Damage Report - Neglected V8 SUV BMW E70 X5 - Project X5: Part 5

The grand finale of project X5! 2009 BMW E70 X5 with a V8 4.8i N62B48 engine, finished in Space Gray paint over beautiful Nevada leather interior. This luxury SUV was imported from Dubai to Germany and it came to me in a very neglected condition. Over the previous 4 episodes, we set about overhauling its mechanical state and in this final episode we completed the following work: rear shock replacement, rear sway bar bushing replacement, complete refurb of headlights and retrofit upgraded projectors, bleed the brakes, front & rear differential fluid change, transfer case fluid change, cup holder replacement, M Sport steering wheel upgrade... With that sorted, the big giant meets Germany TÜV (MOT) inspection, which is the last step before we can finally hit the Autobahn. To close out this project, we do a complete price breakdown toward the end of the video. Also, the ever-so-cute Mutzi makes an appearance!
Headlight projectors & retrofits - www.svitlip.cz/
Marian, used spare parts for all car brands - www.autoteile-goldstein.de/
Felix, leather repair, Fahrzeugsattlerei-FLK - www.sattlerei-flk.de/
You can support me on Patreon! - / m539restorations
T-Shirts, hoodies & mugs - m539restorations.com/
Follow me on Instagram - / m539_restorations
www.vaporblastingequipment.co...
Find Liqui Moly oil and additives for your car - www.liqui-moly.com/en/service...
BendPak lifts - www.bendpak.com/
Luuk, BendPak & Quickjack Europe - liftmotive.com/
Massive thanks to Radu from RT Design Studio for making new merch happen! - www.rt.md/
Email: [e-mail]

[@31acruz]

One of the key reasons I watch this series is because he takes the time to CLEAN his environment when he works. He doesn't work in filth; (like so, so, so, many other so-called mechanics on KZbin) he 'cleans' whenever possible he 'restores' whatever he touches and replaces, and that is the sign of a real professional.

[@billywild5440]

A clean car is a happy car.

[@eugenealymov2723]

This was a great series, thoroughly enjoyed it. The headlight restore looks very complex, but the result is phenomenal.

[@f1lmm]

Why did you not change the side lights to bright white instead of the yellow ? Great job amazing attention to detail 😎😎

[@briancorkery4083]

I wonder if the angle eyes could go to super bright LED. The incandescents … meh

[@X99Zero]

@@f1lmm the yellow is period accurate

[@DefenderPuma]

BMWs really don't seem to like the sun and the heat. In South Africa, on the E46, the headlights go cloud, the interior roof lining sags and windshield cowling is always cracked and broken. At least they are cheap and easy fixes. It seems to be similar for other models I'm just not too familiar with them, but I've seen dozens of E46 examples.

[@crouchingwombathiddenquoll5641]

@@DefenderPuma same in Australia. $1800 dollars for a new headlight x5 wagon.2008. NEVER AGAIN BMW

[@grid212]

I wonder if the BMW engineers and the mechanics back at the factory sit back in their chairs, light up a cigarette and have a small chuckle to themselves when you say things like "I'm just going to quickly change the cup holder". Amazing work as always M539.

[@sonofEU]

🤣🤣🤣

[@s6boystu]

For me personally, the actual vehicle involved is only maybe 40% of the reason I watch. I like your attention to detail, I like that you explain everything properly and I absolutely love the level of finesse given to every project. Essentially, your channel is totally great.

[@cpnw42]

GREATEST CHRISTMAS PRESENT THERE COULD BE :)

[@thatcarguy2002]

There is no better Christmas gift than a video from Sreten!

[@kk_puikas]

No life guys?

[@12123188]

Imagine, it's even 2 weeks early🤭

[@chriso8485]

That's an exaggeration.

[@itsm3th3b33]

So, did the roof rails get crushed?

[@Fuzzyfull]

Your patience is absolutely monumental, I cannot admire it enough! I literally lost it at the wire insulation restoration and gasped in disbelief. But it kept getting crazier with the grinding and sealant removal! I would spend the money on new headlights right away, if I were in your place - I could not muster the mental strength to go trough this trauma... you are an absolute beast, I cannot say this enough!

