My BMW E65 745i

[E65Ross]

bmthnick1981 said:

E65 looking good Ross.

As is your Dad's M6, whats the official name for the colour?

Sakhir Orange. Really stands out from the dreary black/white/grey/silver of most cars.....the only thing I'm not keen on my car. But buying 2nd hand you can't be too fussy!

If you want more pics of the car just ask, though won't be able to get any more day-time pics until Wednsesday. Interior is the best part about it, it's absolutely fantastic. It's fully loaded (despite not being a competition pack and no ceramic brakes it cost £108k new.....almost every option including the full leather dash which is luuuurvely!)

[E65Ross]

Gave the barge a bit of a clean earlier - all is well at the moment

I recently decided (again!) that I did want a PH sticker on the car but it's just in the corner of the rear screen so much more subtle - to be honest, I doubt it's barely noticeable when driving.









Unfortunately, the wheels (the rears in particular) are in dire need of a refurbishment



There are a fair few minor scratches/scuffs but nothing major, when summer comes I'll dig the polishing machine out and give it a proper going-over. Today was just clean the wheels, wash the paint, clean the windows, dress the tyres and put some Gtechniq C2v3 on the paint as a bit of a top up.

It's due a coolant change at the end of August but I will likely get this done a little earlier, and the oil will likely be changed at the same time, it's not "due" for 10k miles but it's done 8k miles already and by the time I get the coolant done it would have done around 10k so I'll just get it done then. Microfilter due same time as oil and as that's a cheap job I'll probably get it all done at once.

I've taken a few people out in it over the last few weeks and it never fails to get positive comments on just how nice a place it is to be in.

Edited by E65Ross on Sunday 13th April 15:19

[E65Ross]

bmthnick1981 said:

You could do the oil changes yourself? Very cheap and easy to do, I do mine on my e38 and change the oil every 6-7k.

I'd bit the bullet and get the wheels refurbed, a good job would probably be £300 ish? I had mine done and I think it makes a big difference to the appearance of the car.

It's a bit petty but I want it to retain full service history. My indy doesn't mind me supplying my own parts and I can get all the parts at trade price.... Just waiting to hear back on prices for oil, coolant, oil filter (bmw official one) and microfilter.

I used to change the oil myself on my E21 but I just can't be bothered these days. I'd also need a new trolley jack as the E65 is a heavy bd and my old jack might not support it. Only rated to 1.25T

[E65Ross]

Ej74 said:

Hi Mate,

What sort of cash did you for the E65 ?
Did it have a full BMW SH ?

Cheers

£5k, and yes..... Full BMW dealer history had never been serviced by anyone else until I got the car.

I won't get it serviced by a dealer but there is a very, very good independent specialist near where I live.... Been using them for years and won't use anyone else now if I can avoid it.

[E65Ross]

Ej74 said:

Sorry mate missed the price bit earlier on in the thread
How does the car ride and feel for 100k + ?

It feels good, doesn't feel tired at all. The only thing at the moment is a shudder through the steering wheel from high speed braking....most likely the thrust control/suspension arm(s). I'll get them looked at in the not too distant future.

I'm looking at ordering some oil (Castrol Edge 0W-30) and coolant as well as an engine oil filter and microfilters for its next service which I'll likely get done before I head to Le Mans.

If you were closer I'd say come by and come out for a drive but London is a bit of a trek away!

[E65Ross]

fk it.

I spoke to soon I think. I've noticed a slight creaking noise from the OSF going over slow speed bumps or driving slowly down dropped kerbs etc. Fearing the worst I suspect a cracked spring, not sure what else it could be?

Earliest my indy could look at it is next Friday but (due to my working hours) I'll take it to them next Wednesday and have to cycle to work - fortunately I'm staying somewhere else next week so it's only 10 miles each way. I don't need the car much over the weekend so it should get seen to within 100 miles, 150 miles max, of driving.

