Alright I have searched and searched and I can't find anything specific to an E60. When going down bumpy roads or over bumps I get a slight clunking coming from the front end. What are the most common failures nad how do I test to see which may be causing my problem.

Thanks,
Jeremy

 

Could be worn bushings... a control arm...etc..

How many miles on the car?

 

79,000 and some change. I just bought the car over the summer with 67,000 miles on it at that time. It does have a CPO warranty until Sep. next year.

How do I check the bushings / control arms? I tried pushing up and down on the front end but I could not replicate the sound that way.

 

If it's CPO it should be covered as far as I know...I am not sure how to test it...but I would bring it to the dealer...

 

CPO considers suspension component wear and tear (I don't want to pay a diagnostic fee to determine what the problem is), see below :

Upkeep Items
Maintenance; engine, transmission, and body adjustments; wheel alignment, balancing or rotation; wiper blade inserts; engine drive belts; spark plugs; filters; fuses; all batteries; all hoses and clamps (except air conditioning and power steering); oils, lubricants, fluids, refrigerants and coolants (except as required in the course of a covered repair); brake pads and rotors; brake shoes and drums; manual transmission clutch assemblies; suspension dampers (shock absorbers/strut elements); exhaust systems; tires.

Wear and Tear
All wear and tear items as defined in The Certified Pre-Owned BMW Protection Plan Consumer Information Statement (including all suspension parts and components).

Body and Interior
Paint; glass; headlamps; bulbs (except instrumentation); mirrors; lenses; body and chassis; body seals and gaskets; interior and exterior trim, moldings, and fasteners; upholstery, headliner, carpeting, floor and trunk mats; convertible top (all components except electronics); air or water leaks; wind or body noises; wheels; damage due to rust, corrosion, or contamination, except as covered by the BMW New Vehicle Rust and Corrosion Perforation Warranty.

Accessories
Radio/cassette player, telephone, navigation system, CD changer, or any components of those systems; non-original equipment parts, components or accessories.

If I knew which component I could most likely repair myself. I just don't want to replace parts one at a time until I get the problem.

 

Oh...maybe take it to an indy shop to get an opinion?

 

Front control arms I had the same problems.

 

I've noticed the same thing on my 2005 545i with 40K miles. Seems like a lot of older but low mileage BMW's have this problem so maybe underusage is a cause.

I'm going to take mine to my indy to see what's up. Hopefully covered by my extended warranty, but who knows. I also have a rough idle w/ fluttering RPMs from time to time and a slight rattle when I drive with the radio off. All minor things, car is a pleasure to drive so far, but worth looking into.

I'll let you know what they say about mine, please do the same if/when you take yours in.

 

Do I replace the whole control arms or just the bushings? Whichever you recommend can you also recommend a brand and where to get them from?

Thanks

 

its definitely the bushings. i currently have this problem and in the process of ordering the bushings for the control arm.
you can see the bushings totally busted when looking at the control arms on mine.