My X's 10th Birthday!

[motordavid]

Our ol' 2001 E53 hits the Sawbuck mark this week. We picked it up 10 yrs ago, just after 9-11-2001, at a dlr in north Jersey. We loaded it up and moved/migrated south from NY to western NC a week later. It has never been back to the selling dlr, due to geography. It was our first, and thus far, only BMW...we traded in theCEO's car, a Jeep Grand Cherokee, which had served her/us like a trooper in the NY winters, and for her long commute to Stamford, CT.

The dlr, Bell BMW, actually hunted this car down for us: a 5 spd manual Sport. The Sticker was $46,400 inc the freight, and the Parts Contents was 35% US/CDA and 55% Germany. It was built in S'burg, SC of course, in 8-2001, as a dlr ordered car, by Hendrick BMW in NC, of all things.

We got $500 off the sticker, (which I didn't think was very good), but the dlr gave us about $2Gs over what the CEO's JGC was worth by most valuations at the time, which had 90k trouble-free miles on that car. We drove away looking at each other that "this was a BMW", though I knew it did not have the 4 WD prowess of the JGC, but hey! we were moving 'south'.

Keep in mind that other than the CEO's Jeep, this was 'my' first new car since the mid '70s, as I had been driving company cars for 2 1/2 decades.

NEway, a decade later, and ~80,000 miles later, I still really, really like our X5. It has very few gizmos compared to the new E70s, but it runs like a top and has been up and down the highways, and hauled all manner of stuff during this time. Its glitches have been few, and its post-warranty fixes have been very minor. It could go Boom! tomorrow, but even it something really ugly pops up, a $grand or $two repair is preferable to a new car, on a RetiredBum's fixed/eroding portfolio.

It still looks damn good, and even with its 12+ yr old 'design', it sticks out in most parking lots full of pablum SUVs, imo.

A took some 'birthday pics' a weekish ago, and while I have put up hundreds of 'my X5 pics' over the years, here's a batch for my X5' 10th BD. Hope I get another few good years out of it.
BR, mD

[MINIz guy]

All the right options have been clicked; I would only add xenon headlights.

Ours is nearing 9 years old with a 12/02 production date but doesn't look anything as mint. Plus, we have the wrong transmission and lack of sport package styling.

[FSETH]

Looks good, MD. Heres to many more years of happy motoring. .

[TEMA]

9-11-2001 i was still in junior high school... once they fell a tv was brought in and teachers tried to explain wtf happened... anyhow i sometimes wonder how can "you" put 80k miles in 10 years? i put 30 a year... when i had my jgc i managed to get it up to 44k in 1 year it was financed at that time and insurance kept calling me asking where and how do i drive it.

[dkl]

Congrats on it's 10th birthday. How time flies when you're having fun I'll be there in another 3 years.

[Lin]

Congrats! Still looking good.

[PersonaNonGrata]

She's looking great md! You've kept her very clean. Your headlight lenses look brand new! Mine is going to hit that 10 year mark next March. It's at 105,000 miles now.

Many more years of happy motoring to the two of you!

[Pisendar]

Good bless this 10 year X5 and all of them including mine

[jst2878]

happy birthday. damn that thing is really clean

[motordavid]

Thank you for the views and kind words! Not a huge deal, but the car still looks damn good, and runs like a top. It is my 2nd Fave car I've ever owned, just behind the VetteVert.

Knock on wood, but it has been very reliable: since 'post warranty', which was 'way back when', I have replaced front headling wiring relay harness, a couple of belt pulley dampeners, thrust bushings, rear brake pads & rotors, a set of tires, and the usual fluid(s) change a few times. Pretty minor and reasonable, imo.

tema: I had/have 3 cars, and haven't 'worked for pay' since June 2000; I can only drive one at a time, and no commute anymore.

MINIz guy: don't remember if they even offered Xenons in '01, but since I drive about 'an hour' a year, at night, I don't need them or care.

I found a few more pics from that recent shoot...Thanks for looking!
GL, mD