Possible X5 purchase help?
 

I am possibly looking at buying an 05 x5. It has 123k miles on it, 4.4 engine, navigation, panoramic sunroof, etc. We are actually a small used car dealer and I can get this from a friend thats a wholesaler. When he got it in it had an oil leak but said it was fixed by putting in the correct sized oil filter. He said the original was the wrong size and was leaking around that. We have only had one other BMW and it was a 325i sedan an 02 model. Was a good car. We just had an issue with the window motor once and the heater core.
I come from being a lifetime GM product owner. Ive spent my last 10-11 years driving a GMC Envoy. It was good with its share of some issues but nothing too drastic. So my question is - could I expect to get an x5 and have minimal issues? I know when I read many reviews there are some good and then really bad reviews. So I just want to know first hand. Some cars I had been looking at were the X5 of course, a toyota sequoia, acura mdx, and maybe a mercedes suv. I have never had any of these types of vehicles. So just looking for some guidance. At our small used car lot we mainly deal with trucks and a few SUVs but never have these. This will be a personal vehicle for me so want something solid, fun to drive, and a head turner, haha.

Thanks!!!

IMO, if you buy a 4.4i at that mileage, you should a) be able to complete repairs yourself or b) understand that repairs will be expensive and you are probably going to be on the high side of average as far as their frequency is concerned. If you are looking for a car with best reliability, I would choose the MDX from the list of the cars you are considering.

We had an 02 4.4i that we sold at about 130,000 and it was a fairly problematic car from about 70,000-130,000 miles. I loved the way it looked and drove, but wouldn't consider it to be very realiable.

Also, the oil filter is completely sealed in a canister, so I guess it is possible that the leak was due a filter that was the wrong size. However, I would look at it again and make sure the canister itself in't the issue. That can be quite expensive to fix.

As you would obviously know (being a seller of used vehicles)...any used vehicle is a crap shoot. It's all about maintenance & upkeep...with a bit of luck tossed in. Sometimes you win...sometimes you lose. Sometimes you have to roll up your sleeves and rescue a slightly neglected vehicle back to some modicum of maintained upkeep...sometimes you can find a well maintained vehicle...and keep it maintained...which can bring many miles of great ownership. :)

Yes that is true. We get some cars that sometimes have 0 issues, and others that have issue after issue. So your right it is just a crap shoot! I want to know what makes you guys stick with your X5s? Do you like them so much that your willing to put up with the issues or do you just get lower mileage ones under warranty? I am just curious? It sucks because I really like these cars, the feel, the drive, the power and all the options. I also think they are head turners and I like that. I also like that an 02 model can still look way better than say an 02 tahoe or something.

If these seem to be out for me can you guys recommend maybe another vehicle on my list that you would say, oh thats a nice car with minimal issues? That also is a good drive and still looks good?

No other SUV drives like an X5. The closest is probably a Cayenne; and they are not cheap to maintain or feed either. If you are worried about maintenence, sell yourself a good aftermarket warranty.

Any other opinions or input?