New prospective buyer :)

[AW8]

Twin axle 3 level air on both 4.6is & 4.8is was also a rare option on other engines.

[X5Sport]

4.6 was the '4.8' equivalent pre-facelift so will most likely also be full air.

[Paulpen]

Ahhhhh

I was sure id seen somewhere that some had no air, some had rear and some had full but was not sure what models or specs 

[Slick]

Dont discount the facelift 4.4 V8.......320 BHP and 0-60 in 7 seconds

[Paulpen]

Found or shall I say been offered a 2002 4.4 sport with 110,000 miles on it as its come into one of our dealers.

I dont know alot of the trimmings yet but is anyone able to sum up what a 4.4 sport wont have that a 4.6 would have ?

[AW8]

4.6is is esentially fitted with engine, (modified version of that in 4.4i), near similar to that in Alpina B10 ( with some assmembly differences)..........347 hp vs 286 hp in 4.4i prefacelift, has bigger wheels, front and rear lower spoilers, arches, bigger brakes, suspension & box tweaks plus twin axle adjustable suspension. Some other standard spec differences albeit comms pack was not standard on either 4.4i Sport or the 4.6is in standard guises.

The 4.4i can be significantly cheaper to insure.

If serious re buying the right car then being on here & asking right questions is a good start.....however, I suggest some more research, (info is a forum or google search away). An hour or two online, maybe taking some notes &/or printing some pages would see you far better equipped with basic info (essential if you need to move quickly to secure the right deal).

I have seen a number of potentially suitable used V8 E53's available in recent weeks albeit I appreciate time for travelling &/or legwork can be issues or unwanted hassles for many buyers.

Unfortunately buyers who don't do homework & legwork risk joining the masses who end up with the wrong deal &/or vehicle (unless using decent sourcing/inspection services).

[Paulpen]

Cheers chap - it was on a need to move very quick basis as the price was very low and I was on my phone so could not get all the spec guides up

However the offer is now no longer on the table so im back to saving and hunting the one I want

I am curious on the insurance differences but guess we are talking a few hundereds rather then thousands ?!

Once I have the cash in hand ill be travelling as far as needed but looking at peoples vehicles currently is just wasting their time

[Greydog]

Welcome
I have owned 2 X5's brought originally to pull the Horse Box. The first was a pre-facelift 4.4 with LPG it ran really well I would still have it but a tree got blown over RIP X5. It's replacement is a 4.6is, the 4.6 is quite different on the road, pick up and road holding are better (I am old but don't hang about when not towing) the weakest point of both X5's are the suspension bushes and as your towing I would budget to replace them all. Make sure that everything works and I do mean everything there are no cheap/quick fixes with an X5.
I would also advise taking out a good Warranty mine has just needed major heart surgery without the warranty it would be scrapped.
For what it's worth the 4.4 averaged 21mpg which included town and motorway driving plus the towing (about 17 when towing) The 4.6 is slightly better average 22.5 mpg same driving conditions (towing 16 last weekend 160 miles)

Find the best you can for your budget and enjoy

[AW8]

insurance difference was around 30% upwards.......this based on some calls made a couple of years ago.

You can save a lot of wasted travel time by asking right Q's &/or maybe getting a walk/talk video call around the car (s) including seeing service stamps & other relevant paperwork.......If seller seems reluctant you may have to convince seller you are serious & not dodgy beforehand, (maybe offer to start videocall showing your face outside your home & holding a utility bill) . The process will be far less time consuming than a morning or afternoon wasted for an unsuccessful (in person) viewing. Obviously dont do any more than provisional negotiations without seeing the car in person.

Be mindful if you show strong interest, & disclose you are travelling some distance, the seller may be firmer on price negotiations (particularly if you disclose you have a one way rail ticket).

[Paulpen]

Cheers for the ideas and experiences chaps