The V8 Bike Bus
Discussion
Do the motors have similar trouble as the S62 popping up? That’d be concerning on an aging rig like this but, that aside, still wouldn’t put me off owning one as I think the 4.8is is exceedingly cool. This is one of those models that has gotten much better with age, too, though when the replacement second-gen was released it aged this immediately. Time does interesting things to old cars.
I don't think they suffer from some of the S62 issues; They do seem quite robust. If it breaks I may investigate putting somethign different in it anyway.
I agree about how they've aged. I had an E53 when they were current and sold it to buy an E70 when the E53 started to look very dated. The passage of time has been kind to the E53 though and I now see them as a good bit of design that seems to look better as they get older. The fact they don't have the complex dealer fix only systems of the newer cars is appealing too. As is a large, naturally aspirated, petrol V8 engine.
Also it's worth considering the size of these. As new larger models have been launched the E53 seems quite a wieldy size now. At BMW parked next to a Mini Countryman the X5 looks like the smaller car. In fact compared to a current 1 series, the E53 is only 30cm longer and 11cm wider yet is much more spacious inside.
I agree about how they've aged. I had an E53 when they were current and sold it to buy an E70 when the E53 started to look very dated. The passage of time has been kind to the E53 though and I now see them as a good bit of design that seems to look better as they get older. The fact they don't have the complex dealer fix only systems of the newer cars is appealing too. As is a large, naturally aspirated, petrol V8 engine.
Also it's worth considering the size of these. As new larger models have been launched the E53 seems quite a wieldy size now. At BMW parked next to a Mini Countryman the X5 looks like the smaller car. In fact compared to a current 1 series, the E53 is only 30cm longer and 11cm wider yet is much more spacious inside.
With some of the jobs done and the bus driving very nicely, the decision was made to take this on our half-term trip to Bruges. I'd intentionally not had the wheels refurbished as I had concerns that the car would be tight when loading onto the Eurotunnel with the 60mm wider track. I hadn't appreciated just how tight though. 
The trip was ace and the car was utterly perfect. It cruised across France and through Belgium in comfort with loads of space for 3 ever-growing kids and our stuff. I got lost on the outskirts of Bruge when Waze directed me into an underground carpark that was being renovated. The workmen there smiled as it burbled around the carpark and one of them gave me the universal signal to rev it, so I obliged to a cheer and round of applause. On leaving when the barrier raised I treated them to a full-bore emergency start back onto the ring-road too much to my wife's dismay.
The hotel was great. The owner asked me to park out front and unload and then jumped in to show me around to a hidden carpark behind an electric gate and the car then got put into it's own garage with rollershutter. I had zero use for it while there as I spent the weekend trollied on all the amazing Belgian beer. On the way back we worked our way along the coast road taking in some beaches and historical spots.
Bruges
Ostend
Dunkirk
I thought MPG for the trip was incredible for a 4.8 V8, my diesel X5 hardly ever did better. I think the 6 speed box really helps when it's cruising.
Wheel refurb on Weds...
The trip was ace and the car was utterly perfect. It cruised across France and through Belgium in comfort with loads of space for 3 ever-growing kids and our stuff. I got lost on the outskirts of Bruge when Waze directed me into an underground carpark that was being renovated. The workmen there smiled as it burbled around the carpark and one of them gave me the universal signal to rev it, so I obliged to a cheer and round of applause. On leaving when the barrier raised I treated them to a full-bore emergency start back onto the ring-road too much to my wife's dismay.
The hotel was great. The owner asked me to park out front and unload and then jumped in to show me around to a hidden carpark behind an electric gate and the car then got put into it's own garage with rollershutter. I had zero use for it while there as I spent the weekend trollied on all the amazing Belgian beer. On the way back we worked our way along the coast road taking in some beaches and historical spots.
Bruges
Ostend
Dunkirk
I thought MPG for the trip was incredible for a 4.8 V8, my diesel X5 hardly ever did better. I think the 6 speed box really helps when it's cruising.
Wheel refurb on Weds...
Liked these since new and they've aged really well, this one in particular looks ace, think its a combination of the colour lack of chrome and dark trim (I actually like the colour of the wheels currently). Didn't know the 4.8 got the M5 cluster thats really cool.
I've often thought if it would be possible to make a LM replica (engine aside), that looked boss
I've often thought if it would be possible to make a LM replica (engine aside), that looked boss
573 said:
I dropped the X5 off this morning to have the wheels refurbished but got a call an hour later to say they couldn't do them as underneath the grey paint the wheels have been chromed. 
Went and picked it up and am now considering my options.
sell on ebay and buy some others - might be the cheapest price difference...Went and picked it up and am now considering my options.
Great read, I have always wanted an Estoril 4.6iS as I prefer the more aggressive (to me) front and chunkier looking wheels. The best bits on both models have to be the bodykit and exhaust tips so its a shame yours has lost these - hope you go back to standard (maybe with a box or two removed!).
