E61 BMW 550i Touring
Discussion
October 2020
After that trip to the Ring, winter and Lockdown II hit, so not much to report.
Me and a mate tackled the front wheel bearings, which were replaced. Whilst the front wheels were off we got to the washer fluid reservoir, which sits behind the front passenger side wheel arch cover. There is one large reservoir with three pumps - one for the front windscreen, one for the rear and another for the front lights. One of the pumps was leaking so I bought a new pump and seal and replaced. Job done (although the rear washer has now stopped working, although this could be the usual E61 rear hinge problem).
March 2021
Time for a service, and with summer coming, a look at the air con. I also put the fuse back in for the comfort access, to see if an easy fix for the increased battery discharge could be diagnosed.
The service was all fine, no issues. The air con turned out to be a leaky compressor, with a new one required. This was a fairly painful hit to the wallet, so other than registering the battery to the car, nothing was done re the comfort access. Somehow though, the comfort access problem resolved itself, with no battery discharge issues, which was a result.
I also managed to get a puncture on the M25. I got the car off the motorway and into a layby. "Thank goodness for that spacesaver I bought off eBay" thought I. Oh - it doesn't fit over my brakes, either on the front or the rear, bugger. The AA had to be called, who put a spacesaver on with massive spacers and he followed me as I gingerly drove to a nearby tyre place. My rears were nearly at their limit anyway, and with a front puncture I decided to replace all 4 tyres, and get a 4 wheel alignment.
A fairly expensive month, but with 4 new tyres, proper alignment with the tyres going in the right direction and icy cold air con, all was good again with the 550!
After that trip to the Ring, winter and Lockdown II hit, so not much to report.
Me and a mate tackled the front wheel bearings, which were replaced. Whilst the front wheels were off we got to the washer fluid reservoir, which sits behind the front passenger side wheel arch cover. There is one large reservoir with three pumps - one for the front windscreen, one for the rear and another for the front lights. One of the pumps was leaking so I bought a new pump and seal and replaced. Job done (although the rear washer has now stopped working, although this could be the usual E61 rear hinge problem).
March 2021
Time for a service, and with summer coming, a look at the air con. I also put the fuse back in for the comfort access, to see if an easy fix for the increased battery discharge could be diagnosed.
The service was all fine, no issues. The air con turned out to be a leaky compressor, with a new one required. This was a fairly painful hit to the wallet, so other than registering the battery to the car, nothing was done re the comfort access. Somehow though, the comfort access problem resolved itself, with no battery discharge issues, which was a result.
I also managed to get a puncture on the M25. I got the car off the motorway and into a layby. "Thank goodness for that spacesaver I bought off eBay" thought I. Oh - it doesn't fit over my brakes, either on the front or the rear, bugger. The AA had to be called, who put a spacesaver on with massive spacers and he followed me as I gingerly drove to a nearby tyre place. My rears were nearly at their limit anyway, and with a front puncture I decided to replace all 4 tyres, and get a 4 wheel alignment.
A fairly expensive month, but with 4 new tyres, proper alignment with the tyres going in the right direction and icy cold air con, all was good again with the 550!
bolidemichael said:
The Nordscheife is great... I over-revved the engine on my 645Ci there (equipped with a rare manual box)... thankfully the resulting oil leaks were covered under Mondial warranty 
Which tyres did you opt for?
The old ones were Michelin PS4s which sadly were out of stock in my size at the time on Black Circles, so I went for the older model, the Pilot Super Sports.Which tyres did you opt for?
Good job for the warranty on the 645!
Summer 2021
Right, we are getting more up to date.
No foreign jollies this summer, too much of a faff! So lots of UK based trips, starting with a family holiday to Northumberland in July. We left south London at circa 6am and had the most unbelievable journey up. I got to the bottom of the M1 without breaking any speed limits in 35 minutes and other than a spot of traffic going round Newcastle, and where the A1 went from two lanes to one, it was a breeze.
