nzpanda92 16 Report post Posted July 17, 2020 (edited) Hi Guys, Newbie here to the wonderful world of BMW's. Purchased my first one in December - a slick looking 2009 E61 550i (which I have named Bindy - LOL yes, I name my cars). Not long after I bought it, it had to go through the dreaded valve stem seal replacement (which thankfully was covered under the dealer warranty). I've had the radio updated to NZ frequencies, and have tinted the windows to as legally dark they can go. Main reason for purchasing the vehicle was for work; travelling around the country for events and concerts, so needed something that would perform well on the roads, have plenty of space for equipment/gear, and look the part for my corporate side of work. I will continue to follow this forum for tips on maintenance and general care for this beast of a wagon! - Jimmy Edited July 17, 2020 by nzpanda92 7 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olaf 3342 Report post Posted July 17, 2020 Welcome! Nice looking wagon. That V8 is great on trips. Handles well, comfort, passing with ease. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TermiPeteNZ 1319 Report post Posted July 18, 2020 Hey Jimmy and welcome to Bimmersport... nice touring! E61 550i Msport is a great blend of practicality and performance... 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nzpanda92 16 Report post Posted July 18, 2020 Thanks for your warm welcome @Olaf & @TermiPeteNZ. I’ve got her booked in for a service on Monday at Continental BMW. Any pointers on what I should be on the look out for? I’ve seen some posts on a) valve stem seals and b) something about coolant. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nzpanda92 16 Report post Posted July 20, 2020 4 hours ago, Olaf said: Hi Jimmy, your service at Continental BMW should see you right for a while, was it inspection I or II? For feedback on the kind of things I've encountered with e60/N62 ownership, take a read through My new SS Commodore... in a sharp german suit ...it's a lengthy account of my ownership. If you've time and patience to wade through it, you'll see how I worked my way to valve stem seals. If it's not too late, do consider buying an Autosure MBI policy, you should be in a good position if it's just had a dealer service. Hope that helps Thanks for that @Olaf - will definitely have a read through. im not entirely sure which service it went through but they changed the oil and filter etc, and did quite a thorough check for bits and pieces. Turns out the oil level sensor will need to be changed. Sensor is saying there is too much oil in the tank, but the manual reading says it’s just right. Interestingly the part will cost me $400 or so. I did a quick search online of the job and it’s rather straightforward. Unfortunately I don’t have the tools nor space to DIY, so will take it in. something else that’s interesting is that I found contrary to popular belief, my service at Continental was cheaper than at any of the Indy’s. Perhaps I’ll get my work done by Indy’s and services done by Continental. I was smart enough (after hearing many a stories about BMW’s) to purchase an Autosure MBI policy - sure it added $2k onto the purchase price, but to know that most things that can go wrong (from what I’ve read) could cost in the thousands to repair, it was a no brainer! 3 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
