Hold on to your E53 X5
 

I briefly considered selling it because I had 5 cars in driveway and it looked like a used car lot, lol.
Thankfuly, E60 M5 is gone (found a good home and buyer is over the moon) so I really have no reason to sell it.

I love my newly purchased X3 M40i and it's such a fun but the build quality is not as good as E53 X5. I expected that and have no regrets. My 13 year daughter loves it and she has my car gene for sure.

In fairness, we have to remember that X3 is "lesser"model and 2019 X5 is probably better build overall but I doubt it's E53 X5 quality.

Also, X3 G01 is almost identical to E53 in dimension and it fits my lift. I simply have no need for bigger SUV.

I've had various BMW's for years now and I'm not telling you anything new while stating that E39, E38, E53 and few others are last of the breed.

All I need to do is to go open and close doors on E53 and X3 and like my friend said, first word that comes to mind with X3 is "delicate".

But we can't argue with the fact that I'm getting 25 mpg vs 18 mpg with engine that is 130 hp more powerful!

https://i.postimg.cc/XJL6QwdV/IMG-20...826439-HDR.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/QN6r7Jjm/IMG-20...137531-HDR.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/bJ7DMWGp/IMG-20...149693-HDR.jpg

Like a good wine ages so does the E53....yup get your point about the older models, and of course the joy where you could pull and tug and repair things without bits snapping off.....alas todays age of the throw away economy, not fix it to live another day.....

Shame, it really amazes me how far things have come for better or worse from the time i got my first car an audi80 SE 1978 model, that was as basic as it could get....and do really miss its simplicity.....oh well on and upwards....

PS how come you didn't get whitewash the house to match?:rofl:

Compare a current X5 to the X3 - the X3 is just cheaper on the interior.

Re: the door. Can't comment as one is steel and the other is aluminum though

We would love to hold onto it but we have run out of room/parking for our cars, so I had to put our SAV up for auction on bring-a-trailer with NO Reserve Price. I'm sad to see this go, but hopefully to someone who will appreciate the work that was done.

INFO: https://www.wix.com/5254444/acschnitzerx5

AUCTION: https://bringatrailer.com/listing/2006-bmw-x5-11/

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/h659iVYN6ZE


Let me know your thoughts...

Audi 80!? Funny, my first car was a 72 Audi Fox. Total crap-box, but very fun and I could do most of the work myself, or ask my Dad for help. My brother and I drove the wheels off that car, literally. The rear beam axle fell out on an especially awesome handbrake drift on a snowy street corner.

Of my 4 bimmers, my 1997 E39 528 has the best build quality. I maintain these vehicles myself. The next best in build quality is my 2017 F86 X6M, followed by my 2005 E53 4.4 and then my 2007 E92 335i coupe. It looks like a lot of love was put into the E39, right down to the carpet and the door side storage. Everything seems to be solid with this vehicle except for the cup holders:D.

Hahahah small world eh?, apparently mine was a fox too the newer version exact same blue one top row in url

Audi 80 / Fox (1972 - 1978), Audi 80 / Fox (1972 - 1978) Models, Audi

The X5 gets many looks and compliments. I plan to keep it and get a return on my time and money. It's solid. A few friends that have borrowed, mention how stiff/solid/smooth the suspension rides. The suspension front and back refresh did wonders. The doors are heavy and solid. A few previous owners cosmetic blemishes but I can live with them. The most annoying is probably brake dust on wheels. Cleaner has been used to remove most of old dust. I need time to really polish up and clean them up.

Indeed those doors! my little one struggle to pull open and that forces her to yank the handles! and those handles are am sorry fit for only doors that are flyweight not as heavy as the X5s! no matter, hmmm wheel dust is a scourge...
i wish there were ANY proper wheel places out here that could do a proper strip back and powder coat but alas there are none....if there were I would do them a charcoal black or very dark grey to hide the dust going forward....

I agree. Especially now due to the crap coming off assembly lines already broken. Reports of cars reaching dealers without oil or with wrenches in the chassis. The state of manufacturing is currently crap.

Solved the black dust problem with Akebono ceramic brake pads. Little to no dust and what dust there is, is light in color. In my experience they work as well as stock black dust makers.

I plan to hold on now, though to be transparent I have flirted with the idea of capitalizing on the crazy prices in 2021 and early 2022. I soon realized if I did sell I'd have to be ready to divest myself of ever owning another Estoril 4.6 in my condition. Oddly this was my dream car and color combo when they came out new in 2002 just way out of my reach at that time.

Now that I got the OG "in shape" and some preventative maintenance completed I realized as a multiple concours winner with some real nice Dinan parts it would be an unobtainium specimen.

My solution.. I contacted Hagerty, insured for agreed value and tucked her in garage for winter under a cover.

Yep, got the Akebono too and virtually no dust visible :thumbup:.

Third on the Akebonos. My Rial Racing wheels didn't show the black brake dust as much as the original wheels (OE Style 74), but now there's virtually none.

https://i.imgur.com/dwqwLon.png

4th here with the Akebonos.

My 5 year old can just barely open the door to get out for school in the mornings. Outside handles? Not so much..

My unpopular opinion is that I disagree. I find the G series BMWs to be far superior in the interior quality department to the E series BMWs. I do love the vault style thunk to the E53 doors, but that's about where it ends and a light door doesn't mean the build quality is bad...the doors on the G01 are aluminum for weight savings.

