Time to Cut Bait? (E70 4.8i Issues)

[Pushrod]

Really appreciate some perspective from those of you in the know:

I have a 09 X5 4.8i (N62) that I have had for the last 3 years. I bought it with 47k miles on the clock and it now has 79k. It was a great truck until recently.

Back in 11/17 I had the dreaded alternator bracket oil leak. It completely blew and I had to get the truck towed. I took it to an indy, and they recommended I replace every other known-to-leak seal if I was going to keep the truck. So valve covers, timing covers, etc, all were replaced. $3400 out the door at an indy shop.

Then last week I notice coolant under the truck. On the way to work, the low coolant sensor came on. I took it to the indy fearing the worst. Sure enough, it's the dreaded coolant valley pipe leak. With a new water pump, thermostat, etc, it's another $2500 repair. Since the oil leak, I've put on less than 4k miles and will have spent $6000 in repairs on this truck. From what I can tell, the wholesale blue book value is in the $10k to $12k range.

I've owned several BMWs in the past, including several V8s, and NEVER had such problems. I'm really at my wits end with this vehicle, and have totally lost faith in its reliability.

I haven't authorized the coolant valley pipe repair, because I'd rather take that money and use it for the purchase of a different car if I decide to go that route, which is where my dilemma lies.

Do I fix the X5 and hope / pray / cross my fingers that I won't have another major repair in the next few years? What are the chances that another major repair is on the near horizon after fixing the coolant valley pipe and the alternator bracket seal? I've heard valve stem seals are upcoming, but they typically don't go untill after 100k. Seriously, if I have another major repair on it in the next year, I'll drive it into Lake Michigan.

Really appreciate your thoughts. I promised the indy shop I'd either pick it up or authorize the coolant valley pipe repair on Monday morning.

Thanks!

[blue dragon]

Sounds like you already know what the issues are on the 4.8i and the timeframe they occur. Only you can decide if its worth it for you to keep it knowing that.

[AlphaBetaX5]

Originally Posted by Pushrod

Really appreciate some perspective from those of you in the know:



I have a 09 X5 4.8i (N62) that I have had for the last 3 years. I bought it with 47k miles on the clock and it now has 79k. It was a great truck until recently.



Back in 11/17 I had the dreaded alternator bracket oil leak. It completely blew and I had to get the truck towed. I took it to an indy, and they recommended I replace every other known-to-leak seal if I was going to keep the truck. So valve covers, timing covers, etc, all were replaced. $3400 out the door at an indy shop.



Then last week I notice coolant under the truck. On the way to work, the low coolant sensor came on. I took it to the indy fearing the worst. Sure enough, it's the dreaded coolant valley pipe leak. With a new water pump, thermostat, etc, it's another $2500 repair. Since the oil leak, I've put on less than 4k miles and will have spent $6000 in repairs on this truck. From what I can tell, blue book value is in the $10k to $12k range.



I've owned several BMWs in the past, including several V8s, and NEVER had such problems. I'm really at my wits end with this vehicle, and have totally lost faith in its reliability.



I haven't authorized the coolant valley pipe repair, because I'd rather take that money and use it for the purchase of a different car if I decide to go that route, which is where my dilemma lies.



Do I fix the X5 and hope / pray / cross my fingers that I won't have another major repair in the next few years? What are the chances that another major repair is on the near horizon after fixing the coolant valley pipe and the alternator bracket seal? I've heard valve stem seals are upcoming, but they typically don't go untill after 100k. Seriously, if I have another major repair on it in the next year, I'll drive it into Lake Michigan.



Really appreciate your thoughts. I promised the indy shop I'd either pick it up or authorize the coolant valley pipe repair on Monday morning.



Thank!

Don’t spend money on major repairs anymore. Keep it and buy some time while doing your research:


Do the math:
Sell it: $10k
Save excessive gas money dur to bad mpg:$1000/yr
Save repair money: ~$3000/yr

If you sell it for 10 k, you can afford close to $4000 a year in monthly payments ! (~(4000/12mo=$333 per month)




Now next question is what’s next:

Best case scenario: a CPO 3.5i or a diesel
That would be in $30-$40k range.
You already have $10k for down payment.
Finance the rest (~25k if cpo costs $35k) for 5 years= $418/mo


You can afford a much more reliable CPO 2015 3.5i or diesel for only ($418-$333= $83) $83 more per month.


