10 used car clunkers to avoid/By Forbes.com

[romeokc10]

Well look who they mentioned first...lol!!

10 used car clunkers to avoid - Yahoo! Autos

[Bulk]

Geez, number one on the list. I am definitely going to have to think longer about buying a used e70, probably about an extra 15 minutes and then will eventually get an e70... :P

[tmv]

I would think hard regarless of the report. E70 isn't DIY friendly, but what can I learn if it's too easy.

[theblue]

makes sense... the list is a mile long of problems and fixes on these things.

[TiAgX5]

Originally Posted by theblue

makes sense... the list is a mile long of problems and fixes on these things.

My '03 4.4 sport with 155k miles has only needed a waterpump, belts, upper hose ass'y, FSR and coolant tank along with regular maintenance items.

Your X is hardly average, seeing as you bought "the cheapest X5 ever" that was not treated well at all. It was also pre-douche owned, as evident by the massive "tapout" sticker that was on the rear window.

It would be interesting to get an answer from Forbes as to why the '02 4.6 is so radically different then other year 4.6 Xs.


OTHER FACTORS ARE AT WORK HERE TOO
The massive gas price increase in the mid-2000s wreaked havok with SUV/SAV values, causing many first owners (owner demographic is upper middle class (read non-DIYers) with children), to keep their "old" SUVs (not worth a warm bucket of piss at trade in) and give it to Jr because he just got his permit. I'm sure most everyone on the forum can agree they drove the snot out of their first vehicle and Jr has spent the last decade playing GranTurismo/Grand Theft Auto and has ZERO DIY skills, causing EVERY problem is fixed by a BMW dealer (MASSIVE REPAIR COSTS).
I would bet Forbes obtained their info EXCLUSIVLY from first owner surveys, the vast majority of first owners of 10 yr old Xs have bought a new vehicle for themselves and left the old X behind to receive Jrs daily a$$ reamings.

When I found my one owner X I inspected the rear seating area closely for "teenager wear" (knee wear on front seat backs, door liner kick scuffs, rear seatbelt wear/staining) because I did not want to be the 2nd owner of Jrs 1st car.

[TwinsPoppa]

Originally Posted by TiAgX5

My '03 4.4 sport with 155k miles has only needed a waterpump, belts, upper hose ass'y, FSR and coolant tank along with regular maintenance items.

Your X is hardly average, seeing as you bought "the cheapest X5 ever" that was not treated well at all. It was also pre-douche owned, as evident by the massive "tapout" sticker that was on the rear window.

It would be interesting to get an answer from Forbes as to why the '02 4.6 is so radically different then other year 4.6 Xs.


OTHER FACTORS ARE AT WORK HERE TOO
The massive gas price increase in the mid-2000s wreaked havok with SUV/SAV values, causing many first owners (owner demographic is upper middle class (read non-DIYers) with children), to keep their "old" SUVs (not worth a warm bucket of piss at trade in) and give it to Jr because he just got his permit. I'm sure most everyone on the forum can agree they drove the snot out of their first vehicle and Jr has spent the last decade playing GranTurismo/Grand Theft Auto and has ZERO DIY skills, causing EVERY problem is fixed by a BMW dealer (MASSIVE REPAIR COSTS).
I would bet Forbes obtained their info EXCLUSIVLY from first owner surveys, the vast majority of first owners of 10 yr old Xs have bought a new vehicle for themselves and left the old X behind to receive Jrs daily a$$ reamings.

When I found my one owner X I inspected the rear seating area closely for "teenager wear" (knee wear on front seat backs, door liner kick scuffs, rear seatbelt wear/staining) because I did not want to be the 2nd owner of Jrs 1st car.

Maybe I'm misunderstanding but what do you mean exactly by "It would be interesting to get an answer from Forbes as to why the '02 4.6 is so radically different then other year 4.6 Xs."? What other year 4.6 are you talking about?

Forbes is only talking about years 2008-2009 X5s (e70).

[TiAgX5]

Originally Posted by TwinsPoppa

Maybe I'm misunderstanding but what do you mean exactly by "It would be interesting to get an answer from Forbes as to why the '02 4.6 is so radically different then other year 4.6 Xs."? What other year 4.6 are you talking about?

Forbes is only talking about years 2008-2009 X5s (e70).

Mis-read the OPs post, saw his owned vehicles list with the '02 4.6 X on top. Have not had my coffee yet this morning.

[TwinsPoppa]

Originally Posted by TiAgX5

Mis-read the OPs post, saw his owned vehicles list with the '02 4.6 X on top. Have not had my coffee yet this morning.

No, prob. I totally understand since sometimes the E53 gets a bad rap. Just wanted to clarify things.

[theblue]

Originally Posted by TiAgX5

My '03 4.4 sport with 155k miles has only needed a waterpump, belts, upper hose ass'y, FSR and coolant tank along with regular maintenance items.

I have a friend with a civic with 180k and it's had brake pads, tires, and oil.

so I'm sure you can see how such an owner would look at an X5 like your one and think that's extreme.

Big heavy luxury automobiles will always be high maintenance. I still love the X5, but for the person who's going to the repair shop for everything it's going to be a nightmare.

[TiAgX5]

Originally Posted by theblue

I have a friend with a civic with 180k and it's had brake pads, tires, and oil.

so I'm sure you can see how such an owner would look at an X5 like your one and think that's extreme.

Big heavy luxury automobiles will always be high maintenance. I still love the X5, but for the person who's going to the repair shop for everything it's going to be a nightmare.

I had a new, unmodded Civic CRX in the mid-80s that would pop main fuses and leave me strranded in the winter (over a dozen times), usually at the Whitestone Bridge toll on my way to work in College Pt, Queens. My GFs '05 Accord (purchased new) with 65k miles has already needed 3 sets of tires, rear wheel bearings, 3 batteries, belts, 2 sets of brakes and alternator (NIGHTMARE!!! Went to Honda for the part, got one that had a bad internal regulator that would cut off output when up to summer underhood temp. Honda would check the part cool and tell me it operates fine, causing me to do the job 3 times and troubleshooting the entire system for days!!!!!! Finally wore down the parts manager and got it swapped, problem solved!) Bad OE parts in a sealed box from a dealer is total BS in my book. Needs R134a topped off each summer too.

NONE of my BMWs (four to date, with around 3/4 of a million miles) have EVER left me stranded!!! Just the 2 Hondas above have had me roadside over 15 times.

There's also the fact that Jap cars are made with machined parts and sheet metal stampings that are not deburred (razor sharp edges) and plastic molded parts with sharp edges and mold flashings. BMW deburrs machined parts and molds radiuses on all plastic parts, also molds that flash are removed from production and repaired. My hands and arms look like I was attacked by a pack of wild ferrets after DIYing on Jap crap!

The CRX even left me stranded 2 miles from the Honda dealer because they "forgot" to fill the tank with fuel after charging me on the purchase aggreement. You can keep their sales/service experience too, it SUCKS!