missed out by a day or two, damn.

[TermiPeteNZ 1319]

Wow - I missed this thread Bit slow...

Owning both an E60 545i non-MSport Dynamic Drive, and an E53 4.4i SportPac on 20" massive wheels (rears are 315s!) here's what I think:

• I mostly do urban driving with bits of motorway and occasional longer trips
• 545i is somewhat more fuel efficient at ~14l/100KM and on long distance has averaged <10.
• X5 urban sits around 17l/100KM and when mixed with some longer distance sits around 15
• 545i is much faster and handles much better
• X5 goes pretty damned well and handles well too - all things considered. My brother who has a Toyota Vanguard (stretched RAV 4) thought it was epic by comparison - as you would hope of course.
• the X5 has a standard quad exhaust that sounds great while the 545i is quiet and refined and needs RPMs to bring out the beautiful sound it can make.
• Just replaced the front tyres on the X5 275/40x20 RH06 at $400 per corner - decent Hankooks
• My kids like the M5 most, then the X5, then the 545i. Driving experience is M5>545i>X5.
• Both vehicles are very safe and great for long distance driving. The E53 X5 was tops safety wise in the Aussie Monash University safety research.

The reason I'd go to an E70 would be 7-seat flexibility - and I'd want a MSport.

- Pete

[tel.300 2]

Hi Olaf

Just read your post, Sorry I was the one who brought the 535D Touring in question

Had looked at it a couple of time and decided to finally take the plunge

-Terry

[TermiPeteNZ 1319]

5 minutes ago, tel.300 said:

Hi Olaf

Just read your post, Sorry I was the one who brought the 535D Touring in question

Had looked at it a couple of time and decided to finally take the plunge

-Terry

All's fair eh

Congrats on your purchase. FYI - road trip to Ngawi this Sunday, and coffee meet Saturday 22nd April. Hope you can make one or both. Have tagged you on both conversations.

[Olaf 3341]

1 hour ago, tel.300 said:

Hi Olaf

Just read your post, Sorry I was the one who brought the 535D Touring in question

Had looked at it a couple of time and decided to finally take the plunge

-Terry

congrats, Terry, it must be some spaceship!  The cosmos had other plans for me, look forward to hearing of your experiences with it.  Welcome aboard, and hope to see you at any of the meetups that take your fancy.

[TermiPeteNZ 1319]

On ‎13‎/‎03‎/‎2017 at 2:59 PM, isis said:

I think it was just the back. it included rotors and pads. That's why i kinda just carried on with servicing the 'truck' at the dealers. At least i get to drive new courtesy vehicles rather than +10 year old banger bmw's, that they charge you for..

 

Sorry to revive an old post, but I thought I'd share my full brake job cost. Not sure when they were done last as didn't get service history with the vehicle, and I've only owned since Jan 2016. Don't wanna be doing this too often.

Remove all wheels, bleed complete brake system using new brake fluid.
Replace the front and rear disc pads, sensors and rotors.

$2363.50 parts and labour inc. GST

Here's the detail, all exc. GST - item, qty, unit price, total

• REAR PAD SENSOR 1.00 61.48 61.48
• FRONT DISC ROTOR 2.00 307.98 615.96
• FRONT DISC PAD SENSOR 1.00 64.34 64.34
• FRONT DISC PAD 1.00 256.47 256.47
• REAR DISC ROTOR 2.00 184.37 368.74
• REAR DISC PAD SET 1.00 237.23 237.23
• FREIGHT RECOVERED 1.00 15.00 15.00
• BRAKE FLUID RENEW 76.00 76.00
• Labour $360

[polley 916]

$76 of brake fluid 

[Gabe79 410]

Using he logic it’d take me about 4 hours to do that job myself... the only reasonably priced item is the labour. Although I’d guess it’d be a lot faster for someone who’s done this more than once too. ?

[TermiPeteNZ 1319]

7 hours ago, Gabe79 said:

Using he logic it’d take me about 4 hours to do that job myself... the only reasonably priced item is the labour. Although I’d guess it’d be a lot faster for someone who’s done this more than once too. ?

I had a look at Pelican Parts and a 3rd-party full brake replace kit for the E53 4.4i with moderate shipping and GST is $1792.

I'm guessing my garage is using BMW original parts - I will confirm with them.

[Gabe79 410]

1 hour ago, TermiPeteNZ said:

I had a look at Pelican Parts and a 3rd-party full brake replace kit for the E53 4.4i with moderate shipping and GST is $1792.

I'm guessing my garage is using BMW original parts - I will confirm with them.

That must be BMW original. Compares with this one? https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw-brake-kit-front-and-rear-e53-34116756847ktfr

EDIT: Using OE parts on FCP Euro, cost is $370 for the parts, and $300 for shipping! Plus GST+$50 transaction fee. That's close to your number I suppose.

Edited December 29, 2017 by Gabe79

[TermiPeteNZ 1319]

1 hour ago, Gabe79 said:

That must be BMW original. Compares with this one? https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw-brake-kit-front-and-rear-e53-34116756847ktfr

EDIT: Using OE parts on FCP Euro, cost is $370 for the parts, and $300 for shipping! Plus GST+$50 transaction fee. That's close to your number I suppose.

Yep - BMW Genuine kit is $US608 and UPS expedited freight is $US260 = $NZ1223 plus Customs fees and GST of $244 = $1467
Less the brake fluid/other consumables (~$85) this means I've paid a premium of roughly $395 for local supply  …. quite aside from the premium of going BMW genuine.

Been interesting to look at the difference. The other thing is that there's risk in managing the parts sourcing/importing yourself. If you get the wrong stuff (especially on heavy ~40kg stuff like this) ….. you can easily blow any savings you may have made. I'm not a DIYer - but if I was then sourcing the parts at good prices I'm sure would be part of the fun

[gjm 3258]

I was struggling with $61 for a pad sensor!

just replaced them on the Merc - $1.20 each.

The premium for local supply of genuine parts doesn't seem bad.

[treone 649]

23 hours ago, TermiPeteNZ said:

Remove all wheels, bleed complete brake system using new brake fluid.
Replace the front and rear disc pads, sensors and rotors.

$2363.50 parts and labour inc. GST

Here's the detail, all exc. GST - item, qty, unit price, total

• REAR PAD SENSOR 1.00 61.48 61.48
• FRONT DISC ROTOR 2.00 307.98 615.96
• FRONT DISC PAD SENSOR 1.00 64.34 64.34
• FRONT DISC PAD 1.00 256.47 256.47
• REAR DISC ROTOR 2.00 184.37 368.74
• REAR DISC PAD SET 1.00 237.23 237.23
• FREIGHT RECOVERED 1.00 15.00 15.00
• BRAKE FLUID RENEW 76.00 76.00
• Labour $360

Thanks for the future reference @TermiPeteNZ - I think a brake service will be on the cards for next year

To give some perspective though - I was quoted close to $2k just for genuine HSV  front discs and pads (yes, just the fronts!) for the HSV Avalanche a couple of years ago. And that is without fluid, sundries and labour, Therefore, I think you've got a bargain haha!

Who says BMW's are expensive to maintain...

[_ethrty-Andy_ 2136]

My Transit came in at about the same all round $2k+GST at the dealer.

Yep can do it for cheaper no matter the brand, but you will be in tehre again in a year or two if you use chinese stuff. OE or OEM or just doesnt work out in the long run.

[Herbmiester 931]

When it comes to brakes there are a lot of decent artermarket options that are significantly less expensive than oem. I bought stoptech pads and DBA rotors forthe 335i and they work really well.  Litterally half the price of M.