All:

Just wanted to express my thanks to the many owners who have taken the time to post their DIY repair experiences here. It is VERY helpful to many of us! (I've authored two such articles myself...one on installing trailer brake controllers, and one on repairing taillamp assemblies. I get lots of emails thanking me, but I'm happy to help other oweners). Its just too bad that BMW doesn't make this info available to its current and potential customers as a courtesy, since they make such crap that constantly breaks!

Just this weekend, my driver's door handle quit functioning, as has many before me. This afternoon, I made the replacement (although, see my feelings below), thanks to a couple of members here, gregwx5, and PersonaNonGrata. Well, you're Persona Grata to me! My door is working once again!

When I bought the new door handle mechanism, I also had to buy yet ANOTHER Final Stage Resistor as my A/C is once again acting up. $300 to exit the dealership for parts that SHOULD HAVE LASTED WITHOUT FAILING! I think I just got hosed by the dealership YET AGAIN! Posts on here would indicate the door mechanism should be $75, yet I paid nearly twice that!

Warning....Editorial Comment to Follow.....

I love how my 2002 X5 looks and drives, but it is such a complete pile of CRAP from an engineering, manufacturing, and quality assurance point of view, I can't believe it! Yes, I know it has 160K miles now, but you know what....vehicles in this market category should be expected to deliver nearly flawless performance (without abuse) for 200K miles or more! Other manufacturers can do it....why not BMW??? I expected a whole lot more! I shouldn't have to keep fixing all these annoying little issues on what was marketed as the Ultimate Driving Machine...Hah...if you can keep it running! So far, I've replaced or still have issues with.....

The Transmission...INEXCUSEABLE! Cracked clutch housing, rebuilt at my cost at 100K miles.
The Instrument Cluster....numerous non-working pixels....still broken!
The Final Stage Resistor...NOW REPLACING THIS AGAIN!! Its an electronic part in an HVAC system... HOW HARD IS THIS TO FIX? And, $125 for a replacement!!! I'm tired of bending over at the dealer. This is, AT MOST, a $6 part. I'm in this business, I know!
Radiator.....Why didn't you design it to last as long as the freakin car?
Window regulator....Rear side window...USED LIKE 4 TIMES (no kids here)? Whoever designed this with cheap plastic parts should be looking for work with the government, as he/she is otherwise unemployable in my mind!
Rear suspension bushings creaking! Lubed them, and no change.
Water Pump
Power Steering Leaks
Radiator Overflow plastic hose disintegrated (and it pumps fluid out as your drive...nice touch....yeah, don't worry about any of those Fail-safe directives....a new engine due to overheating is a normal repair for a plastic overflow hose!)

OK, so I'm determined to make it to 200K miles, but then I'll be a buyer. Do you think I'll be considering another X5? NOT LIKELY! My wife wants a new car too and likes the looks of the MINI. Do you think we'd seriously consider one of those? Well, maybe we would have if I NEVER OWNED A BMW! Hey BMW, Listen to your customers, and not some PR or Customer Experience Consultant or Agency who does some random survey...ASK US! We'll tell you exactly what you need to do to gain our return business! DESIGN MORE RELIABLE CARS and INTERACT DIRECTLY with customers when there are problems. Engage with dealers that aren't thieves. I've NEVER had a satisfying experience with a BMW Dealer.

OK, glad I got that off my chest!