New member, picked up a 2011 X5 diesel. *Lots of pictures*
 

Hello everyone!

I am a new member to the forum. I have been lurking for a while learning about X5 diesels and decided to pick one up to replace our tired 2002 MDX that is just slow and guzzles gas. It's also on its 3rd transmission that is starting to slip again. :stickpokeWe needed something far for our 13month old daughter. I was looking at e90 m3, e60 m5, 335d, GL320 bluetec, but decided I have enough toys and needed a big suv for the family.

I'm a huge BMW guy. Currently own a 1998 Techno Violet M3 and a 2012 Mini Cooper Clubman S (wifes car). Previously had a 1998 Estoril Blue M3, 2002 330ci sport pkg, and a 1999 Mroadster.

So my searching began, I was looking for a 2011-2013, 1-2 owner car, clean carfax, no accidents, fully loaded, and around $15-19k. I knew that price would be hard to find, but wifeys budget doesn't play around lol. I have never been so stressed looking for a car in my life. Took me about 3 weeks to find the perfect X5.

Every X5D I looked at was sold within 2 days with the price and options I wanted. One was sold 5mins before I got to the local dealership. I was pissed. I really wanted a 2012+ X5 for the LED angel eyes and LCI tail lights, looks so much better than the halogen angels, but eventually I found a 2011 X5 diesel at Salt Lake City Ferrari. I was thinking to myself, I'm sure a Ferrari dealership selling 200k-1.8million (they have a LaFerrari in the showroom!:wow:) used cars wouldn't sell a used 2011 x5 if it wasn't in mint condition. They wanted $17,900, the pictures were fantastic and the price too good to pass up. I knew I had to have this X5 or it would be gone.

I called them on a Monday morning before they opened and told the receptionist I wanted to buy the X5 that day over the phone and left my number. 30mins I received a call from a sales guy, I gave them my CC for a deposit (never charged, just to hold the x5), and then they overnighted the paperwork, I signed everything and sent it back with the check Tuesday, everything cleared on Wednesday, and I flew out Friday night with a friend to pick up my new X5!

Here are the specs.

2011 X5 Diesel Alpine White/Tobacco Leather w/74,000 miles
1 owner, an older lady. She traded in for a Maserati Levante. Nice.
Clean CarFax, no accidents, full bmw service records (had my bmw tech friend run the VIN), front driveshaft recall done at 72k
Sport Package
Cold Package
Premium Package
Technology Package
Premium Sound Package (I learned on here that PSP was MUST before 2012. THANK YOU XOUTPOST:thumbup:)
Rear Climate Package
Comfort Access
Leather Wrapped Dashboard
Multi-contour seats
Heated Rear seats
Lane Departure Warning
Rear entertainment
Heads Up Display

Picture of original sticker.
https://preview.ibb.co/foPi0b/IMG_6698.png

My sales guy Alan was amazing. He picked us up from the airport and took us to the dealership after hours since we landed an hr after they closed. After a quick inspection of the X5, he gave us the keys and we were off! We booked a hotel for the night since we both worked Friday and needed some rest before the long road trip home.

We drove 34hrs straight only stopping for fuel 5 times, bathroom breaks and food. We would take 1-2hr power naps, and switch every 5-7hrs. The X5 was a CHAMP. Not a single hiccup or issue other than the window chip and a couple small rock chips I got in Wyoming:(. 26mpg with so much torque! It was addicting. I was hitting 100mph without even noticing.

Here are some pictures from the trip.

Never been to SLC before, beautiful!
https://preview.ibb.co/mxvqfb/IMG_6606.jpg

Apparently a Russian guy owns the LaFerrari, F12 tdf and the 488. He owns a truck leasing company for all the guys who work in the oil fields. Self made millionaire.. so jealous.
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This rare 2011 599 Aperta is 1.3mil!!
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Enough Ferrari's, here she is!
https://preview.ibb.co/bR0Ctw/IMG_6614.jpg

At Little America Hotel checking in. Had nice lighting, had to take pics lol.
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At Walmart buying tons of blue painters tape, redbull, snacks, and water for the trip. We spent an hour wrapping the front end with paints tape. Everyone kept staring :dunno:
https://preview.ibb.co/ibS30b/IMG_6628.jpg

I love driving through SLC. Something about mountains, I just really love them. Sorta reminded me of driving through Austria.
https://preview.ibb.co/hB4u6G/IMG_6629.jpg
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Quick stop to check out Echo Reservoir. Very beautiful place!
https://preview.ibb.co/je2gmG/IMG_6640_1.jpg

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Looking at this screen was depressing when we realized how far we were from home!
https://preview.ibb.co/hB8Xtw/IMG_6666.jpg
Wyoming was crazy beautiful. As far as the eye could see.
https://preview.ibb.co/ggsstw/IMG_6669.jpg
https://preview.ibb.co/bw8Xtw/IMG_6672.jpg

Filling up in Nebraska. Tape was holding up well.
https://preview.ibb.co/kE1kDw/IMG_6699.jpg

