[Stratohawk]

Hello all, Chris here. We just got a 2016 535i X Drive a month ago with 92k miles on it. We had been searching for a new vehicle all spring and couldn't figure out what to get. We needed to replace our 2008 Chevy Impala SS with a 300hp V8. She wanted power and room so options where some what limited since we live in Iowa and need something to deal with winter. She didn't want a pickup and V8 Jeep Cherokees were hard to find and then the whole lifter issues with hemis. Then factor in that USA cars are not as reliable as they once were, I don't see any newer 4 door AWD vehicles with power made in the US that are worth buying. I didn't think the wife would be interested in a BMW but, she was looking through marketplace and saw a 550 F10 for sale and said she liked it. Pleasant surprise for me as a GM guy who has always liked BMW from a far as a sim racer and car enthusiast. So began my research into F10s. After a weekend of reading and video watching I decided the N55 would be the right choice for us so we found this serviced 16 535i x Drive and so far we love it.

The driving experience is excellent. It's no Msport but for a 4100lbs car it sure drives composed. From what I can see the N55 is a reliable engine if maintained and one that I can work on. Great power with a nice shifting transmission. I get it, a far better driving experience than most American 4 door cars. Also seems as BMW cares enough to do a better job of rust protection on their cars. The wife misses the low end torque from the old V8 Impala but she does really like this F10 and I like that she wont "steal" my truck when it snows now lol. We might be 5 series people going forward.

I've already replaced the sticky door handles and replaced the grill with a blackout one. I'm getting ready to order stuff for an oil change and valve cover gasket this weekend too. Thinking I should just replace the valve cover itself and while I'm under the hood replace the charge pipe too. No plans of a tune other than maybe to E85, otherwise we just want to hear it so a better exhaust system. That N55 sure does sound good and I'm a V8 guy lol

Any tips, parts supplier suggestions, or things to look out for would be much appreciated. So far we are happy to be BMW owners.

[ctcarbonari]

Congratulations on the purchase & welcome to the (F10) family!
Enjoy the honeymoon phase of ownership!

After 4 years of "new-to-me" 2015 535i ownership, here's my 2-cents:

As with nearly any used car purchase, I'd plan on exchanging ALL the fluids and filters (to create a baseline for future service/maintenence intervals).

-Engine Oil/Filter
-Engine & Cabin Air Filters
-Brake fluid flush
-Differentials & Transfer Case Oils
-Coolant flush & fill
-Transmission oil/(filter/pan) service

imho, you made a WISE choice going with the BMW I6 engine vs the V8. What it lacks in low end torque (still pretty decent, imo), your 535 will more than make up with high end torque.

If you don't have them already, time to get a full set of Torx & E-Torx sockets & wrenches. Also, an OBDII scanner capable of pulling BMW specific hex codes is a must and will pay for itself the first time you need to use it. Also, the scanner should be able to do other tasks such as reset service intervals, read live sensor values, put your rear brakes into service mode (electromechanical parking brake), data log, register your new battery, etc. Oh, and some Jack Pad adapters.

Absolutely change the valve cover along with the gasket. Read up on the BMW service bulletin re: Priming the oil pump before starting "everytime you break the N55 oil circuit". Most people (my Indy mechanic included) say this is not necessary for VC replacement, but why gamble I say. Also, when replacing the VC, pay attention to the LOW torque values and sequencing (I'd snug all bolts down, then start 1/4 turning thru sequence until I got to torquing)

Aside from the VC oil leak, you'll eventually get an oil pan leak (OP). Both of these two or essentially a "nuisance", imo. The oil leak to keep an eye out for is the oil filter housing gasket (OFHG). That's a high pressure leak that if left alone will eventually drip down onto your accessory belt, degrading it, and....in some instances of severe neglect, can cause the belt to be sucked thru the crank seal. Obviously, that's all bad. There's cheap insurance to protect from this in that there are aftermarket crank seal guards that can easily be installed. Especially when your changing out your belt/tensioner/pulley (at your mileage should be soonish). Also, the other big N55 boo-boo to consider preventative maintenance on is the Coolant Hose Flange (aka the "Mickey Mouse" flange). The original is plastic and known to commonly fail. They make aftermarket billet aluminum ones.

Driveline rear bushing (there's 3) and your flex disc (the giubo disc) for tears/cracks at around your mileage.

I absolutely LOVE my 15' 535i and still feel like it gives me a great big hug every time I get in to drive.

Tons of info on this forum & plenty of very knowledgable people to help with questions.

A few sites to consider:

www.realoem.com (BMW parts # look-up)
www.fcpeuro.com
www.ecstuning.com
(both these two sites offer lifetime replacement for parts and quality selection of OEM & aftermarket providers, as well as packaged "kits" for doing a project - such as VC replacement) FCP is a "blanket" replacement warranty, ECS is most parts.
www.getbmwparts.com (I like this one for genuine parts, plenty of other sites out there too)

Once again, Congrats!!!
The (F10) 535 is a hell of a comfortable ride w/ a bit of get-up-and-go.
(and it should be able to keep your wife out of your truck!)