The interior door handles, exterior door handles, interior door pulls, center console, dash trim, buttons, and all of the lower plastics (seat bases, lower door sills, rear hatch plastics, etc) are suuuuper cheap and flimsy on the E53 and very solid on my mom's G01 X3. I also think the suspensions are much more robust on the G series BMWs and last a lot longer. My mom's has 65k miles and all of the bushings, mounts, and ball joints look like new. That doesn't happen on E53s.

Again, unpopular opinion on here, but I call it as I see it. :)

^ technology moves forward. Who knew?

Pointing out the obvious to those who own older X's will always get a response.

:explode:

I mean I own an E53 too... lol. Sorry you're hurt about it, but I think the response is directly related to the original post.

Not me. I thought it was funny personally. Technology and models years should get better each year. Not everyone thinks that way however. Hence my post.

The X53 models are engineered way back in 1998-2000 time frame and reflect the engineering and materials available at that time. 20+ years old electronics, suspension designs, and body/interior fit and finish parts. I personally like to compact nature of these years as we are the size of the current X3. The X5 has become a whale while the X7 is a barge in size. Will they perform better in every category compared to a 20 year old E53? They should.

I take issue with the statement that the E53's suspensions are done at 65,000 miles. That depends greatly on how and where you drive. I have 271,000 miles on my X5 3.0. The suspension didn't need a refresh until 130,000 miles. I replaced everything including the swing arm bushings. The swing arm bushing were actually still in good shape, but "while I was in there" I did the works. Come talk to me when your mom's X3 has 200,000 miles or more on it and let me know how it's holding up.

I’ll be holding on to mine, unless I receive an offer that I cannot refuse. That offer would need to be tall, so I’m pretty sure I’ll be E-Fifty Three-ing it for the foreseeable future. I’m fine with that. LoL.. :D


E53 RiPPeR
XOuTPoST jUNkiE
ReVELaTiON 22:21

With what you've got in it I bet that offer would have to be tall! :D

Yeah, she definitely has her fair share of bolt-on’s LoL..

But the driving factor for reaching for a decent offer (probably obscene to most) would be, that everything has been, and is currently sorted out. This setup has been reliable for over a decade now. And, the ethanol fuel conversion has been reliable, for years now as well.

We have so many hours of R&D, engineering, reengineering, tuning, parts, labor, and maintenance, that I feel compensation would be warranted. Not to mention some parts are their prototype version, and were never developed beyond what was created for this setup.

Per state law, I am 36 months away from classic car status (YaY). With the current condition (good), and success at reengineering my E53, I do not believe a general market valuation can be adopted. But, I also doubt many would be willing to commit to an offer either. There are just too many options these days.

But let me tell you, this X offers one of the most unique operating experiences. The storage, seating capacity, sound system. But especially, the sound emitted from the X, the extra horsepower, and most importantly the overall driving experience. It’s a truck that handles like a sports car for goodness sake’s LoL..

However on the other hand, some may find my X to be obnoxious, and or unfavorable. I understand that some are not looking for performance, but rather comfort. To each Man and Woman their own favorable choice. So if (big if, LoL) an offer comes my way, I am sure it will be from someone who knows exactly what their looking for. Until then, “Happy, Start Your Engine” LoL..


E53 RiPPeR
XOuTPoST jUNkiE
ReVELaTiON 22:21

Love mine too much to ever get rid of it. It complements my M5 perfectly.

Right you fellas out in the land where its a constitutional right to carry are lucky, out here in which I am now calling the united states of europe, they are well on track for pushing us into the so called "new era" new dawn, be it cut down on plastic straws to save the planet, cut done on power use, cut down on food intake and increase bug intake so on so forth....you can guess what else there will be a cut in by 2035 and not sure the global clan will push for it in the west....but yes that old combustion engine they wanna make a thing of the past!

They want to do it here too. California has banned the sale of new internal combustion powered vehicles after 2035. I'll be keeping my X5. I have no interest in electric vehicles. I'm an ICE guy all the way. If I'm still around after 2035 I'll just buy a used ICE vehicle if I need a new one.

I see you seem more clued up than me, i thought was an outright ban...but I see you mentioned new is an option re ICE, hahahah guess you are right me too by that time if I am still around will cross the bridge when I come to it....

Yeah you’re good! I would be extremely satisfied with that combo.


E53 RiPPeR
XOuTPoST jUNkiE
ReVELaTiON 22:21

I like everything about the current X5. DHP is nice. She's ripping fast. Brakes take a bit getting used to but on the E53, I'm coming from a 8 pot brake. The seats are not as comfy, but I kinda attribute it to the ventilated seats (less foam as the ducting for the air has to take its place I suppose). Never a fan of heated seats, but I gotta say, heated seats/steering/center console and armrest is kinda -nice- when you head out at 5AM....

However, with all the said, I do enjoy the Hydraulic Steering and drive of the E53 any given day.

Ditto

X5 saves the day again for Texas 2023 "global warming days". No problem trolling around slowly on bad roads. Since it's set up for hot weather, it does take some time for it to reach full operating temperature.

My E53 X5 is the work horse of the family, and she complements well with my E39 528 - they have a lot in common. Every time I walk away from her or approach her, she looks amazing from different angles. Here's a shot I took from the second floor of my office. Didn't realize she has a rake look that I love.

I drove to work every day through our recent weather issues without any problems. the X5 trucked right through it while I stared at my other car encased in ice on my driveway.

Ha, did you use the cold climate washer feature? I did but didn't check if headlight washers worked. My cousin said all the washer are working. I'll have to test it. I installed all the OEM washers pump after removing new ones before discovering the GMIII was bad.

Give me a buzz for the BMW windshield dash cover!