Auto or Manual?

[northernlight]

Hi guys,

I am still in the process of deciding what I want from my E53. Think i have finally decided to go for a 3.0D Sport, but having always had manual cars in the past, i am considering which gearbox option to go for. I know the manuals are rare and potentially worth less, but i have read many posts of long term relability issues with the auto as it gets older.

Maybe i'm just paranoid and done too much internet searching!

Can you let me have general views on auto gearbox reliability upwards of 60k miles at 6 years old?

Mt only concern with a manual would be if i had a remap, the torque might put a strain on the clutch?

Thanks

[Steamyrotter]

Don't ask me..

I am a tad biased......

[X5Sport]

Auto reliability can and does vary enormously.  Some have never had any trouble and done over 100k miles, others have had more than one failure in that time.  There just is no hard and fast rule it seems.  <42k and just over 5 years old saw mine break, and it was rebuilt under a warranty (having one really is a 'must' for these cars).  No obvious reason for the failure, but the torque converter did fail and that was that!  Just bad luck... :'(

A remap can wreck a torque converter just as easily as a clutch - unless done by someone who knows what they're doing who takes that into account.  I would expect an E53 clutch to be able to take some punishment though, the car weighs more than 2 tonnes after all.  60k will probably be needing a new plate though.

Manual E53's are 'Hen's Teeth' rare.  Some Dealers actively 'discouraged' potential owners from buying them - mine wanted a £10k deposit instead of a £1k if I wanted a Manual.  That was enough to throw me down the auto route.  Good luck finding one should you choose that transmission.  They are out there and you may find one very quickly, or might just have to wait.

Richard

[Steamyrotter]

When my auto failed for the 3rd time I got hold of a manual box and all the ancilliaries to fit it (excluding the front & rear diffs)

It was hard to find a manual gearbox, and even harder to find anyone willing to work with a manual diff due to rarity...

In the end i spent a little more time on the auto and am giving it one last chance before converting....

As said above it all depends on the life the car has led and how much has been tinkered with..
If they have been serviced regularly (bone of contention there re lifetime fluids - just search for that and you'll see what i mean) then there is a good chance it will last.
There are trains of thought that you can just flush a highish mileage box and it could fail, but then it was probably on its way out at that point anyway, or it could be OK.

The pre facelifts used the GM5L40E gearbox which is used in Many Many other vehicles and you can pick up parts for them reasonably easily (other than major castings)  there are known issues with them but a decent rebuilder will take that into account and apply the various mods that are available.

The ZF on the facelifts appears to be more robust but then has shown failures also. 

The Auto does give a good drive (on the whole) and is the best auto i have driven (pre facelift) i tested a facelift for a friend with the ZF and that seemed nice n smooth also.

I have read of the manual versions having a pretty next to useless 1st gear (ie geared too low) but cannot quantify that..

At the end of the day only you can decide but anything mechanical could go wrong.

It just more people are concerned about the Auto boxes as they are seen as a black art.
Having stripped one a few times and finally got my head around it they are not that bad inside.
Just a bunch of clutches (with control gear), a gear set and a pump really!!

Manual gearboxes can fail too.

[shadrack]

Interesting mine is coming up 7 years old soon and 115k and has not had a gearbox and it is perfect (touch wood!) Had no issues, interestingly I have a mate with a manual one and mine averages 3mpg more on the same routes!  I had always had manuals before my last x5 and this x5 and was sceptical, but tbh I can't imagine an x5 of a car of that nature been very nice to drive with a manual box in, also to add my old x5 had 154k with nothing in the history to suggest it ever having a gearbox, and also another mate has a 525d manual and says that its a nightmare for keeping in the turbo constantly changing where as the auto is just always in the right place.
I notices the other day that porsche do manual v8 cayenes also.  I think if your paranoid about gearbox issues go for a manual, after all a clutch is a lot cheaper than a gearbox!
However something that crossed my mine when buying the first x5 is what if you get a box issue with the manual they are ultra rare!!

[northernlight]

Thanks guys, some really useful info there.

I have looked at several 06 year X5's thus far, some auto's and 1 manual. All 3.0d's. The auto does feel smooth and nice to just sit there and not have to deal with gear changes. This is especially useful if you live in central london and average circa 10mph!

