any model/year to watch out for???

[JCL]

Originally Posted by sunny5280

Do you have any examples?

Just look at published data for early hour dealer visits, comparing various years of production. Pretty clear trend lines.

Ask a BMW dealer about 2007 X5 customer complaint rates compared to other years.

Edit:

OK, found a year by year summary. Note how many recalls were done in 2000, and how the numbers dropped through E53 production:

NHTSA Recall History

2000: In rough road conditions, the collar on the steering rack may loosen and separate from the rack, causing loss of steering capability.
2000: One of the steel-mesh oil lines may chafe a brake line, causing the brake line to rust through and leak.
2000-01: Due to disruption in electrical current, the vehicle may switch from "Park" or "Neutral" to the emergency program and the ability to maintain speed in traffic will be diminished.
2000-01: Some vehicles may have faulty safetybelt buckles. Dealer will inspect and replace affected parts.
2000-01: The brake-pedal arm could detach from the bracket, rendering brakes ineffective.
2000-02: Some vehicles may have faulty brake-line retaining clips, resulting in loss of brake fluid. Dealer will insect and replace affected parts.
2001: A tie rod may disconnect from the steering gear box, causing noise from the steering linkage and misalignment.
2001: Brake-pedal travel may be reduced due to relative movement between the pedal and booster, adversely affecting braking performance.
2001: Front-seat seatbelt anchorages may not have been properly secured.
2001: Loss of steering capability may result from a disconnected spindle.
2001: The bolts that fasten the pulley to the pump could loosen and cause the pulley to throw off the drive belt. Power-steering assist, water pump, and alternator functions may be lost.
2001: The cooling-fan motor may fail, overloading the circuitry of the fan-control unit and possibly overheating the engine.
2003: Insufficiently tightened engine-support bolts may lead to a loss of vehicle control. Dealer will tighten all affected bolts.
2003: On some vehicles, the distance between brake line and the steering shaft joint is too short, resulting in a reduction of front brake performance. Dealer will inspect and replace affected parts.
2004: Engine stalling could occur due to incorrectly attached fuel line on certain vehicles, even though fuel gauge indicates that gasoline is present in tank.
2004: On certain V8 models, engine stalling may occur after short period of operation; engine may be unable to restart.
2004: When certain vehicles with 3.0-liter V6 engine and manual transmission are moving slowly in first gear, with gas pedal held in constant position and clutch pedal in partially depressed position, vehicle could accelerate unexpectedly.
2005: On certain SUVs, front left brake hose on certain SUVs could become damaged by rubbing against wheel well, possibly resulting in loss of brake fluid.

[Turbo_Bimmer]

Originally Posted by sprocket1200

. x5's are made in the US so no duty on them. exchange rate may be your biggest cost and you will have to pay GST on the exchanged price once you get it to the border.

Dont forget to add the famous $1200 letter from BMW Canada. This letter is to confirm that the imported vehicle is exempt of recalls, or to cover the fees of doing those recalls.
That's why I forgot the idea of importing an X5 from the states.

[JCL]

And don't forget to consider that your resale value will be diminished, at least in Canada. You can always ship it back to the US to sell it I suppose.

[sunny5280]

Originally Posted by JCL

Just look at published data for early hour dealer visits, comparing various years of production. Pretty clear trend lines.

Ask a BMW dealer about 2007 X5 customer complaint rates compared to other years.

Edit:

OK, found a year by year summary. Note how many recalls were done in 2000, and how the numbers dropped through E53 production:

I'm not saying there haven't been some improvements. But generally speaking they're not overwhelming. Your recall list doesn't really help make your case. For example:

2001: Front-seat seatbelt anchorages may not have been properly secured.

Isn't a design flaw but rather an assembly issue. Something that could happen in in model year. Things like oil seperator valve freezing, window regulators, dead pixels, and jerking transmissions...those are evidence of design flaws.

[JCL]

Originally Posted by sunny5280

Your recall list doesn't really help make your case.

OK.

I guess I considered loss of steering from the rack falling off, loss of brake fluid resulting in no front brakes, the brake pedal becoming detached, loss of steering due to the spindle and/or tie rods becoming disconnected, and loss of power assist to the steering, any of which could cause a serious accident, to be evidence of improvements year over year. All are more important to me than any pixels out in the display from a faulty ribbon connector. And all of these are just the safety recalls, none of the TSBs for various campaigns are listed here. By 2002, all of the above had stopped happening, as both the design and the assembly processes were improved. Recalls were down, until 2004, when the LCI was introduced, with another wave of first-year issues. Your point was that BMW doesn't improve things throughout a model run. I just disagree, that's all.

[sunny5280]

Originally Posted by JCL

I guess I considered loss of steering from the rack falling off

From the recall notice:

"VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES. THE LOWER STEERING SHAFT COUPLING INCLUDES A PLASTIC COLLAR WHICH FITS OVER THE LOWER STEERING RACK INPUT SHAFT. THIS COLLAR IS PUSHED DOWN ONTO THE STEERING RACK AND TIGHTENED DURING ASSEMBLY. ON SOME OF THE AFFECTED VEHICLES, THE COLLAR MAY NOT HAVE BEEN PUSHED DOWN FULLY ONTO THE RACK AT THE ASSEMBLY PLANT.

"DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE STEERING RACK INPUT SHAFT COLLAR FOR PROPER POSITIONING, AND REPOSITION IS NECESSARY."

Originally Posted by JCL

loss of brake fluid resulting in no front brakes,

From the recall notice:

"ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, IT MAY BE POSSIBLE FOR THE FRONT BRAKE LINE TO SLIP OUT OF THE RETAINING BRACKET LOCATED AT THE FRONT STRUT."

"DEALERS WILL INSTALL AN ADDITIONAL RETAINING CLIP TO FURTHER SECURE THE BRAKE LINE TO THE FRONT STRUT."

Originally Posted by JCL

the brake pedal becoming detached

From the recall notice:

"ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, DUE TO A MANUFACTURING PROBLEM, THE BRAKE PEDAL ARM PIVOT SHAFT COULD LOOSEN FROM ITS SUPPORT BRACKET."

"DEALERS WILL CHECK THE BRAKE PEDAL ARM PIVOT SHAFT FOR PROPER SEATING IN ITS SUPPORT BRACKET. IN ADDITION, A PIN WILL BE INSTALLED TO SECURE THE SHAFT TO THE BRACKET"

Originally Posted by JCL

loss of steering due to the spindle and/or tie rods becoming disconnected

Can you provide me with the specific recall ID for which recall this refers to?

Originally Posted by JCL

loss of power assist to the steering

From the recall notice:

"VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. DUE TO AN ASSEMBLY ERROR DURING VEHICLE PRODUCTION, ANY OF THE THREE BOLTS THAT SECURE THE PULLEY TO THE PUMP MAY HAVE BEEN INADEQUATELY TIGHTENED."

"DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE POWER STEERING PUMP PULLEY TO SEE IF IT IS LOOSE. IF THE PULLEY IS NOT LOOSE ON THE PUMP, THE RETAINING BOLTS WILL BE TORQUED TO SPECIFICATION. IF THE PULLEY IS LOOSE, THE PUMP, PULLEY, ATTACHING BOLTS, AND DRIVE BELT WILL BE REPLACED."

Originally Posted by JCL

any of which could cause a serious accident, to be evidence of improvements year over year. All are more important to me than any pixels out in the display from a faulty ribbon connector. And all of these are just the safety recalls, none of the TSBs for various campaigns are listed here. By 2002, all of the above had stopped happening, as both the design and the assembly processes were improved. Recalls were down, until 2004, when the LCI was introduced, with another wave of first-year issues. Your point was that BMW doesn't improve things throughout a model run. I just disagree, that's all.

The issues you referenced aren't inherent problems with the X5. They're manufacturing problems. Meanwhile the dead pixels, jerking transmission, window regulators, and freezing oil separator valves are inherent problems across the entire E53 model (and other models as well) regardless of year. These are the kinds of issues I'm referring to when I say "it doesn't appear BMW corrects problem areas in later years of the same model".

[JCL]

Originally Posted by sunny5280

. These are the kinds of issues I'm referring to when I say "it doesn't appear BMW corrects problem areas in later years of the same model".

So I guess if 12 recalls in 2000-2001, reducing down to a single recall in 2005 near the end of the model run, doesn't indicate that they sorted out some problems along the way, then OK. Congratulations. You do seem to be selective in which factory issues you focus on. I am not sure why it is important if it is a design defect, a supplier problem, or a defect in the design of the manufacturing process, if you are stuck on the side of the road or in an accident as a result.

I fixed my dead pixels by reseating the plug in the wiring harness. Never had a jerking transmission, frozen oil separator, or broken window regulator on any BMW vehicle, ever. But if those are the only issues you want to focus on, then you are correct that they went on for several years, until the transmission model was changed, the software was updated, and the heated and/or insulated CCV was introduced.

[sunny5280]

Originally Posted by JCL

So I guess if 12 recalls in 2000-2001, reducing down to a single recall in 2005 near the end of the model run, doesn't indicate that they sorted out some problems along the way, then OK. Congratulations. You do seem to be selective in which factory issues you focus on. I am not sure why it is important if it is a design defect, a supplier problem, or a defect in the design of the manufacturing process, if you are stuck on the side of the road or in an accident as a result.

My thought when I wrote what I did was in reference to problems in design and not easily corrected manufacturing mistakes.

Manufacturing problems are not design flaws requiring a redesign whereas engineering flaws do. If a bolt wasn't tightened down during assembly that's an easy fix: You tighten it. If an oil separator freezes because it is a poor design that's not an easy fix. It requires BMW to re-engineer the system or part to properly fix it. IMO BMW hasn't done a good job of resolving design issues. Most carry through an entire model run and many across different models.

And don't think for a moment that later model year vehicles don't have some manufacturing issues. They may not be subject to recall though.

[Clockwork]

Wow, does anyone else in here feel like "daddy just slapped mommy" and we are just sitting here quietly?

[Clockwork]

sorry, just had to lighten the mood a little.
I really do appreciate all the info you guys ARE bringing up though between your discussion.