ACS523i

I recently purchased a 2009 BMW E61 M550i Touring - Awesome car, I noticed it had the undertray between the front bumper and Gearbox was missing. I contacted the dealer and they have assured me a new one (and bolts/ screws etc) has been ordered and will be on it's way. How important are these, I don't want anything getting up underneath and causing mayhem while I wait fo the new undertray to arrive Any thoughts?

Has 120ks - recently started shuddering / droning particularly downhill when you throttle off ... Any suggestions?

So sorry I didn't get back to you - Car sold (to our BMW Mechanic) in March - been away with work / travelling Cheers

Hi Wifey trying to sell our 323i on Trademe - a few bites but no takers, I think for the Age Condition and Kms our asking price wasn't too much? Anyone here interested - 2000 323i Msport Glass Sunroof 133,500 kms Tidy - was usually garaged We started at $4,500 - but will sell for $3,900 now - it's the one behind my 530i in the photo Cheers Steve

I have an 96 E39 540i which I use for work, I travel 40,000kms per year easy, mostly open road running. I don't cane it, so can anyone tell me what the ideal service interval would be, currently changing oil every 10,000 kms. Running a little rough at the moment, has 153 kms, so going to replace Oil, Fuel and Air filter, not sure when the plugs were done, I got it at 110kms ........... I hear you soon know if they have gone, really rough, jerky under load?? Suggestions??

I had the same problem with the left rear one, it would wind down but not back up. I sourced a repair kit off ebay US$17 - and got the repair tutorial off youtube. It was just the sliding clamp thingy had bent where the cable slips in.All fixed and working sweet for about NZ$37 all up - I'm no mechanic so anyone can do this, the door seal was fine too, just be careful when you pull the rubber door seal off, or get some butyl rope just in case it won't go back on

Pretty sure they are the Sachs ones (bot the faulty batch) - it seems there is only one source for replacements and that hits the pocket hard

I recently had an Insurance claim where i was run off the road into some rough stuff, and had to replace the LF EDC shock which broke, these are $1,100 per corner!!! ouch! .... shame because it's only done 120,000 kms ... not big milage for one of these to let go, no rim or other suspension component damage luckilly. (no flash rims with 35/40 series tyres, still the old BBS 16's with bouncy 55 profiles. For future ref, can these be rebuilt, or is there an alternative - what are the implications of going to a non EDC setup - eg would a set of koni's or bilsteins do the trick? Can this process be done without freaking out the electronics? Just don't want to have to fork out $3,300 when the other 3's time is up

Hi We had this issue with our 523i schnitzer, and I don't want it happening again in our 540i, where the camber on the back is such that it chews out the inside of the back tyres - so you come to a warrant, glance at the outside which have 5-6mm of tread left - and end up being told your down to the canvas on the insides. Is there a cost effective solution putting new rear shocks etc in it?? (we have the 540i with the EDC suspension) Cheers Steve

Thanks for that Charles I will do the removal myself and drop it of to a place I found a place that can fix them here in Tauranga. Hope you are well down there mate, I spent 11 months away from the family doing EQ damage assessments down in Christchurch (quite a few in NB) - was quite close to the city on 22 feb and 13 June so can appreciate what it's been like mate. Take care

Thanks, I had already had a look in the local phone book, googled it etc and the only firm called Fixit in Tauranga is a Building renovation firm. I wouldn't trust myself with car electronics so DIY is a no no.... would be a quicker death for my E39 if I just drove it into the harbour ..... Have spoken to Glenn, a bit impractical driving up to Auckland and leavin it to be fixed as I need it for work otherwise he would have had the car by now. I know the local BMW dealer uses somone local to fix them now so probably the same crowd, if I can avoid a dealer mark up that would be preferable. Can anyone help with a contact name/ number for Fixit??

My 540 is idling a bit rough in the mornings, I warm it up and it's seems to come right - is this common? (and not a major problem)

Did you sell these in the end?

