6th Oct 2008, 20:36

2002 X5 3.0i; bought Certified Pre Owned in 2004 with 17K miles and got the Extended Warranty that ended Sep 30, 2008.

My wife and I used and loved it ever since we owned it. It didn't give us much trouble until after 40-45K miles. Glad we had the extended warranty that covered axle replacement (front & back), radiator cap/ clutch problem.

Other issues that are NOT covered under warranty have cost me over $7000 in the last 2 months as it started to cross 50K mark!

Suspension/ control arm, tires, breaks (front & back), LCD Cluster for display, drive belts, rear hatch (chunk) stopper.

Having to spend 7K in 2 months just doesn't seem right for a supposedly fine machine.

4th Nov 2008, 15:40

Hi, just for the benefit of all the Brits who are claiming that they don't have any problems because their X5 isn't made in Spartenburg, USA... well sorry but actually it is. Maybe you guys want to check your facts before writing about your excellent "German built" X5 hmm?

11th Dec 2008, 16:09

2005 X5 4.4i purchased in 2005 with 9k miles on it.

Initially had a leak in the sunroof and it was replaced requiring a second trip to the dealer - fully covered as was the 3 series loaner car.

Since then, I have only had to replace a brake light bulb and take it in for a checkup due to a "service engine soon" light two times. The transmission has me worried as it abruptly grabs when almost coming to a stop then accelerating, but I now have 60K and it is running very smoothly.

The additional warranty and maintenance package (8 yrs 100K) was transferred from the original owner, which has given me piece of mind. So far, the car is a joy to drive and own.

20th Jan 2009, 23:27

Wow I am definitely surprised at the comments and also the experiences with the 3.0 X5. I have had mine, brand new, since 2002, and with 170k miles on it the things that I have had to fix are pretty minor. That is, if you could call anything minor with the price to fix these SUV's. I actually purchased mine in SC when I lived in Columbia, and have driven all over the place. Numerous trips to Chicago (800 miles from Atlanta), moving to Atlanta, trips to Orlando with no problems at all. The only real complaint I have is with the window regulators in the rear. One day the window on the passenger rear door would not go up or down and suddenly fell into the door. Went to BMW and had it fixed for a whopping 600.00!! Maybe a year or so later the same thing happened with the driver rear window. I wised up and fixed it myself after ordering the parts through BMW for about 250.00. So at this point I stay away from the "stealership" and do any maintenance myself. But the reliability has been awesome. Resale value sucks, so that's why I am still pushing with 170k miles.

6th Feb 2009, 14:37

I live in the UK and purchased a BMW X5 3.0 diesel Sport in 2004 directly from a German dealer and had it imported.

The car has done about 45,000 miles and is mainly driven by my wife on local runs.

We've had a few electrical problems over the years, the current issue is the brake and rear warning indicators are constantly on. I've tried replacing the bulb holders but while all lights work when the vehicle is stationary, they start to fail when it is moving, presumably due to the vibration of the car affecting the bulb holder contact with the light cluster. A local dealer has confirmed this is a "common fault" with the X5 and suggested I need to replace both rear light clusters at a cost of approximately £200. If it's a common fault, then surely it's a design fault and BMW should be paying for replacement parts! I'm finding it hard to part with this money as the rear light clusters are in immaculate condition and it is only the "contact" points that are causing the problem. I'll probably end up replacing them but wonder if this is the start of a very costly relationship between us and our X5.

Maybe we should dump it now, the trouble is they're worth next to nothing in the current economic climate! This is the 3rd BMW I've owned (had a 318, then a 530i) and it will be the last.

I've been driving a Jaguar XKR for the last 2 years and haven't had a single problem. It seems that BMW have become a low quality mass car producer and have given up on quality.

26th Feb 2009, 23:03

I bought my X5 2002 with 69K in March of 08 from a private individual. Beautiful car, it drives like a dream. Here are the problems:

1. The driver side door lock unite (inside the door) broke. Looked up DIY on xoutpost.com and bought the unit for $130 and replaced it myself, the dealer wanted $600 for the job. It was not a fun job to do, but I am very technical.

2. Passenger side back seat window broke. Window will not operate with the motor. The glass some how separated from the motor connection. Fixed also, cost my no parts. Dealer wanted $300.

3. CV boot broke and start leaking, replaced axle for $2200.

4. One night on the way home from a short trip, the dash all light up and headlights went out except for one, and lost all power of the car. Made it home driving with flashers 35 mph. Next day took it to local BMW mechanic shop and replaced battery, alternator, thermostat, belts, headlight bulbs and tail light bulbs for $1000, and considered it a deal.

This morning my X5 will not start, I called my mechanic to troubleshoot (like a computer right); he said the battery is weak. I jumped the car, and it started.

The moral of the story, you fall in love with this car when is it not in the shop, but all in all, it is not worth it. I owned a 325 convertible a few years back, and I said I will not buy a BMW again. It was the same story. I like to know that my car is reliable 90% of the time, not the case with the BMW. I would probably trade it in this spring for a Lexus, Toyota, or Acura.