The "Kraut" wagon

[smokeyyank]

Figured I would post this up for any interested minds. This is my 03 BMW X5 4.6is.

Searched a while to find one as they are rare cars and an even rarer color. This one came from AZ and has been a AZ/CA it's whole life. Only a few hundred of the Estroil blue ones where produced and was a signature color along with the Imola red for the 4.6 model. They only made the 4.6is for 2 years, 2002 and 2003, after they made the 4.8is. The 4.6 has the Alpina designed V8 that has been bored and stroked from the 4.4 version along with performance suspension and brakes. 340HP and 350 lb-ft. Does 0-60 is a little over 6 seconds, and corners like a mother, 0.84 g.

I'll be honest as much as I love my jeeps, I'm a sucker for my BMW's.

Currently, it's stock and I've just done a few little things along the way. Ideally, will just keep it in stock form and restore certain things. Only thing I'm debating on is to swap out the junk slush box and AWD and drop in the 6 speed and keep it RWD. It's swap that is not popular although one of the guys on xoutpost (which I'm on) is currently doing.

So here we go!

 

[smokeyyank]

First, big ticket item was oil change and service the tranny. BMW said that the fluid on the trannys did not need to be changed because it was "lifetime" fluid. Come to find out BMW defines lifetime as 100k. Tranny had some shifting issues and are known to fail. So assuming the fluid was never changed tackled that to see if it remedy's anything.

Went with Royal purple for oil, 8 freakin quarts! The rest is all German parts, ZF service kit and fluid and Mann filters. Surprisingly part cost aren't that expensive and most of it is German made, not cheap Chinese crap.

Cracked the pan open.....ewww

Nice and sparkly

To my surprise the tranny was serviced at some point as the filter had a date of 2014.

Test drive and my issues where still there. After talking with some bimmer guys my guess is an eventual rebuild or at least replacing the TC. Problem becomes rough 2-1 downshifts, I just keep it manual sport mode and is fine.

 

[Kittrell]

I always like the X5 and that is the great thing really about the German cars. Since they are so prevalent in Europe you can pretty much get any replacement part you need from a number of vendors and they are usually made somewhere in Europe (if not the OEM) and really not all that expensive. You want a Jeep part you got China and the Dealer.

 

[DutchVDub]

Sweet bimmer but I'm pretty sure this bad boy was THE performance SUV that predates your Kraut Mobile by a solid decade.

 

[trippled]

Euro cars...you guys are crazy...

 

[smokeyyank]

Sweet bimmer but I'm pretty sure this bad boy was THE performance SUV that predates your Kraut Mobile by a solid decade.

Thanks, I agree Typhoons where the 1st (and bad ass) but no company ever followed suit. It wasn't until the X5 and ML55 that the performance SUV started to become a thing with car makers.

 

[DutchVDub]

Whoa Whoa Whoa buddy. Now you're forgetting about this pair of 5.9L Powered beats?

 

[DutchVDub]

I'll quit polluting your thread now, just had to razz you a bit.

I'm a big fan of the Euro Cars, or at least used to be. I still miss both my UrS4 and B5S4, not to mention the GTI's and Scirocco's I had. Stupid car ADD.

 

[smokeyyank]

HAHA, well crap, I give up! It's fast I'll just leave it at that!:looney: I'm a big fan of BMW and some MB, not so much audi of VW. Had a little E30 a while ago that I purchased on a whim, wife was pissed. Tried explaining it was too good of a deal to pass up at $1000. Still didn't matter. Then she drove it and got a little bit of forgiveness only because it was a manual convertible. Surprisingly the M20 is one of the better engines I worked on, minus vacuum leaks. Plus that thing was fun as hell to drive.

 

[smokeyyank]

At some point someone added in a SMG steering wheel with paddle shifters, they don't work but look cool! There is a way to make them functional but that's low on the priory list.

Had a bunch of dead pixels in the dash. Common problem that is easily fixed. As much as I prefer to DIY I paid someone for this one because I didn't want to f it up. Nice to see what the display message was for once, before it was just jumbled up nonsense.

Got sick of the radio and who the hell rolls around with CD's anymore let alone tapes (yes this has a tape deck). So added in the AUX input. Factory recommends putting it in the glove box.......yeah not a fan of that idea. So I fabbed this up for the ashtray.

 

[smokeyyank]

Needed some new rubbers as the Nitto's on there where junk. Trolled CL for a while and found a score on my favorite tires, Continental DWS. Got them bad boys mounted. Baby got back? I think so.....