[@NORWAYORNOWAY]

Agreed -- and he had to do it x2! We are not worthy. God jul from Norway!

[@Skama1975]

me the same!

[@egycsab]

Same here lol. immediatelly started checking the comments after seeing the wireing part. :D

[@tokenfire111]

Couldn't agree more.. Have done the same on a E39 many years back but so much more simple. Have a E70 now and wanted to do the covers only but seeing the whole mess with the wire insulation and projector grind down, I am like .... taking a pause .... oh man

[@notyou6950]

The instrument panel, the center console and my favorite the butterfly glove box were all made by a French owned FAURECIA company in Fountain Inn, SC. I spent 6 years working there. I had flashbacks when you started to yank on those things...

[@jamesrochester4111]

39:36, this is me EVERY TIME I work on my wife’s E70. But she LOVES it so I keep working on it. Thanks for the series on this E70. It is my reference manual now.

[@PhantomZore]

At 8:23 you got so lucky with that one and the scream is probably the highest it has ever been in your life 😂

[@F.S92]

Cant wait for the M3 E92 restoration. That is my fav BMW M car! Hoping to find one in decent condition myself one day.

[@michaelskinner896]

Amazing as always! Also the headlight resto was next-level. And yes, that color combo is lovely.

[@powermoveschris9891]

Literally my favorite channel. No corners ever cut. Great content.

[@torks2339]

I just want to say thank you Sreten for making my Christmas day! I got Covid for the first time 2 days ago and so I cannot be with my family and friends, instead laying in complete misery on my sofa feeling very sorry for myself. Seeing an hour+ episode pop up today has finally made me smile! Merry Christmas to you and your family (and Mutzi!) from a (fully subscribed) big overseas fan. God bless x

[@tamur1994]

Get well!

[@M539Restorations]

Merry Christmas and I wish you a speedy recovery!

[@guzziwheeler]

Hi, Torks, I went thru Covid two month ago. After five days, the worst was over. I am 61. Loss of taste and smell lasted some two weeks, then it came back. You will make it, too! Merry Christmas to you. Frohe Weihnachten. Cheers from Germany. Bernie

[@Pithead]

You guys need boosters; it's the only way. Don't forget your flu shots as well.

[@krasserdomo94]

DOk Ok Ok Ok Ok Ok Ok 0:15 0:15 😢 0:15 😮w😢😢

[@kajnatok]

Loved that manly scream when Sreten was about to crush the X5 to the ceiling of the garage. I think he might well consider a horror b-movie career :D. Great job as always ! Merry Christmas all !

[@DASKyiv]

As always, It was a pleasure to watch all the series of this project. The coloc combo it’s really perfect variant. And also laughed out loud looking at you being nervous while reinstalling that cup holders because I saw myself while something is making me nervous. Perfect job!!!

[@iantyler4045]

That is one well sorted BMW. Just watching you rebuild those headlights was fascinating. Very enjoyable to watch. Looking forward to your next video eagerly. I particularly like the steady cam inside the vehicle. The way it banks as you corner really makes you feel as if you are actually in the car.

[@golfgolf7692]

Dude you are EPIC! I spent my life working in hotels and to see someone break free of that crap life and do what they like and do it amazingly literally brings tears to my eyes! You need staff and to post more frequently!!!!

[@ploek]

You’re a true craftsman, and your content is fantastic inspiration for all DIY mechanics out there

[@NigeUK007]

Watching that headlight restoration was extremely enjoyable, Great content. Absolutely love the content.

[@rikardandersson7288]

Awesome work as always! Atleast for me it really does not matter what car you work on, I'm not even that much of a BMW guy my self, but it is the way you do the work. The attention to detail and the little bits of humor tossed in along the way. Just magnificent

[@henrysevtsenko1601]

Man I feel your pain with the headlight restoration. Recently did a pair of e53 adaptive headlights and everything was the same, the wiring was as bad, if not even worse. And the amount of grinding and cutting to be able to fit the new projectors was ridiculous, however the end result was totally worth it!