If it's a spring, I'll get the shock done too, and probably get the other side done as well. Whilst I'm there if the front suspension arm(s) need(s) replacing I'll get that/those done as well. Is there anything else that will likely need replacing due to age that will be considerably easier to change with the shocks/springs off the car? if so, might be worth getting that looked at too and giving it a bit of a front suspension refresh.

After a front suspension refresh, all the car could possibly need is a wheel refurbishment and a rear suspension refresh and it'll be good as new, surely!?

[E65Ross]

Ej74 said:

Hi Mate,

What sort of cash did you for the E65 ?
Did it have a full BMW SH ?

Cheers

I replied to your PM but just got an email saying it couldn't send a message back to your email address.

I'm based right at the other end of the M3 at the Eastleigh junction so quite a way but you're more than welcome to come take a look at it and have a spin out. Probably after I get this suspension issue sorted (though to be honest, driving it, it seems absolutely fine!!). I'm up at Mercedes-Benz SS next Sunday and will be taking it there so you can see then if you're going? If not, we can arrange something for shortly after I'm sure

[E65Ross]

Firstly, that creaking from the suspension turned out to be a link rod in need of some grease and something else very minor. Less than £50 all in if I remember correctly. Car has also had a coolant and oil change about 2500 miles ago and next service item is the microfilter which is now 8000 miles away. It MIGHT need new rear tyres before then, however.

Have had the wheels refurbished, they look a bit nicer now. They've also been coated with Gtechniq C1 and also EXO.

Edited by E65Ross on Saturday 26th July 19:36

[E65Ross]

S3_Graham said:

Who did your wheels Ross? Contemplating getting mine done on the clio

A1 powder coatings, in Woolston, Southampton. Can recommend them. Good price price too. They're also known as wheelsmart

[E65Ross]

What a nightmare this past week has been for the 745i.....

For ages it's been solid as a rock, I go on holiday to the Lake District and 200miles into a 300mile trip I use full throttle and kickdown and at about 5k rpm it really coughs and won't rev at all so I back right off, and at that point any heavy throttle the engine just jerks about being very unhappy. Cruising was fine, no lights on the dash.

I cruise at 55mph into a services, pull over (I was due a rest break anyway) and get some food etc. 20mins later I come out, drive, and all seems OK until, again, full throttle.... Won't like revving past about 5500rpm this time.

it cruised at, erm, motorway speeds absolutely fine and that day I find a local garage who couldn't find any faults with diagnostics (They were a small garage and probably not the best equipment) and a road test couldn't reveal the fault due to not having the roads to really open it up.

Anyway, through the holiday I drive it "normally" and hand on heart you wouldn't think anything was wrong with it at all.

I kerb a fecking alloy very badly getting out of a VERY tight squeeze in a petrol station which pisses me off no end.

It hammers it down with rain one night and the next day the passenger side footwell is soaking (it still is) so suspect the sunroof drain hole which I cleared a few months ago with an air hose is once again blocked....

Well, it's booked into my indy next Wednesday as that's the earliest I could do but driving normally seems absolutely fine. I drove 460 miles today through some rather rubbish roads (total driving time was 8hours 15mins!!!!) and it was absolutely faultless (but again, full throttle it doesn't like, but now it revs cleanly until about 6k rpm....odd). The indy will also look at the drain holes properly as well. Over the weekend I'll get it all cleaned up, dried inside and get it looking better again. I'm just fked off about that alloy but hey ho.

I will say that I'm so glad I had the 745i for that long, long trip back. It really shone, and showed just how good it is at taking the stress away from a really arduous trip. I went from the Lake District to Bridlington (what a pain that place is to get to!!!!) and then back to Southampton.

Now, I need some sleep!

[E65Ross]

Ej74 said:

My damn email address thing on PH is buggered but according to them it works fine.

I had a similar issue when I had my E class turned out to knackered coil packs - same symptoms - revs and drives fine until you try press on and the car would hesitate and not accelerate correctly

This was my thinking so thanks for that, hopefully it is that simple!