Got a round to some detail work. Was able to get a good clay barring in. Bought some detail stuff from ammonyc. Shit is stupid expensive but works amazing. The guy the runs the company, Larry, is very passionate about his work and his product shows.

That pretty much brings it to current. Next big item up will hopefully be getting the suspension refresh done. I'm also thinking of lowering it slightly and converting the rear air bags to coils. After that will be addressing the tranny and then taking care of the Valve chain guides, which is basically tearing everything apart in the engine.

 

[smokeyyank]

I always like the X5 and that is the great thing really about the German cars. Since they are so prevalent in Europe you can pretty much get any replacement part you need from a number of vendors and they are usually made somewhere in Europe (if not the OEM) and really not all that expensive. You want a Jeep part you got China and the Dealer.

So true, with the exception of a few parts nothing is crazy expensive.

 

[trippled]

That's a nice looking color out in the sun!

 

[DutchVDub]

The blue is really nice.

I really liked the DWS's on my B5S4. Predictable traction in the snow and still grippy in the summer when driving in a "spirited" manner through the mountains.

 

[YELLAHEEP]

LOL.... Dutch beat me to the origin of the performance SUV rant. As I was reading and scrolling down, I was like "no, the Typhoon was", saw he caught that and then I was like "Oh and the 5.9 Grand..." yeah Dutch got that too...... Nice catch Dutch!

:laugh:


Indeed, I dig Mazen's Bimmer X5 and he was definitely proud of it when he dropped by to deliver the tires/wheels I got from him...... he actually loaded 4 dirty 33" BFG AT's into that pretty ride to bring them to me. Mighty nice of ya brutha!

Sorry, I would not have done the same when we had our WK2 SRT8 Grand....... :nono:

 

[smokeyyank]

LOL.... Dutch beat me to the origin of the performance SUV rant. As I was reading and scrolling down, I was like "no, the Typhoon was", saw he caught that and then I was like "Oh and the 5.9 Grand..." yeah Dutch got that too...... Nice catch Dutch!

:laugh:


Indeed, I dig Mazen's Bimmer X5 and he was definitely proud of it when he dropped by to deliver the tires/wheels I got from him...... he actually loaded 4 dirty 33" BFG AT's into that pretty ride to bring them to me. Mighty nice of ya brutha!

Sorry, I would not have done the same when we had our WK2 SRT8 Grand....... :nono:

Yeah, not my proudest car history moment :dunce:.

It's kind of a blessing that since it is older and in decent shape the occasional "boo-boo" doesnt sting quiet as bad. Still wont drive it in bad weather and I park out in bfe.

I do love the color. Only issue is it had adhession issues from the factory. So on some of the door jams and hood the paint peels. Luckily its only in small areas and not really noticable unless you look.

 

[Kittrell]

You won't drive your AWD SUV in "bad" weather?

:roflmao:

 

[YELLAHEEP]

You won't drive your AWD SUV in "bad" weather?

:roflmao:

Its a wide-tire, high horsepower thing. The two don't mix well with icy roads.

And....... he wants to keep it nice. Road sand, de-icer, and retard drivers will screw it up in a hurry.

Amirite homie?

 

[RedHeep]

I'm also thinking of lowering it slightly and converting the rear air bags to coils.

Your single axle rear air suspension can be raised and lowered in INPA with a ride height calibration. You probably won't find many options to swap to a traditional coil spring in the rear since most of the air suspensions on BMW's have bracketry that is specific to the air bags.

If you want to lower it, the nice thing is that you only need front springs and a push of a button on the computer.

Your other option is a full KW coilover setup, but you'll need $2500.

This little bugger will turn your aux input into bluetooth. Mine is stashed in the center console.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B013QJ0W8Q/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[smokeyyank]

Your single axle rear air suspension can be raised and lowered in INPA with a ride height calibration. You probably won't find many options to swap to a traditional coil spring in the rear since most of the air suspensions on BMW's have bracketry that is specific to the air bags.

If you want to lower it, the nice thing is that you only need front springs and a push of a button on the computer.

Your other option is a full KW coilover setup, but you'll need $2500.

This little bugger will turn your aux input into bluetooth. Mine is stashed in the center console.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B013QJ0W8Q/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Yeah I know I can use INPA to lower it. ECS and a few others do have a the conversion kit for the rear.

https://www.ecstuning.com/b-assembled-by-ecs-parts/rear-coil-spring-conversion-kit/33536779860kt/

Really it is only the 04-06 E53 that had air bag problems. I still haven't fully decided if it would be worth while to ditch it.

Cool little device!