[@chrissch3061]

Hi, I got E53 with adaptive headlights as well and would like to refresh them. Can you send me a link for the parts I would need for that job? Maybe you even have some instructions for how the job has to be done?

[@henrysevtsenko1601]

@@chrissch3061 I used evo-xr 2.0 projectors, supposedly the only ones that will fit, but that also required a lot of modifications. Definitely not plug n play. My friend bought the headlight lenses off of ebay. Not too many options for them unfortunately. The available lenses don't seem the best quality so I'd definitely protect them with either ppf or ceramic coating. Other than that, the process and tools are pretty much the same as Sreten used in this video. A dremel, a few pairs of pliers, a flat head screwdriver for cleaning the grooves and some glue for repairs, because something always brakes 😅 best of luck with this job! Take your patience, took me a good 2-3 evenings of constant work.

[@oggycat73]

I said it and I say it again. I'm not a BMW guy, but the way you are doing your work is impressive none the less. Love every single video and appreciate your knowledge and experience!!!!

[@danielmarshall4587]

I second your comment.

[@albonroach2315]

Agreed.

[@dhawal_alfa_r7]

Patience required watching the headlights being restored was immense. Can’t even imagine being so thorough and doing it myself. 😅 Great series! Loved it ❤

[@holgerb4563]

One hint for using tape sealant : always start at the middle section of the bottom. If the sealant somehow gets leak at he "connection point" (where the 2 ends meet), the water will not get into the headlight :-) The shrinking tubes are available in spools, so you get less work and one piece of tube :-)

[@M539Restorations]

Thank you! They overlap nicely at the connection point and then they are "melted" together with a heat gun. I do it there purposely because there's enough room to do that, while if you do it on the bottom there isn't much space, especially when butyl is thick. I'm aware, but I couldn't find the size I needed in a roll as the headlight wires are odd thickness. Cheers!

[@fahhad17]

im speechless, the level of perfection he is doing thats outta world.... %99 youtuber would just polish that headlight !!! respect and love from canada

[@xxx_ray]

was having a rough time, then i laughed so hard when you shrieked when the roof hit the roof, thank you for brightening my christmas. Also excited to see the utah skier plate on the wall from the M3

[@Ensignpeak]

I have one of these. Ridiculous maintenance costs but what a classic look and excellent driving machine. People think I'm driving a new car all the time and are shocked when I tell them it is an '07.

[@MrMN007]

This is why I love watching your channel. I learn something new every time. Keep up the awesome content I want to see more on the E32 7 Series

[@MrRichcop426]

I had no idea how dangerous the wiring could become. And further, no idea you could rebuild these so totally. Kudos for hanging tough on such a tedious job. Your attention to detail is superb and is much appreciated!

[@Coach_addis]

I typically don’t leave comments but for me this is by far the best KZbin channel. I love the content, attention to detail, commentary, editing and mechanical skill set you possess. Love it ❤ I’m not a big fan of BMW but I do appreciate their engineering and design thanks to this channel. Keep up the great work ❤️👍🔥

[@klausabio]

I simply cannot believe the shear amount of patience and dedication you put into these project. That headlight overhaul was just incredible. Best regards from Argentina 🇦🇷

[@johanivarsson944]

So incredibly fascinating to see how much accumulated knowledge unfolds in your videos. Humor and laughter mixed with the viewer getting to fill up with useful tips! Thank you so much for all the time and effort you put into the videos! 👌😀

[@anderssvart3257]

Oh, boy, this car now looks gorgeous and just flawless. Rims are super duper awesome and fits perfectly, the headlights, the attention to details you always pay... No words to describe. Never liked E70 to be honest, but this particular one has my heart.

[@christophberlin2871]

There is only one KZbinr who re-engineers the entire BMW lighting platform to proper specifications. And we love him so much. Happy holidays.

[@twilson1973]

Nice series. The X5 came out awesome. Nice job on the headlight restoration. You have great attention to detail as well as a great amount of patience.

[@summushieremiasclarkson4700]

Happy Christmas everybody.

[@DashDrones]

Been waiting for this!! You turned this 4.8l V8 Beast into an absolute Beauty. Merry Christmas dude 😎

[@tylerm.9408]

Just finished the whole series, it was amazing!!

