Calling all high mileage xi owners (what has broken?)

Originally Posted by xixixi

150k.. but i've replaced damn near everything. The list of what i haven't replaced would be smaller.. ecu.. um...

rack?

Broken rear spring, 2 window regulators, axle boots, valve cover gasket and return have all broken on me.

Items that have worn out and been replaced: FCABs, RTABs, belts, shocks/struts. Mostly uneventful.

Originally Posted by bombguy

I'm not busting your balls, but seriously, where are you guys getting this info? Lowering will do nothing to your control arms. CV joints, maybe, control arms....no.

Lowering the car doesn't do it as long as the lowering is within the motion range of the ball joint. Higher rate springs and dampers kill ball joints.

I have an Xi at 197k...it needs axles, slight vibration at highway speeds but due to the cost of axles, I'll deal with a little vibration....Just rebuilt inner and outer of the front axles. Completely cleaned them out and regreased them, has helped a little with the vibration.

Anyone have any experiences with aftermarket front axles?? I have gone this route on other fwd cars, but not with BMWs.

Yes anybody replace with aftermarket front axles. OE are way too expensive.

Originally Posted by qmainracing

Lowering the car doesn't do it as long as the lowering is within the motion range of the ball joint. Higher rate springs and dampers kill ball joints.

I have an Xi at 197k...it needs axles, slight vibration at highway speeds but due to the cost of axles, I'll deal with a little vibration....Just rebuilt inner and outer of the front axles. Completely cleaned them out and regreased them, has helped a little with the vibration.

Anyone have any experiences with aftermarket front axles?? I have gone this route on other fwd cars, but not with BMWs.

Originally Posted by mp333

Yes anybody replace with aftermarket front axles. OE are way too expensive.

Do not use aftermarket axles. They are chinese junk. Buy A1 Cardone rebuilt axles.

I killed the right front chinese axle in two weeks, and the left front three months later. The A1 cardone axles are doing great with a year of very tough driving under them.

Originally Posted by Kubica

Do not use aftermarket axles. They are chinese junk. Buy A1 Cardone rebuilt axles.

I killed the right front chinese axle in two weeks, and the left front three months later. The A1 cardone axles are doing great with a year of very tough driving under them.

Ditto on this. Got a pair of aftermarket CV axles on eBay and had problems almost the moment I left the garage. After a few days, I had to change them back to OEM, which have been great since then. For that kind of parts, don't waste your time with cheap "jobber" parts - go for OEM.

Originally Posted by Kubica

rack?

had to replace the rack when i did the swap. Anyone need a rack? lol

Originally Posted by qmainracing

Lowering the car doesn't do it as long as the lowering is within the motion range of the ball joint. Higher rate springs and dampers kill ball joints.

I have an Xi at 197k...it needs axles, slight vibration at highway speeds but due to the cost of axles, I'll deal with a little vibration....Just rebuilt inner and outer of the front axles. Completely cleaned them out and regreased them, has helped a little with the vibration.

Anyone have any experiences with aftermarket front axles?? I have gone this route on other fwd cars, but not with BMWs.

I have oem axles with 15k miles on em. toss an offer

Anyone swapped out the steering guibo? I'm planning on doing this soon. It looks like I'll either need to remove the driver's side CA or else go in from the top. Or maybe both. I don't want to have to lower the subframe, but it looks like that could be a requirement too.

Bought the car with 70k, now has 77, since I've had it, replaced DESA/adjuster, and battery.
Prior to purchase:
Drive Belts
Lower radiator hoses and temp sensor
right side outter cv boot
and collapsed engine mount.
and that was only the work done at the dealership near me under factory warranty. I later found out all the work on the car was done all extended work was done at the dealer up the rd. still haven't gotten the list from them yet.
Car needs
tension/idler replaced
axles are clicking
valve cover gasket
I'm regreting the extended warranty as nothing so far has been covered. Need new rear pads as well.

From the top. easy access. It may be a good time to do a DIY, since there isnt one on XI.

Originally Posted by MileHiXi

Anyone swapped out the steering guibo? I'm planning on doing this soon. It looks like I'll either need to remove the driver's side CA or else go in from the top. Or maybe both. I don't want to have to lower the subframe, but it looks like that could be a requirement too.

Originally Posted by xixixi

had to replace the rack when i did the swap. Anyone need a rack? lol

I'm thinking about putting in a new rack- but I don't want your abused rack, haha. I want a rack from a 2005 325xi automatic female driven car that was totalled in a rear-end accident with 15k miles.

Originally Posted by mp333

From the top. easy access. It may be a good time to do a DIY, since there isnt one on XI.

Definitely doable if the front is on ramps and the airbox is removed. Like someone said above, it may be doable from the top only. Takes two seconds to drive up on ramps or put it up on jackstands.

Originally Posted by mp333

From the top. easy access. It may be a good time to do a DIY, since there isnt one on XI.

Originally Posted by Kubica

I'm thinking about putting in a new rack- but I don't want your abused rack, haha. I want a rack from a 2005 325xi automatic female driven car that was totalled in a rear-end accident with 15k miles.





Definitely doable if the front is on ramps and the airbox is removed. Like someone said above, it may be doable from the top only. Takes two seconds to drive up on ramps or put it up on jackstands.

Sweet! I'll make a DIY when I do this.

Oh- I have a new one:

I'm on my third front-center jack pad. It has failed on me twice now, and the second time could have done some damage if I hadn't put a jackstand under the left front pad about 10 seconds earlier.

As you know, it's sticks into the front subframe. Make sure to jack in a perfectly vertical motion and definitely make sure the jack is centered on the pad. I think mine got twisted slightly a few times from not being perfectly lifted- it's just plastic that sticks into the subframe, not metal.

I will eventually just weld something on the subframe as a permenant jack point.

Originally Posted by MileHiXi

Sweet! I'll make a DIY when I do this.

What are your symptoms, MileHIXi?

Originally Posted by Kubica

What are your symptoms, MileHIXi?

I've got severe tramlining, vibrations and slightly loose steering. CA's and bushings are also on my list (the parts have been sitting in my garage for months). I'm also going to drain/fill both diffs.

The tramlining could just be my low profile tires and 18s but I'm hoping it gets a lil better.

Once I install the guibo and CA's I will have replaced pretty much the entire front end except for the swaybar endlinks and steering rack.

[QUOTE=Kubica;12243593]I'm thinking about putting in a new rack- but I don't want your abused rack, haha. I want a rack from a 2005 325xi automatic female driven car that was totalled in a rear-end accident with 15k miles.

my rack is in good shape!!! and I'll let it go for 115 shipped! with the tie rod ends!

Originally Posted by MileHiXi

I've got severe tramlining, vibrations and slightly loose steering. CA's and bushings are also on my list (the parts have been sitting in my garage for months). I'm also going to drain/fill both diffs.

The tramlining could just be my low profile tires and 18s but I'm hoping it gets a lil better.

Once I install the guibo and CA's I will have replaced pretty much the entire front end except for the swaybar endlinks and steering rack.

Yeah I have a slightly loose steering feeling since the last autox. I had a BIG understeer to snap oversteer slide which I think caused it.

I got another alignment last night and three of four wheels were out on toe. I just had it aligned three months ago so i was a bit surprised. Left rear was toed out, and both fronts were pointing to the right a bit.

I have a tiny click from the guibo, but I'm afraid the majority of the play is coming from the rack.

125xxx on mine, still running strong. Cooling system overhaul and all scheduled maintenance.
Treat it right and it will continue to run with no flaws.

So far the mileage is at 227000kms! no rust, but the right rear axle pooched, ignition coils, window regulators, heated mirrors have stained.