realistic reliability of an x5 - coming from 325xi

[mcurcio1989]

^^ That is pretty much exactly how i feel. The x5 is the perfect vehicle for me in every way so maybe I just have to deal with the dumb little things and I think I am decided on the 3.0 It sounds like for my driving it is a better choice.

As far as offroad capability and safety go I really don't care either way I don't ever drive offroad and I really don't like to anyways. I have never been in an accident and I am not accident prone so call me dumb but safety just is not a huge factor when buying a vehicle. However, I do think that driving a car with exceptional handling characteristics is very beneficial in avoiding accidents.

The reason I am between a jeep and an x5 is that they are similarly priced midsixe suv's with similar towing capability and looks. You can freak out on the last one but I think the x5 and jeep are probably the two best looking midsize suv's out there. Obviously what the jeep lacks for in frills and handling characteristics it makes up for in cost of ownership.

[mcurcio1989]

^^ That is pretty much exactly how i feel. The x5 is the perfect vehicle for me in every way so maybe I just have to deal with the dumb little things and I think I am decided on the 3.0 It sounds like for my driving it is a better choice.

As far as offroad capability and safety go I really don't care either way I don't ever drive offroad and I really don't like to anyways. I have never been in an accident and I am not accident prone so call me dumb but safety just is not a huge factor when buying a vehicle. However, I do think that driving a car with exceptional handling characteristics is very beneficial in avoiding accidents.

The reason I am between a jeep and an x5 is that they are similarly priced midsixe suv's with similar towing capability and looks. You can freak out on the last one but I think the x5 and jeep are probably the two best looking midsize suv's out there. Obviously what the jeep lacks for in frills and handling characteristics it makes up for in cost of ownership.

[bcredliner]

Very well put JCL!!

Even if 100 X5s, of the same year, same color, same options were purchased new at the same dealer, made the same day at BMW, by the same people and all driven the same routes every day at the same time, in the same way, in the same place and serviced by the same dealer on the same day, except for failures, in the same way etc. etc.. The compiled total life data sampling would not be large enough to substantiate conclusive + or - data as to reliability or durability for a vary narrow range of X5s. Regardless the first sampling would generate the need for other samplings with different parameters. The parameters for the initial study would be deemed flawed when the market research was presented. Ironically, a new study would also be flawed. It would take several years to see a decent trend from the results of the same agreed upon parameters used to evaluate other vehicles.

It is obvious I am very positive.

Based on the forum threads my level of concern for reliability and durability is much higher. I have trended more to the - side. I can't keep track if it is because of a few of the same owners or a few other owners that are the influence from each time the question is asked. Whatever the case if is always a few, far short of 100 weighing in. If I draw judgment from all posts regardless of who and how many posted it is easy to conclude-- where there is smoke there is fire. if no fire now there will soon be.

Because of that, If I were to purchase a used X5 today I would be more conservative than in the past. Even though I am very positive about my X5 experiences---it would be new enough to still have a years worth of factory warranty. It would be a one owner. I would have complete service history. I would purchase an extended warranty that covered the big problems I have heard about. Icing would be if I could talk to the original owner.

I would have to be extremely lucky to find all that in something I like so it would make the extended warranty coverage much more important. If my expectation was that I would still have a more than 5 failure expenditures over $2,000 over 4 years that were not covered by warranties or DIY work, I wouldn't buy a used X5 unless I sold it at about 80,000 mi.

At this point in time my next purchase will be a new X5M,. I will have the dealer install all Dinan mods before I take delivery. I will sell it myself at 40,000 mi. I will hand the new owner the original window sticker and the complete service history with verifying invoices, paid or covered by warranty. I will do that so I can command top dollar to recover some of my depreciation. It will be because, IMO, an informed buyer would be bias toward the negative, perceived smoke or reality fire. FYI-I have all the above for my current X5.