10 used car clunkers to avoid/By Forbes.com
 

Well look who they mentioned first...lol!!:rofl::rofl:

10 used car clunkers to avoid - Yahoo! Autos

Geez, number one on the list. I am definitely going to have to think longer about buying a used e70, probably about an extra 15 minutes and then will eventually get an e70... :P

I would think hard regarless of the report. E70 isn't DIY friendly, but what can I learn if it's too easy.

makes sense... the list is a mile long of problems and fixes on these things.

I really like the way the e70 looks and was actually considering getting rid of the Vdub and getting the e70 for the wife and I take the e53.. Perhaps i need to visit the E70 forum more often and see what people say about it. But then again where is the fun in an easy to fix car... :-)

Okay just in case some people missed it, they are only talking about years 2008-2009 not any of the E53 models.

That kind of seems strange to me as I would have thought they worked out most of the kinks of the E70 by then.

good ill pick one up cheaper due to these "reviews". my x5 is a champ by the way

My '03 4.4 sport with 155k miles has only needed a waterpump, belts, upper hose ass'y, FSR and coolant tank along with regular maintenance items.

Your X is hardly average, seeing as you bought "the cheapest X5 ever" that was not treated well at all. It was also pre-douche owned, as evident by the massive "tapout" sticker that was on the rear window.

It would be interesting to get an answer from Forbes as to why the '02 4.6 is so radically different then other year 4.6 Xs.


OTHER FACTORS ARE AT WORK HERE TOO
The massive gas price increase in the mid-2000s wreaked havok with SUV/SAV values, causing many first owners (owner demographic is upper middle class (read non-DIYers) with children), to keep their "old" SUVs (not worth a warm bucket of piss at trade in) and give it to Jr because he just got his permit. I'm sure most everyone on the forum can agree they drove the snot out of their first vehicle and Jr has spent the last decade playing GranTurismo/Grand Theft Auto and has ZERO DIY skills, causing EVERY problem is fixed by a BMW dealer (MASSIVE REPAIR COSTS).
I would bet Forbes obtained their info EXCLUSIVLY from first owner surveys, the vast majority of first owners of 10 yr old Xs have bought a new vehicle for themselves and left the old X behind to receive Jrs daily a$$ reamings.

When I found my one owner X I inspected the rear seating area closely for "teenager wear" (knee wear on front seat backs, door liner kick scuffs, rear seatbelt wear/staining) because I did not want to be the 2nd owner of Jrs 1st car.

Maybe I'm misunderstanding but what do you mean exactly by "It would be interesting to get an answer from Forbes as to why the '02 4.6 is so radically different then other year 4.6 Xs."? What other year 4.6 are you talking about?

Forbes is only talking about years 2008-2009 X5s (e70).

Mis-read the OPs post, saw his owned vehicles list with the '02 4.6 X on top. Have not had my coffee yet this morning.