advice on AB unit vs ckd/ cbu unit

[nitrocruiser]

Hi guys,Very new to Bimmer so need your guys advice. I am looking for a 5 series. but pls help on choosing one. I am looking for an used AB unit but someone one told me that Ab unit have lots of problems and issues. so better for me to get a cbu/ckd. not too sure diff between cbu/ ckd but i guess it means recond unit from euro or japan. I actually prefer AB unit as first they are brand new, so if i buy will be 2nd owner. second, i wont have to change the radio unit that might cost 8-9k. but is it real that AB unit have many problems? share your experience here pls.japan recond has higher spec but will have to spend 8-9k on radio.euro recond has higher spec but super diff to find.i prefer 07 and newer.

 

[nitrocruiser]

sorry pls also advice why there are bimmer badged 525i but its 3000cc? and anyone drove a 2500cc and 3000cc ? how big is the difference in power and smoothness between two?

 

[kwwong99]

Hi nitrocruiser,

I will relate some of experiences being a BMW user for years and some of my friends' experience owning a reconditioned BMW from UK and Japan. Then it is up to you to decide. Maybe others can share their experiences as well. FYI, I have been driven BMW cars for more than 5 years, all bought locally. I also owned 2 Toyota Harrier SUVs before and I have my host of problems with them and spent quite a bit repairing the cars thereafter.

I do have some problems with my current BMW as well as my previous, but it was taken care during the first three years warranty and free maintenance and service from BMW. Mostly were minor problems like discolored BMW emblem, but I did have an aircond compressor problem - but it was part of the 3 years warranty. I dare to say that I didn't even pay BMW a single sen for maintenance during the first 3 years owning the car. From my experience, if the car does have problem, it will crop up during the first 2 years and if maintain well, it will last much longer.

I have a friend who bought a reconditioned BMW 5 series year 2006 from Japan. She had so much problems with the car and spent easily more than an additional RM20K during the first 9 months, she decided to resell the car back to the used car dealer. Another of my friend who owns a BMW 3 series year 2004 reconditioned unit from UK, told me that he spent more than RM15K to maintain his car the first year and in the second year, he has to changed his gearbox and spent about RM25K for a second hand parts. A first hand parts will easily cost him more than RM30K.

In my opinion, the first thing about owning a car is all about the overall cost of ownership besides driving a great car and to impress. Looking at my experiences and some of my friends' experiences, I don't think owning a reconditioned car is cheap. The initial cost may be cheaper but we do not know the history of the car. If you do, then no problem. No car is problem free, be it electrical, electronic, wear and tears and others. There's when maintenance comes in, and without that, the car will be somewhat naked. Believe me, a reconditioned car will invite a host of problems and at the end of the day, drives up the cost of owning the car. Moreover, a Japanese car is conditioned based on their local needs and environment. So is a car from UK. That is another problem.

Remember, you suppose to enjoy your car all the time and not having headaches over it!!

Cheers
KW

 

[kwwong99]

FYI, 525 will give you enough power. Drive both 525 and 530 and you will know what I mean.

 

[paultantk]

i would advise staying away from N53 engined reconds... our fuel may cause problems with those engines. plus if you look up our AB unit VIN numbers you will see this option specified called hot climate pack or something, while the euro recond cars may not have it. it could just be something minor like a different thermostat, but you wanna take the risk ah?

 

[haywire]

Newer UK cars 525i and 530i are both 3000cc, but in a state of different tunes. Those are N53s as described by Paultan above.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_N53

 

[haywire]

Extract from the Wiki page above:


The BMW N53 is BMW's 14th generation production straight 6 engine, released in 2007 in the facelifted BMW 5 Series (E60/E61) and the BMW 3 Series (E90/E91/E92/E93). It is an improvement on the N52 Naturally Aspirated (NA) engine mainly since it has gasoline direct injection technology and can burn stratified. However, unlike its predecessor, it does not contain BMW's Valvetronic technology due to space limitations in the cylinder head[1].BMW does not plan to put the N53 engine for sale in Australian and North American models due to the high sulphur content of the fuel available in these markets.
The N53 makes use of HPI: High Precision Injection or Direct Injection, which consists of Piëzo-electric injectors directly in the cylinder.
The N53B30-O0 has improved maximum power to 272 bhp (203 kW) as well as maximum torque over the N52B30. The N53B30-O0 can be found in the 330i (E90/E91/E92/E93) and 530i (E60/E61).
The 325i (E90/E91/E92) switched from the N52B25-OL (2.5-litre) to the N53B30-U0 (3.0-litre) in September 2007 (March 2007 for the E93). Despite the increased displacement, the maximum power remained unchanged, and maximum torque has increased just enough to compensate for a longer differential final drive ratio as a result of a shorter useful range (maximum power is given in the N53B30-U0 at only 640 rad/s instead of the 700 rad/s of the older N52B25-OL). The N53B30-U0 can also be found in the present 525i (E60/E61).
The 2.5-litre N53B25-U0 can be found in the present 523i (E60/E61)[2].
U0 subcoded engines seem to be crippled versions of their equivalent displacement O0 versions as they share all internal dimensions and technology.

