Older X5 3.0 Diesel.

[dunny]

What should i look out for? Budget will be around 5k

[graemeX5]

Hi and welcome to the forum.

There is a very good E53 buyers guide and definitely worth reading.

With a budget of 5k you will need to check everything as you would on any car and especially the electrics bits as they can go wrong also panoramic roofs test several times as over 2k to replace and gearboxes not cheap

You may be looking at a pre facelift car with the 5 speed box rather than the later 6 speed which is generally considered stronger.

Take your time as good ones exist but a neglect car can cost and an X5 is no different and a good spec of options always helps such as folding mirrors heated seats panoramic roof but they can go wrong

Also look at the options of which model and the the cars spec as if worried about a gearbox issue then manual 3.0 cars do exist even diesel ones but very rare more petrol 3.0 exist, or larger engines if doing low mileage but if a daily drive a diesel may be your best option.

Hope that helps a bit and good luck with finding a car

Graeme

[dunny]

Hi Graeme.

Thanks very for the advice. Ive heard that Auto boxes on the X5 have a life span of 100k. Is this true?

[Denis O]

[quote="dunny"]
Hi Graeme.

Thanks very for the advice. Ive heard that Auto boxes on the X5 have a life span of 100k. Is this true?
[/quote]

No. It's cobblers.

BMW say sealed for life so maybe, in BMW's world, life could be measured as 100k or even 70k.

The first issue is "sealed for life" and any sensible thinking person will know that is a ridiculous statement.

I suspect somewhere between 60k and 80k the oil and filter should be changed and if possible on 1 of these Megaflush machines; basically an oil transfusion so pretty much all the old oil is replaced, including the torque converter. I'm sure I've read that the gearbox manufacturer (ZF) now suggest and oil change at around 80k.

As Graeme has said, 5 speed is not considered as reliable as the 6 speed which went in the facelift cars. I've had both a 4.6 with a 5 speed and 2 3.0 Diesels with the 6 speed. All were faultless over a combined 40k. Only the 4.6 had the gearbox oil and filter changed and from memory it made little difference. The oil that came out was clean as a whistle.

To a lesser or greater degree they all have the "shunt" when changing from 2nd to 1st when slowing to a stop. They also, infuriatingly, change down when your going down hill and you touch the brakes. It can almost put you through the screen. My Range Rover has the same 6 speed box and it doesn't do it so it must be to do with the BMW software.

Have a look at this link to see what ZF can do to the boxes and good luck with your search for a new car.

http://www.bimmerboard.com/forums/posts/527361/

[dunny]

Thanks again.Facelift it is then.

[X5Sport]

[quote="Denis O"]
They also, infuriatingly, change down when your going down hill and you touch the brakes. It can almost put you through the screen. My Range Rover has the same 6 speed box and it doesn't do it so it must be to do with the BMW software.
[/quote]

They all do it, and are supposed to.  ZF made a thing of it as part of the 6-sp design so if your RR doesn't do it then either LR disabled the function or that box is faulty.  It's called engine braking and is a feature of that box and covered in the Owners Manual.  You need to do more than 'touch' the brakes though.  It should only operate on a sustained light braking for a few seconds.  It's a safety feature designed to use the engine to hold the speed you stopped braking at rather than use the service brake and you disable it by simply touching the accelerator again.

It's present in the 8-spd too.

[AW8]

Feel I should briefly state that I believe GM made the auto transmission for BMW on prefacelift 3.0d