1,423 miles later...
04-06-2010, 01:03 AM
#1
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My Ride: 2005 530d M Sport Touring : Carbon Black : Half Leather : Pro DVD Sav Nav : TV : Active Cruise : Front/Rear Parking : Bluetooth Phone : 6 CD : Dark Poplar Wood : Folding Mirrors : 5 year Servicing Pack
Some of you may have been following the tales of woe that have beset our E61. Well I have to say that even after the problem with the suspension was diagnosed and fixed, I was still a little apprehensive about taking it abroad.
As it turned out, it performed admirably and - with the addition of snow tyres and wheels - even the 21 hairpins on the way up to Alpe d'Huez were no problem.
Stopping off at Macon on the way down:
Arriving in resort:
Alpe d'Huez by night:
Not saying it was cold, but...
My daughter's first skiing trip:
An Aronde something or other:
Back home:
As it turned out, it performed admirably and - with the addition of snow tyres and wheels - even the 21 hairpins on the way up to Alpe d'Huez were no problem.
Stopping off at Macon on the way down:
Arriving in resort:
Alpe d'Huez by night:
Not saying it was cold, but...
My daughter's first skiing trip:
An Aronde something or other:
Back home:
04-06-2010, 08:19 AM
#2
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My Ride: Jan 2006 E63 650i Sport
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Options:
Sport version (includes: sport-seats, sport-suspension, M-Sport steering wheel, Anthracite headliner, Shaddow Line), Saphire Black, Black Dakota Leather, Anthracite Maple Wood trim, Steptronic Auto, Xenons, NAV-Professional with Voice Control, TV, CD-Changer, Bluetooth, Logic7, Head-up Display, Comfort Access, Seat Heating front, Auto Dimming & Folding Mirrors, Extended Auto Air Conditioning, PDC.
.
Mods:
Spacers 5mm front & 15mm rear
.
Wheels:
20" Alpina Softline (Classic) with Dunlop Sport Maxx non-RFT (255/35/20 & 285/30/20)
you made it there AND back! 
Great to hear the journey went well, especially after all your concerns about wheels and suspension. Looks like a great holiday. Thanks for sharing the pics
Did you need the snow chains in the end?
ps. The E61 looks sooo much better than the Audi
Great to hear the journey went well, especially after all your concerns about wheels and suspension. Looks like a great holiday. Thanks for sharing the pics
Did you need the snow chains in the end?
ps. The E61 looks sooo much better than the Audi
04-06-2010, 08:32 AM
#3
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My Ride: 2005 530d M Sport Touring : Carbon Black : Half Leather : Pro DVD Sav Nav : TV : Active Cruise : Front/Rear Parking : Bluetooth Phone : 6 CD : Dark Poplar Wood : Folding Mirrors : 5 year Servicing Pack
Snow chains weren't needed. Though I think that might have been by luck more than anything. We had fresh snow pretty much every day except for the day we left - and only a tiny bit when we arrived. As I didn't use the car in between, I didn't even really get to test the winter tyres. There were days when we had 6-7 inches of snow by the time we woke up though and I'm not sure I'd have wanted to tackly going down the mountain.
Luckily the apartment came with an underground parking space - so guess which car got tucked up safe and warm...
Luckily the apartment came with an underground parking space - so guess which car got tucked up safe and warm...
04-06-2010, 10:45 AM
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Snow chains weren't needed. Though I think that might have been by luck more than anything. We had fresh snow pretty much every day except for the day we left - and only a tiny bit when we arrived. As I didn't use the car in between, I didn't even really get to test the winter tyres. There were days when we had 6-7 inches of snow by the time we woke up though and I'm not sure I'd have wanted to tackly going down the mountain.
Luckily the apartment came with an underground parking space - so guess which car got tucked up safe and warm...
Luckily the apartment came with an underground parking space - so guess which car got tucked up safe and warm...
You decided against the snow-socks ? in favour of snow-tyres / wheels. Can I ask what you paid for snow tyres / wheels. Would be useful for other UK E61 owners to understand what the choices were, how you decided and cost / place to buy.
