E60 530d Daily Hack. *Refusing to buy a newer car*
Discussion
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-E46-E39-E60-E61-M3-M...
Link to shadowline tape. Its good stuff, even if slightly expensive. I've used hardly any of the roll and done all the parts I needed to.
Link to shadowline tape. Its good stuff, even if slightly expensive. I've used hardly any of the roll and done all the parts I needed to.
Brilliant cars, The wife has a 54 plate 530D as a daily and it never misses a beat. It so bloody reliable we just jumped in and drove to Amsterdam this weekend on short notice, the sum of my pre checks or maintenance was to drop by the local Tesco's for some derv . Didn't even open the bonnet as its never used a drop of oil between services. Currently on 140K and returned 42mpg sitting at 95mph the whole way.
Yours is look good now, the Shadowline tape and tinted windows made the biggest difference on the wifes car. It black on black on black with some black thrown in
I think a light tint on your windows would work as the green is pretty dark unless out in the blinding sun for our 2 days of summer a year
Yours is look good now, the Shadowline tape and tinted windows made the biggest difference on the wifes car. It black on black on black with some black thrown in
I think a light tint on your windows would work as the green is pretty dark unless out in the blinding sun for our 2 days of summer a year Thanks Gents, I also agree a light tint would look good. Will be booking it in once i've paid my holiday off from last week.
Need to do the glowplugs/glowplug controller as i've left it a little while and the constant errors are becoming annoying. Rear pads/discs need doing aswell. Had the brake pad warning light come up on the dash, currently just cut the sensor by the rear pad and looped it out as it will be done within the next couple of weeks and I check them daily anyway. Still got a fair bit of meat left on them
Need to do the glowplugs/glowplug controller as i've left it a little while and the constant errors are becoming annoying. Rear pads/discs need doing aswell. Had the brake pad warning light come up on the dash, currently just cut the sensor by the rear pad and looped it out as it will be done within the next couple of weeks and I check them daily anyway. Still got a fair bit of meat left on them
Some minor updates....
Did the engine breather. Mine was pretty bad, gone with a vortex unit. Apologies for the state of the drive, I half heartadly pressure washed it...turns out its worse than before! lol
Gave the old girl a clean...
Been looking at msport front bumpers. Genuine ones (in decent condition) go for about £400. I refuse to pay that, but do want something similar. Found a company in germany who do an m5 style ABS bumper for £200 delivered to the UK. Might be worth a punt. As averse as I usually am to replica bumpers, I can't warrant spending £400 on a second hand msport unit. plus I fancy something a little different.
In other news, the recent blow out I had on my nearside rear wheel, and subsequent tyre/balancing, isn't entirely happy. I have developed wheel wobble at 70ish which was not present before my little incident. Will get the wheel rebalanced to see if it makes any difference. Should it not I will check to make sure I haven't bent the wheel!
Did the engine breather. Mine was pretty bad, gone with a vortex unit. Apologies for the state of the drive, I half heartadly pressure washed it...turns out its worse than before! lol
Gave the old girl a clean...
Been looking at msport front bumpers. Genuine ones (in decent condition) go for about £400. I refuse to pay that, but do want something similar. Found a company in germany who do an m5 style ABS bumper for £200 delivered to the UK. Might be worth a punt. As averse as I usually am to replica bumpers, I can't warrant spending £400 on a second hand msport unit. plus I fancy something a little different.
In other news, the recent blow out I had on my nearside rear wheel, and subsequent tyre/balancing, isn't entirely happy. I have developed wheel wobble at 70ish which was not present before my little incident. Will get the wheel rebalanced to see if it makes any difference. Should it not I will check to make sure I haven't bent the wheel!
I have an M5 replica ABS bumper on the wife's 530D, fit is so perfect I didn't know it was a rep. Car came with it already fitted and I just thought it was the standard M Sport one. I would go for it as the M Sport/M5 front end makes HUGE difference in looks. Hers started life as an SE but previous owner did a full M Sport conversion right down to interior and suspension.
fastbikes76 said:
I have an M5 replica ABS bumper on the wife's 530D, fit is so perfect I didn't know it was a rep. Car came with it already fitted and I just thought it was the standard M Sport one. I would go for it as the M Sport/M5 front end makes HUGE difference in looks. Hers started life as an SE but previous owner did a full M Sport conversion right down to interior and suspension.
That previous owner would have been far better off buying an M Sport off the bat not buy an SE and hen try to make it into an M Sport. It will always be an SE per the V5. Still at least you didn't have to spend he cash Totally agree... would never have chucked the money at it myself but won’t say no to someone else spending all the money on it for me . Not fussed what the V5 says as it’s the wife’s daily grind and will be run until it’s dead.
