To buy or not to buy?

[prl67]

Originally Posted by Boston X5 4.4

A 2002+ will be 9 yrs old - any SUV of that age/higher mileage is going to need parts replacing ...it's just that there is more to go wrong in the X, Volvo etc. and they cost more to repair both in parts and labor.

I know that any car that old is going to need repairs, but I want to know if any SUV along those lines are better than others.

[Boston X5 4.4]

Originally Posted by prl67

I know that any car that old is going to need repairs, but I want to know if any SUV along those lines are better than others.

Regardless of mfr. the most important thing in buying a 9+ year old car will be previous history - is a service history available? was maintenance performed/on time? were most common high mileage issues fixed? ...better again if you know the owner and can get an honest answer.

...to answer your other question about dealership, either be willing/able to do the work yourself or find a good Indy........do not go to the dealership for out of warranty repairs unless you have deep pockets.