X3 35d (F25) 2015 @ 70k miles - maintenance things to do ?

[Talay]

As I'm keeping the car for a few years more, I want to get any issues that come with it being 8 years old and having 70k miles on it dealt with.

I read things like timing chains, etc. but I honestly don't have a list and I'm hoping you can throw up a few pointers.

Car lives outside, dealer history, no leaks etc.

[d_a_n1979]

Ignore timing chain issues you read about online...

Unless you've symptoms, it's fine...

Keep the oil and filter fresh (change it yearly at a minimum).

Get the fuel filter changed for peace of mind.

Ensure the suspension is in rude health.

Give it an Italian tune up every so often and it'll be spot on...

[Talay]

d_a_n1979 said:

Ignore timing chain issues you read about online...

Unless you've symptoms, it's fine...

Keep the oil and filter fresh (change it yearly at a minimum).

Get the fuel filter changed for peace of mind.

Ensure the suspension is in rude health.

Give it an Italian tune up every so often and it'll be spot on...

Car is my ex's old car but it is in near perfect health and I'd get less than it's worth to me so I'm keeping it.

Sub 5s 0-60 is enough of warp speed to me but I'd be interested in who could refine the delivery of power shall we say !

Just been half resprayed and every dent fixed so it is good for another X years.

Just got to change the wheels next week as the buggers at Lyson Avenue said they were not storing wheels anymore. Still, jacking it up and doing it myself feels like a "win" against the machine !

[Summit_Detailing]

As Dan said above -

12mth/10k oil changes, whichever you do first.
Gearbox oil change - preventative maintenance if you are planning on keeping the car a while.
Premium fuel every other or every third tank.
Glow plugs like all modern diesels are considered consumables - symptoms being slightly reluctant starting and/or a lumpy idle on initial cold start.

[ian in lancs]

full history on my 2012 3.0d...

bought at 28k pls

tyres, pads & disks replaced prior to sale

41,663 Ambient Sensor
46,773 EGR Valve Replaced
54,818 EGR Cooler Recall
62,851 Oil, filter and Brake fluid
65,000 Tyres Pirelli 245/50/R18 P Zero RFT
70,232 Replaced Battery Bosch 95Ah
70,452 Replaced Tailgate Jacks
71,030 ABS RNS Sensor / Batt Program
71,606 Replaced OSR Light and side repeater
72,180 Oil, filter and Brake fluid
72,180 Replaced rear springs
72,511 ABS ROS Sensor
73,000 ROS Puncture - 2 Rear Tyres Pirelli 245/50/R18 P Zero RFT
74,234 EGR Cooler Recall
75,515 Oil, oil filter, cabin filter and brake fluid
75,515 regas air-con
75,515 front calipers, discs and pads
75,515 rear discs and pads

plus normal services, winter and normal tyres

15,473 Oil Service
17,695 Washer Bottle cleaned out
22,958 Brake Fluid
27,817 Standard Service
28,716 ISOFIX Campaign 0041760100
29,000 Wiper blades Front
29,000 Wiper blades Rear
30,030 Winter Tyres - fitted
34,743 Winter Tyres - removed 4700mls
40,629 Brake Fluid
40,650 Puncture NSR - Summer
40,689 Winter Tyres - fitted
44,581 Oil Service
44,654 73.0 New NSR Tyre & Balancing (all 4)
44,654 0.0 Winter Tyres - removed 3965mls
52,637 Winter Tyres - fitted
55,217 Winter Tyres - removed 2580mls


plus worn steering something or other - thrust bearing /track rod end(s) soon.

Advisories - Offside Front Play in steering rack inner joint(s)

Edited by ian in lancs on Saturday 4th November 21:25

[d_a_n1979]

Talay said:

d_a_n1979 said:

Ignore timing chain issues you read about online...

Unless you've symptoms, it's fine...

Keep the oil and filter fresh (change it yearly at a minimum).

Get the fuel filter changed for peace of mind.

Ensure the suspension is in rude health.

Give it an Italian tune up every so often and it'll be spot on...

Car is my ex's old car but it is in near perfect health and I'd get less than it's worth to me so I'm keeping it.

Sub 5s 0-60 is enough of warp speed to me but I'd be interested in who could refine the delivery of power shall we say !

Just been half resprayed and every dent fixed so it is good for another X years.

Just got to change the wheels next week as the buggers at Lyson Avenue said they were not storing wheels anymore. Still, jacking it up and doing it myself feels like a "win" against the machine !

A stage one remap alongside a full box service (fluid & filter at a ZF specialist) and then a box remap would work wonders…

This is what I’ll be having done to my F31 early next year once it’s out of extended warranty…

Having driven a few cars recently with the XHP box remap, it really makes it a different beast to drive! Well, I thought it did

And yes, changing your own wheels etc is a basic need, so keep it going Just ensure you clean the mating faces thoroughly & don’t use any sort of grease at all…

[d_a_n1979]

Summit_Detailing said:

As Dan said above -

12mth/10k oil changes, whichever you do first.
Gearbox oil change - preventative maintenance if you are planning on keeping the car a while.
Premium fuel every other or every third tank.
Glow plugs like all modern diesels are considered consumables - symptoms being slightly reluctant starting and/or a lumpy idle on initial cold start.

