BMW X5 or alternative 15k budget

[ferguson_tom]

Hi everyone

 

We are looking for a new 4x4 and quite fancy the BMW X5. Our budget stretches to a 07ish 60,000 miles one with the 3.0diesel. Does anyone have any experience of these cars? There seems to be a lack of info on the net which I assume is a good thing as most people normally go online to complain.

 

Main purpose of the car is for my wife's daily drive and to tow our big twin axle caravan along with Ifor williams with my vintage tractor, minimum tow capacity needs to be 2800kg which seems to limit us somewhat to either the German 4x4s or a discovery 3. Any other suggestions would be appreciated. This is gonna be a lot of money for us so could do without expensive repair bills!

 

Thanks, Tom

[mattyg1086]

Aren't they £505 a year to tax. That's enough to put me off right there we pay enough in tax already. My neighbour has a 2011 one however and they are a very nice car indeed if you don't mind paying that much tax

Oh and there is a group on Facebook about a fault in several bmw's where they have caught on fire have a read

[jonny thomas]

Possibly anything else in that class

Quite probably one of the most pointless cars ever

Toyota Nissan mitsubishi jeep merc volvo any would be better

Volvo xc90 is a good car now sure how much they are don't touch land rover / range rover either unless you want to spend your budget again on constant maintenance

Edited August 25, 2016 by jonny thomas

[digger]

a mate of mine had the 3.0 lt on a 07 plate. Without a doubt the most uncomfortable car I've sat in the back of. He now has a 65 plate one and it's light years ahead. Size wise look at Mercedes or if your not a badge snob Kia

[TONY R]

In that soft bussy mum catagory of 4x4 leave the x5 to women and the police, the volvo xc90 or the little one the xc60 is an ok car in this type of 4x4.

Edited August 26, 2016 by TONY R

[Alex C]

Just got rid of a Shogun and traded up to an X5. Fantastic car, goes like stink and not too bad on fuel. Tows the caravan brilliantly, much better than the Shogun. Very nice to drive around the place too.

Don't expect much more than a grassy field to out fox its 4X4 capabilities !

[ferguson_tom]

Thanks for quick responses everyone.

 

Should add I am not too fussed about its off road ability as long as it has 4wd and drags the caravan off a muddy field I will be happy. My wife is pretty fed up of driving our current Kia Sorento or the truck as its affectionately known and wants something a bit more car like.

 

The volvos don't offer the towing capacity unfortunately, my FIL had the merc and just before sold it needed new air bags on the suspension £1000 each and merc considered them a consumable part! I will have a look at the Lexus, didn't think of those. The fact e police always seem to have x5s and have done for years suggests they are pretty reliable.

 

Unfortunately the road tax is just one of those things for 4x4s of that generation,

[Hamster]

We have sold several older X3 and X5's in the past couple of years ranging from 54 to 59 plates, the former seem better made and appear to need less heavy prep before sale, some of the loose switch gear in the X5's have surprised me to be honest as you just don't expect to have the electric window switches or the auto hand brake lever to work loose on something from Germany.

 

They all drive exceptionally well but then they have never been intended to go off road and anything that spends its life on tarmac is likely to stay more taut and less rattly. Like everything I believe service history is key, you need an overserviced car preferably, missed services mean one or more of the owners were on a budget. You can always check their tax bracket on the internet prior to purchase but from 2010 they're stupid cheap for their size, like £175 or something.

 

I can't recall any real comebacks other than for worn discs and AC recharges. I think you'll get a rather nice one for £15k.

[rimfire4969]

We are thinking along the lines of an X3 or X5 tyre car, not sure we need something as big as a X5, what about the Audi Q3 or Q5 are they any good? had a A4 and A6 and really like them different beast I know.

[TR1]

Toyota Landcruiser , fits your price target.

[Hamster]

We are thinking along the lines of an X3 or X5 tyre car, not sure we need something as big as a X5, what about the Audi Q3 or Q5 are they any good? had a A4 and A6 and really like them different beast I know.

 

The X3 is very nearly as good in leg and boot space, engines are obviously gonna be smaller and harder to find diesels in automatic but unless you need to tow or run peasants over then X3 is ample and a good bit cheaper to buy, fuel and maintain.

[Medic1281]

I've just bought a Q5 3.0l diesel, I love it. It's plenty powerful enough, has usual Audi cabin quality. Isn't particularly big, boot isn't massive. But drives nice enough on the se suspension, although I'm considering selling the 20" wheels and replacing with 18's to see if it helps with the ride as not keen on low profile tyres. Only had it a couple of months but so far happy.

[eddoakley]

Love my porsche cayenne.

Would never switch to an x5.

