Anytime someone even indirectly seems to be asking if it is a good idea to purchase an E53 the Debbie Downers jump all over it. Seems to be a compulsion. That is not the case with the vast majority those very satisfied with their X5.

It is obvious that any 10+ year old vehicle has a greater chance of something failing. That's the reason for the pre purchase inspection and being very choosey about what E53 you buy.

I often wonder if the DDs are listing the problems they have personally had or every problem they have every heard about. Most of what is posted here is about problems. Sometimes I get to the point I have anxiety about even putting the key in the ignition--I have to remind myself to keep a realistic perspective.

One thing I haven't mentioned to consider. Newer X5s have more advanced technology and more up to date features. It is also easier to find one with lower miles like 60,000 or less that will give you more miles you can drive before more costly items like rebuilding the suspension come due. However, you will know whether or not those things have been done form a pre purchase inspection of an E53.

So does this line of reasoning also goes for providing answers to problems that X owners post on this forum? There are so many Cliff Clavens (CCs) on this forum that post on this forum that doesn't provide any answer to the problem. If a X owners never had a problem with their X then why do they post answers to problems that they never experienced?

When I was shopping for my X, I did a fair amount of reading on the forums. Lots of "my car is having this problem or that problem" type posts. But that's typical of any automotive forum. If someone were to make a buying choice based solely on auto forum complaints, they would never find any car worth a damn and every car would be pure junk!

People come to forums for help when something is broken. And a little camaraderie. Nobody posts with "OMG I got in my X this morning, it fired up perfectly, and ran me to work quickly and comfortably!"

As the sayings go: "When a dog bites a man, it's not news. But if a man bites a dog, then that's news." Or "You never read about a plane which didn't crash."

At best, the posts about what problems people have are a good indicator on what to look for when buying a used car. That goes for any used car - not just BMW or X series. Search for what seems to be a good specimen that isn't showing signs of anything wrong. Then have a PPI done and request service records if they're available. And CarFax shows service history for cars which were serviced at a dealership and some shops.

Not sure what you mean by a CC? I am not saying owners don't have problems. I am saying I don't believe they have all the problems listed as something a new owner should expect to happen. Some might happen but others may not happen in the next 100,000 miles, if ever during their ownership.

I post answers to problems from experience with other vehicles or BMWs all over many many years, reading, Bentley manual, googling, stuff I have learned here and some from working on my E53- a good share of it from tearing stuff apart to do mods.

I for one have never replaced an axle, a driveshaft, a window regulator a door handle, a transmission, a transfer case, CCV-- I can go on and on. My E53 has been extremely reliable. DDs make it sound like a new E53 owner can expect to have all the problems they can think of to list. IMO that makes zero sense, comes across to me as a scare tactic and for the life of me I don't understand why they are still driving an E53 when it has been such a money pit for them.

Cliff Claven

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QeaS...hPk4fyqBs-VTpz

And now you jinxed it.....He,he,he :sorry:

Because knowledge and wisdom is not confined by personal experience.

So when posters read about all the problems that people are having with their X on this or any other forums and pass that along to NOOBs wouldn't that be consider knowledge?

I think the OP is getting good information out of this thread, just the kind of cautionary advice the DDs and CCs [as well as more sophisticated posters] can give from their own experience. As with any vehicle, its 'buyer beware,' and the OP is wise to come to this valuable resource for info before buying. Personally, I would not advise anyone buying an E53 [or any 9+ y/o bimmer, or most vehicles, for that matter] who is expecting bulletproof reliability/no problems or even the same problems you can expect from a 2-3 year old Honda Pilot/Toyota Highlander. At this stage, these are enthusiast vehicles, best owned by folks willing to accept frequent [and sometimes confusing/expensive] repair/maintenance issue in return for (1) a lower initial purchase price and (2) the aesthetic benefits [in terms of appearance/relative performance/handling] that an E53 gives. Most all the valuable contributors here [including in this thread] fit this category.

As for me, I'll spend most of my Sunday this weekend [having already invested some hours in research/diagnosis/parts search] replacing a secondary air pump valve, spark plugs, O2 sensors, valve cover gasket, and oil change while also inspecting for other issues. It will save maybe a thousand bucks or so over having a dealer/shop do the same, and can also be therapeutic! On Monday, I'll fight the traffic in an ultimate driving machine, making the commute a little more tolerable. I hope others here do the same!

I am a little superstitious. Think of that often.

I agree with what has been said many times--one reason many of us are here is because we are enthusiasts. As an enthusiast I feel it important to offer the rest of the story or at least put answers in a way that is helpful to the OP rather than tell OP that he has made a terrible mistake, imply stupidity or OP is a poser that will not be able to afford the cost of the myriad of stuff that will certainly fail.

In most cases OPs have already made the decision they want an X5 or they already purchased one. The constructive answer is to provide how to make a good purchase or if the buy has been made to offer input as to what to check or to do to get the X5 in good shape.