Quote:
Originally Posted by 80stech
Thanks guys!  all good points. The E70 sounds good but if there isn't a lot of advantage maintenance wise then I probably should hold off a bit longer to see if a good E53 still can be had. I was hoping that the E70 maybe had only 1 or 2 known issues like the water pump but sounds like could be more and probably why they are available at better prices. The F15 chassis is out of my price range right now. I guess one more option might be another X3 E83 which seem to be available at lower mileage and better price than the E53 but I really, really like driving the X5! Thanks again for all the feedback!  |
My first question is what would you consider "low mileage"?
I went back and forth between e53 and e70 myself and was looking at the cheap 07-08 model years and eventually settled on the e53 because I believe the maintenance to be cheaper between M54 and N52. Or at least that was my experience with them.
The water pump and CCV on the N52 is enough to put me off
On the E83 note, I owned...still own, I should say drove the crap out of a 2004 and 2007. Like REALLY beat on them while I was doing some courier work in Toronto.
They are great little vehicles but the e53 platform is a LOT more truck than the e83. I pulled a small u-haul trailer with a bed frame and dresser in it (it was basically the trailer weight +100 lbs) and the X3 was definitely feeling the trailer back there. I was very surprised at how poorly it handled that "load".
I very much enjoy the e83 platform but it is basically an e46 wagon with bigger wheels and the e53 feels like a tank compared to it driving down the road.
The e83 is also the first BMW I owned that felt "cheap". The doors don't have the same thud to them, the interior doesn't feel as luxurious as a BMW should but they are FANTASTIC in the snow though.