Sold E53 Bought E70
 

After 13 years and 235,000 miles I finally sold my 2001 X5 4.4 and bought a 2013 X5 3.5. I loved the E53 and it was a great reliable and capable ride but the E70 is better in every way. More comfortable, faster, feels lighter, better gas milage, etc.


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Nice, congrats!
We are now in the era when 6 cylinder engines are far better than the V8's of the yesteryear, but still nothing is better than 6 cylinder, in-one-line ;) And probably never will be.

Exactly. that N55 inline 6 is a gem. It's been chosen among the top 10 engines of the world 4 times over the last 10 years.

Yea I miss our E53 but stuff was just breaking faster than I could keep up. And the family lost confidence in it's reliability with my son away at college. And just after I had fixed (or had fixed) most things. It was a 3.0, which, aside from it's numerous oil leaks and crappy PCC system, ran pretty good. Throttle response from a stop was surely better than in the E70.

I can't speak about throttle response compared to the 3.0. I had the 4.4 which was very good. The 3.5 with direct fuel injection and Valvetronic is noticeably faster and instantaneous.

Congrats. I love everything about my E70. I still love my E53, but the E70 in my opinion is just a far better version. My wife also thinks the E53 drives like a tank and complains the steering is super heavy.

My 2003 X5 4.6is(stock) was like a go-kart, just a very heavy one. My 2012 X5D is a bit softer, more digital, but is still alive. I can feel the weight much more than in the E53, but the E70 turns-in better, by a huge margin. I am trying to make it understeer, but it never happens.

Great looking car. I too have the X5 M3 combo

I agree, the M3 - X5 combo covers the most ground for me. When I traded in my Honda 750 VFR the M3 cabriolet was the perfect transition. Its fast, safer, I can raise the top if I'm cold, hot, or wet and I didn't need a helmet.

The X5 is primarily my work car as I am in real estate. Its the prefect limousine for picking up clients at the airport and touring properties. Its also my ski car, tow vehicle, pickup truck, off road and camping vehicle (it is my steel tent).

You sleep in your truck when you go car camping?