a bounce. Before it had a issue where the back end on motorways at 75 mph+  it would bounce and bang around kinda felt like a go-kart with no suspension on a bumpy road. 

Overall I am really impressed with the Powerflex bushes and only time will tell to see how long they will last but I can definately recommend them plus they look cool too as they are bright Purple and Yellow. )

Thanks
James 

I had these fitted at the rear (the big yellow ones) as part of the deal when buying the car, I drove it for 10 days while the Garage was waiting for them to arrive. An X5 certainly does handle better when the car is attached to the suspension, quieter to.

The garage I brought the car from said they were faster to fit than OEM bushes.

So did you just replace the subframe ones and the front control arm ones or the antiroll bar ones too?

Have thought about going to power flex bushes but wasn't sure on how the X would be with them as they are so much stiffer.

The kit contained - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/310198694656?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

1) FRONT RADIUS ARM TO CHASSIS x 2
3) FRONT ANTI ROLL BAR TO CHASSIS BUSH 29mm x 2
4) REAR SUBFRAME TO CHASSIS BUSH x 4
5) REAR ANTI ROLL BAR MOUNTING BUSH x 2

All were replaced.

I heard that too and was worried it would be too hard but it's really not that bad honestly mate.
I would say with your coilovers it wouldn't be that noticeable as your used to slightly firmer ride anyway.

I'll probably just get the subframe ones for the mo as I plan (at some point) to do a full ARB kit and only replaced the front arms so new bushes there anyway.

Hi,

Interesting post, BUT..................and here it comes. I have read many posts about powerflex bushes , and what a miracle they are and even had them myself on my M5 ( but ended up taking them off in the emd ). If you replace your knackered old bushes with any new bushes you will indeed feel a great difference.Same goes for powerflex bushes.  Had you used standard bushes you would also feel a great difference, as your bushes were knackered. Remember these cars drove and handled extremely  well to begin with. Now the $6 mio question, is ....................how much better are the powerflex bushes than the standard ones ? Not much if at all in my opinion. As I said, I had them on my M5 and I felt no difference except the powerflex bushes squeaked. That's why I took them off, that and the fact that there was no noticeable difference. That was in an M5 though.
All that however is irrelevant, because all that matters is that you are happy and you certainly seem it.

Regards,

Nat.

Hey Nat,

You have a good point actually I couldn't comment on whether the new standard bushes would give the same feel or not. All I know is my standard bushes were shot.  I just hope for my sake of spending the extra money they would feel not as good as the poly

I've read about the squeaky noises before getting mine fitted and a few people have said it's down to not greasing them correctly when they were fitted. So I made a big point of telling the mechanics I wanted mine over greased which I assume they did as theres no squeaking yet but only time will tell I suppose! 

Next on the agenda is my brakes as they are totally shot too. Going to go for new EBC discs & Pads and braided hoses......... Its never ending on this bloody car!!

Thanks
James

Before having Powerflex Bushes fitted to the X5 I have also had them fitted to Volvo V70's the T5's tear through the OEM bushes particularly if there has been a power upgrade 30 to 40K miles seemed to be about the limit, horrendous tyre wear the result. Powerflex bushes may not be any better or worse in stiffness but I can vouch for the fact they last at least twice as long as OEM, at least they did on the T5's. I had sold all of them before needing replacement again.

So as the BMW bushes seem to go at around 80K miles (the rear sub-frame bushes on mine fell apart when removed) as the Powerflex bushes don't give a harsher ride if they outlast OEM then they are worth it in my humble opinion.