Roadtrip Review 1400 Miles

[aom7]

Did a quick trip from LA to SF then back to LA. Then from LA to Vegas and back to LA, was about 1400 miles total.

PROS:
This car just eats up miles like crazy. Between the massaging seats, quiet interior, effortless power, it had to have been one of the best road trips I've had in a while.

CONS:
These are the only issues I had with it:
1) Radiator cap 'Failed' resulting in the upper radiator hose pancaking after resting overnight (it wasn't releasing the vacuum after cooling down. I replaced it with a BMW OEM for 22 bucks and the hoses were fine after that, whew!). The cap was about 6 years old though and I believe it was OEM but not BMW, so I replaced it with a BMW cap.
2) My washer fluid stopped working, turns out a hose going into the nozzles had cracked and separated from a tube. I ended up just cutting back the brittle hose a bit and then reconnected, no further issues after that.
3) A couple of miles from home, I stopped to pick up something, got back into the car and noticed that the Date/Time were gone from the NAV, ended up just reprogramming it and it was fine.
4) On the drive to SF, the Nav screen went black for a few seconds, then turned back on (but at no time did the music, etc. stop playing). The Nav computer is new as well as the DVD Reader, the monitor is new too (the LCD was replaced about 5k miles ago).

I drive the car about 5k/yr, so I did about 4 months worth of driving in about 2 weeks. I promised that if it didn't give me any major problems/breakdowns, I'd be treating it to something special, haha, so I'll give it a nice detailing. Weather ranged from 30-60F and the last 3 days it rained like crazy, but it handled all that like a champ.

Car has about 137k miles now. I keep vacillating between driving this thing or saving the mileage. But my concern is that if I don't drive it, everything I invested in it will be wasted. So I'm thinking of just not worrying about some big item failure, driving it and hoping it can get 60k more miles before any major, but at least when/if that time comes, I'd have gotten my $$ worth.

[clarkitect]

Drive it! That’s what it’s for! If something breaks it can be fixed. My biggest fear would be guides. I don’t recall if you ever had those done.

Yeah I drove 6 hours straight last weekend in our X3 and boy I sure missed the E38. So much better driving, so much more comfortable than the E83.

[Aitch]

I love driving mine on the highway. Best part about owning the car. I figure a car that's maintained and driven is better than one that's maintained just to be preserved, esp. at over 100k on the odometer. If you're going to drive the miles anyways, might as well be in a car you enjoy! I got mine at 115k and I'm just over 130k now 18 months later.

[aom7]

I really find that this car seems to like being driven especially on long trips.

My only concern is if it decides to be temperamental on a road trip and I'm no where near home.

[haynes740]

Drive it I’ve taken mine on long trips regularity. really haven’t had any issues I’m in Southern California as well I drive to Oregon couple times a year. Cars just eats up the road like you said.


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[aom7]

I will say, every time it's left me stranded (though I could have limped home 2 of the 5 times I've had it towed), it's been within 15 miles from home.

When I first got the car, I immediately took it up to Seattle from LA and back again. Had no issues (but when I got back, had a laundry list of things I wanted to replace/refresh. If I knew it was having those issues, I'd probably not have driven it).

Maybe it does like getting its leg stretched vs. stop and go local drives, haha!

I haven't had the guides done, but pretty much everything else on it/attached to it has been replaced. The engine purrs otherwise though and I'm tempted just to swap in a rebuilt engine if the guides do go. I did want to replace it myself as a PM, but then I'd be in it for 1.5k in parts and hours of work (which I'd do myself) and I'd have to keep wondering if it had another 30-100k in life in it as we're seeing with SOME cars. Of course, it could go tomorrow too.

[haynes740]

Changed my guides at 172k preventative maintenance cause my upper and lower timing cover gaskets were shot. Had no choice but to do guides as they were right there. They appeared to be in ok shape at that mileage.


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[dannyzabolotny]

I haven't had the guides done, but pretty much everything else on it/attached to it has been replaced. The engine purrs otherwise though and I'm tempted just to swap in a rebuilt engine if the guides do go. I did want to replace it myself as a PM, but then I'd be in it for 1.5k in parts and hours of work (which I'd do myself) and I'd have to keep wondering if it had another 30-100k in life in it as we're seeing with SOME cars. Of course, it could go tomorrow too.

Where are you getting the $1.5k figure? It's like $700 in parts, I've done 11 of these chain guide jobs.

