Tuning BMW X5 E70 – top upgrade of the legendary car

By Lukas Müller On Nov 11, 2022

Tuning BMW X5 E70 is primarily aimed at increasing power and improving the dynamics of the car. Since most buyers buy a car exclusively for city driving, installing all kinds of off-road body kits and kengurins is not very popular with them. The first thing that refinement begins with is chip tuning. But few people stop there, trying to improve as many parts of the X5 as possible.

1 ECU flashing – execution methods, their pros and cons

There is an opinion among novice motorists that chip tuning of German SUVs is useless and only helps to “kill” the car engine. But over time, almost everyone begins to understand that without this event it is impossible to achieve good results. BMW on the E70 body was one of the pioneers of improving performance by flashing the ECU. It was on this model that German specialists gained experience, from whom our compatriots subsequently adopted all the subtleties of work. Today, chip tuning of this popular car can be done at any specialized service station. Another question: how much will this service cost?

bmw x5 e70

As a rule, prices for firmware replacement do not fall below 15 thousand conventional units. And if you take into account the constantly jumping exchange rate, in some corrective studies they may require an amount one and a half times more.

Due to the high prices for flashing, many X5 owners are forced to delve into the intricacies of auto-tuning the chip. It doesn't take long to understand this. However, here, as in any other method of improving a car, there are secrets. The first thing to know in advance is the firmware method. The regular ECU program can be corrected using special programs or completely replaced with a new utility. The first method is acceptable if the owner of the E70 wants to improve only one or two specific features. The advantages of this chip tuning method include efficiency and short lead times. There is only one, but a very big minus – the cost of licensed programs for tuning does not fall below 8-10 thousand conventional units. Downloading and using Chinese programs is quite dangerous; As a rule, almost all of them are infected with viruses,

The second method is more difficult to implement, it will take more time, but its cost does not exceed 4 thousand conventional units. In addition, you have almost unlimited possibilities to personalize the elements of your BMW. There is a third method of chip tuning an SUV, which is to install a tuning box. This device is a programmable unit that is installed in one of the E70 fuel system lines. Despite the popularity of such a device, unfortunately, there is little use for it. The tuning box can only slightly increase the power of the BMW, while increasing the amount of fuel consumed. This is especially noticeable on a diesel. Considering all the factors, it becomes clear that a complete firmware replacement is the sweet spot that X5 owners are trying to find.

2 Complete software replacement – preparation and detailed algorithm of work

As with any other car, before chip tuning a German SUV, you need to carefully prepare for work. First, you need to download the new firmware. You can find it on the Bosch official website, which supplies the ECU for the X5. The second way is to search for a utility on a car forum. When searching, be sure to indicate the type of engine whose ECU needs to be flashed: diesel or gasoline. In addition to the new utility, chip tuning will require a program that allows you to customize the operation of BMW systems. In the case of the X5, it is best to use the Chiploader 2.9 utility. You must also buy or borrow the original K-Line adapter and USB adapter. All work will be carried out in the cabin of the E70, so you will have to take care of a Windows XP laptop with a permanently connected charger.

Chip tuning BMW X5 E70 After you have collected all the equipment, you need to save the new firmware to the laptop hard drive. To copy it, you will need to install the 7-Zip archiver. Also install the Chiploader program in advance. The algorithm for additional chip tuning is as follows:

we take the equipment into the car and remove the cover at the bottom left of the instrument panel;
connect one end of the adapter to the OBD connector of the ECU:
connect the other end through an adapter to a laptop outlet;
start the car and wait about 2 minutes;
a folder with information about automatic blocking will appear on the laptop screen;
open the folder “0” – there is a standard firmware;
go to the laptop hard drive and open the new firmware through the 7-zip archiver;
specify folder “0” as destination and wait about 30 seconds;
then the Chiploader program window will open, in which you can change the operation of the machine systems;
adjust the details, focusing on the program indicators (if Chiploader highlights some items in red, then the slider should move back 1 or 2 positions);
check the settings again and click “OK”;
waiting for the installation of a new firmware; during this time, the motor will start and stop 3 times;
as soon as the charging line turns green, you can finish the job;
disconnect the wires and install the cover back on the instrument panel.

Some beginners in the field of car modifications expect some unrealistic results from chip tuning. But don't expect your X5 to double in power. In fact, everything is much more modest. If you have a diesel engine, BMW's power will increase by about 30%. If the car consumes gasoline, a maximum increase of 25% can be achieved. Fuel consumption will decrease, but only at high speed. Under normal conditions, it will not be possible to achieve a decrease in this indicator. A pleasant surprise for the driver will be an increase in dynamics, which will force the E70 to accelerate a little more. After chip tuning, jerks and yaws will disappear when braking. The gearbox will also work better. You will no longer feel the drops when shifting gears in winter or when the engine is cold.

