520d vs 525i
 

Hi all. First post,

Owned my 07 520d for a year and just got an 08 525i. I wanted to experience a 6-cylinder before electric takes over. I have only driven the 525i for an hour in traffic on the way back from buying it (need to insure it before I drive it properly, I used temp insurance on the drive back). My main problem with the 525i is lack of clutch feel and I cant hear the engine to aid with shifting. Also the gas pedal is very jumpy compared to the 520d (maybe more power I'm not used to?). I think the car has been sitting for a year, It has had new sparks and filters recently, but not anything else of note. What do people think I should do regarding the clutch, lack of engine noise and maintenance?

Thanks,
Dan

The lack of engine noise is a feature, not a problem. ;-) And you might notice there's a large circular gauge on the left side of your dash that might make figuring out when to shift a little easier. ;-)

Every clutch has its own "feel" - you'll get used to that one, and it'll feel right (and if you were to drive your 520d a year from now, its clutch would feel "wrong"). Same with the accelerator pedal. And I'm not familiar with the diesel variant (being a USian) but there's probably a difference in the power / torque curve between the engines (the gas variant has more horsepower, but less torque than the diesel).

Depending on mileage, you should take a close look at the water pump / thermostat, alternator (or at least the regulator), flex disc and propshaft center support bearing, and suspension (the front control arm bushings tend to wear out before the rest of the suspension).

Remove the CDV immediatly from the slave cylinder of the clutch. Garanteed clutch feel improvement!...a 30 minute job and you won't regret it

Anything will be better than how it is at the moment. There is NO clutch feel. Its like the biting point is a myth or legend, might aswell be driving an auto. Its on 85k I'm hoping the clutch isn't fried. I will research the CDV fix and if that dosent work I will need a more grabby clutch.

Well,...thats exactly what the CDV prevents!...you dont feel anything. The CDV is basically an inline nipple with a small ball in it. When you press the clutch the fluid flows freely. When you release it, it restricts the flow. The faster you release the clutch peddle the more it restrickts. Its a stupid feature BMW invented to prevent incompetent drivers from sudden loads on the tranny and drivetrain wearing them more quickly then neccessary. For BMW its just to keep the warranty claims as low as possible.

w.

I got used to the gas pedal, could do with an extra 100hp it dosent pull that great in 3rd gear. Not looking to pay insurance on a better model though. The car steers to the right a bit under heavy braking. It had an advisory that brake pads are wearing thin. Could the crappy brake pads be making my car steer right under heavy braking? Or any other ideas?

For the missing torgue, check the vanos and clean them thoroughly. See vid..... As for the braking...can be a number of things. Check pads and discs of course. Assuming the discs are fine, replace pads to start with and bleed the whole system thorougly. Depending on where your ABS resides. ( I think on the left), the right rear first, then left rear, right front, left front.

reg

willem

Another very common problem that can cause the car to dart one way or the other (or both, alternatively) is a worn control arm bushing. The extra "reverse" torque on the control arm allows movement that redirects one or both of the front wheels under braking.

Thanks for the heads up on the bushings. I just got front pads, discs and fluids done and will take it for a late night drive to bed them in. If the problem persists I will start looking at bushings next. Also need to fix my handbrake, it only catches for 3 clicks. Once I save a bit for a new clutch or try the CDV fix first I should have a nice little straight-6. Does anyone prefer the feel of runflats? I prefer the turn in and road feel of Rfs after driving normal tyres for a while. I'm probably gonna take my runflats from the diesel, plus I can ditch the spare wheel (stage 1 weight saving haha, along with running empty washer fluid and 10L of petrol).

Bedding those brakes in is a GREAT idea (and something few drivers do, sadly). Not doing it often results in a later misdiagnosis of a "bent rotor" (something that's nearly impossible). What DOES happen is (usually) the driver keeps his foot on the brake after a long, hard stop, and the pad material is "cooked into" the rotor, but only at that one spot. That changes the metallurgy of the rotor at that point, which changes the friction, so you can feel that spot come through the pads ever rotation (which feels like a bent rotor, if such a thing actually happened). ;-)

Are you saying you need to loosen up your parking brake? The adjusters are the common (same as my 44 year old motorhome) star adjuster, which can be reached through the lug bolt hole (maybe even with the wheel in place, though the angle might be tricky). I wouldn't worry about it unless you can't fully engage the parking brake for some reason.

I think you'll like the clutch once you do the CDV fix. On my E46 ZHP, I added a clutch bump stop after reading rave reviews. Only then did I realize I never push in the clutch pedal that far anyway. But it looked cool in the for-sale ad! ;-)

And finally, NO ONE likes the feel of run flats, and I've seen lots and lots of people going out of their way to lose them. I suspect if you got quality non-RF tires, you'd be even more impressed. ;-)