[georgebest]

Where are you getting the $1.5k figure? It's like $700 in parts, I've done 11 of these chain guide jobs.

With all gaskets, guides and chain?
FCP has it for $1200: https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw...-11311741746kt

[clarkitect]

Where are you getting the $1.5k figure? It's like $700 in parts, I've done 11 of these chain guide jobs.

I guess it depends on what else you do while you're in there.

12/10-1/11	Timing chain guide service		178,500
	Timing chain guide rail	11311741236		$98.95
	Timing chain guide rail	11311741777		$116.95
	Timing chain guide lower left	11311745406		$40.95
	Timing chain tensioner o-ring	07119906361		$0.95
	Timing chain tensioner	11317531813		$68.95
	Oil pan gasket	11131436324		$20.95
	Oil separator	11151705272		$47.95
	Timing cover gasket set (lower)	11141436978		$20.95
	Crankshaft seal front	11141275466		$27.95
	O-rings for air pipe	07119901511		$1.90
	EGR Valve gasket	11727505259		$4.50
	Alternator O-ring	F00M258503		$5.95
	Timing cover seal ring (green one)	11141736758		$2.95
	Fan shroud clip	17111712963		$1.00
	Center shaft bolt (Jesus bolt)	11231736585		$19.95
	Crankcase vent valve	11617501563		$54.95
	Beisan vanos seals and tools			$70.00
	Vacuum hose (white with black stripe)	11747797177		$5.95
	Vacuum hose (blue with black stripe)	11747797082		$5.95
	Air pump vacuum hose	11731438139		$8.95
	AC drive belt	5PK1004		$10.95
	Accessory drive belt	7PK1635		$19.95
	VC Seal Washer (6)	11121721879		$3.00
	VC Seal Washer ( )
	Dipstick O-ring	11431707164		$3.95
	Valley pan replacement kit (FCP)	M62VALLEYPANKIT		$192.70
	Oil separator hose	11151705301		$34.95
	Water pump (Graf)	11510393336		$109.95
	Thermostat gasket	11511705408		$0.99
	Expansion tank (Hudson)	17111741167		$39.95
	Heater hose	64218390319		$15.95
	Expansion tank hose	11531711381		$16.95
	Water pipe from t-stat to trans cooler	11531711384		$37.95
	Cooling hose from radiator to trans cooler	11531711385		$16.95
	Cooling hose from cooler to metal line	11537511207		$14.95
	Timing cover seal strip (cyl 1-4)	11141741127		$7.95
	Timing cover seal strip (cyl 5-8)	11141741128		$7.95
	Camshaft solenoid gasket (2)	11141435023		$15.90
	Oil filter (Hengst)	11427510717		$8.95
	BMW Blue Anti-freeze (2)	82141467704		$49.90
	Brake booster vacuum valve (Jet pump)	11611440135		$42.99
	Timing chain guide upper (cam to cam, 4)	11311435028		$31.96
	VC gasket set (BFCP)	11120034104		$33.01
	VC gasket set (BFCP)	11120034105		$33.01
	Tax			$3.96
	Timing tool rental plus shipping			$72.60
	Shipping			$9.99
	Shipping			$9.99
	Shipping			$9.99
	Shipping			$9.99
	Shipping			$9.99
	Discount			-$25.00
	Discount			-$25.00	$1,453.87

[georgebest]

I guess it depends on what else you do while you're in there.

