Anyone know anything about BMW X5s?

[benczuk]

I have the opportunity to acquire one of these rather cheap. A series 1 (E53) 2002 3.0d auto.

It currently doesn't start, new started put on it, but it just spins without turning the engine. We suspect the flywheel/ring gear. Outside of this does anyone know much about these? Good / bad / ugly / avoid.

TIA

[Welly]

You'd really need to see that the engine can turn normally and that its not actually seized?

There was loads of turbo failures on the 3.0d's but most were sorted under warranty and gained new engines/rebuilds etc so that should be a thing of the past.

Biggest problem I'm aware of (apart from the 'image' of driving one) is the suspension. I believe there are rather a lot of expensive bushes (and possibly aluminium components) which could be expensive to achieve an MOT pass etc. There's probably other stuff to worry about like diff's and transfer boxes (and the fluids they contain) too........

For me it would have to be unbelievably cheap to take on i.e. a few hundred pounds.

It'll be one of those cars that's worth far more broken down for parts.

[benczuk]

Aye, we are talking £1500 ish. they go for 4 to 6k on eBay dependent on condition and mileage.

It has just had a new turbo, so that's ok, and I am reliably informed the engine turns ok. Timing chains rather than a belt so it makes a snap unlikely. plus it 'stopped staring' while parked in a supermarket rather than a disastrous failure while driving...

[Doggy]

When I discovered they don't make one with a manual 'box, I stopped reading......

I read somewhere the turbo failures were due to failing to keep the breathers clear and that replacement turbos were now 'much cheaper', under £1k to buy a replacement turbo, if you know where to look.

The 3.0 had a habit of ingesting the swirl flaps, (which unlike the PSA design, fit nicely through the inlet valves with predicatable results).

The Germans wouldn't need to change this design, because they never fall off, (it's not 'korrect').

[Welly]

Oh yeah, forgot about the breather thing; there's a breather 'filter' as part of the rocker cover (bit of a pig to access at the back) and it blocks up causing smokage and blockage.

I think when the filter blocks proper the breathing system starts to scavenge from other areas and affects the turbo oiling. Or something.

The filter did not appear in any of the service schedules apparently so was never changed by the dealers (neither was the slushmatic fluid) because these things should-never-fail..............

[steve_earwig]

Reading about, the standard fix* on the swirl flaps is to remove them entirely. Fuel consumption will increase but, as it's already appalling ...

Recommendation seems to be to drain, flush & refill the gearbox every 60k miles.

Eats tyres, brakes and suspension components, slides about in the wet, cracked inlet manifolds, turbo failure due to bad map, bad wiring, yadda yadda yadda.

[benczuk]

Thanks all for your comments. Steve, I am well aware of the maintenance costs, but thanks for repeating them! In a rational world this doesn't make sense at all especially after I have spent a load on a cam belt, clutch etc for the '6.

BUT I have long held a thing for a 4x4 to tow the caravan, and as I now live down a bumpy track this is more of a ... YOLO sorry as they say.

I suspect rationality may yet win this one however.

[OllieNZ]

If you want a decent 4x4 buy an older (pre 2001) pajero/surf/landcruiser they can be had for similar monies and as long as you choose the right engine (2.8d for the pajero 3.0d for the surf) they are bloomin bomb proof

[steve_earwig]

You're only young once? Buy a Centurion tank then

Btw I know people over on AS joke about coins getting into Pug gearchanges but the only car I ever heard of this happening on was one of my dad's mate's X5. It broke it too.

[FarmerPug]

I worked for a man a couple of years ago who had one of the Mk1 x5's it was an 04 or 05. I can remember for such a big tall car it could be driven very fast through windy roads without feeling like a boat, the air suspension when it works does a good job of that.

But it had a raft of problems, the MFD worked overtime displaying fault messages, injector problems, air suspension failure, then open doors which were not actually open, the tailgate also leaked and was tempermental at opening, the suspension is expensive to fix when it goes wrong like most things with air suspension, it cost a fortune to run; it guzzles diesel, a set of tyres cost him about £400, and it was in the high tax band. And at the end of the day it just had the dash from a 5 series and was useless off road.
So an actual 5 series or if it must be a 4x4 something japanese (land cruiser, patrol, shogun) would be a better buy.

[Welly]

Btw I know people over on AS joke about coins getting into Pug gearchanges but the only car I ever heard of this happening on was one of my dad's mate's X5. It broke it too.

I don't understand, coins?

[benczuk]

If you want a decent 4x4 buy an older (pre 2001) pajero/surf/landcruiser they can be had for similar monies and as long as you choose the right engine (2.8d for the pajero 3.0d for the surf) they are bloomin bomb proof

Looking for a bit of luxury as well... the '6 is a really nice place to sit...

Thanks for the feedback guys, I think sanity will win this one. Till the next amazing bargain appears...

[steve_earwig]

My dad calls that sort of thing a UB - unresistable bargain. He got it from my gran who used to get annoyed by my granddad coming home with all sorts of junk that he'd bought, not because he actually needed it or anything, just because it was cheap - " oh no, not another bluddy UB "

Good call, let someone else *enjoy* the Bimmer...

[rwb]

Too many bargains create poverty.

[D4B]

yep, good call I too reckon that X5 will be a serious money pit,
best left to a mechanic who specializes in BMW's I guess