04-07-2010, 12:52 AM
#5
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My Ride: 2005 530d M Sport Touring : Carbon Black : Half Leather : Pro DVD Sav Nav : TV : Active Cruise : Front/Rear Parking : Bluetooth Phone : 6 CD : Dark Poplar Wood : Folding Mirrors : 5 year Servicing Pack
WRT to the winter tyres, I got really lucky in that someone else on here (Bertolli) got a spare set of OEM BMW wheels and recommended winter tyres when he bought his car.
He didn't like the look of them, so didn't bother fitting them. I bought them for £400 for wheels and Dunlop Winter Sport tyres which, while used, should see another few winters yet.
Because they're not run flats, I then deided to buy the spare wheel kit. I shopped around for a long time, but couldn't find one much cheaper than direct from BMW. So paid £180 (IIRC) for that.
All in all, I got wheels, tyres and a spare for less than the cost of buying new winter tyres to fit the 18" wheels on the car.
Finally, I was going to buy a trolley jack and torque wrench to fit them myself, but my wife didn't trust me. So I paid about £40 to Kwik Fit to change them over.
The only problem with that is that I'm planning on getting winter tyres for the Mini too, so that would mean £80 twice a year to change them over.
He didn't like the look of them, so didn't bother fitting them. I bought them for £400 for wheels and Dunlop Winter Sport tyres which, while used, should see another few winters yet.
Because they're not run flats, I then deided to buy the spare wheel kit. I shopped around for a long time, but couldn't find one much cheaper than direct from BMW. So paid £180 (IIRC) for that.
All in all, I got wheels, tyres and a spare for less than the cost of buying new winter tyres to fit the 18" wheels on the car.
Finally, I was going to buy a trolley jack and torque wrench to fit them myself, but my wife didn't trust me. So I paid about £40 to Kwik Fit to change them over.
The only problem with that is that I'm planning on getting winter tyres for the Mini too, so that would mean £80 twice a year to change them over.
04-07-2010, 06:05 AM
#6
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My Ride: F11 -14
Some of you may have been following the tales of woe that have beset our E61. Well I have to say that even after the problem with the suspension was diagnosed and fixed, I was still a little apprehensive about taking it abroad.
As it turned out, it performed admirably and - with the addition of snow tyres and wheels - even the 21 hairpins on the way up to Alpe d'Huez were no problem.
As it turned out, it performed admirably and - with the addition of snow tyres and wheels - even the 21 hairpins on the way up to Alpe d'Huez were no problem.
I'm really happy that your car's finally sorted and thast you could enjoy the trip.
04-07-2010, 08:12 AM
#8
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My Ride: Jan 2006 E63 650i Sport
.
Options:
Sport version (includes: sport-seats, sport-suspension, M-Sport steering wheel, Anthracite headliner, Shaddow Line), Saphire Black, Black Dakota Leather, Anthracite Maple Wood trim, Steptronic Auto, Xenons, NAV-Professional with Voice Control, TV, CD-Changer, Bluetooth, Logic7, Head-up Display, Comfort Access, Seat Heating front, Auto Dimming & Folding Mirrors, Extended Auto Air Conditioning, PDC.
.
Mods:
Spacers 5mm front & 15mm rear
.
Wheels:
20" Alpina Softline (Classic) with Dunlop Sport Maxx non-RFT (255/35/20 & 285/30/20)
^^
E60Sim
What's up with the fuel consumption?! Did you secretly buy an M5?
E60SimWhat's up with the fuel consumption?! Did you secretly buy an M5?
04-07-2010, 08:41 AM
#9
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My Ride: 2005 BMW 530d M-Sport TouringExterior: Titansilber Metallic, M5 mirrors, ACS rear roof spoiler, BMW Carbon Fiber rear diffuser, Adaptive Xenon headlights, AngeliBright v.3 Angel Eyes, F1 Autohaus Euphoria 6000K LED license plate lightsInterior: Black
Yeah. 17.8l/100km for 95km at an average speed of 88.3km/h? 
04-07-2010, 08:48 AM
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Look at the picture again.
17.8 KM / l = 5,6 l/100 km
Avg speed: 88,3 km/h for the first 95 km = leaving Bad Gastein on smaller roads, the avg speed and fuel consumption increased when I reached Germany !
17.8 KM / l = 5,6 l/100 km
Avg speed: 88,3 km/h for the first 95 km = leaving Bad Gastein on smaller roads, the avg speed and fuel consumption increased when I reached Germany !