Supercharged: 2009 E70 BMW X5

[supercharged]

This is my new garage queen. I bought it last Christmas to replace my 2005 Acura RL. This is my first paint correction on it, paint was quite hard. Defect correction was done with Makita 9227C/Uber Yellow/Menzerna SIP, and finished off with Flex VRG 3401/LC green/Menzerna P203S. This new Menzerna Powerlock sealant is simply amazing!
Here is a list of products used:
Sonax Full Effect
Megs SD
Oxo brushes
CG CWC
Optimum Power Clean
P21S TAW
Riccardo Yellow Clay
Pinnacle clay lube
Makita 9227C
Flex VRG 3401
Uber Yellow Pad
LC Green Pad
Menzerna SIP
PB wool duster
Pakshak Microfibers
Gloss It leather conditioner
Gloss It TRV
1Z Gummi
1Z Cockpit premium
Ultima TTG
Optimum Opti-Seal
Menzerna Powerlock
SV Insignis
SV Pneu

Sonax Full Effect in action:

then foamed, and rinsed after 10 minutes, washed and clayed

Engine was cleaned with P21S TAW, using a "dry method", and then dressed with GI TRV

taped up and inspected the paintwork:

and 50/50:

paint readings were taken

 

[supercharged]

IA wipedown (thanks, dsms for the recipe)

wool duster

Opti-Seal on sunroof

 

[supercharged]

My favorite (read the highlighted print)

 

[TheGLL]

Looks great...good job!

P.S. : You need to update your signature!

 

[supercharged]

Looks great...good job!

P.S. : You need to update your signature!

Thanks...

 

[supercharged]

for those of you that might be critisising me for not purchasing "American Made", - let me tell you that this vechicle was made in Spartanburg, SC. So, yes, I support american labor, but as far as engineering - I prefer german...

 

[Munich77]

That car looks fantastic. I love the E70s they are great cars. I drive an E60 because I prefer the ride of a sedan but the E70 is pretty sweet too. Congrats!

 

[mchess1]

Now if we can get rid of that Infiniti, you will have a complete Bimmer household! Im the MAN

Just pulling your leg about the fancy Nissan, nice purchase of a fine vehicle. Just be sure to follow a "real" maintenance schedule with it and not the free maintenance schedule that BMW provides.

 

[supercharged]

That car looks fantastic. I love the E70s they are great cars. I drive an E60 because I prefer the ride of a sedan but the E70 is pretty sweet too. Congrats!

Thank you. I love the ride myself, doesn't lean in corners, firm, but not stiff...

Now if we can get rid of that Infiniti, you will have a complete Bimmer household! Im the MAN

Just pulling your leg about the fancy Nissan, nice purchase of a fine vehicle. Just be sure to follow a "real" maintenance schedule with it and not the free maintenance schedule that BMW provides.

Thanks...Infiniti is more of a beater...It's inexpensive to maintain, doesn't require premium fuel, and is reliable...
and speaking of a "real" maintaince schedule, like you called it...what is it? You don't expect me to change oil every 3k miles, do you? Because that would be stupid...as far as everything else, brake fluid is every 2 years, brake pads/rotors/sensors don't last as long as on japanese cars, and do get replaced more often...
transmission fluid gets replaced every 100k miles, and costs $500 or so...
BTW, what BMW do you have?

 

[mchess1]

BTW, what BMW do you have?

It's a 2006 330i. New body style as the 335, but the one and only year they still used the naturally aspirated motor. So lots less problems, 335's love to eat turbos and oil coolers.

 

[supercharged]

It's a 2006 330i. New body style as the 335, but the one and only year they still used the naturally aspirated motor. So lots less problems, 335's love to eat turbos and oil coolers.

I'm not a fan of "turbo" idea myself, as @ 100k miles you will be replacing them...

 

[Munich77]

I'm not a fan of "turbo" idea myself, as @ 100k miles you will be replacing them...

That is so true . But the N54 engine is a sweet power plant. If they could just fix the high pressure fuel pump problem, it would be one of the best engines BMW builds. I have it in my car and love the acceleration - very explosive and powerful.

 

[needfortofu27]

Hey, newbie question: should you clay before car is dry like the X5 in this photo? So apply clay lube with water still not dried from washing car?

Thanks

 

[Petrucci_M3]

I love your great attention to detail, awesome work man!

 

[Alex Boyce]

Great work, what time of day do you do your work? obviously it looks like its night time, do you work through the night or wash one night, polish the next then lsp the next?

 

[SRHTX]

for those of you that might be critisising me for not purchasing "American Made", - let me tell you that this vechicle was made in Spartanburg, SC. So, yes, I support american labor, but as far as engineering - I prefer german...

