Bluebee, the radiator is sometimes but not always the first thing to go. My grandfather had a hose blow up, followed 2 weeks later by his expansion tank spontaneously blowing out. I've had a leaky... something... under my expansion tank that leaks when it's <0°C, but it's been that way for 10k km. (fingers crossed) The weather sucks, so I'm waiting until later this year (if I'm still driving it) but I will be doing the whole cooling system. No f*cking around is what I've learned (so I'm f*cking around pushing my luck to 100k miles)

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'99 528i ('98/12 build). 174,000km BY29428/Royalrot
Breaking My Wallet since 2009
Mods: Stoptech SS brake hose, 280piece toolkit resting on trunk floor, Beisan VANOS seals
'99 540i (grandfather's)