[@Lex24HD]

🎄Merry Christmas Sreten, being a huge Merc fan i gotta say i learnt a lot of BMW repairs and restores thanks to you, your videos are top notch, so entertaining that being 1 hour is not enough, time goes flying. Again, thank you a lot for your videos and may you have a great new year filled with the best of the best.

[@DashDrones]

10:31 Mutzi is such a good doggy🐾

[@yano.moraes1492]

Merry Christmas, Sreten. Every video made by you is absolutely masterpiece. Nowdays I, basically without go to a trade school, work in a repair shop, because I watched you carefully restoring every neglected BMWs, learned a lot and this motivated me to pursue my dream here in Brazil and I discover my true passion. Thank you for all these years and oil leaks being a excellent teacher.

[@abinam2255]

Congrats on completing the Dubai project. The drive at 240 KPH was so smooth, I had to put on my glasses and get close to the monitor to check the dial! Unbelievable restoration job.

[@BiosBoy100]

I'm running E71 and it was quite spectacular watching your progress around! Thank you for this E70 being brought to life! This story, huh, I made several valuable notes in my wheel diary. BMW it's a one love

[@McMaster1500]

A video from Sreten on Christmas Eve, best present ever! Merry Christmas Sreten!

[@williamskagen9901]

Merry Christmas guys!

[@Irish768]

The headlight restoration attention to detail was exceptional . Well done on an amazing project . Loved it .

[@TantissTheEmperor]

Happy to see fellow headlight retrofiter here ! I've done it for every car I owned. When you're used to great light output and crispy sharp cutoff line and colorful flicker, you can't stay anymore with base xenon projectors. It's worth the pain to fit the new projector. Thanks again for this serie and your expertise sharing.

[@interesting7906]

Amazing rejuvenation of this old x5 beast. Whoever came up with the idea of biodegradable wires in the headlight is an absolute genius. He probably got the productivity award and a promotion out of it.🤑

[@ahyaan2552]

Just poor materials used that were not tested since hans and the bmw team were busy having beers

[@interesting7906]

@@ahyaan2552 This qualifies as a recall issue. If BMW was a standup company🙃.

[@malaykumar9802]

The best christmas present one could have asked for. Really admire your skills and patience Sreten!! I still remember the day when I randomly stumbled upon the 2nd part of Project Dubai, while watching restorations of old cars. And, today he has me hooked up on his rich content and awesome videos. Lots of love & well-wishes from Australia💯💯💯

[@eggbirdtherooster]

The end result is absolutely amazing! Always looking forward to your uploads my man

[@UdaraHewawitharana]

i still can't get my head around the fact that how a guy could be this perfect in doing mechanics. kudos brother. you are an elite in that.

[@Nigel999]

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, Sreten. I’ve been checking every day for this episode, thank you for making my Christmas wishes come true. I’m looking forward to what 2023 brings and what wonderful new projects await ❤

[@PhilipSullivan1256]

Those headlights! 😍 I have always been a fan of how good the E70's headlights looked, probably my favorite BMW headlight design from the mid-late 2000's. They fit the car so well and look almost like jewelry for the car

[@EsenbekAliev_]

thank you for not making 3 minute long 50 videos just to make this project done... appreciate your work!

[@matjdm]

Amazing work, skills and i love your attention to détails, doing the stuffs once and the right way directly.

[@adelkheir]

Strettin out of all the car related youtube channels, of which there are many, yours is my personal favorite. I'm even seriously considering starting my own channel.

[@HamaDa_Hayder]

The wheels with everything it's spectacular. The end results are always great with your projocts!!

[@mrxlaxla]

Great job Steten! The amount of enthusiasm is amazing, and that only can come from passionate car lover. Just keep going that way! The final result worths all effort! Naklon do poda! Sve najbolje! Pozdrav od ITijevca iz Holandije sa istom pasijom

[@littlediablo]

Outstanding result Sreten. Thank You for all the fantastic content throughout the year. Stay safe.

