I’d call mine an 8.

A solid 3 !:canada::whistle:

bit tricky this... I'd say a 7/8 i guess, though my DIY is very limited and I have a local indie fix anything that comes up. He's not super meticuloes but at a fraction of the price of the dealer that's fine by me. The car has a few rust spots, though generally I have things tackled early.

Interior is pretty nice, even though I use it to haul all sorts of stuff.

Definitely a 9
 

It was my wife's daily, then mine, before a two/three year hiatus during an engine-out reseal. Now it is my kids' daily and we still use it for getting groceries. Just crossed 145k.

Since 93k miles I have repaired almost everything people have reported on here that will go wrong, including the trans and ABS. Latest major item being the font drive shaft. Fortunately I have time now to take care of it myself entirely. Projects to come: replace all four brake hoses, getting windshield replaced (been busted for a decade....) and replace the NAV screen again (wrong style, e39).

It is in very good shape but a few scratches happened while the engine was out. Most (if not all) of the dings happened under previous ownership. Interior is in good shape but does have a bit of patina.

I would say my E53 is like a 8.5.

Its 16 years old, and somehow its not trashed or rusted even though it spent its entire life here in Illinois. No dead pixels, interior is like new. Everything works. I just hit 75k miles last week in it. I only owned that car for about a year, I only put around 10k miles. I got the car as a intention to "Flip" it. I hated my job and I figured maybe I can make a little extra so I can quit sooner. hahahaha

That was not the case. Me being a BMW person, I basically bulletproofed the M54.
I decided that maybe ill keep it as a daily since I had an offer on (at the current time) my daily. The X5 was by far the more practical and comfortable car. I figured I would just sell it once I found something but Covid pricing and other people "flipping" their "car runs and drives good, needs new motor and tires, don't low ball me I know what I have" parts cars flooded the market and there was nothing worth buying compared to the X5 and its condition.

So its been my daily driver for a year so far. I like the car. Knowing me ill probably drive it for another year or two and end up getting another F32 435 or maybe ill spring for a 135i with a DCT or maybe finally...a brand new car for the long haul. Thats whats keeping me from spending more and more money on it.

I just ordered a Avin Avant 4 unit, since my commute is anywhere between 20 min to an hour... and with my current job I might end up traveling on the road. I know that radio will pay itself off in a year for sure. One more mod Id like to do is to reupholster my headliner to black. The material is started to sag, so I figured why not?

If i find a 4.8is heated steering wheel for cheap enough and a some heated sport seats ill do that and will probably call it a day. Initially I wanted to do wheels, a 4.8is "body kit", PDC retrofit (at this point I would have had everything but DSP) and some "off road" goodies.

I consider my X5 as a 8 when I bought it, and because I've fixed a couple of things and completed all of the (likely overdue) maintenance in the past month as a solid 8.5 almost a 9. It has a little rust because it was an east-coast car, and tons of paint chips and little imperfections both inside and out that will keep it from ever getting above a 9 without those deep pockets. My goal is to get it to a 9 and keep it there.

My other car on the other hand is a solid 10 - 2017 Mustang, bought new off the lot in late 2016 and meticulously maintained/modified.

I clearly grade on a different curve. If a rusty car is an 8, then my X5 is a 10.

poll added
 

I meant to, but forgot, to create a poll for this thread. Please add your choices to it, and edit your comments if you've already posted.

I'd give Red an 8. After VSS and alternator gasket jobs... she's good for a 9. But she's always clean, in a temp-controlled garage. Or if I have a project in the garage, she's under the carport with her fitted Noah cover on.

One day fresh paint on the hood a door that was scratched (lightly keyed?) at some point previous to my ownership might bring it up to a 10... but her mileage @134k is getting up there... so maybe she'll never make it above a 9.

Daily driver with 269,000 miles. A solid 5.