Hey Rich

I just did what your going through, pre-purchase research, etc. My last vehicle was a Mercedes ML 55 and I thought I would never be able to live with anything but the fastest model if I went with a BMW X5. Very similar to you I was looking at higher mileage 4.8is (love the look and power) however in the end I just didnt see the value in a higher mileage 4.8is. They all seem to be between 60k-75k miles, and given all the extras they have I didnt want to deal with fixing a ton of smaller items often. I ended up getting into a 2006 4.4i with a great color setup and tons of good options. All in (purchase price, inspection, shipping, etc) I ended up spending under $27,000 for an X5 4.4i with 16,000 miles. My logic was to buy a lower mileage vehicle with less to break = more time on the road, less time in my garage.

I guess it all comes down to what how long you are planning on keeping it and how much time you have to maintain and repair it. For me, I can do most repairs, however I personally think that "wrenching" should be a luxury, not a necessity.

Ive seen other late model, lower mileage, X5s on the market for similar prices. Might be worth a look.

My $.02.