High Mileage
 

As my 2002 4.6is "matures" (she's almost at 90,000) I'm wondering if I'm going to start seeing more and more astronomical repair bills. I previously had a 750il that became prohibitively expensive for me to own as it crossed the 100k mark. If I purchase another X5 I won't be able to afford nearly the vehicle I've got now, but it would be under warranty. Anybody like to share their experience with a high mile X5?

What part of Oklahoma are you from? My X5 crossed the 90k mark last month (currently at 93,XXX miles). She's like a woman....a love/hate relationship. My main expenses have been the front half shafts and I'm starting to notice some trim pieces cracking. Other than regular maintenance and modifications, she has been ok.

Daniel

OKC, the NE side. Yourself? If you don't mind me asking, ow much did the front end work set you back?

Wow...a 4.6is...:bow::driver:

I live in Moore. When the CV boots split, I went ahead and ordered new half shafts. I made the mistake of purchasing aftermarket half shafts. Ended up buying OEM BMW ones because the generic ones were crap. As far as the bushings/joints, they are easy to replace. Don't remember the costs though.

If you need help with the X, drop me a line.

Daniel

I have a 4.4 at 127k miles ... and it seems I have less problems with it then I had before. Besides the usual maintenance which I do, I can't complain about anything else.

GL

am at 111k, been lucky so far - caught the CV boots the day after they started to leak, so the axles were still good - tranny still good - brakes & rotors done at 91k - replaced door seals and driver's body door seal as it was cracked - big $$$ cost was valve gaskets and valve cover gaskets replacement when spark plugs showed oil, very labor intensive - need to replace driver seat leather, the rest still looks good - most of the lights winked out at 51-53k, so when they started again at 104k, I replaced the lot - I figure the water pump is due to be replaced sometime after 120k (1st done at 61k) - the 100k tuneup included fuel pump replacement

besides regular maintenance, my X5 gets a good "look-see" twice a year just before my cross country trip SC-ID in May & ID-SC in Sept - much less expensive to fix it in the shop than out on the road

Best of luck with yours

I currently have 95k on my 04 3.0i. Have really only done regular maintenance and front end suspension service on mine so I'd say I've been blessed. I can only imagine what changing all the rest of the suspension bushings will cost me once they all wear out.

From 100k on, the only things I would be looking to have serviced or replaced are front/rear suspension and subframe bushings, all struts on your x5, transmission fluid/filter, and ball joints. Those can get costly, but wont be so severe if you catch them in time.

I have a 4.6is 2003 with 117,000 miles. I recently had to replace the crankcase ventilation systmem and the oil separator because it froze up on me and created major havoc. If you drive in short distances in the extreme cold, this is a known issue. I also had to replace the valve cover gasket. Additionally my clutch fan went out and had to be replaced. One of my O2 sensor (right side pre-cat) went out and had to replace that too. Total bill over 3K. Not very happy about that and for a moment thought about getting rid of the 4.6is, but realize that I love my ride. Going to keep her running until she's on her last leg.

I have had my X since 2005 and it had 80,000 miles when I bought it. I am the second owner and so far I have had regular maintenance issues. Window regulators, alternator, brakes, tires, catalytic converter go out around 200-220,000, MAF sensor, oxygen sensors. It has been very reliable.

200k+
 

Wow! That's encouraging. Thanx.

Jinxed myself again with the "the X is running great" speech. Moved her into the garage last night and noticed a big puddle of fluid on the pavement. Turns out, the windshield washer pump is leaking. I love her dearly, but $40-$50 here and there are starting to add up. Then again, with over 90k on the clock, things are bound to happen. :confused:

I am at 95K on my 02 4.4. So far besides normal inspections I have replaced my valve cover gasket, complete cooling system replacement. In January I will be doing my control arms/ball joints and front struts.

Still runs like a champ, but I can feel that my suspension arms need replacing as the steering is a little looser that than before.

Just wondering about the 1/2 shafts, and why the after market ones were bad. Also why did you replace instead of just repairing the boot?





$3k for an o2 sensor wtf?

my 02 4.6is has 130k on it and its a dinan stg 3, car is still going strong. when i took it in for inspection 2 bmw recomended having one of the bushings in the front end rechecked in about 15k miles, other than that they complimented me on my meticulousley maintained ultimate driving machine :thumbup:

just be sure to keep up with recommended maintenance because that is the most important thing with these cars

I was looking for the same type of input... what expenses are out there for X5s over 100-150k miles?
I have 159,000 on my wife's 01 3.0. We love the truck and have a hard time even thinking about getting rid of it, but lately expenses have been adding up and I'm wondering what else will come down the pike.

I feel like I’ve had just about everything…

Last few months:
Radiator
Radiator hoses
DISA Valve
P/S Pressure Hose
Belts
Water Pump
Exhaust Bracket, bolts, and anti rattling clips
Intake Sensor
edit.... I forgot the washer fluid pumps I put in (myself)
Last few years
Expansion Tank (Done myself)
AC Final Stage Blower (Done myself)
Front Two CV Boots
3 Window Regulators
O2 sensors
Welded the tail light that corroded (Done myself)
Valve gasket
Regular Maintenance
Rotors and Pads (Done myself)
Oil (Myself for cost)
Lights (Done myself)

Her tires won’t make it another year, and I need to decide if I’s worth putting another $1,000+ into the car (if not more unexpectedly)

Thoughts…???

