550Hi

Hi all,

I am in a bit of dilemma where I would like to get some feedback based on your experience so that I can make an informed decision. I am going to try to make this short and sweet.

I currently the second owner of a 2008 BMW 550i. Auto. No Nav. M Package. I have the service history of the vehicle since day 1. It's been meticulously maintained. (FYI: Previous cars. E46 M3 - kept it for 4 years. E46 330i - kept it for 6 months). I am not new to the BMW scene and am aware of maintenance upkeep etc. I do not cut corners when it comes to maintenance.

I have had the 550i for almost 2 years now and so far (Thank God) it's been absolutely amazing. No major issues. Apart from a brake fluid flush, regular oil changes and belt replacements, nothing else. I am currently at 146,500km. (~91,500 miles). I do like the car. I love the styling. I enjoy driving it. I am a bit weary of any possible major issues that could come up and this is where I need your feedback/help. I plan on doing a complete fluid overhaul (Brake, Coolant, Tranny, Diff, Power Steering, Oil) flush/change, replace fuel filter, spark plugs & air filters at 150,000km (~93,750 miles).

Previously I sold the 330i because I wanted the M3. I should not have sold the M3 but due to car seat (baby) issues I had to jump into a sedan. I do miss the M3 and had been perfectly maintained. Question is: Do I keep the car? Or should I sell it now? I plan on getting the F10 M5 in about 2 years or so. I do not mind holding onto this car as I really do enjoy it but not if it is going to turn into a money pit.

I have seen this thread but not a lot of V8 owners have reported their mileage/issues.

From current owners of V8s (or 2008+ 550i specifically), what is your current mileage? Have you had any major issues? Is there anything else that I should add to the maintenance list above? Should I keep it?

Am I getting cold feet for no reason? Thinking too much?

Please advise.

DavidF

I have two v8 powered BMW's. A '04 545i and a '08 X5. The X5 has the same engine as your car (albeit with a slightly milder tune). My '08 has about 85k miles and no issues to date with the possible except of a mild oil leak that just started and I have not had the time to track it down. I hope it is not the alt bracket gasket.

The '04 is the older V8 design, but really they both suffer from the same maladies over time. The 5'er has 130k miles. The major V8 repairs have all been done such as: alt bracket gasket, coolant transfer pipe, and valve stem seals. Your engine will surely suffer these failures eventually; when, no one can tell. Also, my 5'er needs to have the trans pulled for front main seal replacement. While out, I will replace the engine rear main seal and the coolant passage cover.

So, as you can tell, the V8 engines need maintenance when they age. If you are thinking of selling/upgrading, you should do it before you hit 100k miles. IMHO, it is easier to sell a used car with less than 100k miles.

Good luck.

550Hi

David. What's the cost of these repairs?

550Hi

Anyone?

u3b3rg33k

I'm at 110k miles, no leaks yet.

Quarta2six

Alternator gasket is cheap DIY but will cost you some time its a gasket thats less than 3 bucks (go figure). It was my first DIY project took a while but if I had to do it again I could do it in a quarter of the time. Not sure how much it would cost at a Indy before I did the job I was quoted a little less than 1k for the job dont know if that was legit but given the cost of the part main reason I jumped in and got my hands dirty. Coolant transfer pipe DIY can be done for about $500 -$800 I would say depending on what pipe you use and other compenants you replace related to repair for the fix; there's about 3 different options for the transfer pipe. A DIY I already have PDF's for just waiting for it to happen at an Indy I dont have a clue. There's always a reference to it here and at Bimmerfest so Im sure a search can give you a ballpark figure. Valve stem seals there's a guy on Bimmerfest (e60 section) doing the job for a flat rate of $2500 just need to get the car to him, from what I can tell Indy and dealer price from that job is outrageous because people travel from far and wide to have the repair done. Obviously DIY on that would be alot cheaper there's people who have jumped in and did that also. I havent found a proper right up on it so fingers crossed. Other than that dont think you will encounter anything on the V8 that another Bimmer wont have. Frequently oil changes helps with the heat in the engine which leads to these failures. I started DIY'ing and never looked back, hope this helped you. These are topics that have been beat to death so like I said before a search will give you a better figure but I know Im close I just know havent gotten quotes because I dont plan on paying anyone to do the work.... Also Bimmerfest is more active in terms of technical info, there's some great DIY's here as well you may already be a member but I use both sites for info.

550Hi

Would you (anyone) recommend getting a Bentley Manual for the E60 and DIY jobs on the car? Is that a good resource?

550Hi

To Bentley or Not to Bentley?

DavidF

Others have commented on pricing, so I won't add anything other than I did the valve stem seal, transfer pipe, and secondary air blockage at the same time. Tools and parts was about $2500 if memory serves. The valve stem seals was a bear for sure…very time consuming.

I was unable to clear the blocked air passages using the AGA tool. But, after a few hundred miles with tight valve stem seals, the passages cleared themselves.

seanjordan20

I havent had a Bentley and I have done alot of work on mine. Their are too many DIY write ups out there to waist money on a book. But that is something you will have to decide. Plus when I look at a Bentley I get confused. I guess that is because I am not a mechanic.