Worst case scenario is that you keep the car and deal with its troubles.


Another option is trade it in for a brand new x5.


And one last option is sell it and consider other SUVs (VW, Infinity, Toyota...)

Good luck



*All numbers are only for demonstration.









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[blue dragon]

So if you finance a CPO, what are you paying for? Reliability, or someone else covering the cost of the repairs? So you would spend 25k to avoid paying for repairs?

[Nanniepoo]

I would repair it. All of those are known to go around 70k. Frankly I think you'll be over the hump and just have minor stuff to deal with for the next 70k.

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[Nanniepoo]

Don't sell it and go into debt

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[Pushrod]

Thanks for the replies!

Doing the math is an interesting prospect, because it assumes several things related to future reliability and repair costs of my current vehicle (somewhat known) and a future vehicle (completely unknown). If I use the current short term failure rate as a guide on my X5, I'm paying over $2k / month in repairs, and it's a no brainer do dump it. So is this current episode just a blip addressing known issues that unfortunately happened to occur at nearly the same time, or is it predicative of the future?

If I was to go with "the best predictor of future performance is past performance" approach, and given these recent repairs, I'll have spent about $9k on repairs in 3 years, so nearly $300/mth. Then the question becomes, "Do I want to continue to have to spend $300/mth to repair this vehicle, or get something else and potentially take on a payment?"

A few other items to include in the cost assessment: The city of Chicago has 10.25% sales tax(!), so if I was to purchase a $30k CPO, I'd be giving the same $2500 (and more) I'd be giving the indy to fix the X5 to the State of Illinois and the City of Chicago. Either way, I kiss it goodbye.

Also, City of Chicago car insurance rates are ridiculous. When I ran the numbers for a newer car, my rates would go up about ~50%, resulting in an additional $50+ / month in car insurance cost. Certainly a factor to consider if deciding to go newer.

An observation: When did a direct injected turbocharged engine, a technology that's been around less than 10 years, become more reliable than a naturally aspirated V8, a technology that's been around for over 60 years? My experience with the N54 in my 07 E92 was much better than this N62 in this 09 X5, and that was the first year of production for the N54!

[Pushrod]

Originally Posted by Nanniepoo

I would repair it. All of those are known to go around 70k. Frankly I think you'll be over the hump and just have minor stuff to deal with for the next 70k.

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This would be my hope if I do repair my X5. I love the car and if I could go another 70k without having another major repair, I'd be all in.

I've had the indy address all the oil leaks already when the alternator seal blew, and then would have them put in a new water pump and thermostat with the coolant valley repair. I'd probably have them change the transmission fluid and differential fluids, too, and then the thing will be just about like new.

[byM5]

I'm doing valve seals right now 1 seal at a time per day or whenever I feel like it.
I'm hoping to be done in a month or so.

I did the coolant valley pipe a few months ago. It wasn't as bad as the stem seals.

All that work for $60 dollars worth of stem seals.

I like german cars but I don't like their initial cost to buy new. And I like there to be a steering column.

The electric steering feels terrible to me.

So I'm addicted to the old bimmers with steering columns

[Pushrod]

Originally Posted by byM5

I'm doing valve seals right now 1 seal at a time per day or whenever I feel like it.
I'm hoping to be done in a month or so.

I did the coolant valley pipe a few months ago. It wasn't as bad as the stem seals.

All that work for $60 dollars worth of stem seals.

I like german cars but I don't like their initial cost to buy new. And I like there to be a steering column.

The electric steering feels terrible to me.

So I'm addicted to the old bimmers with steering columns

How many miles did you get to before the valve seals really became a problem? I'm anticipating I'll have to do them eventually.

Agreed, it's a crazy amount of work to replace 32 valve seals that cost nothing. So it seems with most any repair on the N62 engine. The parts are minimal but it's 20 hours+ of labor to execute the repair.

Totally agree on the electric steering on the modern BMWs. I had not driven one of the electric steering cars until recently. I had a buddy who bought one and he said it drove like a Honda, but I never tried it out for myself. I agree. No feel at all in comfort mode, and sport mode is barely passable. Doesn't feel like a sports car at all. I like the steering in my X5 better!