...and so I begin my X5 journey

[bbqlube]

Cheers everybody, wanted to introduce myself and thank everyone for the incredible site here to peruse. Huge amount of information which has been helping me.

So, I just purcheased a 2003 X5 3.0 with 34,000 miles on it. This will be the wife&son car mainly, and though it is a 9 year old car, it is an upgrade! Back to German cars finally, oh how I missed them. Sheesh.

It took over a year to find: I wanted a 1-owner car with low miles, all records, and the sport package. It's cosmetically perfect (owned by a Beverly Hills woman), but had a few mechanical areas that needed attention right after I bought it. (more on that later)

First impressions:

Drivetrain
The 3.0 is sufficient for power, though I long for the punch of the 4.8/4.6. In "sport" setting, gear changes feel more natural than the "normal" setting. We live in the hills, and when heading uphill, I have to put my foot in it more than I expected. I can really feel the weight of the car. All in all, very pleased.

Handling
No complaints at all. Throwing it through corners, It feels very, very comfortable. Seems like throttle-on or throttle-off feels equally steady. I'm looking forward to the winter to feel it in rain. The left front brake make a small clunk during fast braking at low speeds. Rotor? I'll investigate soon. Besides that, the brakes are awesome. Love the responsiveness. So german.

Exterior
The halogen lights are incredible, though the sharp transition from lighted to not has taken some getting used to. I keep on using the high-beams when the road transitions upwards. I think i'll readjust the aim. Doors are a bit hard to open for my 9-year old. Learning curve there.

Interior
Perfect, though getting the seat memory dialed-in has been a chore. The how-to's on this have been great. Thanks. My one complaint, and I knew it when I bought the car, the freakin' stereo is shit! This car did not have the premium stereo package. I can't believe how bad this stereo sounds. Not to mention the lame reception for both AM amd FM. Due to the economy, this will have to wait for remedy. Darn. Waiting for my Hide Food to arrive, to properly feed the leather.


Ok, now down to the nuts and bolts: the small list of mechanical issues:

1. The car needs a rear-upper control arm (drivers side). It is just beginning to show the need. Seems like these always fail on that side according to the forums.

2. I'm going to replace both belts: serpentine and other.

3. The radiator fan liquid-clutch looks like it has been leaking a small amount of oil. Needs to be replaced.

4. Air conditioner has been putting me through the ringer: Working fine at purchase, then stopped blowing cold (no unexpected heat coming through the vents). Lo and behold, the compressor was not running. I assumed low coolant was not allowing the compressor to turn on. Took it to my local shop on a drop by visit, they evacuated the system, and attempted to recharge the freon. They were low on freon, and ran out. This meant they needed to do another evacuation. I had to wait till later becase I was late for an appointment. Before I left they did a quick electrical diagnostic: The temp gauge for the cooling system was reading a freezing ambient air temp (it was 95 F that day!). The dash temp readout was normal. So I need to research if the air conditioning will operate at below freezing temps, and replace the faulty gauge regardless. Went back for the second evaucation of the system, the system charged normally and worked for a few minutes. Then the interior fans stopped being dependable: One speed through the entire range of settings, until the very lowest setting with a small change in fan speed. The max cooling setting stopped changing the fan speed, etc. I assume it is a faulty FSR. Ordered one, and waiting for it to arrive.

5. Had the expansion tank throw a leak through a crack. Engine temps normal. Lost about a 1/2 gallon coolant. I replaced the tank with a OEM tank and bracket. Not to hard. Hoses looked ok, took a chance and left them in the car. (May pay for that later!)

6. Changed the oil, used Mobile 1, and original filter was pretty clean.

7. Changed the air filter with a washable K&N.

8. Smal,l yet expected, oil leak from the valve cover gasket. Looking at the new gasket set now, probably do the job this weekend.


Now, a small question: do you folks use the DSC only during bad weather, always, never?

Thanks to everyone who posts the tech tips and DIY stuff. I'll add my share I hope.