Indiana, Illinos, and Ohio were insanely boring driving through the night. The lane assist warning and HUD basically kept us alive. 23hrs in.
https://preview.ibb.co/bzEi0b/IMG_6740.jpg
Skipped through PA to the border of PA/MD. So close to home!! 32hrs non stop so far.
https://preview.ibb.co/nxinRG/IMG_6756.jpg

Home!!! We left at 9:30am Saturday and go home at 9:37pm Sunday! 34hrs! I never want to drive across country straight ever again. I had to peel off the paints tape so my wife wouldn't look insane driving around the next morning.
https://preview.ibb.co/jPw7RG/IMG_6772.jpg

First mod was to get rid of the ugly halogen angel eyes. Picked up some LUX 180's. They are insanely bright.
https://preview.ibb.co/c6fqfb/IMG_6959.jpg
https://preview.ibb.co/eBfqfb/IMG_6974.jpg
https://preview.ibb.co/ksinRG/IMG_6976.jpg

So much better!

https://preview.ibb.co/h1BJYw/IMG_6975.jpg


So far I have had the X5 for two weeks and I love every minute of it. I'm also glad my wife loves the car and she is a huge VW/AUDI fan. Shes from Wolfsburg, Germany, home of VW so it makes sense. Her entire family works for VW.

Next thing I have to do is take the X5 to the dealership for the airbag recall, have my friend inspect the x5 and DIY oil change and refill the DEF. I also need to do a full detail and put on the CQuartz UK coating I have laying around.

I ordered the screw on adblue bottles and alpine white III touch up paint from amazon.

I would like to install roof rails and running boards. I heard X5's w/o roof rails need to have holes drilled? I hope not.

Well thanks for reading everyone! I need to sleep now.

Score! Great Story and Great Truck. Welcome to the family. You lucked out and got a pretty loaded up E70. Love the color combo as well!

Enjoyed reading the story! , I think the white x5 is the classiest color! wish I had lane departure warning! Im sure its of good use!

I think you are on the last year to get the FRM replaced. ( it think its 7 years) Id hook up a scanner like Carly or rheingold to see if there are intermittent issues with it as they are not always symptomatic.

Hold on, no pictures of the Tobaccy?! That painters tape was very "M" of you. Nice ;)

I'm on the same search for an Alpine White, but it needs the third row. Third row and comfort seats seem to be a very rare combo.

Super!!!

Welcome aboard!

Beautiful photos! And wow!

You flew to SLC to pick up the car!!! And drove back 34 hours!!! Nice!!!
And you went back to work next day! [emoji16]!



ISTA+ (Rheingold ) is a must. Or Carly if you don’t want to carry your laptop with you!


And congratulations! Beautiful car!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Lovely car, welcome aboard.

Thank you! I got pretty lucky finding this car, it will be in the family for a while.

This is my first white car. I usuallypick colors that stand out from the crowd, but Alpine White is growing on me. I love how it shows the lines of the car. I may vinyl wrap the X5, not sure yet. The 2nd choice was the brown color.

Lane assist gets annoying after a while, always buzzing the steering wheel. I usually turn it off lol.

Hmm I will definitely look into the FRM and rheingold.

I knew I didn't have any pictures of the Tobacco, but it was 1am when I posted this, but here you go!

I was actually looking for Blue/Brown X5's but that was extremely rare. 3rd row seating scared me due to the rear airbags, but is helpful for towing. One day Ill tow a racecar... one day (if the wife lets me ls1 swap the m3).

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photos uploaded

Haha yep, a little bit of me died inside on that 34hr drive. Basically my friend said he could take Monday off, so we wouldn't have to rush and have time to sightsee a little bit. Then on Saturday morning, he says he has to be at the job site 100% (since he's the superintendent). We were going to find a hotel in Indiana somewhere to crash for 4-6hrs, but we would be home around 2-4am Sunday, so I chugged a redbull and 5hr energy and powered on through the night. HUD and lane assist kept me focused. The HUD really helps with tunnel vision at night.

FYI, the armrest can fit 5 20oz RedBull cans and with the AC on, it keeps the cans at a nice chilly temperature :rofl:. #minifridge

Thank you Dalecan!

I agree with you with the third row + Air bag. I know it's a simple fix and not all that expensive. But there is something about the principle that bothers me. Just don't like stuff that is delicate and never seems to work reliably or have a permanent fix. + the compressor + the lines. it's just an entire system that is doomed to fail one way or another.

It's not just this car. Mercedes are plagued with air bag issues.

Nice ride, great story.

I once did Vail to Philly, 40 hours non-stop, by myself. In a VW beetle. I was ...younger.

;)

Oh, Im not sure Id believe a single word out of the salesmen that sell super high end used sports cars. Especially 'self made' Russians. Just saying.

Great story. Great find.

I lucked out with mine. I wasn't even being that picky, and a very well appointed model fell right in my lap. Just 2 hours away.

I've done the airbag swap on mine, its super easy and the Arnott bags feel great. I got extra lucky and found a brand new pair for $120.

A rare find indeed, looking good, and fellow Marylander.

I would not have bothered to drive past 3 hrs to get a car. So when bought mine (coincidentally, also out of state, in FL) had it delivered on a car carrier, with that being part of the deal.