To sell or not to sell the X
 

Hey guys, been a long time since i posted on here! I have a 2006 4.4i to which i have done a bunch of exterior upgrades (.is spoilers, upgraded AE's, running boards, spacers, style 87's etc). She currently has 102,000 miles on her and the aftermarket warranty is set to expire in a few hundred miles. The X is currently at the dealer having the AC blower fixed and drivers side door lock fixed, both under warranty and is having other routine maintenance work done. I have had the dealer check everything out by doing a vehicle condition check, and the only thing that came up as bad was the power steering hoses which I am having replaced. My question to you all is is it time to sell the X:dunno:? I love this car, I owe no payments on it and I have had no mechanical issues (aside from the normal tranny jerk). What am I looking at replacing in the near future and at what estimated cost? Of course if things go south quickly I would sell the X, but it is hard to part with it now as it has no problems and I would rather not incur the cost of getting a different vehicle. I am going to explore getting another aftermarket warranty but of course I would only get one if I should decide to keep the car. Would love to get any and all of your guys' take on this. Thanks a bunch fellas!

For me its not that I can't afford a new car, its that I enjoy having no car payment and I haven't had (knock on wood) catastrophic repairs making a necessity for a new car yet.

Also, I'd have a hard time replacing the X because I refuse to drive an automatic, so if I ever got rid of the E53 I'd either be looking at used Cayenne's (I know, another repair nightmare) or a non-SAV bimmer. E70 Diesel would be fun but again the auto for me I just would feel bored.

It's a tough call but if you do sell it, don't trade in with your mods, part it out to stock as best you can and recoup some cost as the dealer won't give you money for the work you've done (shameless plug to swap running boards with me for stock ones :thumbup:)

Thanks for the response Ricky. I'm in the same boat in that its not that I can't afford a new car, its just I love the one I have and therefore don't feel inspired to get a different one. The only current downside to this car is the gas mileage, but the tradeoff is the great V8 sound. If I do keep her (which I am inclined to do), I am wanting to do some performance upgrades. I know there is not much to be gained but I am thinking of a chip/exhaust at the least. In the event I do sell I will definitely part out the mods on here as best I can.

DKL how many miles do you have on your X?

So many views so few posts....

If the only issue is the MPG and its not really a big deal, then there's not really a reason to sell.

You have a vehicle that's paid off, familiar with maintenance and general condition, and you enjoy.

Now, if you're worried about future issues you would need to do some research. Figure out acceptable replacements, cost differences, etc.

Just start that exercise and you may get a better idea either way which is better for you. Good luck either way! :thumbup:

Guys, what aftermarket running boards are we talking about? My 2006 has none, just the plastic trim, and I'm thinking ..... I have noticed E70s with nice looking 'boards and I have had, and appreciated them, on big pickups ......

As for a sale: If its been well-maintained, its paid for, and you have it set up as you like it, at only 100k miles, why sell? I expect its worth substantially more to you than its market price. The power steering line leaks is pretty common apparently [my seller did the fix before I bought it at 81k miles]. If I were you, my biggest concern, at this stage, is whether your auto tranny will live to a ripe old age, or, instead, you will be paying $3k plus for a rebuild in the next couple of years. As for a repair warranty, that's an economic decision: what will it cost, will it give you choice of service provider, deductible, etc.

Don't use aftermarket. Use the OE.

http://www.xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-foru...explained.html

x2, Riggo you need the kit from the dealer which runs $725 or so. You just need to figure out if you're ever going to order fender flares for your X or not. Twins made a great thread showing the differences and part numbers.

I've been looking for someone with the running boards who wants to trade in and swap with my black plastic stock boards for a while now, thats why I threw the idea out there since CJ is fairly local to me (trip to VA is 4 hours tops)

If looking at the aftermarket warranty, definitely look deep into what exactly they WILL pay for and WON'T. Seems like many of the repairs on a BMW can be considered maintenance. The big repairs you want covered are the transfer case, coolant pipes (is this still an issue on the N62?), and transmission.
How much would the warranty cost vs. one of these repairs that -might- happen. $1200/year? how many years should you pay for while waiting for something big to happen that is covered? Seems like a similar argument as is it worth it to replace the tranny fluid every 40k miles...

How many miles do you drive per year? What's your current gas mileage? What vehicles would you be considering replacing the X with? New or used? What is their gas mileage and projected maintenance/repairs costs? The only way you'll get a vehicle with the same amount of standard/optional equipment and significantly better gas mileage is a new cheap car (VW/Hyundai/Mini/Kia/Honda/'Yota). Only way to get the same quality with better gas mileage is a new(er) high end car, X5 3.5d, Lexus RX400h, Highlander Hybrid Limited, etc...
In most cases it takes several years or much longer to ever see the benefits of a higher gas mileage car. That's assuming maintenance and repairs are on par. A vehicle both cheaper to maintain with good gas mileage would be much sooner.

We're going through the same dilemma right now. My wife really hates the gas mileage of the 4.6, but loves the car. Worried about gas mileage not because of cost, but because of emissions. We drove a Mini Countryman over the weekend, it was nice and well equipped, but obviously not a $70k car like the 4.6 was new. I think the 4.6 manages to feel both sportier and more upscale than the Mini. I was hoping the Mini would feel peppier. The X5 has ruined cheap cars for me, nothing with good gas mileage really compares all around.