swhme

Hey all! I bought this beauty today:
https://bringatrailer.com/listing/20...5i-m-sport-31/

I'm having it shipped to EAG in Ohio to go through it with a fine-tooth comb. Definitely planning to bring it back to stock (replace the wood trim and factory grill) and fix the known issues (tailgate wiring harness and leg bolster gears). I'll also have them replace any trim that's worn at all. Buttons with scuff marks, anything like that.

But I wanted to reach out to you fine folks and find out what you would do beyond that. I'm already $50k in, so I figure I'll probably wind up spending another $20k on the rejuvenation process... I'd really like to get the driving dynamics as close to my E93 335i as possible. That's going to mean a little extra oomph from the engine and some refinement on the suspension.

Questions:

• What suspension upgrades do you like? I'm not looking to lower it by much, if at all, but want to control the body roll as much as possible. I have bilsteins on my E93 and it gives it a really nice driving feel without being overly harsh.
• Best way to get a little extra from the engine without sacrificing reliability or daily drivability? EAG recommended a Dinan Stage 2 tune
• Best Carplay unit?
• Anybody running big brakes? How do you like them? Worth the money?
• Any preventative work I should make sure to get handled?

Thanks in advance!

kd7iwp

Dang… I didn’t know people paid money like that for these things. Mine doesn’t have the M package and I spent 13,000 CAD a couple years ago, also has a manual transmission.

For CarPlay I like the MMI boxes, there is a new one from Mr12Volt that I have my eye on since it uses MOST for a pure digital signal and better quality than using the aux input.

There aren’t a lot of suspension options for the xDrive cars, I just did the OEM Sachs dampers.

I am quite pleased with the MHD stage 1 tune I did. Original turbos but I did replace their wastegates.

kd7iwp

You could also consider the splash panels under the engine and transmission, sure aren't cheap though! My local dealer wanted $400 for the one under the transmission on my car. I ended up finding one for a 528i and was able to rivet it together with the broken pieces of mine that were remaining and got it to fit.

boomerbimmer

Congratulations SWHME! I just read the comments on your auction victory. I am 18 months into ownership of a 2008 e61 m-sport 6MT. Canadian car, but thankfully very little snow-belt usage. I would suggest you check your under-hood insulation pad. I have seen several that have shrunk and pulled loose. New dealer cost around C$240. Beware the coolant pump/thermostat. If you have no record of recent replacement, that is a must! And the infamous rear sunroof drains can be dealt with if not already done by simply removing the slotted plugs on the ends of the rubber tubes. One of mine was clear, the other was plugged solid with about 12inches of water backed up in it. Access is awkward, but the plugs just pull off. I have a rattle from the rear corner which is the sunroof panel RH rear corner. BMW say the fix is a new design seal strip. Be careful with the coolant tank level indicator which is fragile. When you replace the tank cap, make sure the indicator pin locates in the center of the cap. If it breaks off, it may jam the float and the indicator may not work. Check the level regularly. Use only BMW blue coolant. Use the best gas you can find. 91 is the minimum! My car needed plugs and coils, which I replaced, but still was not happy until I drove it for a month or 2. It likes for the revs to be higher rather than lower. And it seems to be getting smoother the longer I drive it. I have not done the walnut blast for that reason. I think keeping the airflow rate through the intake up helps to discourage the accumulation of valve deposits, but that experiment is still ongoing... One more thing, change the oil in the transfer case, and use ONLY the BMW special oil. Mine had something else in there and bucked liked a bronco in slow corners. That oil fixed it!

My car had new BMW stock front springs and struts recently installed by the previous owner. I find it to be quite stiff compared to other BMWs I have driven, and definitely stiffer compared to other standard model automatic e61's. I can't see any reason to put anything else in there, unless it is worn out. Mine corners with very little body roll. It truly is a sports car that happens to look like a station wagon! Not the other way around!

You will enjoy it!!

Seijou

Congrats!

It seems like i'm not able to send you a PM. I'd like to ask if you're going to remove that trim, would you consider selling the set?

Maintenance/Upgrades:
My issues which I will address first are the valve cover gasket, followed by someone other diagnostics for a pesky but slow oil leak. Then I'm going to do both front brakes. No need for big brake kit for me, although I did see a set of brembos. I'm doing KW V3, I think I can get them almost to stock comfort level with significantly improved handling. There aren't a whole lot of suspension options for our E61. And then eventually I'll do a Quaife LSD... I'm sure the sky is the limit if you have money to spend but i'm hoping to find a good balance between expenditures and return in terms of driving dynamics.

swhme

Definitely would be willing to sell the diamond black trim set. I’ll try DMing you…

Seijou

I would get a BMW-compatible code-reader. BMW has a lot of electronic modules and you need a BMW-specific reader to actually see some of the error codes. I got the iCarly but I'd actually recommend against it - it's pretty disappointing. Based on that, I fount out I have a few bad sensors. Will be replacing those too... You can/should download a PDF available online called "So you bought an E60..." there's a lot of rich information in there.

seanjordan20

I would definitely invest in a BMW OBD2 reader. I wouldn't count on the app readers as much. To expand on to the post above. Everything you need to know is located in this THREAD. No need go anywhere else for information unless you're needing to code/program your E61.

esixtyone

Congratulations! I was watching that auction with interest and thoroughly regretting not buying one of the manuals when they were cheap(er).

As others have mentioned, tons of information in the "So you just bought an E60" thread/PDF.

As far as the tailgate wiring, I'd make sure they replace the wiring with the silicone variety or it may be a problem again in the future. I replaced mine with the Sencom kit from Germany. Lots of good info on this forum on that.

You may also want to look into having a crank seal guard installed (Malo Industries one seems best) as these engines have been known to suck the serpentine belt inside through the crank seal, causing catastrophic damage. This is especially important if you end up making more power.

Enjoy!

neilv

I have also been trying to get my E61 to drive similar to my E90; Its honestly going to be impossible. Chassis is just much bigger and softer but there are upgrades that you can do that will help

-E9X M3 thrust arm bushings will swap into the stockers to get rid of the fluid filled nonsense. Tightens up steering without making it harsh
-Being a later E61 you can swap to the E90 sport strut mounts and do the strut mount pin removal to add a touch of front camber
-Rear sway bar helps for sure: stock is 12mm (v8 m sport is 16mm, M5 is 18mm and M6 vert/M5 E61 is 20mm) and all can be a direct swap
-Rear guide arms can be swapped to the early M5/Z8 ones; Spherical bearing vs bushing so it will reduce some play.
-E6X V8 brakes are a bolt on upgrade (M5 are bigger ones beyond that); rears can be swapped to but are much more involved.
-The servotronic steering weight is way too light for spirited driving; I've been able to code it so it matches as close as I can get to the E90 standard hydraulic weight