Originally Posted by anthonytexas

Okay, I want to chime in now. I am 1 more service visit to the dealership from calling my 2005 X5 3.0i a POS. I've always wanted an X5 because I thought I has classic, elegant look about it. And it's a BMW! A brand that is synonymous with quality. Well, I jumped in on the CPO 0.9% ARP a year ago. Here's their marketing ad for buying CPO:
[
Only the best pre-owned BMWs qualify for the Certified Pre-Owned BMW Vehicle Program. To be eligible for enrollment in the Certified Pre-Owned Vehicle Program, a late-model vehicle must be in service for at least six months or have more than 6,000 miles but less than 60,000 miles on the odometer. They must pass an extensive examination - a thorough and rigorous inspection by BMW factory-trained technicians. They inspect the vehicle for safety, performance and wear. If something is not right, it is fixed. If it cannot be fixed, the car cannot become a Certified Pre-Owned BMW.

In short, we're picky. But when you see everything covered under our Protection Plan, you'll understand why.

Ask to see the Certified Pre-Owned Inspection Checklist. It is your assurance of the quality, reliability and overall pleasure BMW owners have come to expect.
]

Here's what I had the previledge of owning such a prestigious vehicle:

1. Water Pump - CPO covered. $50 deductible.

2. Brakes - Maintenance plan covered. $50 deductible.

3. AM weak frequency - 2 visits. "Working" according to the tech each time. Still sucks.

4. New set of tires (from Discount Tires) - $1,100. Didn't noticed this until I had a blowout to find out that my factory tires are really old. My fault for not noticing before purchase. Looked new to me and the salesman said they were new also.

5. Alignment - $185. Had to be at the dealership since BMW alignment is very technical and precise.

6. Front suspension / Bushing - Quoted $2,500, but I rejected. Found a solution here on this board and will be DIY after my CPO expire.

7. A/C flush / rebuilt - Quoted $250. Rejected. DIY.

8. Front Lightbulbs - Went out twice. DIY.

9. Thermostat - $50 deductible.

10. And now - Battery - Quoted $450! For a freaking battery that I could get at Sears for $125. But no, this battery is BMW-certified and has to be installed at the dealership to be sure that the computer will accept it. The $450 was a slap in the face, but it wasn't as embarrassing as having to get my BMW x5 jumpstarted by a stranger in a parking lot with a KIA.

Apparently they missed a couple of items during the certification process of my X5. True some of these are maintenance items, but the CPO inspection should have caught them and rectify them before they become a headache for me. Aside from the money spent (this is on top of spending $3,000 more to get CPO and $1,500 for the Maintenance Extension), I've lost countless hours with the wait and shuttling back-in-forth from work. Man, I'm so freaky pissed right now....