X5 Purchase Advice

[X-Pilot]

Hello fellow board members! I'm sorry this is so long and thank you in advance for reading / commenting.


I am looking at the purchase of a friends 2002 X5 3.0 with 107,400 Miles... asking price of $11,500 The car is very clean inside and out, I can't believe it's 10 years old. As this is a friend of the families X5 they suggested I take it to the shop they have been using to have a pre-purchase inspection done. I am not a complete idiot when it comes to repairs but I am also not very adventurous when it comes to repairs.. I would probably be able to handle a window regulator but would stay away from anything bigger than an oil change or plug change in the engine bay... who knows maybe owning this will drive me to be more adventurous.


I am looking for advice on if those of you who have dealt with this vehicle for some time see any red flags and if it sounds like a good buy?


It is a 2002 X5 3.0i with Sport/Premium/HID/Rear Climate/ afermarket headrest TV's with DVD gray on gray and... wait for it.... 20” DUB Trump Spinners (they will be the first thing to go!) They were on the car when my friends purchased it several years ago and they never replaced them, just locked them in place to keep from spinning. It has 107,400 miles and all of the lights in the dash are working (no pixels out). The radio / BC does have some pixels going but that doesn't scare me. All windows currently working :-)


The results from the Independent BMW shop pre-purchase inspection:


1: Inspection II Recommended $695
I might be willing to tackle this on my own if there is a good DIY on pulling / replacing plugs... seems straight forward (might as well buy a service manual)


2: Cooling System (Estimate Approx $1400)
There is a “seep” at the thermostat housing and mechanic recommends replacing entire coolant system (Thermostat, water pump, radiator, and hoses... I'll ask about the valley pan) as he says it will just start failing one part at a time with this mileage and it is better to just get it done and save the labor (I'm not sure I want to tackle this on my own so I think the shop will be doing this)


3: Front Brakes: States Pads are at 60% but rotors were not done at same time and he can feel a vibration when braking (warped rotor) .. I can't feel the vibration.


4: Front Right Strut is leaking: Stated he would put this last on the list as it will be fine for some time and not a big deal.


5: Scanner test with the following failures: DME,EWS,ABS,SRS,IKE,ZKE,AIC,SM,LWS,MID he stated he would just clear the failures and drive for 500 miles and then rescan to see what is really going on... stated could be something as little as power interruption that caused the “failure” codes.


Other than that he says it is one of the cleanest X5's he has seen and there are no oil leaks from the engine, transmission, or differential and the cv boots are all good. Everything works as it should. I do know that the power steering pump and some hoses were replaced within the last year.


My view is that with the exception of the replacing of the cooling system everything else is basic maintenance required of any car. Should I pull the trigger and do the deal or would you back up on the price to cover the coolant system... I'm not sure they would take $10,000, maybe somewhere inbetween?

Thanks again in advance for everyone's input!

[JCL]

At that price I would do the Inspection II at the shop, and also the cooling system. You don't have a valley pan, that is on the V8.

Mechanic's recommendationsand approach seems reasonable. they aren't trying to over repair it. Everything listed here is regular maintenance. You should be aware that with a vehicle with those miles, doing everything on the list doesn't guarantee that you won't have something else fail at some point. Expect ongoing repairs, not necessarily large ones, but it isn't a new vehicle any more and since they are just doing an inspection they can't guarantee that something else won't fail.

I would have the crankcase ventilation system/oil separator checked and any hoses that are soft replaced.

No comment on price, that depends on your market. Whether you want to screw the seller down depends on your relationship with them.

Good luck.

[X-Pilot]

Thanks JCL! I guess I should do more reading of the DIY stuff to understand the common problems people start having at this mileage. I understand things wear out with time and mileage and I am ok with fixing some things here and there... It's a major breakdown that scares me (Transmission / Engine). I take comfort in knowing that the previous owners did take care of the X5 and that should help to minimize any big problems associated with neglect.

Thanks

[x5Alpine]

X5's with high mileage don't worry me at all...I have a friend with an 01 x5 3.0i and he's traveling 300 miles every weekend...he has over 150k on it and never has had any problems except routine repairs

[1stE53]

check the valve cover gaskets, leaks around the oil filter housing (easier to see from the bottom. Especially be careful to inspect the CV boots and axles closely!!!
Get some spare door carriers thrown in while they are at it :-)

Check the rotors for a raised edge, if the edge is too large the rotors have been most likely worn down under the recommended thickness. Check the thrust arm bushings on both sides.

Not too bad on price as long as its clean and they do all the repairs.

[X-Pilot]

Thanks everyone!

I am now the proud owner of a '02 X5 3.0! The previous owners got a copy of the inspection and backed up on the price to cover the cooling system without me even asking. In the end I paid $10,000 for an incredibly well kept X5. Ironically I had to have it towed to the shop the day after purchase as it wouldn't crank... master key wasn't communicating. Mechanic asked for spare key and it fired right up... lesson learned.

I'll post pics soon, it's currently raining out. I'm looking at replacing the wheels with 20" 177's but I don't want to run a stagger. It currently is running 295/40/20 all the way around with no issues, is this the correct plus size? Any tire recommendations? Currently running Perelli Scorpion Zero.

Thanks for the great forum, I'll be visiting for awhile.

[sedc]

Good buy! Please please please do the cooling system before anything else (let alone driving it!) There's so much plastic in these systems, it gets brittle and shatters. A small leak can turn into an overheating engine very quickly, and that can quickly transpire into a big money repair. The valley pan cover is specific to V8 cars, the M54 doesn't have one.

Originally Posted by JCL

I would have the crankcase ventilation system/oil separator checked and any hoses that are soft replaced.

This. Get the updated/insulated parts and the new oil dipstick tube if they haven't been installed

[skeetjunkie]

Good luck on you new 3.0i! Don't forget the expansion tank as part of the cooling system replacement. While the patient is on the table, have the mechanic check 1) fan and clutch for wear, 2) the serpentine drive belts for wear, and 3) the various belt driven pulleys for worn bearings as well. Replace the transfer case fluid if it has been not been done previously - by this mileage the scanner has thrown a code.

You can easily DIY spark plugs, air filter, cabin filter, engine oil/filter change as needed.

[TwinTurboGTR]

Good luck bud and congrats. Seems like a great price an plus they covered the repair for the cooling system. I personally never sell or buy from a friend, at one pint or another, something always goes south and then anger plays your words. But in any case, everyone pretty much hit the nail on the head. Great job!