Proof:
We stayed at a fantastic holiday village in Shilbottle just outside Alnwick and were blessed with a very good week of weather. Explored Alnwick Castle and Gardens, boat trip from Seahouses to the Farne Islands to see the puffins and seals, Bamburgh Castle, beaches at Newton and Morpeth and lots of delicious seafood. Potted Lobster in Bamburgh and the Boathouse in Amble very good.
We followed this with a few days in Suffolk without the children and a long weekend glamping in Sussex with some friends.
The 550 took it all in its stride, other than immediately prior to Northumberland, it threw up a "airbag/restraint system" fault. A quick google pointed at the passenger seat occupancy sensor as the culprit. A watch of the You Tube video proved to me that I have neither the skill nor the patience to do it myself. So I didn't, the local indie did.
While with the indie, a slightly nervous customer managed to reverse into the car, scratching the bumper and smashing the rear light cluster. Annoying, but these things happen and the garage was very good - it was a Friday so they taped up the light cluster and delivered it back to me for the weekend. They then dropped off a hire car (2011 Skoda Fabia) on Monday and mine was back to me the following day.
It then sailed through its MOT, again no advisories, in August. It is so good, I do not think I will replace it. My wife's Fiat 500 comes to the end of its deal next year, and we are tempted to get something electric as our London car, keeping the 550 for family duties, while it remains affordable to do so. I am also very glad to report that an 11 year old 4.8 petrol V8 is ULEZ compliant, so people in London should trade in their diesel SUVs for 550s and the like immediately. On that basis, I hope to get a less sensible car purchase past Mrs A...
Right, we are getting more up to date.
No foreign jollies this summer, too much of a faff! So lots of UK based trips, starting with a family holiday to Northumberland in July. We left south London at circa 6am and had the most unbelievable journey up. I got to the bottom of the M1 without breaking any speed limits in 35 minutes and other than a spot of traffic going round Newcastle, and where the A1 went from two lanes to one, it was a breeze.
Proof:
We stayed at a fantastic holiday village in Shilbottle just outside Alnwick and were blessed with a very good week of weather. Explored Alnwick Castle and Gardens, boat trip from Seahouses to the Farne Islands to see the puffins and seals, Bamburgh Castle, beaches at Newton and Morpeth and lots of delicious seafood. Potted Lobster in Bamburgh and the Boathouse in Amble very good.
We followed this with a few days in Suffolk without the children and a long weekend glamping in Sussex with some friends.
The 550 took it all in its stride, other than immediately prior to Northumberland, it threw up a "airbag/restraint system" fault. A quick google pointed at the passenger seat occupancy sensor as the culprit. A watch of the You Tube video proved to me that I have neither the skill nor the patience to do it myself. So I didn't, the local indie did.
While with the indie, a slightly nervous customer managed to reverse into the car, scratching the bumper and smashing the rear light cluster. Annoying, but these things happen and the garage was very good - it was a Friday so they taped up the light cluster and delivered it back to me for the weekend. They then dropped off a hire car (2011 Skoda Fabia) on Monday and mine was back to me the following day.
It then sailed through its MOT, again no advisories, in August. It is so good, I do not think I will replace it. My wife's Fiat 500 comes to the end of its deal next year, and we are tempted to get something electric as our London car, keeping the 550 for family duties, while it remains affordable to do so. I am also very glad to report that an 11 year old 4.8 petrol V8 is ULEZ compliant, so people in London should trade in their diesel SUVs for 550s and the like immediately. On that basis, I hope to get a less sensible car purchase past Mrs A...
Final update: The Ring part II
Having had such a good time last year, we did the Nurburging again earlier this month, this time staying in self-catering style accommodation in the shape of two interconnecting houses. The group was similar in number but there had been a raft of 911 buying in the last year or so. 6 cars left Maidstone Services in convoy: the 550i, the E93 335i and 3 x 997 Carrera Ss and a 991 Carrera S. We met up with 2 x 997.1 GT3s, a 996 GT3 and the Audi S1 (and a brief visit from a mega GT3 Touring).
