Looking to buy a used X5, question on how to tell what options they have?
 

We previously had a 2002 X5 many years ago, and loved it, but we traded it on something new. Now, my wife has decided that for our "beater" to carry dogs and groceries, that she'd like me to pick up a used 2003ish X5 3.0.

My question: I see MANY of these for sale at used car dealers, that are on the 2nd and 3rd resale, and nobody seems to be sure what options they have.

Is there a quick and/or easy way to tell what options they came with, without having the original window sticker? A vin lookup for all options, of sorts? Or, as with other vehicles, is there a "code sheet" someplace (I don't recall seeing one before) that lists all options the vehicle has?

Thanks,

Joe

Don't know exactly but I bet if you provide the VIN to BMW they would probably be able to get you that info.

Not sure at the dealer level but I would think so too. You can always give them a quick call and find out.

Good Luck! :thumbup:

I called my local dealer, which does not deal in vehicles this old, and they wouldn't do it for me. They said it's a whole process. I don't know about BMW, but I've got about 5 X5's that we would consider, depending on options, and I don't know how friendly they'd be to look up all of them. I was hoping there was some option like a code sheet or something.

Joe

PM me with the 5 VINs. I just need the last 7 digits. And send me your email address.

Great! Thanks for offering to help. I sent the PM but the messaging system complained about something right as I closed the window. Please let me know if you don't get my PM

Thanks again,

Joe

Joe, I didn't get it.

jrc, there was an update to the e53 in 2004. get one of those since you are looking at 2003 anyway.

What did the update entail?

Joe

Deciphering Which Options You Have on Your X5



http://www.xoutpost.com/articles/x5/...e53-years.html

It's going to take a LONG time to compare the pictures, some incomplete, from dealers on the internet to that giant picture/list, BUT that is very helpful. I appreciate you letting me know about that.

Joe

I think I'm this close to buying another x5 LOL

try consumerguide.com or wikipedia.org for model year changes of used x5's. the newer one is worth it, esp the 4.4 (though I would not buy one).

Our 4.4 got HORRIBLE mpg, I thought the 3.0 would be considerably better, but it's looking like it's just a little better. The 04's and 05's look like better choices, but for a beater they are a bit more than I wanted to spend. LOL

Joe

04 and newer 4.4 gets same or better mpg than 3.0...

That's good info to have, I'll expand the search a bit.

Joe

Any dealer should be able to offer the manufacturing options list, including exterior color code and leather type if available, etc. In addition,the whole service history that was performed at any BMW dealer (not individual shops), should also be available. There is a simple web interface accessible by the dealer where they can pull this information.

If the dealers is too lazy to do it, you can simply ask an X5 owner to give the truck a look and give you his feedback on what options are installed and what else is missing.

Considering that you will own the car, going through the user manual will be useful no matter what X5 you will decide to buy. You could simply compare the options listed in there (for instance heated seats, the manual shows them and you can check if they are on the car).

Furthermore, you can get the ZCS with the INPA suite and see what`s coded for that car. Probably easier to go for the other method though.

If none of the methods listed above works for you, I guess you should just check if the car has everything you are looking, just like buying any other car.

Since 99% of my shopping is being done online, as I don't have a Bmw dealer within an hour of me, and not a single 04-05 X5 even at THAT dealer, knowing what to look for in the pictures is really useful. The Vin lookup has been very helpful also as it shows everything, I'm really grateful for that. It looks like I should expect to spend $19k ish for an 04-05 with 75k miles or so, based on what I've seen. The problem is that none of those so far, even going to 2000k miles out from my location, has just the right combination.

Joe

Forgot to mention: most of the dealers here (Europe) can also provide the options list via email or phone. It is just the service history, if any, that they require the presence of the current owner. So I guess you can also email or phone them for the options list, unless they have a totally different policy in the US.

Just curious, but what is the exact combination you are looking for?

Ideally it would be an auto with xenons, cold weather package, nav, and bluetooth. Ipod interface would be great also.

Little things like pano roof, rear heated seats, seat type, sport package, wheels, rear hitch don't matter much to me. Just about any color other than gold would be fine. As I said, it's to be a beater car for chores and misc. trips to the store, etc.