3 Installation of arch extensions – how to make a car more solid?

Externally, the BMW in the back of the E70 looks great. Even now, despite the appearance of cars with an original appearance, many motorists still prefer the X5. The E70 cannot be called aggressive, but it was not considered a “car for girls” either. In a word, the X5 is a car suitable for everyone, whether you are a constantly busy businessman or an ordinary housewife. But if the owner of a BMW is a fan of tuning, the car is likely to change its appearance. To do this, there are a huge number of options, ranging from full painting of the car and ending with the installation of LEDs in various parts of the body. Each of these methods will effectively improve the car, but none of them will make it more aggressive. This is exactly what most BMW owners want.

Arch extensions for the BMW X5 E70 Other additional elements do an excellent job with this task, among which it is worth noting the extension of the wheel arches. They will slightly expand the car, make it more aggressive and solid. In the current market, you can find various types of expanders, each of which differs from the others in its material and service life. The first type is rubber expanders. These parts are considered the most affordable, they have a short period of use. The main disadvantage of such elements is the lack of protection of the car body from gravel, so they are most often purchased for city cars.

The second type is plastic universal wings. They are a little more expensive, fairly easy to install with regular screws. The shelf life depends on the coating. If the car often drives off-road, then after six months the wings begin to warp. This is due to the regular impacts of stones. But if the machine is operated in the city, the expanders can last 2 years or more. The third and most expensive type is fiberglass expanders. Its high cost is associated with the price of the material. In any condition, such things will last at least 3 years. In addition to cost, another disadvantage of fiberglass expanders is the difficulty of installing them on a specific vehicle.

The holes for the screws should already be made in the standard BMW fender. While the putty is not dry, apply an expander and fasten it with fasteners.

The latter must be screwed on the inside of the arch. After half an hour, the putty will dry and a small part will come out from under the seam between the expander and the body. So that the remnants do not stain the car, we stick bodybuilding tape. After installing the expander, it remains to clean the BMW body from stains. To do this, you can use a small amount of turpentine. Then we check the reliability of the fasteners by pulling the expander strongly towards us. If the part holds, you can continue to operate the X5.

4 Carbon in the BMW cabin – an effective way to improve the interior

Carbon is not in vain very popular with motorists. First of all, it is a solid appearance. Details pasted over with carbon please even experienced drivers who have seen a lot of cars. Secondly, carbon can hide damage to the instrument panel and other interior parts. Thirdly, the carbon film reliably protects the screen from fading in the sun.

Tuning the interior of the BMW X5 E70 Many tuning enthusiasts know how to glue carbon. But each car is individual, so when applying the film to a particular car, unforeseen situations may arise. This is not excluded in the case of the X5. That is why very often the owners of German SUVs do not dare to use carbon in the tunnel between the driver's and passenger's seats. Accessories located in this part of the cabin are quite difficult to disassemble. At the same time, if they are not removed, it will not work to seal the tunnel with a quality film. To use charcoal, you first need to buy it. It is best to buy goods with a small margin, so as not to interrupt work later. In principle, 2.5 m of film will suffice. When buying a product, pay attention to your appearance.

Very often, inexperienced motorists confuse carbon fiber with ordinary vinyl. The latter is a thin film with a “carbon look” pattern. A real carbon film is distinguished by its relief and, accordingly, the price. If you see a roll of film with an embossed coating in the store and it costs at least 600 rubles / m, then this is a real carbon film. After purchasing the product, you need to disassemble all those parts on which you will apply carbon. First, we remove large elements: the instrument panel, the tunnel, the plastic parts of the doors. The interior tunnel of the X5 is attached to special clips. Removing them is not difficult, but you need to be very careful not to break the fasteners. All other parts are fastened with metal screws.

Then clean the parts from dust and stains. Degrease the lining of the elements. Then unfold the film and place it on a flat surface. Place heavy items on top. In the center of the film, install the inner part and cut out the carbon. When cutting the product, you must leave 3 cm in stock. Next, we wrap the part with a film, look where the carbon fiber will bend. Remove the backing paper from the product and dampen the inside with soapy water. After that, carefully attach the film with the sticky side to the part and start smoothing the product with a small roller. Air bubbles must be removed from under the carbon fiber immediately. You will have approximately 30 minutes for the film to cure on the surface to remove the bubbles and level the product. In the same way, it works with all common BMW interior elements.

Next, we proceed to applying the film to small parts: door handles, a rear-view mirror, a gearshift lever knob, levers and buttons. Despite the small size of the pieces, it will take more time to “play” with them. These elements have many bends and depressions. To beautifully apply the film, you need to take into account all the irregularities. As before, the piece must be wrapped with a film and cut off the excess parts of the carbon. After that, apply a soapy solution, but not on the part, but on the sticky part of the film. We then immediately apply carbon to the replacement part. In those places on the elements where there are gaps, the film must be pressed with a finger or a blunt object. Make sure there are no wrinkles in the film.

After applying carbon fiber to all parts of the E70 interior, it is necessary to wait until the film is completely glued to the surface. After about 4 hours, you can install the elements in place in the car.