New owner!

[davemqv]

Hi All,

Just introducing myself here. I just picked up a 2015 e84 X1 with 45k miles which so far, I absolutely love. I'm used to the trials and tribulations of older European cars but this is my first BMW (and my first post 90's car!).

A couple of quick questions...

1) My car came with Sensatec interior (black) and while that's fine for the most part, I'd rather have leather for the front seats, both for the breathability and the nice leather smell. As I see it I have two options. I can have the seats recovered in a leather of my choosing, or I can source two OEM leather seats from BMW.
Has anyone here done either of those things? Is the Dakota leather worth it? I've heard it has a plastic/acrylic coating on top of the leather anyway.

2) I am wondering if anyone here has preemptively addressed the timing chain tensioner issue by having it replaced it before any problems came up?
I don't hear any weird rattles and 45k doesn't seem like high mileage. I've also been told the issue was seen more on older versions of the car? Has there been any upgrade to the part that fails? Better plastic, etc? Or is it just luck of the draw?


Finally, I wanted to say thanks to those who post here about their cars. I read through numerous threads before buying my X1. Lots of helpful info.

[varunchadha2583]

Hi,

regarding your point 2 above, did you get it done or are planning to replace it?

[davemqv]

Originally Posted by varunchadha2583

Hi,

regarding your point 2 above, did you get it done or are planning to replace it?

I have not had it done. The car drives really nicely and it isn't making any odd noises. Although it was off the road for about a year or so while sitting at the dealer, until that point it had been very well taken care of, receiving regular oil and fluid changes.

Also after researching it some more, it seems like by 2015 the tensioner may have been redesigned. I also spoke to my mechanic, who specializes in BMW, and he says they can actually check the integrity of the chain and tensioner and all related parts through hooking it up to their computer, which seems crazy but I guess that how all diagnostics work on newer cars. I am planning on taking it in to have the oil changed within the next couple of weeks, and I'l have the chain and tensioner and all parts inspected. if it turns out to be dodgy I'll replace it, but at roughly $2100 to do the job I'm hoping all is as well as it appears to be.

[05X3lover]

We just had our 60K service done on our '15, Dave. They checked and adjusted the tensioner among everything else they did. Said everything looked good. I don't think we'd get it proacticvely changed out without some real evidence it was needed. It's (as you quoted) very expensive and I don't think it's nearly as common a failure as the forums can make you believe.

Btw, did you get your seat covers in? My wife is asking me if you received them and how you like them..