Monkey off my back!!!

[Kloogy]

Add to your maintenance costs, breaking down. Necessary towing. The inconvenience factor alone would aggrevate me. New vehicles can break down, but the chances are a lot slimmer. I like to know that my vehicle is available to me when I want, and that I can count on it getting me back and forth without incident. I would hate for my wife and daughter to be stranded on the side of a highway somewhere, because I put them in an old unreliable vehicle. These are just my opinions. We all do what works best for us.

[RickM5X3]

Originally Posted by Kloogy

Add to your maintenance costs, breaking down. Necessary towing. The inconvenience factor alone would aggrevate me. New vehicles can break down, but the chances are a lot slimmer. I like to know that my vehicle is available to me when I want, and that I can count on it getting me back and forth without incident. I would hate for my wife and daughter to be stranded on the side of a highway somewhere, because I put them in an old unreliable vehicle. These are just my opinions. We all do what works best for us.

Maybe that's what it'll take for me to get out of the cycle of trying to keep up on maintenance of this pig. One breakdown on the way to Moab while towing my 4,000 pound trailer over the passes. Interestingly, it just keeps serving up repairs that cause aggravation but don't leave it dead on the road. Great turbo x you have there!

[Kloogy]

Thanks ! I travel a lot from So Cal to Scottsdale AZ. I can't imagine breaking down in the 110+ degree desert , on a trip with my family.

[FSETH]

Originally Posted by Kloogy

Add to your maintenance costs, breaking down. Necessary towing. The inconvenience factor alone would aggrevate me. New vehicles can break down, but the chances are a lot slimmer. I like to know that my vehicle is available to me when I want, and that I can count on it getting me back and forth without incident. I would hate for my wife and daughter to be stranded on the side of a highway somewhere, because I put them in an old unreliable vehicle. These are just my opinions. We all do what works best for us.

Unfortunately many here who have purchased new X5's, or any new BMW's for that matter have seen their vehicles spend WAY too much time in the shop. Look at the X5M owners who have experience an engine fault and reduced power who have had their X's in the shop for weeks, etc. Plus, if you are worried about your wife and daughter being stranded, you probably need to purchase a full spare so you don't get stranded in a small town waiting for days to have a run flat shipped to the local-yocal shop.

Pros and cons to everything.

[Kloogy]

If I had that kind of experience with one of the 4 BMW's that I have had, I would've purchased a GL Mercedes or a Porsche Cayenne. My E92 had an engine fault once. I took it in, they gave me a loaner and I picked it up a week later. I've bought all my cars from the same dealership , so I expect good service from them. The day that ceases, I will take my business elsewhere. None of us are contractually bound to BMW. There are plenty of great SUV's in the $70k + price range.

[bigwave2255]

as a person new to BMW,s i get shocked and dismayed by all this negative talk.

i wonder if some of you guys need to reevaluate your driving styles and maintenance procedures.

i have a 2005 3.0d sport and i have to say it is a fantastic car, i have owned it for 9 months and done 30,000 km in that time, i have done a couple of cosmetic repairs to the vehicle, and had the steering rack replaced under wty, there was a very slight amount of play in it, and in my view hardly enough to justify swapping it out, however the dealer insisted

its driven every day and does 100km plus per day, it sit in the open (under a shade sail)

i have it serviced every 10,000km, and it doesn't even look like giving trouble

im very fussy about how its treated and keep it clean, dont slam doors and dont drive like a mad man. my typical drive is peak hour freeway .

the people i work with mostly drive BMW,s mostly X5,s there is one M3 and a bunch of 325,s

and one 7 series convertible.

and generally these people are not as fussy as me, and i would have to say that all these guys will up grade to another BM, the general feeling is of a well built , reliable and safe car to drive

just my experience

[X52002]

bigwave2255 for one you have had your truck for 9 months, and the 3.0 doesnt has as much problems as the 4.4 or the 4.6is for that matter. They are heavier and have more power and have more problems. The two can't be compared. For some it's driving styles and for some is just the luck of their vehicle or thow it was previously handled by other owners. Many people have bought X5's second hand as I. My problems with mine can be due to numerous reasons....but hard to know the truth. At the end of it all....as the car ages repairs will go up....every case is different...but I don't think you can judge because3.0's and x5's are not to be compared.