For the money it would cost the OP to fit the M5 style bumper, I would do it. The SE front end it drab and dated, the M sport bumpers alone transform the car to something far more modern and fresh.
For the money it would cost the OP to fit the M5 style bumper, I would do it. The SE front end it drab and dated, the M sport bumpers alone transform the car to something far more modern and fresh.
Zaim said:
Thought this wonderful business park looked familiar. Just seen this in the car park, in one of the few times I visit. Looks good.
As per other conversations, I know it would be easier to just buy an msport, but thats not the point...
I bought this car without realising how much I would like it, and began a fair bit of maintenance work.
As such, and now because i'm in a situation of "better the devil you know", I think the car deserves a bit of money thrown at it. As i'm an engineer I do a lot of miles and its given me no issues whatsoever.
Speaking of bumpers...some **** in a focus ST170 was insistent on trying to keep up with/race me down a pretty quick B road over the weekend. Eagerly trying to stay with me from a set of traffic lights, he let off the clutch to early and dinged my rear bumper. No real harm done, asked him what he was doing.
Either way, asked for cash to repair (this will be going into the msport bumper fund):
Been smashing the miles recently for work as per usual. Consistently seeing 550 miles to a tank now. Still impressed by the MPG given its a 3.0d turbo:
A bit of maintenance also, I noticed I was starting to get a whirring symptomatic of a wheel bearing. As it usually occured when I was turning right at medium speed, I presumed it would be the front nearside that was the issue. Jacked it up, turns out it was in fact the front offside. Not seen that before, as usually its whilst the weight is on the wheel, not the nearside.
Either way, new bearing ordered and thrown in. 30 minute job, went well...
Did some more bits at the weekend...
Installation of cree LED headlights to replace my HID kit. Heard good things about these on the E60 Owners Club FB group, and must say i'm incredibly impressed. Needed to modify the bulb carrier to make it work, but came out well.
Front end removed:
Modified bulb carrier:
One fitted to test:
Whilst it was apart I also painted my Y-bar. Could have gone either way but actually happy with the result:
In other news my clutch has started slipping so I will be ordering a new one with flywheel shortly.
My cast manifold replacement has also arrived from the Bay of E so that will be going on soon when I get a chance.
Installation of cree LED headlights to replace my HID kit. Heard good things about these on the E60 Owners Club FB group, and must say i'm incredibly impressed. Needed to modify the bulb carrier to make it work, but came out well.
Front end removed:
Modified bulb carrier:
One fitted to test:
Whilst it was apart I also painted my Y-bar. Could have gone either way but actually happy with the result:
In other news my clutch has started slipping so I will be ordering a new one with flywheel shortly.
My cast manifold replacement has also arrived from the Bay of E so that will be going on soon when I get a chance.
OllieJT said:
Cracking, love a thread like this. What's the current mileage?
130k. Internally everything is good, and I change the oil every 5k as advised by a BMW Tech friend.He said as long as I keep to 5k oil changes the internals should have no issues, and it will achieve moon miles. So far so good!
I will be getting a hybrid turbo in the next couple of months as that's one of the only things that could cause detonation aside from the block. Should see me going for another 100k quite happily as long as I keep on top of bushes/brakes etc.
bullawayo said:
@Zaim - I just realised you are the chap with the Forester STI which I was lusting over last week!
I used to have a Prodrive Blobeye WRX -
The one that got away...still miss it!
Aye that's me. Back in there today and parked just opposite. Had some suspension work since I was last in.I used to have a Prodrive Blobeye WRX -
The one that got away...still miss it!
Do like what you've done with the 5. Looks just right on the wheels and the detailing.
Zaim said:
Aye that's me. Back in there today and parked just opposite. Had some suspension work since I was last in.
Do like what you've done with the 5. Looks just right on the wheels and the detailing.
Yeah I had a nose around yours over lunch. Mines a right state at the moment, driven 1500 miles this last week and it’s coated! Thanks for your kind words though, it’s nowhere near where it will be yet Do like what you've done with the 5. Looks just right on the wheels and the detailing.
shalmaneser said:
What LED inserts are those? Are they specifically for use with HIDs are are they halogen replacements?
Cree bulbs. Mine are halogen replacements.Regarding Cree LED or HID...these are at least 5x better than the original HID kit that I had in. Less glare, crisper light. Highly recommended.
Link:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-H7-360W-Upgrade-CREE-...
Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff