The Elusive Manual E53

[Ricky Bobby]

Great story man and one to remember for sure! I was lucky enough to find mine private sale with 59k miles (74k now) and let me tell you these trucks age well, first off people all the time think I make a lot of money bc it's a BMW.

They go "I didn't know those came in stick" (no one does), say how clean and nice it is, and the kicker? When I tell them it's almost 11 years old!

Find me a Hyundai, Toyota Lexus Nissan etc at 11 years old that looks as good as these trucks I dare you.

[Ricky Bobby]

Terrible garage shot but amazing what tail lights and exhaust tips along with sport suspension and wheels can do to the rear of these cars.

[Joshdub]

Originally Posted by Ricky Bobby

Hey man mamoraneck is about an hour from me why not just have me do the ppi? I can scan the car and see if it's throwing codes and go over it with a fine toothed comb for you if needed.

I appreciate you fixing Archer as my wife and I are dog people ourselves, I don't know if you called the dealer yet but they might want a hold on the car until I can get up there if you're serious about it

I am sending you a PM soon.

By the way, the X5 is looking pretty nice! I really like that color and those wheels. That blue was on our want list.

Originally Posted by ny x5 guy

Well, I can share with you fellas how I stumbled on my X5. I had my heart set on a manual transmission 2011 328i xdrive wagon. I wanted under 50k miles, leather, xenon, just a mint vehicle. Well, they came up for sale from time to time, but sold quickly for $30-35,000. So, I have a baby and 3 pugs and knew it wasn't even really big enough, then Istarted looking at manual transmission X3's mainly 2010's. But even then they didn't do anything for me, and were still a bit smallish.

I looked almost every day on bmwusa.com certified pre owned nationwide, carsdirect.com, autotrader.com, and cars.com. I must have been looking for at least 6 months. You can search say category wagon or suv, manual transmission and make bmw. So one day I was searching bmwusa, under suv and manual checked, nationwide search and low and behold there was my little beauty, I couldn't believe it:

2003
X5
Born 9/25/2003
Entered service 1/08/2004
titanium silver
grey leather
loaded with premium package, rear climate package, and cold weather pkg
totally mint not even a scratch, unreal lack of wear on exterior or interior
45,000 miles
5 speed manual transmission
no accidents
1 owner
bought at the same dealer where it was being sold at
serviced every year at same dealer, brake fluid flushes, fuel injection serviced, power steering flushes, just every preventative service done according to factory schedule all at the dealership
even brand new Michelin tires

So, btw it had only been for sale 1 lousy day. I just looked at it on the computer and I was like OK, I have to buy this. Tried calling my wife at work, she wouldn't answer her phone for 3 hours. Finally she answers and says OK, you should buy it. Then I decide OK, let's get a pre purchase inspection done, so arrange that. Then call the dealership to say I want to get a ppi done. Guess what, the salesman tells me it's already sold but will take my name and number. So I call back wife, pissed, and tell her it's her fault and next time answer the f@#king phone when I call you. Not very nice. Baby crying. I stay at home all day wondering if maybe, just maybe, he'll call back. And he does. The salesman tells me the guys credit application fell through and that I was his next in line guy, but that as we were speaking, other salesmen were on the phone with people about this very car. I believe him. I believe him since I had a different car ( 2011 rwd, manual wagon with 48,000 miles, 1 owner for $22,000) also fall though my sweaty fingers so this time I was itching to buy it. OK, I said fine I'll buy it but contingent on passing ppi. The man said OK, b/c it would pass the ppi. So I bought it. Just got it street legal a week ago. LOVE this car or truck or sav. I love driving it and love the manual transmission and the silky smooth motor and the lovely ride and the hulking svelte look of it. The guy at the inspection station said he'd never seen a manual x5 before, my doormen said it was clean, clean, clean, just one question: how much did I pay for it. $13,000 was my answer, but really I paid $12,851. Plus $1,100 to ship it from Newport Beach, California.

Panning for gold my friends, look hard, look often, check the bmwusa.com site b/c you never know. Check the other sites too. Don't settle you'll find your dream ride, then you'll be happy as a clam.

That is crazy. I know that exact feeling too when you call and just missed it. Luckily it worked out for you in the end. It sounds like you bought it sight un seen. That is pretty ballsy! Congrats on the new truck. I don't want to settle. This current one looks pretty damn good.

[Riggodeaux]

Mine was similar, but not as interesting, as NY X5 guy's story. Mine was posted on a Cincy BMW 'M' specialty shop website; I called the same or next day and they already had a local buyer, who fell through on sale of his existing vehicle, or credit, or something. When they called back I said I'd take it 'so long as it checked out' and put a deposit on credit card. Flew to Cincy the next Friday, they picked me up at the airport, and I was driving south in time to make the horse races at Keeneland, happy as a clam. Sometimes you gotta strike when the iron is hot ...

[bcredliner]

If the X5 has spent it's life in NC., there is nothing that would cause exception wear and tear and rust won't be any issue either.

[Riggodeaux]

I think the OP is focused on the 2006 6 spd for sale in NY, not the Mooresville (Charlotte) white 5 spd. Of course, the vehicle registration history might tell you where the NY version 'lived.' Mine, for example, was originally in FL before moving at age 2.5 [26k miles on the odometer] to the Cincinnati area ......

[Ricky Bobby]

For what its worth the 6 speed Toledo in NY is a 1 owner car, awesome advantage if you ask me.

I PM'ed him earlier today and wanted to go check it out and just reimbursed for time gas and tolls, I did however recommend he call the dealer and ask how much the local BMW dealership in White Plains or Rye would charge for a PPI, as I've heard of rates ranging from as little as $100-120, if that is the case it would be more advantageous to have a dealer do it, with myself being 80 miles/ 1.5 hours away.

I still am willing to check it out for the OP if he wants though, I think it looks to be a great buy for the price, especially knowing its a 1 owner car.

[Riggodeaux]

RB, you are a generous man whose conduct is a credit to the 3 pedal E53 Mafia. The OP would be wise to take you up on your offer. I expect you can eyeball an E53 with the best of them and, if you have the electronics to read code history, can do a mighty fine PPI. I'd scrounge the glove box and pockets for service records, too .......

[Joshdub]

Yeah RB is awesome and super generous.

Unfortunately some else has deposit on that X5. So I have to keep looking and maybe that sale will fall through.

I am really disappointed as that one looked pretty sweet.

But on the plus side the vet called and Archer made it through surgery perfectly and I get to pick him up in a few hours.

[Ricky Bobby]

Daytona Beach FL

2006, BSM, 6-speed manual, 111k miles

2006 BMW X5 3.0i, $8,950 - Cars.com