I think you pretty much nailed what the major problems are for this model. You'll read about a few more things to watch out for but for now , you are on the right track. These are high maintenance toys so don't slack.

Welcome to the asylum!!!!!

:thumbup:

Do those timing chain guides or it will turn into a nightmare... plus while your in there digging on those oil leaks, you'll be 1/2 way there already!

And welcome to the real X5 crew!! we'll help you get through it together :)

First of all, welcome!! I love seeing more IS's popping up here... Soon after I got mine, my Indy took my motor out to do timing chain guides, and a total reseal on all the gaskets on the engine. It was definitely time, as I had some oil leaks that were really showing up on my driveway. Changed my starter as well, since it was giving me trouble. My advice is, get your guides replaced as soon as possible!! If you DIY oil changes, it mite not be a bad idea to remove your oil pan to check for any little plastic pieces of the chain guides, as they will start breaking apart and end up there if they get brittle. Other than that just read up on 4.6 specific (and other) posts here, and you'll find plenty of info on preventative maintenance, as well as (too late) maintenance!! If you like wrenching, you should be able to do a lot of the work by yourself. So, go out, keep it clean, and enjoy a a super-fun X...