Potentially Moving to an X5 - TONS of questions...

[Bayerische X]

Hi all,

I'm new to this site - just registered because I am considering picking up an X5 and have tons of questions I was hoping I could get some answers to.

So, here it goes.

Currently, I'm driving a 2003 Chevy Tahoe - I got this car as a hand-me-down and I was happy to have it for a couple of reasons: First, I've temporarily been living up North (so its great for the winters). Second, it gets my E46 racecar to the track. The problem with this thing is that I've literally been averaging 9.75 mpg in the city and about 16 on the highway - and I drive like a grandmother. Now, she's a tough old bird and she's been really great to me, but paying $80 per week in fuel is really starting to get to me - honestly, it's not just a waste of money, but a waste of petroleum for no reason.

Now, I was thinking I could get a small DD and keep the Tahoe as only a tow vehicle once I move back to the Southern states but there are a couple of problems with that: 1) where am I going to store a Tahoe, a DD, a trailer, and a racecar? and 2) things are starting to break on the Tahoe (rear auto-leveling suspension is broken - the shocks and pneumatic pump have to be replaced, the compressor needs to be replaced, I just replaced the damn starter for like $330, the running boards are falling off, and the list goes on.

So, I started thinking whether there is a small SUV (or, for the sake of correctness, an SAV) on the market which would get me the benefits of higher efficiency but also get my car to the track - in other words a DD that can tow. This would allow me to have my cake and eat it too.

Well, the other day I saw a photo of a guy towing an enormous boat with an X5. So I started thinking... My sister has an X5 which she has basically abandoned - she has permanently moved to Manhattan and no longer needs a car. She's going to put it on the market so I'm thinking about moving on it. Only problem is that it's a bit of a dog...

Anyways, here is a short description of her X5 followed by the questions I've been delaying.

It is a pre-facelift, 2003 3.0 X5 with 80K on the clock. It's the entry-level X so it's got absolutely NOOOOOO options whatsoever. Importantly, however, it hasn't got the "tow package" with the auto-leveling suspension nor does it have the tow hitch. It has the ugly tan interior, HIDEOUS light green exterior color, hideous 16" wheels, and garbage halogen head lamps.

I realize the truck would need a ton of work in order to get it up to my standards of utility and aesthetics but this is a car I would literally keep forever. I don't just want it as a DD and tow car, but also as an adventure car (one of the things I want to do is make it more off-road capable because I want to take trips up to northern Canada (arctic circle) and Central and South America). Of course, I could get a Jeep, but I'm not going to do any sort of off-roading that would require a solid chassis and locking diffs. So I was thinking the X might be a good compromise.

Now, of course we could sell this X5 and buy a newer one with nice bits on it, but one thing that interests me in the pre-facelift cars is the fact that they don't have X-Drive. It's just one more thing that can go wrong and more difficult to diagnose. I prefer Mechanical over Electrical parts any day and, in any event, I've read that the transfer case in the pre-X-Drive cars is stronger.

With all that said, I guess I'll follow with the questions:

UTILITY
1. Is NOT wanting X-Drive a valid reason to want to keep this truck? After all, like I said, I've heard and read that the Non-X-Drive transfer case is stronger. Plus, I don't like electronic intervention.

2. Can this truck tow 5000lbs with the OEM hitch attachment? My trailer weighs 2000lbs and my racecar 2700lbs - I've then got a tirerack that I load with tires and a tool box that I put tools in. Fully loaded, she weighs just under 5000lbs

3. Assuming the truck can tow 5000lbs, can it do it in stock form? Like I said, this is the non-sport version of the truck. The suspension would be the first thing I'd change on the truck, but do I need to do an OEM auto-leveling retrofit? From the research I've done, I saw that there is a "tow package" available that includes a dashboard panel with "tow" buttons and other such pieces of kit to put the truck in "tow" mode. Would I need to do all this stuff? I would assume not if I get a solid suspension on it, but I figured it wouldn't hurt to ask.

4. Very importantly, is the truck pre-wired for all of this stuff (assuming I would have to do it). Further, and MOST importantly, is the truck pre-wired for a trailer connection (e.g. the electronics that control the trailer's brakes and lights). Obviously, if it is not prewired for this I would either have to buy a harness or, if one's not available, find an X5 with a tow package.

AESTHETICS
The problem with the non-X-Drive cars is that, well, they're pre-facelift. So...

5. Is it possible to facelift this truck or would I need to get a new LCM and other modules that control the facelift Xenon lights/Angel Eyes?

Finding the lights and hood should be easy - at the same time I'd do a full 4.8 conversion on it.

I think that's about it for now. If there is anything I haven't considered that you guys think is relevant please let me know.

Thanks for your help!