[@Crackdown77]

The sportier rims are what it deserves 👍🏻 it has been a great series, but now I'm waiting for some 7/8 series vids. Ciao from Italy

[@andrewpercival1427]

Still the best car restoration channel on youtube, X5 looks great

[@jiawei9011]

Thank you so much for this series! I have an almost exact same X5 - E70, V8, 2009 model year (built in 2008), but also with heated seats🙂. I have a love-hate relationship with it - absolutely love it when it runs and hate it when it breaks (so often!). I have thoroughly enjoyed your videos and truly admire your work. I have learned so much more about my car now. Keep it up!

[@midlife666]

Absolutely loved following this one , high end engineering at its best , by far the best car channel on KZbin .

[@cgeary4homes]

Incredible attention to detail! You are fanatical! I admire your tenacity! Merry Christmas you deserve it!

[@ViniciusLokaoo]

i really love this channel! thanks for all the happy times you bring me while i watch your videos about restorations and storys

[@chefjefe68]

Wonderful work once again Sreten. Like you, I am not so into SUVs, though when one in is the house, the space to haul stuff comes in handy. You keep on with your attention to detail - the results you achieve are plenty of validation. I look forward to hearing how your lady likes the X5.

[@kenstephen6534]

Excellent show and restoration - love your program, look forward to lots more, thank you

[@tsatsmana]

Merry Christmas 🎄 my friend. I am really amazed by your dedication to perfection. The amount of effort to restore these headlights is INSANE. well done, that was a great video and overall a fun project. Enjoy now !

[@yugo4576]

Great stuff! I was never fan of E70 but these series changed my mind to some degree.

[@0pusde1]

Hey, Yugo 45 was our family first car.... :)

[@phildragonslayer8127]

Brillant, as usual. I love what you do, but I love you and your humor, mannerisms and honesty. Thank you

[@johnnyhosellhouses]

If I come across your video 2 years earlier, I wouldn’t trade my X5. It is exactly the same SUV. I loved it a lot. Unfortunately I am not a mechanic and I couldn’t fix it myself. Thanks for your hard works and I really enjoyed it. Keep up the works and I’m sure there will be more people like me watching your videos down the road.

[@owensmith1258]

Thanks for another good video. I used be stationed in Hanau 2000-2004. I liked the BMW's alot. I am glad to come across your channel and see you work on them. You do good mechanic work and it is appreciated. I am often turned off by people not truly respecting the craft. They have no real skills and post videos trying to teach people. I don't know their motivation. Maybe it's the money. You on the other hand are passionate about what you do and I appreciate that. Merry Christmas to you and your family. Happy New Year as well and stay safe. From Coastal Georgia, USA.

[@JayMaverick]

When the car is not like new, but BETTER than new after you worked on it, you know you're doing something right.

[@wdegiorgio]

You are the best. Your instructions are a great help to help me work on and appreciate more my E70. Great Job as always !!

[@bjornwiking1054]

Your appreciation of the OEM and attention detail is unmatched! Every single episode on your channel is an absolut gem! Still the only channel that apart from Subscription also deserves Notification. Happy holidays 😀

[@M1r092]

I'm a bit late to the party on this one, but gotta say I am NOT disappointed. Can't wait for the next one.

[@josebaiturregui37]

240+km/h on a wet autobahn.. idk man i think you shouldn't push your luck.. we all love your videos.. keep'em coming.. merry Christmas!🎄

[@Richie-C]

I agree, it was a small bit hairy when it appeared if the car was going to move into his lane at 240k

[@DrHumorous]

Sreten, you did such an amazing job on the headlights 👏🏼 Respect for your dedication and patience 👍🏼

[@persistencewins]

Mr. Sreten, congrats to you for your dedication to everything you do with excellence. What a pleasure is to watch all your videos. You are really good and fun. I had an E60 550i and now I have the E70 4.8 and am doing the same maintenance taking advantage of your excellent tutorial. thank you!

[@010gabbertjenl6]

Thank you very much for this epic series. I'd love to see the upcomming 8 series.