Good trip down, with some more derestricted autobahn action. A lap or two that evening and the next day. Slightly terrifying scene as we went past an E60 M5 stopped on the side of the track, huge flames from his engine bay - poor bloke.
We went go karting on Saturday when the track was closed. Karting was excellent: 10 minutes qualifying, then reverse grid for a 20 minute race straight after.
Sunday it rained, so a few of us went for a steady drive in the 550 round the Nordschliefe, even taking it easy it was very twitchy - it is very very slippery in places in the wet. I did spot one of the photographers point and laugh at us, as it got somewhat out of shape. A good day to watch from the side of the track under an umbrella and with a beer.
Then back on Monday, cross country on some great roads to Spa Francorchamps for a sandwich and to spend a bit of time watching a track day there, which had a great range of cars.
Again, the 550 was brilliant. Awesome on the long run down, so so comfortable and able to keep pace with the other cars (until the numbers got big on the autobahn), and then amusing round the Nordschliefe. It still needs new brakes, but now that I have decided to keep it, I am going to look at brake upgrade options, whether new pads/discs/hoses etc or whether to do an M5 brake upgrade. I may also get an Apple Car Play android thingy installed, that keeps the original CIC but works alongside it.
Trip stats: 20 hours 38 minutes, 942 miles, 21.9 mpg [that'll be the Ring and autobahn for you], 47.5 mph
Obviously as I was departing my house for Germany, the BMW bong of doom informed me that the increased battery discharge was back, but I have my head in the sand about that for the moment.
That last picture in on the Sudschliefe, that also used to form part of the old track, now disused.
Having had such a good time last year, we did the Nurburging again earlier this month, this time staying in self-catering style accommodation in the shape of two interconnecting houses. The group was similar in number but there had been a raft of 911 buying in the last year or so. 6 cars left Maidstone Services in convoy: the 550i, the E93 335i and 3 x 997 Carrera Ss and a 991 Carrera S. We met up with 2 x 997.1 GT3s, a 996 GT3 and the Audi S1 (and a brief visit from a mega GT3 Touring).
Good trip down, with some more derestricted autobahn action. A lap or two that evening and the next day. Slightly terrifying scene as we went past an E60 M5 stopped on the side of the track, huge flames from his engine bay - poor bloke.
We went go karting on Saturday when the track was closed. Karting was excellent: 10 minutes qualifying, then reverse grid for a 20 minute race straight after.
Sunday it rained, so a few of us went for a steady drive in the 550 round the Nordschliefe, even taking it easy it was very twitchy - it is very very slippery in places in the wet. I did spot one of the photographers point and laugh at us, as it got somewhat out of shape. A good day to watch from the side of the track under an umbrella and with a beer.
Then back on Monday, cross country on some great roads to Spa Francorchamps for a sandwich and to spend a bit of time watching a track day there, which had a great range of cars.
Again, the 550 was brilliant. Awesome on the long run down, so so comfortable and able to keep pace with the other cars (until the numbers got big on the autobahn), and then amusing round the Nordschliefe. It still needs new brakes, but now that I have decided to keep it, I am going to look at brake upgrade options, whether new pads/discs/hoses etc or whether to do an M5 brake upgrade. I may also get an Apple Car Play android thingy installed, that keeps the original CIC but works alongside it.
Trip stats: 20 hours 38 minutes, 942 miles, 21.9 mpg [that'll be the Ring and autobahn for you], 47.5 mph
Obviously as I was departing my house for Germany, the BMW bong of doom informed me that the increased battery discharge was back, but I have my head in the sand about that for the moment.
That last picture in on the Sudschliefe, that also used to form part of the old track, now disused.