 

[noobie]

i did a simple calculation before i bought a SKD used from AB. i was ready to put a deposit for a 525Msport 2007 Japan recond. Then i did some calculations,

We are talking about original items yeah... not some after markets 3rd party.

PDC - 7k
CIC upgrade - 20k
GPS - 10k
RIMS(ori) - 10k
Misc(forecast) - 15k
= 60+k.

hmm... if i want to "acclimatize" back this car, it will cost a bomb. Might as well get a SKD. Cheaper and comes with all the gadgets(almost complete)

 

[Alex5522]

Hi nitrocruiser,

I will relate some of experiences being a BMW user for years and some of my friends' experience owning a reconditioned BMW from UK and Japan. Then it is up to you to decide. Maybe others can share their experiences as well. FYI, I have been driven BMW cars for more than 5 years, all bought locally. I also owned 2 Toyota Harrier SUVs before and I have my host of problems with them and spent quite a bit repairing the cars thereafter.

I do have some problems with my current BMW as well as my previous, but it was taken care during the first three years warranty and free maintenance and service from BMW. Mostly were minor problems like discolored BMW emblem, but I did have an aircond compressor problem - but it was part of the 3 years warranty. I dare to say that I didn't even pay BMW a single sen for maintenance during the first 3 years owning the car. From my experience, if the car does have problem, it will crop up during the first 2 years and if maintain well, it will last much longer.

I have a friend who bought a reconditioned BMW 5 series year 2006 from Japan. She had so much problems with the car and spent easily more than an additional RM20K during the first 9 months, she decided to resell the car back to the used car dealer. Another of my friend who owns a BMW 3 series year 2004 reconditioned unit from UK, told me that he spent more than RM15K to maintain his car the first year and in the second year, he has to changed his gearbox and spent about RM25K for a second hand parts. A first hand parts will easily cost him more than RM30K.

In my opinion, the first thing about owning a car is all about the overall cost of ownership besides driving a great car and to impress. Looking at my experiences and some of my friends' experiences, I don't think owning a reconditioned car is cheap. The initial cost may be cheaper but we do not know the history of the car. If you do, then no problem. No car is problem free, be it electrical, electronic, wear and tears and others. There's when maintenance comes in, and without that, the car will be somewhat naked. Believe me, a reconditioned car will invite a host of problems and at the end of the day, drives up the cost of owning the car. Moreover, a Japanese car is conditioned based on their local needs and environment. So is a car from UK. That is another problem.

Remember, you suppose to enjoy your car all the time and not having headaches over it!!

Cheers
KW

Maybe the luck was not on your friend side having the Japan Spec 5 series got soo much problem. FYI i am having a 10 years old Japan Spec 3 series since last year and so far it was only the wear & tear parts such like lower control arm & bush, atf oil and tyres have being changed. Some times buying a car also depends on luck too.

 

[aoch88]

@noobie, you can get a full latest i-drive retrofit (similar to F10 or 7 series) in Singapore at around RM13-14K all inclusive.

 

[EL118]

i did a simple calculation before i bought a SKD used from AB. i was ready to put a deposit for a 525Msport 2007 Japan recond. Then i did some calculations,

We are talking about original items yeah... not some after markets 3rd party.

PDC - 7k
CIC upgrade - 20k
GPS - 10k
RIMS(ori) - 10k
Misc(forecast) - 15k
= 60+k.

hmm... if i want to "acclimatize" back this car, it will cost a bomb. Might as well get a SKD. Cheaper and comes with all the gadgets(almost complete)

Hi noobie, just to elaborate on your comparison. the japan spec no PDC? GPS can get below RM3k. RIMS cost should not count here (unless u r comparing against an upgraded local unit) CIC upgrade necessary?

probably u can consider a consider UK spec with PDC and nice RIMs, can nego for warranty from the AP holder (up to 1 year). u just need to instal GPS for below RM3k. Ur 60k budget may not be necessary.

 

[aoch88]

Buy an iPad 2 and install Papago bigger screen and cheaper gps solution. Plus your passengers can enjoy Internet too and your car is now like a business class plane. Haha

 

[noobie]

Hi EL118,

majority of the japan specs that i had seen doesn't come with PDC. With regards to CIC, i think it's quite an impt upgrade, else we can only use the 8" lcd screen for very limited functions. anyway, my comparison was against SKD version that comes with all original equipments. i'm sure not many people will actually spend such amount to use 100% ori.

Hi noobie, just to elaborate on your comparison. the japan spec no PDC? GPS can get below RM3k. RIMS cost should not count here (unless u r comparing against an upgraded local unit) CIC upgrade necessary?

probably u can consider a consider UK spec with PDC and nice RIMs, can nego for warranty from the AP holder (up to 1 year). u just need to instal GPS for below RM3k. Ur 60k budget may not be necessary.

 

[aoch88]

I might want to upgrade and retrofit my whole I drive. Any takers? Haha. Mine is UK spec without navigation but I heard the CIC must be reprogramed to match the VIN to work.