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  #1  
Old 12-21-2015, 06:01 PM
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Advise wanted

I have a 2001 4.4 Sport Package in very good physical condition. I am often complemented on how good it looks, and people are amazed when I tell them it is a 2001.

It has 109k miles. I am the second owner and owned it since July 2002. My wife and I bought it when my older son was 2 and we had our second on the way. It's been a great car over the years, but over the past few years has required more and more expensive service and has had to be towed for service 4 of those times in the last 5+ years. I have a good independent mechanic who is fair but not cheap.

I just bought a new SUV because I simply lost confidence in its reliability and getting stuck by the side of the road. My 2 year olds is now 15 and about to get his learners permit, and I would love for him to have the option to take it to college in a couple years. The car is worth $3-5k by blue book standards, but I know it has been well cared for through the years.

So the dilemma is do I just trade it/consign it for sale with the guy who helped me get my car or do I try to find an independent guy somewhere in the north east who would take on the "overhaul" to make sure it is poised to live for another 5-10 years without being a money pit.

I had the major seal/gasket rebuild a year ago. It's had the radiator, few axles, passenger side window regulators, 2 GPS units, and recently the camshaft sensors, fuel gauge, fuel pump, fuel filter and MAF sensor replaced

In short, can anyone offer some perspective on what to do? Specifically, what major items would you do to ensure it can run well for another 50k, and is it worth it?
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  #2  
Old 12-21-2015, 06:28 PM
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my 17 yr old daughter has had a 2003 E53 3.0 since she was 15 and a half and got her permit. I was in the same boat as you. but had three rules.
1. didn't want to get her a car that I wouldn't drive or be seen in
2. had to be as safe or safer than anything I was driving
3. I had a budget, and was realistic about teenage driving and how long it might live.

you mention overhauling it and making it safe for the next 50k. most teenagers don't drive as much as we do with our daily commute. my daughter is only racking up maybe 5k a year compared to 10,12, or 15k like adults. so, your 50k estimate could be 10 years of driving? no way you could afford to maintain it that long. other issue is that probably 75% of kids now days total their first car before their 18. it happens. so you could only need your X5 to run 10k before it's not needed anymore. sounds like you've done your maintenance, and another 10k is pretty easy. and last, before you push the x5 to the curb, go shopping. find out what $7500 buys. not much. or you spend $10k, and he wrecks it the first year, and insurance pays you $6500. ouch. you're better off in my opinion to stick with what you know, put him in the x5 and hope for the best.
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  #3  
Old 12-21-2015, 06:28 PM
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There is no way to be sure what will fail in the next 50,000 miles. However, since you are not DIY the list of what might give you the best chance of achieving your goal will be expensive if only in comparison to the what the X5 is worth. As an example, if the suspension has not been rebuilt. Your X mileage is in the range where the suspension probably will need to be rebuilt within that 50,000 miles. I think what I would do is have your independent look everything over. What should be done is not necessary consistent from vehicle to vehicle. The is something to be said for the devil you know verses the devil you don't but if you buy a domestic vehicle, something that has fairly low miles on it I think the odds are in your favor, especially if you can purchase a warranty, to get where you want and the cost of repairs less if you don't. Another consideration is how safe the X5 is in comparison to what you can purchase within your budget.
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Old 12-21-2015, 07:10 PM
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All good stuff above...
You know your cost(s), add in some rec'd R&R within reason, and if your son can handle the car well, remember it is a very safe/protective car for rookies to drive around in.

Kids think they are 'experts' after 20 mins behind the wheel, and they also feel immortal; they are neither, but that X is a decent 'Faraday Cage' for a kid to learn to drive/drive in, imo.
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Old 12-21-2015, 07:24 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by maddawg View Post
I have a 2001 4.4 Sport Package in very good physical condition. I am often complemented on how good it looks, and people are amazed when I tell them it is a 2001.

It has 109k miles. I am the second owner and owned it since July 2002. My wife and I bought it when my older son was 2 and we had our second on the way. It's been a great car over the years, but over the past few years has required more and more expensive service and has had to be towed for service 4 of those times in the last 5+ years. I have a good independent mechanic who is fair but not cheap.

I just bought a new SUV because I simply lost confidence in its reliability and getting stuck by the side of the road. My 2 year olds is now 15 and about to get his learners permit, and I would love for him to have the option to take it to college in a couple years. The car is worth $3-5k by blue book standards, but I know it has been well cared for through the years.

So the dilemma is do I just trade it/consign it for sale with the guy who helped me get my car or do I try to find an independent guy somewhere in the north east who would take on the "overhaul" to make sure it is poised to live for another 5-10 years without being a money pit.

I had the major seal/gasket rebuild a year ago. It's had the radiator, few axles, passenger side window regulators, 2 GPS units, and recently the camshaft sensors, fuel gauge, fuel pump, fuel filter and MAF sensor replaced

In short, can anyone offer some perspective on what to do? Specifically, what major items would you do to ensure it can run well for another 50k, and is it worth it?
one of my first cars was a 2004 X5 4.4i. Thing is built like a tank-- car would be fantastic for a first car.

Let your son drive it! But make sure he knows how to clean and maintain it
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  #6  
Old 12-21-2015, 07:25 PM
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Do the timing chain guides and maybe a transmission drain and refill and it should be just fine. My 02 4.6is that I sold to a guy just notified me that it has 198,000 miles on it and its on the original transmission.
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Old 12-21-2015, 08:38 PM
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01 owner here, bought it new when my son was 2, it's currently at 151,800mi.

He's 17 now and learned how to drive on the X5. It's a great learner vehicle. I can't speak to the 4.4i engine, as my experience is with the 3.0i. Plan on control arms and ball joints at a minimum and budget maybe $150-$200/month to cover "planned obsolescence" breakage items - like window regulators and it should run a long time. My daughter turns 16 in a few months and she'll learn to drive with it too.

You wont find much on the market for what your X is currently worth and it's a far better/safer vehicle that a 10yr old Civic.
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  #8  
Old 12-21-2015, 11:12 PM
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Leave as is. Like other posters have stated. Likely to be hit, hit something, etc while learning. Unless he's comuting to college daily it will likely sit for weekend / grocery duty. Great no payment car while he gets through school.
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