Court_S said:
I managed to get CarPlay working in my old CCC nav system using a box from Integrated Automotive who I’m sure do similar for the later systems.
Thanks, that’s helpful. I’d been looking at Integrated Automotive, as well as Droid UK. There will be an update in due course on brakes as I have gone down the upgrade route
Brake upgrade
After I first bought the car, I bought Zimmerman discs and Brembo pads for all 4 wheels, and I have since put some better brake fluid in. The car is unsurprisingly a big, heavy beast (no doubt worsened by some of the extras like the soft close doors and active seats) and whilst braking improvement was improved, it still lacked a bit, which was highlighted by the recent trip to the Nurburging: they did not even make the end of a vigorous lap.
I read about an E61 M5 brake swap, but in the end bought a set of front calipers, discs and pads from an M sport G30 5 series, which a mate installed on Saturday. They are 4 piston calipers, as opposed to the 2 piston ones that were standard, but I have kept the drilled Zimmerman discs on for the moment, which are the right size (348 mm).
Otherwise it is an easy fit - you just have a to splice together the E61 and G31 brake pad sensor cables as they do not have the same fitment at either end.
I have yet to take it out properly, but already the brakes seem much stronger and I look forward to giving them more of a test at motorway speeds.
Before
After
(ignore annoying brake fluid leakage)
After I first bought the car, I bought Zimmerman discs and Brembo pads for all 4 wheels, and I have since put some better brake fluid in. The car is unsurprisingly a big, heavy beast (no doubt worsened by some of the extras like the soft close doors and active seats) and whilst braking improvement was improved, it still lacked a bit, which was highlighted by the recent trip to the Nurburging: they did not even make the end of a vigorous lap.
I read about an E61 M5 brake swap, but in the end bought a set of front calipers, discs and pads from an M sport G30 5 series, which a mate installed on Saturday. They are 4 piston calipers, as opposed to the 2 piston ones that were standard, but I have kept the drilled Zimmerman discs on for the moment, which are the right size (348 mm).
Otherwise it is an easy fit - you just have a to splice together the E61 and G31 brake pad sensor cables as they do not have the same fitment at either end.
I have yet to take it out properly, but already the brakes seem much stronger and I look forward to giving them more of a test at motorway speeds.
Before
After
(ignore annoying brake fluid leakage)
MASSIVE update
OK, perhaps not so massive, but definitely satisfying. I have a new plastic string attached to my fuel filler cap.
The PistonHeads community is going to be awestruck. In other news, I have had to do a couple of journeys up to the office in central London in my ULEZ compliant V8. That and some other solely-London based driving has returned 10.9 mpg, which is a bit of a record. Testing the new brakes has probably not helped that figure.
OK, perhaps not so massive, but definitely satisfying. I have a new plastic string attached to my fuel filler cap.
The PistonHeads community is going to be awestruck. In other news, I have had to do a couple of journeys up to the office in central London in my ULEZ compliant V8. That and some other solely-London based driving has returned 10.9 mpg, which is a bit of a record. Testing the new brakes has probably not helped that figure.
bolidemichael said:
10.9 'beats' my L322 FFRR, which has the 4.4L AJV8.
I returned 14.7mpg over 160ish urban miles. I'm a little deflated now.
In other news... how did you replace the 'string'? It has perished on all of our cars -- though I'm not minded to replace on either the E500 of the FFRR, as it's dead handy to wedge the petrol pump open when filling up.
Very proud to have beaten a FFRR to this accolade! Takes some doing...I returned 14.7mpg over 160ish urban miles. I'm a little deflated now.
In other news... how did you replace the 'string'? It has perished on all of our cars -- though I'm not minded to replace on either the E500 of the FFRR, as it's dead handy to wedge the petrol pump open when filling up.
As for the string, I googled "BMW fuel cap tether" or something similar, and as @Court_S says, you can get them on eBay for not very much
Mac. said:
Brakes look good, I might do the same on my E61 535d. Straight swap? Anything else needed other than the pad sensor wiring?
