It could never be simple with a BMW main dealer.........after nearly 4hours waiting (BMW did send out for some lunch for me at least) they decided they needed a different part and could only get it on Monday, so they gave me their new X3 to take home and on a long trip to Wales on Monday.  I did qui...

Been at Sytner TW since 930am.....just a quick MOT I thought, plus a brake fluid and oil service. Away by 11ish I thought........ Luckily I brought laptop and ipad with ......... they decided to do the recall check (which they had previously said they had done and car did not need new propshaft ) an...

As owner of both, I second the 8sp choice - plus the newer iDrive is definitely a plus worth having.  The 6sp in our old E53 still feels smooth, but in comparison the 8 in my 40d is sublime with quick and seamless changes.

For any “new” car purchase its the cost to change and whether you can afford or want to spend that money....... I owned a Range Rover for 8 years before moving to BMW and while I enjoyed the RR it cost a fortune to maintain as most of these cars do but it never had the build quality of the BMW and w...

Correction Graeme, faulty air suspension on the 4.8 costs a LOT to fix!

It’s a good call Graeme, today alone the old 4.8 would have cost over £600 for the door repairs at dealer rates. And heaven knows how much for a new BT module-  I paid nothing as the warranty covered it all and mine was a no excess one which I have kept up over the years.  Total cost was £80 for the...

I don’t drive the old X much any more as my other half inherited it when I got the E70.......when driving it to the dealers for the warranty repairs to the door carrier etc I noticed quite a judder through the brake pedal when braking at low speeds, although the brakes work as they should its rather...

My ancient 4.8is has got to that point where a number of things need doing.........at least the warranty coughed up today for nroken door carrier and lock on the passenger door - nightmare scenario where it wouldn’t open from inside or outside.  They also replaced the BT unit ....... the warranty ha...

No car looks good in a ditch, however much you “like” the wheels! 

I travel a lot in the Derbyshire area too -the snow and ice has been very tricky in some places.  Any 4x4 is unfortunately only as good as the tyres, in such extreme conditions, it does not matter how advanced it is mechanically if sliding around on 20” sleds.  I had winter tyres with my E53 and nev...

Full size spares do not fit the wheel well.........def not 20” .  17” or 18” only. They are not original alloys either, more a spacesaver type spare.

The iDrive is not the same as the latest one, it is CIC instead of CCC, which is good, but not the latest App-type version. I can get to lists of McD’s etc via the iDrive Connected Drive menu, never tried with the Voice Control. BMW Assist is the BMW emergency direct connection- available via iDrive...

I also upgraded from an E53 to an E70 - going on 2 years ago now.  The drive is a world of difference, the E70 is much more refined IMO, although we still own our old 4.8is and still enjoy it........ The 40d is seen by many as the choice of engine, I think it was only available on the LCI models. It...

Don’t let the garage fob you off with wheel alignment and the like, these symptoms are exactly what the failing transfer box does.  BMW swopped my wheels /tyres with another set from an E70 on the floor before they would replace the transfer box but its just as easy for a garage to disconnect the tr...

The 4.6 and 4.8 E53 had 18” spares - my 2005 4.8 still has the original 18” “biscuit” in the boot. The 17” wheels do not fit over the brake calipers.  The E53 is not as finicky about tyres as the E70 - the diff wind up is really bad on E70s and there have been a number which needed replacement trans...