Never thought re glow plugs. A good idea and I’ll keep that in mind for my F31…

I use Shell VPower diesel every one in three/four tanks… we only do low miles but like to think it does a good enough job

[Talay]

Why put different fuel in it ?

What's wrong with Costco regular ?

Glow plugs - I thought they were just on commercial vans.

[d_a_n1979]

Talay said:

Why put different fuel in it ?

What's wrong with Costco regular ?

Glow plugs - I thought they were just on commercial vans.

VPower gives you some cleaning additives that aid to keep the engine healthier... So they say. I run it 1 in 3 or 4 full tanks; have done the same with petrol engines and Shell VPower 99RON etc... It does seem to make the engine that bit sweeter/smoother etc

I am wary of supermarket fuels at times; but they're all sorted in the same place IIRC

And how do you think your engine starts if it doesn't have glow plugs?!

Edited by d_a_n1979 on Sunday 5th November 09:17

[Talay]

sunnyb13 said:

honestly for the sake of £900 or so, defo worth getting the timing chain replaced.

also get the gearbox serviced.

While your at it, might be worth lubricating the rubber seals around the doors with gummi pflege too

Edited by sunnyb13 on Sunday 5th November 11:23

I had to google the "gummi pflege" but my gut says to "get things done" if keeping the vehicle for X years.

[d_a_n1979]

Talay said:

sunnyb13 said:

honestly for the sake of £900 or so, defo worth getting the timing chain replaced.

also get the gearbox serviced.

While your at it, might be worth lubricating the rubber seals around the doors with gummi pflege too

Edited by sunnyb13 on Sunday 5th November 11:23

I had to google the "gummi pflege" but my gut says to "get things done" if keeping the vehicle for X years.

It'll be a lot more than £900, more like c£1500

As said; each to their own, but why fix something that isn't broken?

I'm all up for future proofing cars; but these engines are solid and they all don't eat their chains; its those that are poorly looked after with crap oil servicing that suffer generally. Plenty out there with very high miles still on their original chains etc

But each to their own

[bigdom]

Talay said:

I had to google the "gummi pflege" but my gut says to "get things done" if keeping the vehicle for X years.

As you mentioned Lyson Avenue in a previous reply, I assume you'll be close to TWG Automotive in Camberley? Book it in there, and have them look over it, generally it's about a 4 week wait. They won't do any unnecessary work, and given the current mileage, you are still quite a way off from most things, and most of those are just age related consumables.

Around 100k due to the weight, it's likely to start needing a few arms/rubbers for front suspension, maybe rear arms/new airbags for self levelling, but can be changed as and when.

Fuel is always a funny one. My cars tend to 'prefer' Esso, or Shell. They really don't like BP, tank range always poor with them. I believe Costco is delivered by Greenenergy and pimped onsite to Premium Diesel. One of the cars has CC Diesel in it as we went past Stevenage the other week, saves me adding Archoil or equivalent to base fuel, and that always pays for itself in my cars.

I personally avoid Tesco because I know 3 people who had claims with their fuel contaminated with water.

[Ranger 6]

If you are close to Camberley then here's another shout for TWG - but the wait can be 6 weeks these days, they're much in demand

They looked after all our BMWs/Minis and on my F25 35d they did a gearbox fluid change at 100k as well as transfer box oil and diff oils. Well worth the expense.

It went back to Sytners for the EGR recall and any other warranty work (new towbar mech).

I also kept the fuel topped up with Millers additive regularly.

[S8QUATTRO]

Regular oil changes max 10k regardless of what BMW say. Oil and filters are cheap enough

Transmission service, filter and fluids. Again cheap both 6 and 8 speed kits are about £160-£170

Mine is a 2009 3.0 35d, oil service every 4-5k miles, full service every 15k, its on 237k miles. Should be on 245k-250k when its time to change in Spring 2024

Great engines

Link to trans kit for the 8 speed
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/266459601313?hash=item3...

[Talay]

S8QUATTRO said:

Regular oil changes max 10k regardless of what BMW say. Oil and filters are cheap enough

Transmission service, filter and fluids. Again cheap both 6 and 8 speed kits are about £160-£170

Mine is a 2009 3.0 35d, oil service every 4-5k miles, full service every 15k, its on 237k miles. Should be on 245k-250k when its time to change in Spring 2024

Great engines

Link to trans kit for the 8 speed
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/266459601313?hash=item3...

So you do it yourself ? I'm not suggesting I do it, rather would I need to buy one of these for a garage to do it ? Surely not ?

[d_a_n1979]

Talay said:

S8QUATTRO said:

Regular oil changes max 10k regardless of what BMW say. Oil and filters are cheap enough

Transmission service, filter and fluids. Again cheap both 6 and 8 speed kits are about £160-£170

Mine is a 2009 3.0 35d, oil service every 4-5k miles, full service every 15k, its on 237k miles. Should be on 245k-250k when its time to change in Spring 2024

Great engines

Link to trans kit for the 8 speed
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/266459601313?hash=item3...

So you do it yourself ? I'm not suggesting I do it, rather would I need to buy one of these for a garage to do it ? Surely not ?

An autobox specialist will have it sorted for you; find your local ZF recommended specialist or any decent auto transmission place

Re oil change; your engine has a dipstick IIRC so you can always do that yourself with a pela pump etc