My New Project: 2002 X5 4.6is

[BimmerM3inGA]

I couldn't have said it better myself!

[mcoupe]

A minor but important detail favoring the 4.6, the style 87 wheels are the best.

[crystalworks]

Yeah, didn't mean to start a 4.6 (driven a very nice 4.6 on many occasions) vs. 4.8 debate. Sorry again. I like both vehicles a great deal... am just trying to figure out which one I want to plunk money down on (and into).

I understand why some would not want air on all corners... but I do even with the increased maintenance costs. Adjustable ride height is worth it for me. 6spd vs 5spd is great since it turns terrible gas mileage into slightly less terrible gas mileage... LOL. And engine maintenance issues are the same in my eyes as the labor/cost to do chain guides on the m62 is about the same as doing the valve stem seals on the N62 (if not pulling the head). That's actually when I drove the the 4.6, after it had new chain guides and chain after it came into the shop I was working at. Very nice vehicle, owner of the shop liked it so much he tried to buy it from the customer.

[BimmerM3inGA]

A minor but important detail favoring the 4.6, the style 87 wheels are the best.

Tru dat!

You can't really say that one model is better than than the other. They both have their pros and cons. It just depends on your priorities. For me, I prefer the pre-facelift styling, I know how to take apart and put together an M62, I didn't want to deal with air suspension problems, and like mcoupe pointed out, the Style 87's are beautiful wheels - and specific to the 4.6.

[X53Jay4.8is]

Okay one thing for sure both the E53 4.6is and 4.8is products are highly desirable X5s and something special.

[cgrosse]

Does it rattle on start up? Drop the oil pan for plastic chips from the timing chain....MANDATORY!

[BimmerM3inGA]

Originally Posted by cgrosse

Does it rattle on start up? Drop the oil pan for plastic chips from the timing chain....MANDATORY!

Already done. Oil pan was dropped and chain guides were visually inspected while replacing the valve cover and upper timing cover gaskets.

[Santib]

I have an '03 4.6 that has 237,000 on the odometer. I replaced the timing guides, seals and tensioner at 223,000 for peace of mind and resealed the motor. Much to my amazment the old guides where in very good shape.It seems that my 5,000 mile oil change interval made a big differance in how the guides lasted. Just my experience, your results may vary?

[BimmerM3inGA]

Wow, 237K on the original timing bits is impressive. I have no doubt that your oil change regiment had a lot to do with that!

[cgrosse]

Complete amazement.... I too have consistently changed my oil with BMW synthetic at 5K intervals and my guides were junk...consider your 4.6 a blessed machine!!!