12/10-1/11	Timing chain guide service		178,500
	Timing chain guide rail	11311741236		$98.95
	Timing chain guide rail	11311741777		$116.95
	Timing chain guide lower left	11311745406		$40.95
	Timing chain tensioner o-ring	07119906361		$0.95
	Timing chain tensioner	11317531813		$68.95
	Oil pan gasket	11131436324		$20.95
	Oil separator	11151705272		$47.95
	Timing cover gasket set (lower)	11141436978		$20.95
	Crankshaft seal front	11141275466		$27.95
	O-rings for air pipe	07119901511		$1.90
	EGR Valve gasket	11727505259		$4.50
	Alternator O-ring	F00M258503		$5.95
	Timing cover seal ring (green one)	11141736758		$2.95
	Fan shroud clip	17111712963		$1.00
	Center shaft bolt (Jesus bolt)	11231736585		$19.95
	Crankcase vent valve	11617501563		$54.95
	Beisan vanos seals and tools			$70.00
	Vacuum hose (white with black stripe)	11747797177		$5.95
	Vacuum hose (blue with black stripe)	11747797082		$5.95
	Air pump vacuum hose	11731438139		$8.95
	AC drive belt	5PK1004		$10.95
	Accessory drive belt	7PK1635		$19.95
	VC Seal Washer (6)	11121721879		$3.00
	VC Seal Washer ( )
	Dipstick O-ring	11431707164		$3.95
	Valley pan replacement kit (FCP)	M62VALLEYPANKIT		$192.70
	Oil separator hose	11151705301		$34.95
	Water pump (Graf)	11510393336		$109.95
	Thermostat gasket	11511705408		$0.99
	Expansion tank (Hudson)	17111741167		$39.95
	Heater hose	64218390319		$15.95
	Expansion tank hose	11531711381		$16.95
	Water pipe from t-stat to trans cooler	11531711384		$37.95
	Cooling hose from radiator to trans cooler	11531711385		$16.95
	Cooling hose from cooler to metal line	11537511207		$14.95
	Timing cover seal strip (cyl 1-4)	11141741127		$7.95
	Timing cover seal strip (cyl 5-8)	11141741128		$7.95
	Camshaft solenoid gasket (2)	11141435023		$15.90
	Oil filter (Hengst)	11427510717		$8.95
	BMW Blue Anti-freeze (2)	82141467704		$49.90
	Brake booster vacuum valve (Jet pump)	11611440135		$42.99
	Timing chain guide upper (cam to cam, 4)	11311435028		$31.96
	VC gasket set (BFCP)	11120034104		$33.01
	VC gasket set (BFCP)	11120034105		$33.01
	Tax			$3.96
	Timing tool rental plus shipping			$72.60
	Shipping			$9.99
	Shipping			$9.99
	Shipping			$9.99
	Shipping			$9.99
	Shipping			$9.99
	Discount			-$25.00
	Discount			-$25.00	$1,453.87

Is Valley Pan kit necessary? I'd think you can do without it. But never done it myself.

[clarkitect]

Is Valley Pan kit necessary? I'd think you can do without it. But never done it myself.

It's not necessary unless it's leaking or you want to do it while you are in there. Just illustrating the point that you can get to $1500 pretty quickly. For the OP, his car is already in what seems to be nice shape, so perhaps he would be closer to the $700 Danny mentions. In hindsight I would have left well enough alone because it wasn't leaking then but I have a slow leak now after I screwed with it. Fickle little bastard the valley pan gasket.

A07M I think you offer to fly Danny out for a weeks vacation and have him help do your guides so you can drive the car and sleep well on the road.

[Jamos]

How do you possibly only pay $3 tax on all of that!?!

[georgebest]

In hindsight I would have left well enough alone because it wasn't leaking then but I have a slow leak now after I screwed with it. Fickle little bastard the valley pan gasket.

Lol, exactly my worry with minor leaks, I should just not touch them...but all those DIYs makes it look so easy!

[clarkitect]

How do you possibly only pay $3 tax on all of that!?!

Ha! Bought almost everything online except the valve cover gaskets, so there was the tax.

Lol, exactly my worry with minor leaks, I should just not touch them...but all those DIYs makes it look so easy!

Yeah they can draw you in too far for sure!

[georgebest]

Yeah they can draw you in too far for sure!

"this guy replaced timing chain in 18 hours on youtube, how hard it could be??" I should stop watching those videos!

[Jamos]

You don't pay tax if you buy online!? Wow I'm moving the America man, going to save 90% between all the free shipping, parts availability, and online tax crap! To get a $3 part from basically any of the sites is a minimum $3, + $40 shipping, +$12-15 import, + $25 once it arrives.

[haynes740]

well that’s not good.


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[Aitch]

You don't pay tax if you buy online!? Wow I'm moving the America man, going to save 90% between all the free shipping, parts availability, and online tax crap! To get a $3 part from basically any of the sites is a minimum $3, + $40 shipping, +$12-15 import, + $25 once it arrives.

It depends where you buy. Online places are *supposed* to charge you appropriate taxes for the state you are buying from, even if they're based in another state with different (or no) taxes. Doesn't always occur.

[aom7]

With all gaskets, guides and chain?
FCP has it for $1200: https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw...-11311741746kt

That's what I was thinking, to basically just replaced every gasket and this or that while I'm in there anyway. And I'd only be using BMW parts, no OE, OEM or other stuff.

Yes, once I work up the courage to tackle this, I'd definitely want to reach out to Danny and make some arrangements! :P