I'm doing Powerflex ones, have them sitting in the back of the truck as I write this. I have them in my E39 wagon and they made a huge difference in driveability with no noticable increase in NVH.

I'm doing the lower control arm bushings as well from Powerflex as I think one of them is slightly mangled from a previous accident. Have to get in there and replace all the upper arms on that side (already did the passenger side arms) and do balljoints as well. As previously stated I want to go in there once and forget about it for another 8 years. The truck sees 10-15k miles a year at this point so its gotta be reliable.

thread bump for current cheap options
 

Ebay now has cheaper poly and rubber subframe bushings available. I'm not familiar with either brand (the poly brand is literally sus) and their significantly lower prices do not inspire confidence.

$149- 4 pcs Rear Axle Subframe Control Arm Mounts Polyurethane Bushings for BMW E53 X5
https://www.ebay.com/itm/284085972538

$32 each- REAR Axle Subframe Control Arm Mount Bushing for BMW E53 X5 33316770454 Single
https://www.ebay.com/itm/151586511703

If anyone's had experience with the more recent bushings please chime in. I am about to tackle this job.

I couldn't think of a less confidence-inspiring name for my brand than "susthane" if I tried. Whoever thought of that name should be shot.

I'll be replacing mine, but I just want to use oem so suspension is nice and soft..

These bushes do little for the compliancy of the rear suspension. They merely isolate the rear sub-frame from the main chassis/body.

OE are fine - Lemforder or Meyle are also good choices. I used Meyle.

Thanks, I might try DELPHI TD1060W from rockauto.
They're more expensive than lemforder.
Powerflex are kinda expensive anyways.
Found this tool for the job :)
https://a.co/d/3EFuJ9p

Yep - you need that tool! I have the Kommen version.

I did rear polys ab 2 years ago. I forget the brand, so I will comment only on the experience. If you ever wanted your 'big ass' SAV to betray its size in the twisties, poly made the difference for me. It is night and day. No 'squat' on accel- just go. Watch that a$$ on the Tail of the Dragon- use those 315's out back. It's tight. But man, it really holds and you can feel everything.

So- yeah. Feel everything. My wife's 4.4 E53 is a completely different thing. It is so different that she really thought something was wrong with her OE setup after driving mine for a week. Of course, my 4.8is has Eibach sways, urethane rear and solid core front bits. It's a very different ride. (also, if I do say, the stereo kicks @$$). Those poly bits in the rear completely change the wandering ass you get at 7/10. You're planted in the curves. But the real difference for me was straight line. No squat. Just 'Go'. The transfer of all that weight to the rear power delivery just happens right now- and especially when both 315's are planted.

The old people (my dad and my mother in law) LOVE the E38 compared to the harsh ride of my 4.8is. Welp. I suppose that's why I have 'em both.

As an aside, I did the same poly subframe to my 2020 M2C. It's part of why the idiots that stole it wrecked it a half mile in. You gotta know what you're doing on a little thing like that. It snapped back and they wrapped it around a pole. My passion project was dead.

I love it on the E53. If we weren't gonna sell the '04 4.4 after we do the seals, I would dress it the same.

I just realized that my avatar is with the polys on the Tail of the Dragon. I am at 8/10 there and look at that squat. A lot of that is Eibach, but I have (somewhere) pics of the same curves. The polys make WAY less lean.

Anybody have a set of subframe tools they want to rent me for this job? Or sell outright?

Blown away how well this tool worked and how cheap it is.

BTSHUB Rear Suspension Subframe Bushing Removal Installation Tool Set 6PCS Fit for BMW X5 E53 1999-2007 https://a.co/d/fLuRkFb