Aftermarket half shafts tend not to be very good replacement pieces for our cars. Materials used are usually inferior, overall lengths are "close" but not exact, splines dont mate well during installation, and they can generate a wobble while driving at moderate speeds.

lets keep this going.
my 2001 x5 4.4 133,000
i have owned this car for almost 3 months so far I car 2 handle cradles, 1 lock acutater, chain tenchiner, final tage unit. gresed the double u joint. alternator.... thats all i can think of at the moment. the only thing i havent been able to fix is the start up rattle on cold starts. i have done alot of research and still havent came up with a fix i can do. im thinking about replacing the chain guides but first going to have the local indy cheak it out

^^^bingo. Do you really expect a made in China axle set at $60 per side to match the quality of the axles BMW equipped on the vehicle which under normal maintenance are designed to last a couple hundred thousand miles and be smooth and vibration free? (With the occasional boot replacement and cleaning/regreasing of joints)

Sure, you can get lucky, but majority of the time with axles I see more people returning the aftermarket ones.

GKN Loebro are $280 a side and the OEM axles, I wouldn't hesitate to pony up the extra bucks if I ever needed to replace one.

:iagree:

High Mileage is just a one part of the equation.

#1 factor for me is how the vehicle is driven and maintained.
#2 cost to keep maintaining/repairing versus the monetary value of the vehicle (sentimental value is a different story)
#3 environment / condition

It's a personal preference ;) we will just rely on guidance or recommendation based on internet resources, personal experience, tips from a well experienced mechanic / friends / relatives.

- get the current state / condition of the vehicle
- fix / maintain what is really needed "major/top priority" to get the vehicle back on the road
- tackle the minor items at later time.
- do mods / detailing if you are up to it.
- enjoy driving!

Im actually amazed how low of miles most of you all have! Funny that most state high miles at 100k! My X5 but Ive only had it a few months has 200k on it.

maintain a vehicle properly and it will last forever.

my neighbor's 96 landcruiser just clicked over 400k driving to/from his mom's over christmas break.

he only uses oem toyota parts. aside from badly needing a paintjob and the carpet is slap worn out, it runs/performs just fine.

did take us two years to sort out his downstream o2 sensor and then I realized he had torn the shielded wire for it. new sub harness and all is well lol.

I have a 4.6 with 114,000 miles. I purchased it new. I have had very few problems. I am almost OCD about taking good care of it other than driving hard all the time. That said, I don't think it helps much to do comparisons because of the huge number of variables from one vehicle to another and the environment they are in.

I suggest you have a complete inspection done by a well recommended Indy shop that specializes in BMWs to see where you stand. I think particular attention should be paid to suspension components and state of all fluids.

Before the inspection I would check or have it checked for error codes. If there are any have them cleared and have the inspection done a few days of driving later so the shop if any have returned they are new codes.

Having driven BMW and other manufacturers well past the 200K mark, I would say what others have posted. Get a base line of where your vehicle is at today, any good Indy BMW shop can assist. Suspension, drive-train, electronics, cooling system, Brakes, etc. Line up the results that need attention in two buckets- Safety-performance (need now), keep you eyes on it (Long Term).

Plan on repairing/replacing everything in the short term column, add up the prices of repairs, make a decision - Keep or dump. Real simple.
The more you can handle on a DIY bases will allow you to stay longer, save your wallet from impacts, and make you a happier owner. The more other do for you ($$) the greater your pain will be. Wrenching on cars is like working on your home/house. There will always be projects needing attention/ completing. The more completed the less there is to do. Think of it as therapy for job related stress.

The forum is here to help on these 10+ year old cars. With age, costs go up. That goes for humans too as 80% of your medical expenses will occur in the last 20% of your life. When do you want to pull the plug on Granny? How about yourself?

When I worked at a Dealership the rule of thumb was less than 4-6 car payments? Fix it. More? Trade it in on a new one.....

My X5 3.0d / 2002 183.000km:

- at 120.000 km main fan broken
- at 125.000 km window regulator and drivers door lock broken
- at 130.000 km one front drive shaft broken
- at 140.000 power window switch broken - replaced with one from e-bay
- at 153.000 km gearbox broken and replaced with a rebuilt one
- at 177.000 km gearbox again broken warranty replacement with a rebuilt one again: http://www.xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-foru...n-problem.html
- at 183.000 injectors worn out - repaired (NOT replaced)

- brake lines would need replacement - they are very rusty under the drivers door. Did not attempt that right now.

Basically I have to say that everything that is known as a weak point of this vehicle broke at mine - ok - not all window regulators broke and not all door locks - but I am sure as time goes by ............ ??

The car still drives very well and still looks great. It is still chasing away cars from the passing lane :-)

In the Alps we have salty lanes all winter long. But the only rusty things are the brake lines and the lower tailgate.

Good luck guys :-)

Helmuth