Just my experience

[FSETH]

Originally Posted by bigwave2255

as a person new to BMW,s i get shocked and dismayed by all this negative talk.

i wonder if some of you guys need to reevaluate your driving styles and maintenance procedures.

i have a 2005 3.0d sport and i have to say it is a fantastic car, i have owned it for 9 months and done 30,000 km in that time, i have done a couple of cosmetic repairs to the vehicle, and had the steering rack replaced under wty, there was a very slight amount of play in it, and in my view hardly enough to justify swapping it out, however the dealer insisted

its driven every day and does 100km plus per day, it sit in the open (under a shade sail)

i have it serviced every 10,000km, and it doesn't even look like giving trouble

im very fussy about how its treated and keep it clean, dont slam doors and dont drive like a mad man. my typical drive is peak hour freeway .

the people i work with mostly drive BMW,s mostly X5,s there is one M3 and a bunch of 325,s

and one 7 series convertible.

and generally these people are not as fussy as me, and i would have to say that all these guys will up grade to another BM, the general feeling is of a well built , reliable and safe car to drive

just my experience

Well, I have been obsessed with BMW's for 20+ years. Currently, my family and I have 3, 5, 7, 8 and X series vehicles ranging in ages from 4 to 26 years old. Bottom line is BMW reliability has taken a hit big-time in recent years. Anyone around the brand for more than 5 or 10 years would probably have to agree. They are getting much more complicated and there are now more components to fail than ever. Plus BMW still can't master basic components like cooling system parts, window regulators, etc. V8 engines are also notorious for leaks, etc. Don't get me wrong, I love BMW's and I put up with the maintenance costs and inconveniences for the sheer driving pleasure they provide, but I wouldn't tell anyone I cared about who was going to buy one that they are reliable or inexpensive to maintain, unless you are buying brand new such as Kloogy. You have to be ready to deal with the quirks if you are planning on owning a BMW long term. X5's are not known to be towards the top of reliability as far as BMW's are concerned either. Typically, the higher the series, the more likely and more expensive problems are. You are lucky if you have not experienced many issues. I would start a special maintenance account for when the bottom drops out because more than likely it will be when, not if.

By the way Gixxerboy63, I do like that M Sport.

[RMak]

I think preventive maintenance is the key and having a good indy shop. I'm one of those people who bought my x5 with only that 3 month warranty and knew the potential costs for repairs. I'm hearing people pay about 2-2.5 grand a year for warranty? In 2 years i've probably spent less than that on repairs with and indy mechanic.

I've had done:

CV Boot with the Axle drivers side
New Control Arms bushing and joints for the front.
Links
Valve cover gaskets
Spark plugs
Cabin filter
Alternator
Oil Seperators (hoses were soft but I replaced the whole unit anyway)
Drive belt (indy hooked me up for free)


Other stuff that I had done that I don't include on mechanical repairs:

Repainted rear bumper
Wheels refinished from curb rashes
New tires
Driver side mirror stolen. lol. Just had to pay my deductable though.

I also have a Peake tool to keep me informed in case... God forbid I get a CEL or any faults electronically.

I also can't forget this forum. This forum has saved my a$$ a few times. LOL.

[bigwave2255]

see thats where i find it confusing, take for example the rear wheel alignment and people complaining about tyre wear on the inner edge, and not being able to get enough adjustment out of the suspension .

with my 285,s on 19 in rims, the concentric adjustment is mid point, and my rear tyres are wearing very evenly across.

did i get lucky or does my mechanic know what he is doing.

or are those with problems, trying to align suspension that really needs OTHER repairs done as well

i appreciate that these are complex cars, but how much of the problems experienced is due to sloppy workmanship and or previous users abuse???

i dont know, but at 57 years of age and having had many cars both good and bad in the past i dont get all the negativity towards X5,s maybe some have bitten off to much car maybe they are trying to live above there means!!!! and cant really afford the maintenance, take shorts cuts or simply put stuff off

the other thing that comes to mind is that maybe people dont put enough miles on there cars, i bought mine to use it, and should average around 39000km per year, so i expect to pay for 4 services, usually a set of tyres and probably one brake down, and by that i mean a battery , water pump , noisy bearing or what ever, does that sound realistic??

for me yes it is