I repent, I have Sinned

[igosal]

I vote for Car # 1 as well. It has way too many miles to catch up with car # 2. It seems like you guys in UK drive car way lot less than us in NA. I have a 2002-4.4i touching 78K miles already.....

[SailinSand]

#1 as well. ...I just think it's prettier.

[ljnlaw]

always the ride with less mileage as long as the mileage is verified.

[Kev]

Hello mate,

Welcome to the forum - and well done on getting rid of that Volvo !!!

A 2001 with 26k ! That's quite a find. Have you phoned BMW to check when they saw it last and what miles were on it then.

I did that with my 2003 which had 75k, and they read out every single service it had ever had and confirmed all the stamps in the service book.

TBH, the car should only every fetch that sort of money if that mileage is 100% correct. And it CAN be adjusted in the UK, costs around £200 apparantly. Then again, if the BMWSH is all ok, but just not updated, then the worst you're looking at is maybe a car with 50k instead of £26k - not the end of the world.

Looks very nice though - and the leather doesn't look too shiney, which is a good sign. Maybe I'm just a cynic - must be something about living in south east London.

You can add the bluetooth for £200 (as I did), and even swap the 4:3 screen with a 16:9 for about £250 from ebay. Straight swap apparantly.

Definately the right colour.

- And PLEASE don't waste your money on a warranty !!!

They're rarely worth the paper they are printed on in the UK. Even the RAC Gold and Platinium ones. Almost everything gets thrown out as wear and tear in my experience.

Stick the £800 to one side in case of any teething problems (suspension etc.) Parts re not that expensive for the X5 and a decent indie will set you back £55 per hour. Who knows, you may get to the end of the year and not need to spend anything.

Just my 2p worth

Good luck. Let us know how you get on.

Kev.

[JayX5]

Get the black one....The steel grey one is car #2 right?

[London5]

The inspection for Car #1 has come back with a few points the main being

The left indicator flashes very fast (possible bulb replacement)? and there is a very small oil leak but in true fashion the inspector claimed he could not see where from.

Are the 4.4's abit leaky or is it uncommon?

Thanks

B

[NOVAX5]

oil leak of any kind is not good. steer away. maybe car #3? dont talk yourself into buying it and regret later. get a car that has no known issues, less mileage even you have to pay a little more. you dont want to deal with problems on e53, they are just too much to deal with. trust me on this. good luck with whatever car you decide to buy.

[London5]

Just a quick update on this Thread.

I have put my bits in the line and proceeded with the purchase of car #1.

BMW checked out the leaks and they are due to the sump gasket £200 to replace at BMW and a leak on power steering pipe £210. Neither are urgent but I will get them done a.s.a.p.

I spoke to BMW about the faults and the service manager said they aren't that common

All being well I should be picking it up on Monday.

[king_o]

Good luck with your new car, come and see us at www.x5drivers.co.uk for some 'local' news.

[London5]

Firstly I have to say thanks to the people behind the scenes running this site.

I ended up getting Car #1 and its great. Well worth initial risk.

I do have a few questions

I can't seem to search of addresses using a Postcode (zip code) do I need an upgrade?

When flooring the gas for 10 seconds and then releasing it seems to hold the gear even when it's not in sport mode. I think I need to get a software update?

What is the fork shaped cover thing on top of the drink holders in the front? Money holder?

Is the steering normally heavy'ish?

I have a phone kit in the centre console, can this be upgraded and switched to any phone?

Is it cool to just post pics on this site?

I can't wait to leave work and get on the road.

Cheers

B.