Need advice
 

Hi guys,

I'm still in the hunt for an X5. I gave up looking for alternatives. I must have seen 8-10 of these things so far. All claiming to be "mint" but far from it.

I am currently looking at a 2004 4.4 and a 2006 4.4. Very different looking though. The 04 has a BMW rim, but not stock looking (blacked rims). The 06 has the 4.8 rims and looks better (has the rear diffuser too). Options are about the same (aside from tow and blue tooth - I can deal with those later). Each has oil leaks and about 170,000km, so I would fix all the gaskets out of the gate. Weighted prices are within $500 of each other.

Any fundamental differences between the two? Right now, for me it's looks and style that are winning the 06 over for me. I would have to add the tow to the 06. The 04 comes with it. Does it need the air ride suspension for tow?

Cast your votes and share your insights.

Thanks!

Hey LVP. No big difference between the two. I have a 2004 4.4i that i'm in the process of selling right now. I think the only difference is that the 2006 came standard with Bluetooth.

If youre interested in coming down to the US, you can always buy mine. There are plenty of people on the forum who would vouge for it being near perfect..

oh and all 4.4i have rear self leveling suspension. no need for four corner adjustable air suspension for towing

Basically the same SAV, except one is newer with Bluetooth standard. I guess the 06 cost $500 more. I would take the 06 for being last year and OEM style168 with diffuser already on.

OE tow hitches are reportedly in short supply for the E53. This has happened before, the kit is made for BMW by a third party. Just something to keep in mind. Having an OE hitch installed can be useful, weighed against any info you have on how hard it worked towing with the previous owner.

It had an after market hitch. The one that has the tab that goes under and bolts to the spare tire pan. Its suspension was pretty sloppy, leaks (typical, but oil).

I'll get the 06 sorted out - do a full inspection on it. If it passes, I'll leave it at the shop for all the problem oil seals so I don't have to touch it for a while.

Once I get it for sure, I'll get some pics up. I'll start digging into what to do while I'm in doing all the oil seals.

While probably not considered big difference, the '06 has the pano roof. I think they started that in '05, no?

I have an 04 and it has a panoramic roof. Build date was 05/2004

All facelift has panoramic roof as an option. So 04-06.

LVP, lots of lower mileage 8 cylinder E53's down south - for example, look at the Atlanta Craigs List postings, or do a cars.com search. I know nothing about importing them across the border, which would seem to me to be the big issue, and you would want to do the cold weather CCV fixes before a winter above the 49th parallel . . . The search tool has been glitchy [for me] lately, but I seem to recall detailed posts about import reqs to CA . . .

It's actually an 04, not an 06 that I was looking at. Too funny. I've been looking at so many of them, I actually got the year wrong. My wife actually corrected me. I have X5 on the brain :)