[@MattCSLnut]

EPIC restoration 👌with stellar determination 💪 The headlight restoration / upgrades themselves are on an intergalactic level. As an owner of a E70 X5 from the same year, in the same colour with the same 20" Y -spoke style 214 wheels but with the M57 Xdrive 3.0d drive train, I appreciate these videos way more than I can ever express my gratitute for. Thanks a lot 👍 and "Seasons Greetings" 🌲

[@steveschwab922]

My wife loves her E70. I enjoyed your video instructions on proper maintenance and expect to refer back often.

[@barimagas]

Wow, you are awesome 👍 The headlight restoration was out of mind!

[@Littlemosslad]

This made my night waiting for Santa. Thanks Sreten! Happy Christmas buddy 🎉

[@died4us590]

Great series, doesn't matter that it was an suv, just great content. A lot of people love these suv's, me not so much, but i love the rebuild aspect. G-d bless, and merry Christmas.

[@Shododaan]

Amazing transformation Sreten! I'm sure your GF will be safe, secure and happy with her ride just in time for Christmas! As always I enjoyed this series and all of your content. I'm sure the dribble from the sunroof (that you don't like) is something you will easily fix. Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and spirited driving to you from a subscriber from across the pond.

[@hawkacutioner]

Simply gorgeous result. Loved this series. I would've quit with the center console and cup holder replacement work!

[@kawasakiwhiptwo5821]

Thanks for this video Sreten. 1:13:49 flew by and felt like it was a 15 minute video. I love your attention to detail. Can't wait for you to get back on the 8 Series. ✌️❤️ By the way everybody, hit that subscribe button. Sreten gives us great content and the least we can do is show our appreciation.

[@Legolas6911]

Great series. The headlight restoration was brilliant. I think they are a bit lower compared to the standard ones but it might be due to different position of measurement. Btw, take a look at xHP flashtool for the transmission, it completely transforms the way it operates. Looking forward to the E92 M3 series.

[@diankurtev4288]

Old BMWs, big engines, very knowledgeable man! This is my favourite channel! In future episodes, I'll be happy to watch some E36s restoration, 328i maybe! Greetings from Bulgaria!

[@danielmarshall4587]

The "TUV" inspector I think, watches your channel.... and I think they are happy you give these cars the chance to continue on the road. YOUR WORK BRINGS MUCH HAPPINESS, to many folk.

[@iracema1]

Astonished at how difficult that headlight rebuild was, but worth it in the end!

[@aor3200]

yes agreed

[@macman6107]

I need to replace the lens covers on my E53 X5 headlights and to see you do it with your car has made me think about doing it myself, rather than palm it off to someone else. Merry Christmas to you and your family 🎄

[@martinschuessler1936]

Abfahrt Grundau-Rothenbergen; you were only a couple of hundred yards from my aunt and uncle's house. I lived in Rothenbergen quite a few years myself. That is so cool to see that in your KZbin video. I'm going to visit before too long because my uncle is getting pretty old and sick. I recognized that stretch of Autobahn from Langenselbold to Rothernbergen right away. Feeling very nostalgic now. Thanks for the great video!

[@jimschafer9196]

WOW what a TLC story, great content, loved the console extraction (great gain, now its quitter). Also loved the pulls on the autoloom and the back country roads nice throaty sound. Like the final wheels selection.

[@MapOfEurasia]

What an awesome episode! Great video Sreten! Merry Xmas 🎄🥳

[@jithesh51423]

The scary part is knowing what other wiring of the car is degrading like this. It's scary how this is still a thing. Thank you for showing us all this

[@darrenplatt1170]

Absolutely great to watch…we all wait, not so patiently, then watch..never fails to impress.

[@jcollado1215]

Man I love this video. It was a one stop shop. I just got a 09 x6 and I am slowly bringing it back to life. This video is tremendously helpful.

[@UncleSpool]

This is such a thorough refresh! A little protip: they make shrink tubing in cut to size rolls, and in different colors. I also recently did an LED retrofit on my wife's Prius, to upgrade the already upgraded xenon projectors. The NHK IV+ made the 55 watt projectors look like candles, lol.

[@M539Restorations]

Thank you! I went to 3 different software stores and they didn't have the right size rolls. Had to order online. The wires are also different thickness so a box comes in handy.

[@UncleSpool]

@@M539Restorations I have to try the spray on kind sometime