Ian, there's a reason why there is such a big price difference between the X and the ML. The ML is not a worthy alternative to the X5. You will hate it especially in light of your long term experience with X5's. The ML is truly a milk truck. It's like driving a minivan and it looks like one too. If you want a minivan feel you might as well go get a Honda Oddysey or a Toyota Sienna. Obviously I'm for sticking with an X5.

Your X5 shouldn't be cast away so quickly. 90K KM is nothing. I have 52K miles (83,668 kms) on mine and it's going great. Hell, KewlX5 has over 125,000 miles (201,000 kms) on his. I don't know why you don't think it makes sense to get rid of it just because it's at 90,000 kms.

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Wow. You would be hard pressed to turn by the MB for the X. Look at it this way, if equally equiped the MB is 6G's less and a year newer.......

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An unwavering defender of those I see worth protecting.

"promote the general welfare, not provide the general welfare"

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

x5

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'08 335i Coupe - Barbera Red / Saddle Leather / Light Poplar Wood / 6spd Manual
Options: Sport, Premium, Cold Weather, Comfort Access, Active Steering (awesome!), Power Rear Shade, IPod Adapter, Navigation w/IDrive
Mods: M6 Wheels, Split Armrest, M-Steering Wheel, Euro Light Switch w/Rear Fog Lights, Short Shift Knob w/Matching E-Brake Handle, Clear Reflectors, CDV, Clear Bra

Retired:'04 X5 4.4i

I am coming up on 80,000km on mine as well, and plan on keeping it way past the 100,000km mark. With proper maintenance, an E53 should last quite a long time, as we've seen with KewlX5 ... if you really wanted that newer model, my vote would go to the X5. As everybody else mentioned, there's a reason why a newer model year ML with less mileage would go for less money. Besides, after driving an X5 for this long, I don't think you'd enjoy the ML in the least bit.

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A 3 year old X for 55g's?! I like the X better, but I'd get the ML....If thats the best price you can find for a 3 year old X without Nav, I say go on AutoTrader and find a better deal...

Oops! I just realized we're talking CDN here...GO for the X!

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Been there...Done that

I fully agree particularly if you have maintained it properly. You know the history of it which will not be the case of another used one. 90,000kms is really not that much for an X5.

I'm with Kev. Go with the X.

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2003 3.0i White/Black 5 speed Manual.
Options: PP, SP, DSP, NAV, XENON.
Mods: Aluminum Running Boards, 4.6 Body Kit, 20" Style 132 Wheels, Eisenmann Sport Exhaust with Oval tips, Aluminum pedals, Xenonmatch Fogs, M3 Steering Wheel.

Can I have a sip of that HATERADE you're chuggin?

Guys thanks for the input. I think I was not clear though. The main reason for changing the X5 is not that it has 90000KM. I have no problem with this, and I know she will go many more kilometers problem-free.

It's just that people update their cars once in a while. So my main logic here is that this X5 will fetch a pretty low trade-in, even today. If I keep it for another year (usually keep them for 3 years total), then I will get a terrible trade-in value, also because the new-gen X5 would have been out.

Right now, on the market, this X5 is worth $39000-$42000. Somewhere in there. I'm getting it appraised this week - I'll let you know the exact digit. If I wait for the new X5 to come out, the trade-in value will automatically drop even more. I don't have the kind of funds to counter that and still have an X.

That's why I'm shuffling around now. I hope the picture is clearer now. I will have it appraised both by a BMW dealer and the Benz dealer, to see what the difference will be.

Plus there are two other very important factors in play here:

1) The money deal. My BMW dealer can offer me 0.5% less on financing, which is cool. Also since I've done business with them 2 times before, they can make a deal happen if we are both happy.
2) I've never driven an X5 with the SP. I can imagine that it will drive rock-hard like the old 330i, but what concern me is the sport seats. I would appreciate something "tighter" than the standard 8-way + lumbar I have now. But on the other hand, I'm not a small person, so I hope those sport buckets won't "lock" me in.

Here are pics of the particular X5:

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2008 ML320 CDI | Iridium Silver | Black ARTICO Leather | Premium Package (H/K Logic7, Parktronic, Rear Heated Seats, Rear Power Hatch, DVD Nav, 10-way Front Seats w/ Memory) | Backup Camera | Aluminum Running Boards | 4500K MTEC Low-beam HID | 30% Metallic Tint | Boomerang2 Recovery System | Weathertech Front Floorliners | Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V1 Winter Tires

I would go for the X5 rather than the ML. I made that same decision before I got my X5, and I would make the same decision today.

As for the prices going down when the new generation of X5 comes out. That's going to be true whether you trade the 02 for the 03 anyway, so that should not factor in your decision. I vote for the X over the ML.