The manual car i tried seemed pretty good actually, clutch not too heavy, take up relatively smooth etc. Certainly not as smooth progress as the auto though, but not massively different from my old 330ci. There are a couple of manual cars in the price bracket in the UK at the mo, but that's it. Hardly a plethora of choice!

Only looking at cars with circa 60k on the clock, so i would hope with either transmission that i shouldn't be lining up for huge repair bills...but the more research i do, the more questions seem to arise!

Anyone have any idea whether manuals are difficult to sell? The prices are surprisingly similar to auto's now.

[Horizon]

I have a 55 plate 3.0d sport, I had my gearbox oil changed/ filter this year, I have had my X for a year now, never any problems. It's got 101K on the clock now.
I was thinking of changing mine this year, I have looked at several different options. Sticking with an X5 and getting an 09 plate E70, but they offered me 7.5K for my mint X5 E53. Against a 28K, E70

I, would buy an 06, E53 and if the box goes, get it refurbed, I paid 11K for mine,so have lost 3K in depreciation in 12 months, so another 2K for a refurbed box is cheeper than trading up.
"Dont go for the pre facelift, the 5 speed ZF boxes are more troublesome." ( as my auto box specialist, told me) not my words!
Or another alternative, buy a toyota Landcruiser, as my mate keeps telling me.!

[shadrack]

[quote="Horizon"]
I have a 55 plate 3.0d sport, I had my gearbox oil changed/ filter this year, I have had my X for a year now, never any problems. It's got 101K on the clock now.
I was thinking of changing mine this year, I have looked at several different options. Sticking with an X5 and getting an 09 plate E70, but they offered me 7.5K for my mint X5 E53. Against a 28K, E70

I, would buy an 06, E53 and if the box goes, get it refurbed, I paid 11K for mine,so have lost 3K in depreciation in 12 months, so another 2K for a refurbed box is cheeper than trading up.
"Dont go for the pre facelift, the 5 speed ZF boxes are more troublesome." ( as my auto box specialist, told me) not my words!
Or another alternative, buy a toyota Landcruiser, as my mate keeps telling me.!
[/quote]

dont give up on the px price, ive been offered 8.5k, 11k and 10,800 so far against cars all under 20k, im going on the hunt again at weekend, privately their anything between 9-16k for late e53s its a nightmare! i want to know if our are worth under 10k wheres the 07 e70s for 12k on wards!

[Horizon]

Ther is no E70's out there for that money yet, I would be very cautious about buying an early one, as the prices will be in freefall soon, as they are a higher road tax bracket, and have a poor MPG compared to the E53's and the later 4.0Ds
I cant believe that the early RR sports are still 15/16K with100,ooo +++ miles on them, and thats the 2.7D's
I fancy a 330 d or a 335d next I think, megga MPG compared to the X's.

[shadrack]

[quote="Horizon"]
Ther is no E70's out there for that money yet, I would be very cautious about buying an early one, as the prices will be in freefall soon, as they are a higher road tax bracket, and have a poor MPG compared to the E53's and the later 4.0Ds
I cant believe that the early RR sports are still 15/16K with100,ooo +++ miles on them, and thats the 2.7D's
I fancy a 330 d or a 335d next I think, megga MPG compared to the X's.
[/quote]

dont worry i dont want a high tax e70, i know what you mean with the range rover sports and e70s are due a drop

[Raj]

For me personally, the auto is the only box to have on an X5 (but that's just personal preference). The X is a big beast and it's a far more pleasant drive without the need for manually changing gears.

As for the research, put into context. All the stories you read and hear of are obviously going to be of failures and issues. But how many have you come across compared to the numbers sold and driven. I'm pretty sure if you just did a poll here you'd find the percentage to be far lower than you think for failures/issues compared to the number of members who have had no problems at all.

[northernlight]

Thanks all,

I'm going to have another go in both types and see what's more 'me'.

Fully appreciate your point Raj about people tending to go online more when they have problems!

[tombs]

[quote="northernlight"]

Fully appreciate your point Raj about people tending to go online more when they have problems!
[/quote]

Embarrassingly thats the only time I tend to come on here  :-[
I used to drive a 7.5tonne truck with a manual box and I can only think the X5 would feel the same!