[E65Ross]

Massive thanks for sharing that, I'll be sure to get that checked out!

[E65Ross]

And a couple of pics taken whilst I was away, nothing special and it wasn't especially clean (and it certainly isn't now!!!) but I had to take a couple at least

[E65Ross]

sparks_E39 said:

It is a handsome old beast.

Thanks mate, it sure is, erm, different in the styling department. I'm still not sold on the rear but I love the front end now, more than the facelift (but prefer the facelifted rear).

I've not tried booting it at all since coming back from the Lakes....I feel chastised

But on the flip side, my economy has gone up to 27.9mpg over the last few commutes!!! Spoke to my indy and mentioned the fuse box drain hole and just said go round and unblock any drain holes etc.

Will see what's causing this issue, if it's a spark plug or coil pack or HT lead......what's the consensus....change just 1, or change the lot? I'm guessing if it's coil packs changing 8 could get very expensive....???

Cheers

[E65Ross]

mini1380cc said:

An OBD scan should reveal which cylinder the misfire is on. You don't want to be replacing working coils as it gets expensive pretty quickly.

This was my thinking, thanks. My only concern is that it won't show on an OBD scan as the misfire only happens under full throttle at high rpm....though hopefully the OBC has logged it or something.

The garage I used are only a tiny garage and found no fault with an OBD scan, but my indy I use (Brystone in Southampton) will have much better equipment and I'm sure they'll be better at finding the fault.

Could it be a partially blocked injector....in which case would something like terraclean help? It's been something I've been looking into.

[E65Ross]

2.5pi said:

I'd be thinking coil packs as the root cause, I've had a similar issue on that engine in an X5 4.4, it was under warranty and in the end 3 coil packs were changed, bizarrely just swapping coil packs round was one suggestion made by BMW technical but I'm not sure how/ why that would help!

In my case the idle was slightly out of kilter as well, just a slight fluctuation in revs accompanied by a very minor vibration.

Thanks for this, I have noticed on occasion it has started a bit hesitantly; it starts fine but takes 1-2secs to settle to a normal idle, but it's only done this 3 times I think, and only ever from a hot start. Hope it's just a coil pack - no idea on cost but can't imagine it's a huge amount?

Thanks

[E65Ross]

Just had it scanned by a mates garage who have far more sophisticated equipment.... Faulty air mass meter.

Looks like it'll cost around £200 fitted.... Getting cheap labour but the part is £160 plus vat.

[E65Ross]

sparks_E39 said:

That's not so bad, my CCV failed the other week, £250!

Yeah, I read that on your thread, sorry to hear it.

Well I've also been wanting a decent camera for a while so just spunked £400 on one with an SD card well so it'll be an expensive month

It'll get the new air mass meter Monday (not by my indy)......I've called the indy to say someone else is doing that but I'll still be going to them Wednesday to sort the passenger footwell leak.

[E65Ross]

Car back, all sorted and drain holes unblocked as well. The cause wasn't that one on the passenger side with the ball (there's also another one below that, by the way) but another on the drivers side which runs along the front of the car....but they unblocked all of them anyway just to make sure. I asked them I just want them all cleared so I don't have to worry in the near future about more bloody water getting in the car.

So....just insurance and probably new tyres next month

[E65Ross]

Still not paid for the mass air meter yet, but I'm sure I will have to soon enough.

Rear tyres are a touch below 3mm so I'll get all 4 done at once though I'm still torn on which to get.

I'm not sure how the Falkens wear compared to the Goodyears to be honest, but the wear rating for both is the same. I think I'll pay for insurance next month and see if I can hold fire on the tyres for another 1500 miles or so before getting new tyres.

Since getting the mass air meter changed the economy seems up slightly. I'm getting over 25mpg now and traffic was clear into work (save a few stop start bits on the M27) and it managed (from cold start) 28.2mpg, which isn't too bad at all.