[Qsilver7]

Congrats…and consider purchasing a set of dedicated winter tires if you really want a great winter driving experience. There’s nothing like dedicated winter tires when having to drive in snow/cold wet & dry conditions/sleet/cold rain/sleet/etc. Once the average temps drop below 45° F, the rubber compound of all season & summer tires began to harden which lengthens stopping distance, turn-angles, & acceleration (see screen shots below from test taken on ice that compares summer vs all season vs winter tires).

Many owners in 4 season country buy dedicated winter setups that they swap on when the temps drop then swap back on their summer set when temps rise above3 45° F in the spring.

Dedicated winter tires pared with xDrive will give you the best winter performance ever.

[Stratohawk]

[QUOTE=ctcarbonari;32327756]Congratulations on the purchase & welcome to the (F10) family!
Enjoy the honeymoon phase of ownership!

After 4 years of "new-to-me" 2015 535i ownership, here's my 2-cents:


Thanks for all the great information! This was exactly the kinda of reply I was hoping for.
I will go ahead and do the full valve cover and gasket.
So far the oil cooler/filter housing is dry with no leaks.
My plan is to upgrade that coolant coupler this spring and also replace the water pump and thermostat while I'm at it.

Yes it is an absolute joy to drive, I get payback from all the times she's taken my truck so I take advantage of driving it when I can lol.

Thanks again!

[ctcarbonari]

[QUOTE=Stratohawk;32328058]

Originally Posted by ctcarbonari

My plan is to upgrade that coolant coupler this spring and also replace the water pump and thermostat while I'm at it.
Thanks again!

You're welcome. My 535i has been the most enjoyable daily driver I've owned since I bought my first car @ 16 years (1973 Toyota Celica). Imho, the F10s have a good balance of comfort, luxury, & power with one of the better overall body styles.

I'm sure you'll "do your homework" when parts shopping for your DIY products. Most of the time OEM products will work just fine. Other times, you may want to consider spending the extra $$$ for Genuine and at times aftermarket.

Re: VCs. +1 to Elring Gaskets. +1 to spending the extra $$$ and buying Genuine BMW VC (it's ~150%+ more than the OEMs) from a vendor such as FCP or ECS that will give you a lifetime replacement guarantee. A couple of the OEM VCs get positive reviews on the forums as well. Stay away from aftermarkets.

Re: Electric Water Pump & Thermostat. +1 to Pierburg. Also, consider replacing the bolt on the ground strap. It has been know to corrode and fail. They make a stainless steel aftermarket replacement (it's the contact of the metal tab that grounds, not the bolt).

Similar is true re: corrosion for the set screws on your brake discs. SS replacements are cheap, long term, insurance.

[StradaRedlands]

It's cool to read your perspective on the car coming from domestic V8 experience. I've been tempted by the Pontiac G8, Chevy SS, and Cadillac CTS-V.

I think your spouse will love the interior and living space inside the F10. While it looks great on the outside, the interior is top notch and where it really shines. Except the stupid cup holders... those suck.

As suggested, do the full VC. The PCV valve is built into it, and diaphragm can go bad and no real good way to repair it. Plus they just generally warp from all the heat cycles. Plastic does that, who could have known! Do spark plugs whilst in there. No need to do coils until you start getting misfires and codes.

Same with water pump. There are a lot of horror stories out there, but in newer cars like yours, they can last a long time. I'd say wait till you start getting a shadow code, then replace, and not do it preventatively. YMMV on that.

Speaking of codes... INPA/ISTA is the way to go if you are computer savvy. If not, then I highly recommend Bimmergeeks Protool. I'm not in the savvy column, so that's what I use LOL. You'll need it to monitor the vehicle as well as do service resets and can code a lot of things to personalize the car. Highly recommended and if you have just the one Bimmer, just leave the Bluetooth dongle plugged in to the OBD port.

If you get a Rein or other brand aluminum MM flange, it is recommended to get the actual BMW O ring and swap out the one Rein uses. Stay away from Rein in general as their quality as decreased significantly post pandemic. Elring is still highly regarded, and Lemforder is now hit or miss with their parts made in Germany or Poland, usually being just fine, Turkey is maybe, and Malaysia is so far a no.

Liqui Moly is a great go-to for most fluids, although Redline is highly regarded as well.

Ask lots of questions and post a running update with pics of what you're doing and how you and your wife are liking it (or not!)!

[carllipbaum]

This is a very helpful thread for someone just starting to learn about F10s in prep for buying his first. Thanks all for the time you put into this.