Oil additives don't repair engines that have a problem with oil consumption. They can mask the problem, possibly long enough for you to rip off some buyer that will then come on here and post about why does his new-to-him used X5 smoke so much. Makes you sound like a scam artist.

That all said, there are many Liqui-Moly products.

The oil-smoke-stopper products work by raising the viscosity. You could just put a heavier oil in the engine, same thing. Your engine requires a low viscosity when starting up (the 5 in the 5w-30) but if you want to put a heavier oil in and accept the accelerated wear upon startup, that is your choice.

Nothing wrong with Liqui-Moly oils, in general. But you need to know that the Liqui-Moly oils are available in many different blends. You need to read the specific technical specs for each one. There is one 5w-30 that is an API-SL oil, and that would be acceptable, but you can do better with an API-SM oil.

They also offer an API-SM oil, but the spec shows that it is a BMW LL-04 and you shouldn't use that unless you have a diesel, at least in North America. It is fine in Europe, but doesn't hold up when used with North American fuel blends, as documented by BMW technical bulletins. Since you have a gasoline engine, just stay away from any LL-04 oil.

People tend to pay a premium for Liqui-Moly products because they are "European" and that is deemed by some to be the source of all that is good. Problem is that without European fuels, those same oils are lower quality in practice than many of our domestic blends.

As an aside, don't use the 10w-60 referenced above, unless you have an M3 engine transplanted into your X5. It isn't better because it is spec'd for the M3, it is actually worse for your X5.

If masking the problem so I can trade it in makes me a scam artist, then so be it I am one. I still have payments on a car that I brought as a CPO that's given me nothing but heart ache and emptied my bank account. This is the nail in the coughin for me. I basically have a shot engine and can't get it to quit smoking, even after a liquomoly oil change today. Any how thanks for all the info that is a very informative post jcl.