I don't think 220* is right, that's pretty high. As I recall, when I used the hidden menu to display my coolant temp, it climbed up to the low 90'sC and got no higher than 100C while driving. I'd guess it averaged 95C = 205F.

Update: This a.m. I set up the hidden menu and checked the coolant temp again. It never got over 95C and once warm fluctuated between 90-95C with AC on and in the low 70'sF outside. I wonder if I have a colder thermostat because I picked the car up in Germany, even though it is full U.S. spec.

 

Exactly. I had an Acura TL for 8 years, and it never leaked anything. I loved the maintenance (only 10K mile oil changes) on that car.

 

Almost every problem on BMWs that requires a part to be replaced centers around the crappy rubber they use, and it isn't just isolated to oil sealing gaskets, nor to rubber components under the hood.

 

Maybe your TL's shorter oil change interval (10K vs BMW's 15K) contributed to it's lack of leakage?

 

For example? I haven't had anything fail so far. My '98 e39 has only had the windshield gasket and valve cover gasket go bad. It's 16 yrs old.

 

The windshield washer pump went bad and leaked after just 3 years. I broke it apart and found out the internal o-ring failed. And I too had to replace the rear windshield seal after 5 years.

Those are pretty early timeframes for those parts to fail.

I've also resealed the vacuum pump, which started leaking at about 4 years. I just replaced my water pump. And now my transmission pan gasket is leaking and needs to be fixed.

Sounds like some people seem to be lucky and others aren't. Maybe BMW has several different rubber parts suppliers? Some good, some bad, who knows.

 

I think BMW knows that their rubber quality is bad, because they seem to release newer updated parts for certain items. The windshield washer pump has a newer part number now, and the mechatronics sleeve part was updated with newer and completely different rubber seals.

 

Doubt it. My 2003 TL was spec'ed to use conventional oil with a 3750 mile hard usage and 7500 mile normal usage change interval. I switched to synthetic on my own with my own 10K mile routine because I only wanted to change oil once a year. I do 10K on my BMW too.

 

That is pretty discouraging. The transmission problems are ZF's fault. I had the sleeve replaced as well. How many miles have you run up? My 545 is something of a garage queen with only 78K. I keep waiting for the vacuum pump leak to show up an anticipate the water pump to go momentarily. My only other issue was the alternator, actually integral regulator, that I replaced myself. Again, not a BMW manufactured item, but their choice of supplier was obviously not good - Valeo made in France.

 

The thermostats are called 105* stats.. I guess maybe that is their "wide open" temperature? Mine stayed just over 100*C on the highway but would get hotter than that otherwise (when AC was on + hot water). I got a 95*C thermostat now to bring it down just a tad

BMW WAHLER Thermostat with Housing and O-Ring (105 deg. C) 11537586885 - RM European Auto Parts

Also, even BMW's own documentation on the N62 engine shows temps that high being normal and "more economical". It has several different modes, the highest temp/most economical one being in the 220 range. For the performance modes the computer can bring the temps down