Joe

Considering that ipod and bluetooth are pretty easy to add later on with a minimal investment, automatic + xenons + cold weather (maybe except the heated steering wheel) + nav doesn't sound very picky. I am sure you will eventually find one to fit the profile.

The ipod and bluetooth need to be factory like I added (with great work and large expense) to my 02 X5. I'm not immediately familiar with what is needed to add ipod/bluetooth to an 04 or 05, whether it would require hifi sound or a diff. revision of radio, or really what it would take, but if it's anything like adding it to my 02, I'd rather find one that already has it.

Joe

There are a lot of addons you can choose from, for plugging your iPod into your X or for getting a bluetooth connection to your phone. They are not expensive and most of the car stereo equipment shops can perform the install for you, if you don't want to get your hands dirty, though they are plug and play and it usually requires you to connect them over the existing wiring. Just to make sure everything suits you, you can visit a shop before making the car purchase and ask them further details and quote the part+labor.
However, if you want to go for OEM or nothing, this might be the culprit - at least in here, you can hardly find an E53 with OEM bluetooth, not to mention iPod.

Aftermarket stuff always seems clunky and looks horrible, save the Dice unit I used to have that was hidden away under the dash. If it was easier to retrofit the ipod and bluetooth into an 04 or 05 than it was my 02, I might be game for it, I just know that to even be able to do it, in my 02, I had to have premium sound and I don't know what the requirements are to do that in an 04-05.

Also, there are no stereo shops of any kind within an hour of here, and any beyond that are most likely going to rape me for the install, or only want to use aftermarket parts, which I don't want.

Knowing there aren't very many that have ipod/bluetooth does help me to understand why it's been so hard to find. Also, one of the requirements is Sirius, which I forgot to mention eariler. That was another of the things I retrofitted into my 02, no idea how to tell if an 04-05 has it, or not.

Joe

Most of the aftermarket devices go either next to the CDC and MK in the trunk shelf using the CDC cables, or behind the 16:9 unit with cables that reach out in your glove box, so you won't even notice them. I don't dig cables around the console or aftermarket stuff hanging around the dashboard either. As about the requirements, if by hifi you mean DSP, it only makes things trickier, requiring a converter for the digital signal. So basically it is easier to install one of those boxes on non hifi system.
But anyway, I guess it would be better to wait a lil' bit more and find a car with all these options pre-fitted, then bump into install/upgrade issues later on and regret the purchase.

Maybe things have gotten better/easier since my 02, with the 04+. didn't realize the dsp made things worse. Does Nav=dsp or not?

Does nav=sirius?

Joe

No, navigation doesn't imply DSP, nor Sirius by default.

Is there a way to externally tell if it has sirius?

Joe

The buttons on the dashboard unit are no different from a car with no Sirius installed, since you use the common `MODE` button to cycle the audio sources and get to Sirius input. So unless you have access to the car to check if Sirius shows up, or ask the seller to send you a photo with the unit screen when in Sirius input, you can't tell if the car has Sirius or not. The hardware is also buried, as far as I remember, the unit being installed in the compartment next to the spare wheel.

Is adding sirius to an 04-05 nav equipped x5 difficult? I assume the antenna is already preinstalled...

Joe

You can take a look at the DIY area for an overview of the job
Stereo - Xoutpost.com

If the car came with no Sirius, no antenna is installed either.

Well, it looks like I can "fix" anything with the electronics stuff with that info, so as long as the vehicle has the other options, I think we're in business.

Thanks,

Joe

Kinda. The Sirius upgrade might cost you something though. Living in Europe, I don't have to bother with it, so I don't know the exact prices for the unit/antenna/harness/etc. iPod and BT however are simple and rather cheap.
On the other hand, I think you should make the shopping list and estimate the DIY complexity, before buying the car. My point is that I only suggested all that stuff because I am the DIY type; but going to a shop for every operation involved might burn some of that cash you would have paid for a car with the options pre-installed.
Again, good luck in finding the X ;)

I have already done it before on my 02, it's not that I CAN'T do it, it's that I didn't want to go through the same hassle again.

Joe