Can someone give me a website or other contact for fix it so I can go and see them Cheers

Thanks Glen, I'll call shortly. Is this a DIY? I've also got to replace my Washer bottle pump motor, I'm no BMW mechanic so don't want to fiddle around with anything and make things worse, maybe you can recommend someone in Tauranga for me thats not going to cost an arm and a leg? Cheers

My 96 e39 540i has a problem with the pixles on the ododmeter and trip computer, they have slowly been disappearing over the last week. Anyone know if there is a simpe fix for this, or do I need to locate a new instrument cluster?? Cheers

Hi All Just a thought, It would be nice to have a sunroof in our E39. Is this a major to get done, I can locate the sunroof and motor etc ok cheap enough, but whats involved in installing these?? (or is this an expensive waste of time). Do you get a roof cut with the sunroof in it? or does the centre roof panel come off allowing instalation of a sunroof? Does anyone know of this being done - or is plan b - trading on an E39 with it already installed the better - more headache free option?? Cheers

Tee Hee, Oh you sooooooooo fuuuuneeeeeeeeeee .......... - I think he actually flushed it in the end - so it's now measuring the acceleration/ terminal speed down a pipe of something alot browner than his Beemer right now

Thanks Guys I have advised him accordingly to file his 'resistor' under R ....... I guess if it looks cheap nasty and flimsy - then it is huh?? Now he's talking turbocharging his 5 - talk about flip flopping OFFS!!! Have told him if he wants a Hairdryer powered wagon, then do it true and proper and Source an old BMW Alpina B10 Bi-Turbo !!!!!!!!!!

Hi A friend of mine with a 98 523i has been given a 'performance module' that he wants to put in. A mate of his bought it off Trademe a couple of years back, it's like a wire with a rubber bit in the middle and you fit it on the Airflow sensor, supposedley giving more power & torque 'not at the expense of fuel economy'. I'm a little dubeous, has anyone heard of or fitted these performance modules?? Do they work, or cause problems?? Cheers Steve

Thanks Glenn All sorted as per your response, quick and cheap fix (most expensive part was the degrease and cleanup) Cheers Steve

I'll answer my own question then, the cure - some motor up fuel system cleaner and a good run up to Levin and back fixed it

A while back my darling wife left the drivers window down overnight in the rain, and has also pivotted on her knees on the passengers seat - either or both of these could be a cause?? I am getting opinions on this at the moment - our e39 523i can't get it's warrant - our BMW guy here has diagnostics done on it and they came up as ; 1 - Internal fault within module.current 2 - Passenger seat occupancy sensor mat open circuit 3 - Driver seat belt tensioner circuit resistance low - driver seat belt tensioner possible fault or wiring harness. He's talking some big $$$ to fix, do you reckon you can help? or suggest anything else? Just want the bloody thing off so we can get a warrant. It's ridiculous that one of the safest cars in the world (with airbag or not) can get failed on this - hard to take when I saw an old Mitsi Mirage Geneva - circa 82' fly through it's warrant at the same testing place - the only airbag I could see in that was the old duck driving it

Hi All We took our 2000 Schnitzer 523i up to Hamilton a couple of weeks back. A friend of ours there, after driving ours earlier this year went and got himself a 99 M52TU 523i stocker - but he was surprised just how much quicker ours is, when they're supposed to be the same car He had his car dyno'd and it is running the factory HP it's supposed to be, so no problems with his car. He has since driven an 01' 530i and reckons our Schnitzer 523i is at least as quick as that. Schnitzers are generally only cosmetic build ups only right? .... and the fact it is a Dual Vanos (99+) makes no difference to the output I believe? On ours I know there is an AC Schnitzer Air Box in it (well branded so anyway) - and was told (by the dealer ) some computer chip work has been done. Headers & Exhaust actually look stock too so I didn't think the power difference from the changes mentioned would be that great. ........Here's the question - What work could he do to give him some extra punch?? He wants the same/ more punch out of his 523 (short of dropping an M54 3 litre or a supercharger in it) without spending lots of $$$$$ so I said I would jump on here and see if anyone has any wallet friendly solutions for him. Any Thoughts? Cheers

Hi all Can anyone help, our Schnitzer 523i has been surging at low revs for a month now, and just today the ABS Brake and ASC lights have come on (brakes shuddering too) I have heard a faulty ABS Sensor can do this to the lights, unsure about this low rev surge - Going to take it to Mike Page European to check out both issues but would be nice to know what I'm in for Cheers