My first, only, and most probably my last Bimmer (or any other personal car) was a nearly 20yr old E53, when I swapped for it in 5/2021 (it's b'day is 7/2001). When I gave the neighbor my preferences for an AWD, or 4WD to swap for, in '17 (he was to buy and prepare/repair it to swap for my '66 Chevelle drag race car), I specified

• 1) a '01-03 BMW X5 E53 with the M54,
• 2) a '98-01 Jeep XJ 4WD w/straight 6 cylinder,
• 3) a '99-04 Jeep WJ 4WD, also w/straight 6, or
• 4) a '96-04 Chevrolet Blazer 4-Door 4WD, 4.3l V-6

Actually there were 10 models on my list, but when he found some to look at/into, and to describe them to me, the X5 moved to the top (though I saw the S-10 as a sentimental favorite, after owning a 2wd S-10 extended cab pickup for almost 20 years). It took him over 3.5 years to get it to a tradeable condition (nearly all systems rebuilt).

No regrets, so far, but I always wanted a BMW, loved the first-gen E53 styling from day-one, and never had an SUV (SAV) or AWD/4WD before, so it ticked-off a few boxes on my wish list, at one time. I've had just about every car, truck, engine, etc. that I'd wanted, previously, so why not an old E53?

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01 BMW X5 E53,3.0i-5L40E, 7/13/01
topas-blau,Leder-grau,"resto-project car"

Here:
14 Lexus ES350,3.5L-U660E
09 HHR Panel,2.2L-4T45E
04 Chevy 2500HD,6.0L-4L80E
98 GMC Sierra 1500,5.7L-4L60E

Gone:
66 Chevelle Malibu 2dr ht.,327>441c.i.-TH350>PGlide/transbrake
08 Cobalt Coupe,2.2L-4T45E
69 & 75 C10s,350c.i.-TH350
86 S10,2.8L-700R4
73 Volvo 142,2.0L-MT4
72 & 73 VW SuperBeetles,1.6l-MT4
64 VW,1.2l-MT4
67 Dodge Monaco 500 2dr ht.,383c.i.-A727
56 Chevy 210 4dr,265c.i.-PGlide