Considered a range rover lately but at the moment can't imagine driving anything other than a porsche whether it's this one or something younger.

Fuel economy isn't great but on a long run the 4.5L v8 is hardly working so mpg improves (did 200 motorway miles last week and averaged 27mpg)

 

Repairs might get pricey but so can most makes. Lots of good examples within the op's price range.

 

Worth a look?

Anyone else drive one?

 

Edd

[ben0850]

Tom...I have owned and cried over an X5, 3 litre diesel..

My honest opinion is avoid at all costs, they drive beautifully and are so comfortable however the thing nearly bankrupted me...

Average low 20's mpg even after being remapped, approx 200 quid a corner for tyres which they are very prone to scrub due to being 'pushed' around corners.

**** electric connectors that corrode and throw faults like failing indicators, failing air suspension bags...

The final straw happened coming home from Glencoe when the torque converter **** itself back through the gearbox..2k Bill...apparently the torque converter was never man enough to cope with the 3.0 litre block..

The older X5 has a lot to blame on the USA SUV market imho, did I forget to mention brake calipers that are prone to Siezing..

My regular mechanic runs his own BMW race team and even he was staggered by how **** the X5 was, give me back my 325 m sport!

PM me for more tales of woe lol...

Edited August 26, 2016 by ben0850

[dodeer]

Toyota Landcruiser, Nissan Patrol,Shogun or Toureg would be my choices

[ferguson_tom]

Thanks for all the replies so far, this plus more research online has highlighted the build quality issues with the x5 and the big gearbox problem so that's probably our the window now.

 

Problem i have is at its my wife's car she wants something a bit more car like so the proper trucks are almost out of the question eg, shogun, landcruiser. So options are very limited...bloody women if it was up to me we would be buying a pick-up!!

 

Anyway we also like the look of the touraeg so any opinions on them? We both still love the discovery 3 and i have a good friend that runs a specialist garage but the obvious reliability concerns are a worry.

[daveboy]

A RAC recovery man told me the only 4x4 they never go out to are Honda CRV's.

[robbietherimmer]

I'd look at the VW Touareg and save yourself a few quid. Not as classy inside as merc or Audi etc but blimey can they shift and very good towers

[mattyg1086]

They say German for cars and jap for jeeps. My brother is a mechanic and says the same about the crv my dad bought one and I've got to say not a true off roader but a great large car, no idea about towing but you will never be sat at the side of the road with a petrol crv. Having said all that though I'd love to test drive a 5.0 v10 touareg that torque must be immense and I can't imagine you'd even know the caravan was there

[sishyplops]

Touareg 3.0 D can have timing chain problems, which is silly expensive to fix , the 5.0 would be my choice, I wouldn't want to tow a tag axle with a CRV unless I was going to the hair dressers in it

[ferguson_tom]

Crv is no good unfortunately as it's too small.

 

It would be the 3.0 we would go for as although the 5.0 would be immense they command a big premium I can't justify. I think the v6 will still have plenty of grunt.

[NorfolkAYA]

Mercedes ml420 AMG V8, pick a nice one up for 15k

[SirDread]

Ran a 2007 X5 for 3.5 years and took it from 10k to 87k miles. Only ever replaced the front hubs and did them as a pair but only one was humming. The handbrake switch did brake but replacing it is a 5 minute job. During very very cold conditions the headlamp washers freeze and break. I ran mine on 19"s as apposed to 20"s. A lot better tyre wear and more comfortable ride. Mine doubled up as a pigeon truck for some time so it handled mud and grassy tracks a plenty. Didn't do too bad in the snow either given it had road biased tyres. They are surprisingly good off road and do not deserve the grief they get. Too many peeps have watched top gear in my opinion.

 

Towed a 1400kg caravan with absolute ease. Averaged 27mpg with a heavy right foot. 236 bhp as standard so can leave a lot of cars stood still. Room for 5 adults. It is exactly like driving a 5 series in my view. Comfort and speed. Would have another tomorrow infact I will be going back to one next year.

 

I don't get why folk complain and are put off cars by a £500 per ann road tax. As running costs go its the least of your worries when it comes to owning a 4x4

[ferguson_tom]

Thanks for all the suggestions every one and all the information.

 

After much consideration we have decided to keep the Sorento but buy my wife a Kia Rio as a little run around car. By time we costed everything up it made more sense to do it this way and keep the Sorento just for towing. The Sorento is still a good car and the problems we have had is nothing unexpected from the age and mileage but my concern would be it breaking down with just my wife and kids in the car on a cold november night on one of the local country lanes....plus you can guarantee it happens when i am a million miles from home travelling with work.

 

The new 4x4 will have to wait until my wife is working full time again or I can get one through the firm as all cars so we can get something newer than what we can afford now.