Bought a X5 for $2000.00

[davesx5]

Originally Posted by David.X5

That's pretty lucky. Good for you.

I guess my experience with a $1500 purchase of a "needs engine work" X5 should fall into the "your life is a warning to others" category. I think I am the 4th owner. Bought it with 127k miles or so.

I bought a 2001 X5 4.4i knowing that it needed engine work (engine had been pulled). The timing guides were _really_ worn, but nothing was broken. I rebuilt the engine then started trying to get it back together. The rebuild was fun and what I was expecting. I replaced all the hoses, cooling parts, wear parts, etc. and completely solved head gasket leaks and main seal leak in the process. The entire vacuum and CCV system was occluded by sludge. Yuck!

Discovered these thrills along the way:
1) Every drive axle had at least one torn CV boot (made me learn how to reboot a CV axle!).
2) DSC module was bad and the "trifecta" lights had been pried off the instrument cluster. Made me wonder how many previous owners ago that had occurred (there was no need to do that to sell a car with the engine out...).
3) Needed usual cluster pixel repair
4) radiator had been punctured by the monkey(s) who removed engine. Same monkey(s) also broke the secondary air pump, auxiliary water pump and crimped the engine wiring harness.
5) At least one ball joint/connecting rod/etc on each corner of the car failed inspection for a torn boot.
6) A bad rear air spring was causing a slow list overnight.

I am not complaining about this. Well, ok, I will bitch about the $%#$! who pried the dsc&brake warning lights off the instrument cluster. By the time it is done, I have a 2001 X5 4.4i Sport w/leather, a rebuilt engine that doesn't leak or ooze, all new rubber, all new suspension and the pleasure of knowing how to replace just about everything on it!

Yeh I lucked out on this one.
Not like my last E36 that "just needed the engine put back together"
After dumping 2K into a $600 car that needed nothing.
When I sold it, it still wasn't up to my par but it had to go.
So far after driving this one 2 weeks the only things I want to do is repair the drivers seat bottom and do a little recoding. One thing that I havn't found yet is the "clunk" from the back end. I don't think it's the tailgate, it's sounds like its lower.