Watching with interest.
Watching with interest.
Great thread. I love how it sits, looks so aggressive
Didn't realise the E53 could be spec'd with full air suspension
I had a 4.4 N62 last year and never really clicked with it. Unfortunately it had been through a string of owners that didn't care much for it. So although it was a brilliant tool and extremely capable, it was costing me a fortune to keep on top of the niggles
Didn't realise the E53 could be spec'd with full air suspension
I had a 4.4 N62 last year and never really clicked with it. Unfortunately it had been through a string of owners that didn't care much for it. So although it was a brilliant tool and extremely capable, it was costing me a fortune to keep on top of the niggles
Few suggestions here although I would imagine things have come on since this thread -
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
Si
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
Si
pistolpedro said:
Didn't know the 4.8 got the M5 cluster thats really cool.
They don't, they are similar however with the warm up lights and oil temperature but the fonts are different as are a few other things.The car however looks ace, love the colour, sterling grey is very pretty, The slight lowering and the wider track suits it, I've been looking at these and the 4.6is aswell to complement my M5.
SiT said:
Surely a quick trip to the dippers wild rod you of the gangsta chrome finish? Chemical strip back to bare metal and then a powder coat over the top should do the trick.
The place I use is very good, they've done lots of wheels for me: http://www.wheelworksuk.co.ukIt can be chemically dipped to remove it and they've refurbed chrome wheels before, but he wasn't keen on ever doing it again. They don't have their own chemical tank for chrome as it's not what they usually get involved with, so they use a local place. To get a 20 x 10.5 wheel in, it has to be done in sections at a time which takes ages. The surface afterwards can be flakey too after the chrome apparently. He said they did blast a set once but to get the chrome off the wheels ended up badly pitted. They had to put 5 layers of powdercoat on and rub them down between each one to try to get a good finish. At the end he still wasn't happy with the finish.
I'll just get another set and sell these, it's no biggy.
PowerslideSWE said:
They don't, they are similar however with the warm up lights and oil temperature but the fonts are different as are a few other things.
The car however looks ace, love the colour, sterling grey is very pretty, The slight lowering and the wider track suits it, I've been looking at these and the 4.6is aswell to complement my M5.
Cheers. Yeah the clocks aren't actually the same unit as the E39 M5, a quick look shows you the differences. The style of cluster was carried over from the M5 to the 4.8is, but obviously with recalibrated scales etc.The car however looks ace, love the colour, sterling grey is very pretty, The slight lowering and the wider track suits it, I've been looking at these and the 4.6is aswell to complement my M5.
Like most modern cars with plastic headlights the X5 was suffering from the usual dull headlight lenses so I refurbished them today.
From trying various different kits and products I've settled on using the Autoglym headlight restoration kit. It comes with a velcro backed drill attachment, various grades of sanding pad, a polishing waffle and plastic polishing compound. It works really well with my 18v DeWalt cordless drill, whose charger charges a battery quicker than the drill uses it, so as it goes flat you can just swap the cell for the charged one and keep going.
To do it properly takes quite a few hours and it's quite a messy job. The sanded plastic dust goes everywhere.
The finished results are worth it though.
I think the facelift Dynamic Xenons look great. Hopefully the lights will perform better too; As good as the Xenons are they're not a patch on the LEDs on modern cars.
Another job ticked off the list...
From trying various different kits and products I've settled on using the Autoglym headlight restoration kit. It comes with a velcro backed drill attachment, various grades of sanding pad, a polishing waffle and plastic polishing compound. It works really well with my 18v DeWalt cordless drill, whose charger charges a battery quicker than the drill uses it, so as it goes flat you can just swap the cell for the charged one and keep going.
To do it properly takes quite a few hours and it's quite a messy job. The sanded plastic dust goes everywhere.
The finished results are worth it though.
I think the facelift Dynamic Xenons look great. Hopefully the lights will perform better too; As good as the Xenons are they're not a patch on the LEDs on modern cars.
Another job ticked off the list...
Looks great and better than most efforts I see, patience is a virtue with this I think.
As for brightness, you may be on original bulbs so could try a new set or upgraded bulbs of some sort. I recently fitted OEM Xenon's to my wife's Octavia vRS with new bulbs and I also managed to remove the projectors and clean both sides of the lens as they were fairly dirty.
As for brightness, you may be on original bulbs so could try a new set or upgraded bulbs of some sort. I recently fitted OEM Xenon's to my wife's Octavia vRS with new bulbs and I also managed to remove the projectors and clean both sides of the lens as they were fairly dirty.
Love me the E53. My dad's had his 3.0i since new in 2003, and it's done 240,000 miles now. Strangely the only thing that left him stranded with that was the alternator too. Thank Christ the 4.8 doesn't use the stupid water cooled alternator like the 4.4.
His old battle bus is a strange colour compared to most. Pearl beige metallic.
His old battle bus is a strange colour compared to most. Pearl beige metallic.
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