found myself a UNICORN, BAWZ!!

[Russianblue]

I drove home yesterday in my new time capsule. I can hardly believe it...found it on the internet after getting fed up looking for an e70 or F15. Semi-sketch used car lot in Atlanta. I'm in Charlotte. Went in extremely doubtful. Had it checked out at a Euro shop and...well...I struck gold, people.

We are talking about a decently appointed 3.0 with....wait for it:

SEVENTY THOUSAND MILES!

Seriously. It's a flashback to the early 2000's.

Whoever had this car before me must have had it detailed once a week. It was a one-owner carfax which showed where the owner got it inspected within the same 2 week window in May every year in Boca Raton for 13 straight years! I took a gamble despite my wife's protests and got this baby for $10,300! Who pays $10.3k for an 05 e53?!?! ME apparently!! and I would do it again in a heartbeat! I'm so in love.

Panorama sunroof, folding mirrors, compass mirror, TPMS, facelift, no leaks and Angel eyes!!! tight suspension, brand new BMW rotors and textar pads up front, 50% front tires, 75% rear. I DID have to replace the intake boot bc I found a little hole but otherwise it doesn't need a THING. I am literally beside myself because I just took my 2003 3.0 (177k) into the shop for 3 days and was just browsing the net looking at Cayennes. The 2003 3.0 where I cut my teeth is going to my 16 year old and I got the oil pan gasket replaced...finally. That one will always be my FIRST love ; )

you should see the dakota leather on this car. I bear witness and to the fact that my 2003 with 177k mi has been neglected in comparison. the stiffening plate is bright and shiny with zero scratches on the front plastic lower engine covers. I don't know how anyone possibly kept a car this clean. I will never be able to live up to this standard...but I am gonna get it ceramic coated and a headlight film installed among other things.

Honestly, I probably don't deserve this car. I don't have a garage : ( it's gonna start aging. I am gonna worry more about this car because there simply aren't many others like this remaining!! But, I know exactly what to anticipate and will take all precautions to preserve it. That said, I kinda think it should've gone to one of our old(er) OCD types who is retired and can babysit it at a 5k per year pace. But I am gonna do my best. Hopefully I am up to the task.

So here's my question. If you could turn back time and dial back the mileage on your X by 50, 75, 100k miles...what's the first thing you would do? Full tranny flush and fill? Early life CCV delete and air/oil separator mod? (Provent 200). what else would you guys like to see? long term effects of a certain weight of oil? how about a reduced (3-4K mi) oil change interval? [insert here] altered maintenance interval, long term effects of wax, trim treatment, dakota leather treatment?!!! BavAuto viton OFHG? zip tie fix for door handle carriers?

basically, this is a unique opportunity for a community driven/influenced research subject to vet/test one or more of the many proposed fixes that this board has contributed over the years. (THANKS FOR THAT!) What would you change about how you treated YOUR X?

okay....enough rambling. no pics? it never happened. Pardon the iPhone shots. I've been too lazy for Fuji/Mac/LR DC. Love sharing this with you guys. My wife just doesn't get it. But I know you guys do!!

[amancuso]

Awesome. Last year I found my ‘04 with 81k miles. It’s now at 95k. I love it to bits. Enjoy!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Crowz]

Nice find. Looks to be identical to the wife's X5 year and feature wise. Just a different color.

[Emory39]

Nice find!! So I have a question now... what is consider low mileage on the X5 now? I'm at 119k. Is that consider low mileage?

[Fifty150hs]

Originally Posted by Emory39

Nice find!! So I have a question now... what is consider low mileage on the X5 now? I'm at 119k. Is that consider low mileage?

I would consider that "low". I have 222k on mine and I think there's someone on here with 354k.

[Russianblue]

I am now at the point with my previous X which is going to my daughter that I REALLY want to see that thing hit 200k and more. The paint and the seats will probably go before anything else. The paint on my 03 has been awful. Factory issues apparently.

[crystalworks]

Congrats! Looks like a great example that was well cared for.

Now... more infos on e28!!! My first car was an 83 528e that was fairly minty. Was put to rest in 2000 by a high school kid driving a Honda Accord. Rear ended me as I was turning into a business drive.

I will own another one. Hopefully of the 535i variety.

[donmayor]

very clean car. but i kinda agree with your wife. $10K for a 2005 3.0 is a bit much. you could have gotten many 4.6is for less. i recently saw an imola red 4.6is in NY for less.

list of bmw x5 4.6is on criaglist

[Russianblue]

Good e28 samples are getting rare as hen's teeth these days! I actually sold mine a while back to go toward an engagement ring, but it'll always be in my signature because it was my automotive 'first love' !

