good luck with your 4.6is, the engine is the whole problem with them,MAKE SURE YOU HAVE GOOD MACHANICS WORK ON HER,great x5 great low end .You should to use Castrol oil.clean the throttle body . 93 octane fuel.
Good luck You should be fine....................................

Welcome to the new family addition!

I like that.
;)

by the way A TRUE ALPINA ENGINE.............................

What is the lifespan like of the 4.6? I have seen a few for sale up here in the GTA (Greater Toronto Area) with well over 200 km...however, I have read about many catastrophic failures elsewhere and on here, even with well maintained 4.6s...Are the 4.8/4.6s that prone to engine issues after 100 km/miles?

False! Alpina didn't touch the engine of the 4.6iS.
BMW used Alpina engine for R&D of the 4.6iS engine.

Mostly Timing Chain Guide Tensioner and the Guides themselves.

Great engine
 

V8 Lifespan and big bang failures:
Most owners are happy and will receive great service from their vehicles with NORMAL proventive care from their $70K investment. As with all HiPo vehicles, the care and feeding needs to be from someone who understands BMWs, has the understanding that just an oil change ever 10,000 miles is NOT keeping up with the SAV, and will be proactive rather than wait for a "no start" situation. In otherwords an enthusiast!

This forum is PACKED with information and "How To" articles, insight and advice from 10 years of experinces. Most common issues have already been identified and addressed by someone who has racked up more mileage than normal.

The list

Oil Leaks - Gee gaskets go bad with hot cold cycles.
Winters are hard on vehicles- been that way since the horse froze
Tires- Heavy weights + spirted driving + agressive alignment specs = short life span....so?:dunno:
Brakes - see above.
Timing Chain Guides (4.6) - Plastic parts break at 10 years/ 80K+
Newer models from the same manufacturer have "updates" that solve former model issues. Gee, really?
Third owners usually are more interested in purchasing additional style choices (Sound, wheels, lights, etc) than completing up all the delayed maintenance items first. Gee, really? You mean cheap purchases on 10 year old HiPo vehicles mean they need repairs and part replacements to get them up to a good base line? Go in cheap, bring shovel.:stickpoke

Bottom Line:
My X5 4.8is is one of the BEST cars I have owned. Fun to drive, love the sound, puts a smile on my face ever time I shove it to the floor. Bring on the twisties! Drives well in snow, comfortable on the highway, and cleans up well after 10 years that people think it is a new one.

Now will I need to continue to replace what leaks, breaks, and throws up? Yep, welcome to HiPo car ownership. In the "old days" valve jobs and rings replacement was "normal wear" at 50,000. Tires if lucky, lasted 10,000 miles. Tune ups were done every 6 months or 7,000 miles. Plugs lasted one year, or one trip into city traffic due to low speed carbon fouling. Now we call the scrap yard for 90% of these cars at that point.

If you want cars with NO repairs, limited maintenance expense, and low owner involvement, than I would recommend another choice out there of the more than 500/600 models produced each year. Now they will not provide a lot of driving experience other than getting you from A to B, but for most of the driving population that is a good thing. Why do you think they build so many boring cars that look like a canned ham on wheels?

HiPo vehicles are like racing horses, expensive to own, feed, and care for. Buy a plow horse to pull a wagon. It only makes financial sense. They are NOT for EVERYONE.

Now back to work and off my soap box (for your twenty somethings that means I will stop typing now).

Glad you got that off your chest, Stephen. ;). Feel better now? :)

LOL...However, even with someone like many of us who understand the need for PM, there are still failures...just one of those things I guess. Hit and miss with the 4.6/4.8

Yea that was a lot for the morning. :rofl:

Sorry to rant. I get real tired reading the "I just purchased a XXX and stuff happened. I did not do a PPI. What's that? I just added $10K in audio but the now the damn thing leaks oil!!! What the Fox Trot???? Etc etc"
Turning wrenches and detailing cars to perfection my stress reducer.

Actually this line had me laughing when I wrote it: "Winters are hard on vehicles- been that way since the horse froze."