Quote:
Originally Posted by Skyline
LOL.
Mine's at just under 130k miles. Some things I've experienced that you will as well are:
A couple of wheel bearings.
Front sway bar ($3,000)
Rear air springs
Front thrust arms.
Front sway bar links, (more than once).
Coolant expansion tank
Pulleys/belt tensioners
Intermediate driveshaft bearing
Valve guide seals ($2,500)
One fr. upper control arm
Entire CCV system
One valve cover (warped)
Battery (it's on it's 3rd)
Alternator
Front strut tower bearing and bump stops.
Plus lots of normal wear and tear stuff like tires, brakes etc. Averaging 14.5mpg on premium isn't too cheap either.
Face it, it's an $80,000 car you're driving, and as crazy as it seems to dump all this money in, it's still a fraction of the cost of driving a new one. Someone else has already paid the price for the $70k of depreciation. Do I wish it would be as reliable as a Toyota? Absolutely. But there's really nothing close to the combined performance and utility in the market except a newer and more expensive X5.
Although I must say, if you don't need to tow anything heavy, I'd really think about a slightly newer 535 xdrive or 535xi wagon. Price $12,000-$15,000 loaded. It's exactly the same internal dimensions as the E70 X5, and the rear seat folds 100% flat. It's as fast with a turbo 6 as the X5 with a NA V8. It's all wheel drive, and handles better. Better gas mileage, and a bit more reliable. The inside and most controls are a carbon copy of the X5. Plus, it's tuneable if you want more power.
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Thanks for your feedback! Great to hear you are at 130k and still on the road.
So far, I've done the following:
Sway bar links
Rear suspension air bags
Oil level sensor
Alternator bracket seal
Valve cover gaskets
Upper timing cover gaskets
Camshaft adjuster seal
Camshaft solenoid gaskets
Brake vacuum pump gasket
Eccentric shaft sensor seal
Crankcase vent valve
Position sensor O-ring
Oil pressure sender
Spark plug tubes
Fuel injector seals
Current repair list:
Water pump
Valley pan
Coolant tubes (2)
Expansion tank cap
Thermostat O-ring
Thermostat Assembly
Water pump gasket
Water pump O-ring
Intake manifold gasket
I have read about the sway bar issue but haven't had it yet. Mine has the adaptive drive so I've heard it's really pricey if / when it does go. I was told my suspension was in good shape, so hopefully I can avoid any issues there for a while. Probably one of the benefits of being a Florida car originally.
I haven't replaced the alternator or the battery yet. I'm guessing the battery must have been replaced shortly before I purchased the car, or it would for sure be dead by now.
The 535i is an interesting idea. I love the 6 cyl turbo engine. I had the same engine in my E92.
To be honest, the sub $1k repairs I'm not terribly worried about, it's the $3k ones that tend to hurt, especially if they happen close together.