Thanks. It was very easy, pretty much a straight swap save for the pad sensor wiring, and you need a few washers for the inside of the caliper just to make sure that it's a good fit. I got them from VYS in Leamington Spa who specialise in BMW brake upgrades and were very helpful about the process. You can also upgrade to M5 floating discs but the discs are much more expensive.
wolfracesonic said:
Weird, my Touring’s a post lci like yours but the fuel filler cap has a spike on it that fits in holder on the fuel filler door. Interesting….
I have the spike and the holder on the filler door too, I suppose the tether is just there to stop you dropping it. It makes little difference to day to day life, but the broken string was just annoying me. Demelitia said:
If the lack of staying power is down to heat, the following link may help a little ?
https://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6...
The backing plates mentioned in it have scoops built in to fire air to the centre of the disc and out through the vanes.
Whether these exact ones will fit with some modifications, or if there’s a similar oem part that would do the trick On your car I couldn’t say.
If not, I’ve seen a few DIY attempts that perform the same function that involve a small duct flange being riveted over a hole drilled in the backing plate.
Thanks, that's really helpful. I will look into this. I think heat is the main culprithttps://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6...
The backing plates mentioned in it have scoops built in to fire air to the centre of the disc and out through the vanes.
Whether these exact ones will fit with some modifications, or if there’s a similar oem part that would do the trick On your car I couldn’t say.
If not, I’ve seen a few DIY attempts that perform the same function that involve a small duct flange being riveted over a hole drilled in the backing plate.
Now that Christmas is behind us, thoughts turn to what the 550 will need this year. Trying to decide what order to do this in but on the hitlist:
- respray bonnet (lacquer has gone in a couple of places)
- try and get to the bottom of the battery drain from the comfort access
- refurb alloys
- I think some of the front suspension needs a refresh - it can be quite clonky over speed bumps (although not always), I was thinking drop links etc but any thoughts welcomed. It's at 120,000 miles and I cannot see from the history that anything has ever been done
- I want to install Apple CarPlay
- a really small issue, but quite irritating - the bulb in my iDrive controller has gone so at night I cannot see which button is which
Otherwise not much else to report, the year ended quietly other than a puncture which couldn't be repaired, irritating when I had new tyres all round in March.
- respray bonnet (lacquer has gone in a couple of places)
- try and get to the bottom of the battery drain from the comfort access
- refurb alloys
- I think some of the front suspension needs a refresh - it can be quite clonky over speed bumps (although not always), I was thinking drop links etc but any thoughts welcomed. It's at 120,000 miles and I cannot see from the history that anything has ever been done
- I want to install Apple CarPlay
- a really small issue, but quite irritating - the bulb in my iDrive controller has gone so at night I cannot see which button is which
Otherwise not much else to report, the year ended quietly other than a puncture which couldn't be repaired, irritating when I had new tyres all round in March.
Court_S said:
Does yours have the CCC or CIC nav?
Either way there are CarPlay solutions out there. I’ve installed CarPlay on my 130 with the old CCC nav. The screen resolution is a bit pants, but the functionality is fine and better than the ancient nav.
I’ve got the CIC nav, I’ve seen a few options around. It would be good to bring the infotainment up to date a bitEither way there are CarPlay solutions out there. I’ve installed CarPlay on my 130 with the old CCC nav. The screen resolution is a bit pants, but the functionality is fine and better than the ancient nav.
ATM said:
Snap
Mine isn't occasionally it's constantly
I've bought this lot but still sat in the house
I can't promise when but I'll let you know when the job is done and what difference it made
Thanks, let me know when you’ve managed the job, and if it makes a difference. I’ll be interested to know! Mine isn't occasionally it's constantly
I've bought this lot but still sat in the house
I can't promise when but I'll let you know when the job is done and what difference it made
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