OK UPDATE! a good one I hope...

well after 8 oil changes, 3 motor flushes and a couple hickups I think "think" I know what the problem is.... crossing fingers

the noise which again is completely random sounds strongest from one of the cats on the exhaust. It sounds like the internals of the cat broke loose and are rattling around in there. before the rattling noise started I would get about 450 to 475 miles to a tank of gasoline. since I have done all the oil changes and a few other little things I seem to be getting between 500 and 550 miles to a tank.
Please understand if this motor blows I will be getting either a brand new car or one with less then 40k miles on it. I have not been gentle with it lately. The rougher I am the better it seems to run no more misfires and as long as I'm above 1400 rpm it does not rattle.

I will be ordering an endoscope soon so I can look up into the cats so I don't have to take much apart until I figure out if that's the problem.


Also other good news I have a job doing what I enjoy doing and have turned down 3 other jobs one for low pay, one because of distance, and the other just because I don't like that type of work. Finally I back to building a bank account, money going out is less then 1/4 of what is coming in. Soon I will be able to pay someone else to fix my car for me. that will be one less worry. I may buy a chevy silverado only bad on it is the body rust for a winter/ beater vehicle to use while I work on the bmw.

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2003 X5 3.0i automatic
jet blk/beige leather
premium, rear climate, sport packages
The "You'll never have extra money again!" Edition