I actually just found this list. Holy cow. I would love to have some of this money back, lol! There was a second round of mods after this including the mil-spec custom wiring harness and PLX gauges/sensors. Brings back memories ; )

Driveline:
- Custom 535 flywheel and gear ring
- ClutchMasters FX300 Stage 3 Kevlar clutch
- AutoSolutions SSK
- M5 Guibo
- e34 Center Bearing
- 3.25 LSD from 87 535i

Exhaust:
- 666fabrication tubular stainless turbo manifold
- Tial WG
- Custom 3“ mandrel bent stainless turbo back
- Magnaflow Stainless 6” round muffler, 3” in and out


Engine Management, Fuel and Spark
- Megasquirt2 Extra v3.0 PCB
- AEM UEGO Wideband w/Gauge
- 42lb Bosch/Ford ‘green top’ injectors
- Chevy Yukon Coils for wasted spark
- Aeromotive Adjustable Fuel Pressure Regulator
- Walbro 255lph hi-flow fuel pump


Top End – AFTER rocker arm breakage
1988 325i 885 casting Cylinder head - all head work done by NCPerformance here in Charlotte (flow bench tested)
3-angle valve job
used OEM rocker arms and shafts
Metric Mechanic beehive valve springs
mild port matching to intake – with respect to velocity
Ported turbo manifold
Stock 325i cam
Stock 1.75mm head gasket
ARP Studs
325i intake manifold
325i Throttle Body with M50 TPS and custom mount


Bottom End
Stock BMW 528e M20 SuperETA pistons, rods and crank
Ishihara Johnson crank scraper with Teflon insert(s)

Induction
Bullseye S256 Turbo
Vibrant Performance FMIC (18" by 6 1/2" by 3 1/4")
2.25” custom welded aluminum charge pipes
Tial Blowoff Valve and Bosch Bypass Valve (long story)


Interior/Exterior
- Complete paint and body overhaul with new PPG paint (BMW S11, Blue Onyx, from BMW Individual Program)
- Hartge front spoiler (fiberglass reproduction)
- Original Zender rear skirt
- M-Tech rear decklid spoiler
- replaced ALL exterior body trim including M5 fender guards and door mouldings
- New “Matts Kinnby” tail-lights with clear turns
- new OEM front and rear "Euro" bumpers
- Euro front spoiler mounted turn signals (custom clear lenses) and French yellow foglights
- Euro Headlights and front grill
- New front and rear window glass
- all new chrome window trim front and rear as well as doors
- new felt window guides
- Custom 2-tone leather interior – Pacific Blue/Dove Gray
- e30 sport seats with Dove Gray inserts

Wheels
- 17" Forged Wheels, can't remember brand!
- Bridgestone RE-01R tires (225/45/17 front 245/40/17 rear
- 20mm/15mm spacers front rear
- rolled fenders (rear)

Brakes
- 1988 e32 750il front caliper and rotors, powder coated black
- 1990 e34 530i calipers and rotors, powder coated black
- e32 750 il Master Cylinder
- brass caliper bushings


Suspension
- Ground Control coilovers w/ Koni Yellow single adjustable front and rear
- Custom shortened front struts
- Ground Control adjustable front camber plates with urethane street perch
- Ground control solid rear shock mounts
- Ground control/Eibach 440lb/280lb springs
- Mason Engineering front and rear strut braces
- Mason Engineering custom front strut tower reinforcement plates
- Meyle HD upper and lower control arms and bushings
- Meyle HD Rear subframe bushings
- Suspension Techniques Front and Rear sway bars
- Custom adjustable sway bar links
- Custom welded rear sway mounts

[Russianblue]

Originally Posted by donmayor

very clean car. but i kinda agree with your wife. $10K for a 2005 3.0 is a bit much. you could have gotten many 4.6is for less. i recently saw an imola red 4.6is in NY for less.

list of bmw x5 4.6is on criaglist

"for less" takes a lot of different forms. Purchase price? yes. But my hunch is that a comparably aged 4.6 (with 70k miles) would be even more than this if you could fine one. Also, i'm not sure i am up to the task of maintaining a 4.6 or replacing the transmission/valley pan/timing chain/guides etc once they go kaput.

Eventually I will buy a Cayenne. Always wanted one of those. Old Xer goes to the teenager....and in three years when she goes to school she'll probably get this one.


I drove a 2015 x50i. Liked it. didn't LOVE it. not for the price and the $6000 warranty to go with it. At the $35-$45k used car level, i'd go for Merc or Porsche over BMW nowadays.