Do I need to be worried about '09 E70 4.8i reliability?

[Ag4.8]

Not to hijack the thread. . . but I had 3 visits to the service department for multiple and repeat issues. The main one was a failure of the passenger airbag (warning), three attempts to fix. ALso had headlight replaced, headlight control module replaced, seat control module replaced, front diff seal began to leak and was replaced. Dealer that I bought from really went to bat for me and they are replacing the car with one built to same specs. In production now and hopefully will have at end of the month.

I have been impressed by the dealer (this is my second BMW, but only my first purchase from this dealer). I also got to drive a Diesel X5 for a week (my car was out of service for 19 of the first 37 days I had it, not that I counted (ha)) and was really impressed with that engine. I have a couple of threads on my story, but honestly don't know how to set up a link.

[Ag4.8]

I will also add to the OP. I received a lot of good advice from some members on this board about how to handle the situation (especially through PM's). As I said earlier, if you like the vehicle, just get it. BMW will stand behind it.

[Ag4.8]

I will also add to the OP. I received a lot of good advice from some members on this board about how to handle the situation (especially through PM's). As I said earlier, if you like the vehicle, just get it. BMW will stand behind it.

[deutsch100]

Like many, many members have said...just plan on driving it for 4 years or 50k miles, unless you buy an extra 2 years of FULL warranty (not just engine/transmission). Honestly, NO car is made anymore to run & run & run. Mercedes used to build cars to last forever up until the mid
1990's, and they also were on the bridge of financial ruin. Nowadays, cars are made to last pretty well for 4-6 years, then sure you can still drive them, but you will be replacing parts left & right. How can BMW, or any other car maker, profit if one buys a car every 10+ years?

[BGM]

Originally Posted by deutsch100

Like many, many members have said...just plan on driving it for 4 years or 50k miles, unless you buy an extra 2 years of FULL warranty (not just engine/transmission). Honestly, NO car is made anymore to run & run & run. Mercedes used to build cars to last forever up until the mid
1990's, and they also were on the bridge of financial ruin. Nowadays, cars are made to last pretty well for 4-6 years, then sure you can still drive them, but you will be replacing parts left & right. How can BMW, or any other car maker, profit if one buys a car every 10+ years?

I'm on 8 years on my '01 e53 3.0 with 87K miles and it's running strong and looks like new. I take care of it which I think is essential to longevity. I haven't really spent more than the normal wear and tear parts on it to date.

[bigx5er]

My E70 has been pretty rough for far (2008). I blame part of it on BMWs constant adding of new technology before they fully perfect what they have. Case in point are the run flat tires.

At the same time, all that technology is what makes the car such a great drive. My E53s were pretty reliable (but none of them was close to my Acura MDX which as perfect).

Still I really like the E70. Not sure what I'll do when I get to 50K, but I would buy it again.

[Paydirtdog]

It's pretty sad that a car that costs as much as an X5 can't be expected to last over 200K miles without major repairs. My 01 has over 100k with no majors yet. I hope I get at least that on my 07 before I have to start thinking about repairs. I usually don't keep a car that long, but was thinking the BMW's would hold up better due to the quality of the materials and workmanship. From what I'm reading on this forum though, I'm not so sure now. One thing for sure though....they are awesome machines to drive when they are running properly.

[Juanted]

I've got 17k trouble-free miles on my '08 4.8. No issues at all.

Buy the car. Enjoy it. If you want to drive it longer than 50K miles, get the extended warranty.

Juan

[JCL]

Originally Posted by Paydirtdog

It's pretty sad that a car that costs as much as an X5 can't be expected to last over 200K miles without major repairs. My 01 has over 100k with no majors yet. I hope I get at least that on my 07 before I have to start thinking about repairs. I usually don't keep a car that long, but was thinking the BMW's would hold up better due to the quality of the materials and workmanship. From what I'm reading on this forum though, I'm not so sure now. One thing for sure though....they are awesome machines to drive when they are running properly.

I don't think that for over ten years from purchase an E70 will need major repairs (on average) and that relates to durability. I think the reason that many people won't drive them to 200k has to do with reliability. The engine bores and bearings will be fine, but the continuous small annoyances, software glitches, nuisance faults, etc, are what will cause people to park these vehicles years into the future. How many PCs are you still using that you purchased 10 years ago? Unfortunately, or fortunately if you like convenience features and high-tech toys, our BMWs have been overtaken by computer brains that have very different life cycles than the mechanical components we traditionally relate to vehicle life.

Just my $0.02