So figured I'd post back here since I bought the X5 I'd a question about in the OP.
Looked all around the country for a lowish mileage manual 6-cylinder X5 for my wife. Had to be E53 specific. Ended up finding it at a small car lot 5 miles from our house. 107k miles on it. Already had the style 63s on it along with an Android HU w/back-up camera. Also found out later it has H&R springs.
As mentioned, it had spent it's entire life up north—which was a concern until after I was able to get it up in the air and take a look at it. No rust on the body at all. Had def been garaged—and overall in great shape and dealer maintained over its lifetime. There is rust on the front and rear subframe, brake calipers, and various fasteners. I intend to replace all of the rusty bits eventually as we'll be keeping this one for a while.
So far I've replaced the rear subframe bushings, brake lines where they like to fail, ebay headlights with OEM Xenon, upper windshield trim, new B-pillar trim (both sides) from Tisher, vinyl replaced with standard leather front seats w/lumbar (ultimately will go heated Sport or Comfort), have leather back seats to go in, added BMW floor mats, roof cross bars, clear tails, and wipers, gauge cluster rings, plus several misc clips and covers here-and-there. Rear shocks/mounts and hardware, plus rotors and pads on all corners going on this weekend.
One added bonus of doing the subframe bushings is that the steering wheel now points perfectly straight, whereas before it was angled left a few degrees.
So far we're really diggin it!
A few pics...