Well, my grandparents use to own a Ford Dealership until the last day of 1988 when they sold it. My father is a Manager at a Ford Lincoln Mercury dealership. He orders all the new vehicles, sales, advertising, etc..... I "use" to only drive Fords until my little fender bender in 2001. After rehad and everything, I bought a new 2002 Taurus with a no power 3.0 12 valve V6 engine. BORING!!!!! about 9 months latter, I traded it in for a 2003.5 Infiniti G35 Sedan. Traded that one in back in Nov. 2005 for an '05 G35 again. Traded in the '05 G35 in June '08 for an '08 Mazda 3s Grand Touring Hatchback.

Ford had nothing I wanted, until now. HOWEVER, I still will not buy a Ford or Lincoln vehicle. Never will by a GM or Dodge. I think the next vehicle I will purchase will be a Mercedes Benz. Mazda and Mercedes Benz are tuned the way I want a vehicle. Sport handling with power. Ford "IS" trying to come back and do things that way. I will just have to give them time since I agree with SC.

Nice work on the new BMW!!

My $.02

 

[Munich77]

Ford had nothing I wanted, until now. HOWEVER, I still will not buy a Ford or Lincoln vehicle. Never will by a GM or Dodge. I think the next vehicle I will purchase will be a Mercedes Benz. Mazda and Mercedes Benz are tuned the way I want a vehicle. Sport handling with power. Ford "IS" trying to come back and do things that way. I will just have to give them time since I agree with SC.

Nice work on the new BMW!!

My $.02

If you like the sporty handling of a Mazda make sure to try to handling a BMW too. My experience with Mercedes (E class/C class) has been that they handle precise but not that sporty. Unfortunately the entry model C class does not have enough power.

 

[SRHTX]

If you like the sporty handling of a Mazda make sure to try to handling a BMW too. My experience with Mercedes (E class/C class) has been that they handle precise but not that sporty. Unfortunately the entry model C class does not have enough power.

I agree. I do not like the C Class unless it's a C63 AMG rops: Tis why I went with the Mazda vs a C Class Mercedes. I just do not like what the new G37s look like now. Especially the dash inside them. ewwwwww

 

[supercharged]

That is so true . But the N54 engine is a sweet power plant. If they could just fix the high pressure fuel pump problem, it would be one of the best engines BMW builds. I have it in my car and love the acceleration - very explosive and powerful.

yeah, new twin-turbo V-8 gets 400 horses/450 lb of torque...

Hey, newbie question: should you clay before car is dry like the X5 in this photo? So apply clay lube with water still not dried from washing car?

Thanks

I clay before I dry...clay - rinse - dry...

I love your great attention to detail, awesome work man!

thank you!

Great work, what time of day do you do your work? obviously it looks like its night time, do you work through the night or wash one night, polish the next then lsp the next?

Thanks...wash one night, polish the next day for 3 days...

QUOTE=SRHTX;336702]Well, my grandparents use to own a Ford Dealership until the last day of 1988 when they sold it. My father is a Manager at a Ford Lincoln Mercury dealership. He orders all the new vehicles, sales, advertising, etc..... I "use" to only drive Fords until my little fender bender in 2001. After rehad and everything, I bought a new 2002 Taurus with a no power 3.0 12 valve V6 engine. BORING!!!!! about 9 months latter, I traded it in for a 2003.5 Infiniti G35 Sedan. Traded that one in back in Nov. 2005 for an '05 G35 again. Traded in the '05 G35 in June '08 for an '08 Mazda 3s Grand Touring Hatchback.

Ford had nothing I wanted, until now. HOWEVER, I still will not buy a Ford or Lincoln vehicle. Never will by a GM or Dodge. I think the next vehicle I will purchase will be a Mercedes Benz. Mazda and Mercedes Benz are tuned the way I want a vehicle. Sport handling with power. Ford "IS" trying to come back and do things that way. I will just have to give them time since I agree with SC.

Nice work on the new BMW!!

My $.02[/QUOTE]

Thanks. German cars are addicting...they are not cheap to maintain, but are well worth it...

If you like the sporty handling of a Mazda make sure to try to handling a BMW too. My experience with Mercedes (E class/C class) has been that they handle precise but not that sporty. Unfortunately the entry model C class does not have enough power.

GL was too big, ML - too small, G-class - too expensive...So it was Audi Q7 or BMW X5, and I chose X5...

I agree. I do not like the C Class unless it's a C63 AMG rops: Tis why I went with the Mazda vs a C Class Mercedes. I just do not like what the new G37s look like now. Especially the dash inside them. ewwwwww

german cars are completely different animals...

 

[gibbsj87]

is that swissvax or whatever it's called?