Here, I know car maintenance is horrible after manufacturer warranty. It seems no one services properly, I see fancy Ferrari/Lambos in the worst looking garages... there's no way they could have the diagnostic tools from manufacturers to properly do a service.

So when I was looking at my E53 3.0i and also test driving a E53 4.8i, they felt exactly the same. I figured the 4.8i was so poorly serviced that it just drove like it had half the hp. As tempting as it was, I played it 'safe' and went for the 3.0i.

I spent money after money for the first 12 moths on the 3.0i after I bought it (11 years old and 60,000 miles) but put it down to less-than-stellar servicing despite very good looking logbooks. Now in its 3rd year in my hands it seems mechanically stable. Reading this thread maybe I'm only half right... maybe BMW engineering isn't all it's cracked up to be (at least, to not-so-handy car owners like me).

Anyway hope your move overseas goes well and whatever your vehicle of choice is makes up for the dramas you've had with the E53.