Is the X5 right for me?

[Bimmerfan4life]

I guess I will chime in I currently own a e46 m3 and 4.4 x5 these cars are on the complete opposites of the spectrum honestly considering i just took the m out of storage today they both have that bmw "feel" but the m3 for utility ahhh no. like others have said you will not fulfil your dream of an m3 with an x5 I can assure you of that. So that being said I love my x as a family car and daily driver just enough torque and speed for a 5000lb car.

[mccalia1]

I've been in exactly the same situation but I purchased an M3 instead. Although I've since sold the M3, I don't miss it from the practicality aspect which the X5 wins hands down. I got it out of my system although it cost me close to £3k in depreciation over a 5 month period. If I had the choice, I would have just gone for the X5.

I do miss the raw power of my e46 M3, the X5 does not dissapoint and thats with a 3.0d Sport!!

[vinuneuro]

The X5 can't compare to any of the BMW cars let alone the M ones. If I were you, I'd get the M3 and some cheap tow vehicle.

[iamadam1122]

Originally Posted by vinuneuro

The X5 can't compare to any of the BMW cars let alone the M ones. If I were you, I'd get the M3 and some cheap tow vehicle.

I had a Jeep wrangler and an S2000. The jeep has been sold and I'm DDing the S2000. I really only want one vehicle.

Sorry for not being clear, I would never have towed with an M3.

I found a 2005 black/black 4.8is with all the options I want except trailer hitch at a dealer (not BMW) for $33k w/ 28k miles. Is there any way to get the car CPO? Im not familiar with the way that works. Thanks!

[jvit27]

Originally Posted by vinuneuro

Can an M3 not pull a couple jet skis? How much does a jet ski weigh?

E36 can but you can't put a hitch on the E46 M3 because of the exhaust setup.

I went from an '02 M3 (SMG) to my '04 4.8is. Both are awesome to own.. M3 was more fun but the X5 is much more useable.

X5 is probably a bit more expensive to maintain though when factoring in repairs. E46's have less 'issues' overall.

iamadam- what part of FL are you in?

[anerbe]

Originally Posted by jvit27

E36 can but you can't put a hitch on the E46 M3 because of the exhaust setup.

I went from an '02 M3 (SMG) to my '04 4.8is. Both are awesome to own.. M3 was more fun but the X5 is much more useable.

X5 is probably a bit more expensive to maintain though when factoring in repairs. E46's have less 'issues' overall.

iamadam- what part of FL are you in?

I agree with you overall, and I'm curious on which one really costs more....

The M3 had higher costs in:
-Service maintenance - valve clearance check
-Eventual Clutch replacement
-More Expensive Oil Changes

The X5
-Brakes (this thing seems to eat them up)
-Crank Vent

I think that the M3 has higher expected maintenance costs, but the X5 seems to have more possible things going wrong with it (fix-maintenance).

[jvit27]

Originally Posted by anerbe

I think that the M3 has higher expected maintenance costs, but the X5 seems to have more possible things going wrong with it (fix-maintenance).

That pretty much sums my thoughts up best. Im more concerned with what COULD go wrong with this car than I was with the M3. Only E46 issues I was wary of were SMG pump failures and subframe woes, which are far less 'certain' than many of the repairs we see here.

Sold my M3 with 96k and it didn't have any major work besides the mandatory bearing recall update. Other than that just a few warranty issues and basic maintenance... and I really beat on it!

[iamadam1122]

Originally Posted by jvit27

E36 can but you can't put a hitch on the E46 M3 because of the exhaust setup.

I went from an '02 M3 (SMG) to my '04 4.8is. Both are awesome to own.. M3 was more fun but the X5 is much more useable.

X5 is probably a bit more expensive to maintain though when factoring in repairs. E46's have less 'issues' overall.

iamadam- what part of FL are you in?

I think I recognize your sig pic from m3forum.net. I've spent tons of time there the last year or so.

I like just south of Jacksonville and just north of st. augustine.

[jeffrey yap]

M3 is a different cup of tea.The X5 is a great drivers Utility Vehicle and the M3 is a great drivers CAR ...but both are great BMWS!