Buying a 4.8 is

[Anhelenuk]

Make sure you got $10k set aside for unexpected repairs and have a second car available. It's all fun and games until something goes wrong and drains your account.

[BMW_TUNER]

Originally Posted by Anhelenuk

Make sure you got $10k set aside for unexpected repairs and have a second car available. It's all fun and games until something goes wrong and drains your account.

Truth

[smokeyyank]

X5's are money pits, no way around it. Even the best kept example of one will still have issues that spring up, obviously less than one that's neglected. Doing the work yourself will save you some coin but don't think you can just change some fluids and it will have the reliability of a honda. With all of that said though, I'd rather have to spend the cash to have the enjoyment of driving. I have a honda and the thing sucks. As a commuter car does fine, but every time I get in I cringe. It's a soul less piece of machinery.

[Here4bizness]

10k is money for me to buy another used x5. I guess what I've been told about these cars add up. They are trouble lol. I'm not a diy guy, I take mines to a bummer specialist. I might take a look into the 3.5's

[smokeyyank]

Originally Posted by Here4bizness

10k is money for me to buy another used x5. I guess what I've been told about these cars add up. They are trouble lol. I'm not a diy guy, I take mines to a bummer specialist. I might take a look into the 3.5's

Trouble...yes but awesome to drive when they are working.

[ylwjacket]

My daughter wrecked our '05. My wife wanted no part of an X5 after all of the work we had done prior to the wreck.

She drove several other cars, but she kept saying she really wanted an X5. In the end, we paid for the car, and she set aside a repair reserve fund, so she could the car she wanted.

Originally Posted by smokeyyank

Trouble...yes but awesome to drive when they are working.

[ylwjacket]

This is an interesting dilemma.

I don't have good advice necessarily, but I'll tell you our thought process.

First, we wanted good cosmetics. We also wanted as good as possible mechanicals. We do DIIY a lot of stuff (some stuff we don't), so we were stuck between the following 2 options:
- go cheap (<5k), and fix. Mileage anywhere from 130-200.
- go higher price (8-9k), and hope there are no near-term repairs. Mileage up to around 130ish.

Keep in mind, we were only looking at 3.0's.

We looked at plenty. Ones with alleged good mechanicals seemed to have dents or crapped up interior, and vice versa.

After looking at probably 12-15 cars, we decided to go option A. We went a few higher miles than we wanted, but decided to give this a shot.

The main reasoning was that, even with our prior X5 (which we owned since it was CPO at 40k miles), stuff wore out all the time. BMW's "lifetime" parts are 100,000 mile parts. So, there will be lots to replace after 100k miles. It's annoying, and why people probably talk used BMW's down, but in a way, it's to be expected on a vehicle like this.

At 100k miles, expect to replace the whole coolant system: radiator, all hoses, water pump, thermostat, expansion tank. Probably $300-400 DIY, almost $1k dealer.

Soon thereafter, from control arm bushings, and drive shaft boots or axles. Again, cheap DIY, expensive elsewhere.

Also at around 100k miles, expect valve cover gasket, and oil filter housing. The former is around $250 and the latter $700 for someone else to do, maybe $100 DIY.

Alternator and battery may go as well - another $500, more if someone else installs.

Honestly, if I was not a DIY person, I would check maintenance history as closely as possible, and find one with as much of the above already completed as recently as possible.

We chose Option A above so that we could have a few thousand dollars to use for whatever comes up. In our case, we had very little maintenance history, and we have paid for it to catch up from the prior owner.

Maintenance records were sketchy for many of the cars we saw. I did see one that had the axles and control arms done, but no word on coolant system and oil leaks.

We figured that there was a fair chance that we'd be doing all of this anyways, so we might as well go cheap and have some money left to do it with.

Originally Posted by Here4bizness

10k is money for me to buy another used x5. I guess what I've been told about these cars add up. They are trouble lol. I'm not a diy guy, I take mines to a bummer specialist. I might take a look into the 3.5's

[Anhelenuk]

I feel exactly the same after owning numerous Honda and nissans this truck feels way better then anything I've had before. Every time I think of selling I can't come up with a suitable replacement under $20k.

[X53Jay4.8is]

Originally Posted by Here4bizness

Hey everyone

I'm interested in buying a 04-06 x5 4.8is. Upon my research everyone is telling me to stay away from these vehicles , because they are nothing but trouble. I mean besides drinking a lot of gas and oil leaks, what are the real the real "SERERIOUS costly problems

You need to do some research on the concerns that arise on these X5 4.8is and look at the cost to repair. There is plenty of documentation on this board for these vehicles and their concerns. The biggest question that can make the difference is are you a DIYer when it comes to repairs or do you have to pay someone to carry out the repair for you. If you have to pay someone, then you might want to look elsewhere. Cost of ownership on these X5s is high. Just prepare your pocket and enjoy the ride.

[Here4bizness]

I go to a mechanic. I'm not a diy guy. Speaking of a mechanic, is there a good affordable mechanic that anyone can refer me too? I live in NYC area(queens)