2007 BMW X5 3.0 V6 from North America
Summary:
Dynamic driving SUV that is EXTREMELY NEEDY!
Faults:
In 11 months I have replaced:
Spark plugs.
Coils.
Starter.
Blower motor.
Air shocks.
Air compressor.
Parking brake hardware.
Hood latch.
Power steering fluid.
Currently broke: Parking brake actuator
Fixed by dealer: 2 oil leaks and a radiator leak.
General Comments:
Yep, heard all the stories and they all turned out to be true.
This car was literally built for 100,000 miles. If you purchase one after that, expect to start replacing basically every part in the car.
Mind you, this car was in great physical shape when I bought it (at 100,000 miles).
No rust and an immaculate interior. Almost every option that can be bought is in it including rear entertainment and the third row.
I am dumbfounded at how many electrical components have worn out.
Original sticker on car was $52,000. I paid $10,000 realizing I would have to eventually fix a few things, but not over $3000 in the first 11 months (and that price is based on me buying the parts and a local mechanic installing).
Now the good.
Nothing drives like it. Had the Mercedes M Class and the Lexus RX, and this is a better ride. The fit and finish is pure class. Love the way it looks, and for a 7 seater, the length is very manageable. Even through all the part replacements, I would find it hard to drive anything else.
P.S. Almost every electrical component that I have bought has been a Chinese copy. They all work perfectly. OEM parts are the most over rated parts in the car business. So two pieces of advice: Buy the parts yourself (and have a local mechanic install), and make sure the car never sees a BMW dealership.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No
Review Date: 19th September, 2018
20th Sep 2018, 12:53
Yep, agree with this review, and your experience is typical unfortunately. And they tell us modern cars are lasting longer - but I'm not so sure. Back in the day (80s and 90s) I easily got way more than 10 years and 150,000 miles plus without any major issues on your average car.
Nowadays at 10 years old and 100K miles it seems there is something electronic that goes wrong and is so expensive to fix it writes off the whole car! Progress? I think not! Car manufacturers need to be careful and start building durability into their cars again - if they ignore the used market, through word of mouth and reviews, it will be known how bad modern cars are when they get older and tarnish the brand's image. Whereas back in the day it was something of a badge of honour if a car made it past the infamous 10 year/100K mark, and it was known as a solid brand, but now most cars are finished at that age across all manufacturers.
Of course some will comment that safety and enhancements, regulation, etc etc have come a long way and this is to blame for cars being more complex, and this is the price you have to pay, but sometimes I wonder if it's worth it.