Taking the leap!! X5 4.6is or 4.8is?

[AW8]

Erm......No

Probably should have as mine suspected on way out.......could spell  end of my cars life.

Not cheap though as an engine out job.

Back to weak points for 4.6is vs 4.8is

4.6is has M62 engine, allegedly with potential for timing chain guide failures.I know of a couple of cars that had catastrophic engine failures

4.8is has N62 engine, allegedly with potential for coolant pipe seal &/or valve stem seal failures.

Both have twin axle adjustable air suspension arguably  not famed for reliability.

[henrym3]

Yes I have changed the timing chain tensioner, there was about (wish I'd measured it)3mm difference in length. What prompted  me to do mine was after changing my sons guides after they had failed, his new tensioner was at least 5mm longer than his old one. So time and use compresses the tensioner spring.

[Nat]

Hi,

My honest advice is NO don't do it.

I had a 4.8iS that i ran for just over 3 years. In that time it had £25k worth of work. The list of issues was endless.
When it works its a great car, but the problem is that's not very often.


From memory ( as I sold it over 3 years ago )

Both front legs swapped as the air suspension bag punctures easily. N/S was replaced twice.
Pan roof .............don't even go there..££££££££
Valvetronic levers issue. Cars have a recall so make sure a potential purchase was done back in the day as its like a swiss watch in there.
Rear lights failed/water ingress. Well known issue
Gear box failed . New box fitted
Sat nav failure . New one fitted.
Nav screen failure. New one fitted.
Wheel bearing x2
Tyre pressure system.
Folding mirrors , wont stay folded. Microswitch failure but BMW just throw on a new mirror .X3 !!
Power steering reservior.
Expansion tank fracture. New one fitted.
Rear suspension bushes start to "creak" when they fail. Both sides done at the back.

And I am sure there is stuff I have forgotten. The car drove me and my wife insane .
That was the car that broke my spirit.
Never again................worst car I ever had by a country mile.

By all means get a 4.8iS , but I would not pay up for one, only buy if its cheap and make sure you have very deep pockets as you will need them
It drinks fuel like Oliver Reed and if you are heavy footed will eat tyres and front disks.

Just my personal experience..........which wasn't a positive one.

Good luck.

[gavp84]

[quote="Nat"]
Hi,

My honest advice is NO don't do it.

I had a 4.8iS that i ran for just over 3 years. In that time it had £25k worth of work. The list of issues was endless.
When it works its a great car, but the problem is that's not very often.


From memory ( as I sold it over 3 years ago )

Both front legs swapped as the air suspension bag punctures easily. N/S was replaced twice.
Pan roof .............don't even go there..££££££££
Valvetronic levers issue. Cars have a recall so make sure a potential purchase was done back in the day as its like a swiss watch in there.
Rear lights failed/water ingress. Well known issue
Gear box failed . New box fitted
Sat nav failure . New one fitted.
Nav screen failure. New one fitted.
Wheel bearing x2
Tyre pressure system.
Folding mirrors , wont stay folded. Microswitch failure but BMW just throw on a new mirror .X3 !!
Power steering reservior.
Expansion tank fracture. New one fitted.
Rear suspension bushes start to "creak" when they fail. Both sides done at the back.

And I am sure there is stuff I have forgotten. The car drove me and my wife insane .
That was the car that broke my spirit.
Never again................worst car I ever had by a country mile.

By all means get a 4.8iS , but I would not pay up for one, only buy if its cheap and make sure you have very deep pockets as you will need them
It drinks fuel like Oliver Reed and if you are heavy footed will eat tyres and front disks.

Just my personal experience..........which wasn't a positive one.

Good luck.
[/quote]

Wow Nat you certainly changed your tune, funnily enough I was just reading your post when you sold the car and it was nothing but great reviews then! What made you change your tune?

Oh for good measure I quote

"Thanks, I think the 4.8 iS has gone. There is a  chap cominga a long way  friday to  have a look &  take it away if he likes what he sees, but as always these things are not done until they are done. I cant see any reason why the deal should fall through, but if it does there are 2 other people on the waiting list. I think whoever ends up with it will be very happy, its had everything done is 100 % spot on and nothing is outstanding.  My every day car is an M5, and if I couldn't have an M5 id have a 4.8iS , its that good. Its staggering value. Honestly for the Money what else could you buy ? When I look back at some of the cars I have had, there are so many old cars out there chaging hands for stupid sums its quite staggering. MkII RS's making £12-18 K. E28 M5's most of which are rotten and have starship mileages, anywhere from £10-30 K !!!........E30 M3's, Ive seen them @ £40 K+.........madness for a LHD car that is well past its sell by date and most of those are rotten. Quattros @ £15-20 with 100-150 k on the clock, and the list goes on. Id rather have a 4.8iS any day of the week....honestly its really the only car you will ever need.

Regards,

Nat."

Cheers

[Denis O]

[quote="gavp84"]
[quote="Nat"]
Hi,

My honest advice is NO don't do it.

I had a 4.8iS that i ran for just over 3 years. In that time it had £25k worth of work. The list of issues was endless.
When it works its a great car, but the problem is that's not very often.


From memory ( as I sold it over 3 years ago )

Both front legs swapped as the air suspension bag punctures easily. N/S was replaced twice.
Pan roof .............don't even go there..££££££££
Valvetronic levers issue. Cars have a recall so make sure a potential purchase was done back in the day as its like a swiss watch in there.
Rear lights failed/water ingress. Well known issue
Gear box failed . New box fitted
Sat nav failure . New one fitted.
Nav screen failure. New one fitted.
Wheel bearing x2
Tyre pressure system.
Folding mirrors , wont stay folded. Microswitch failure but BMW just throw on a new mirror .X3 !!
Power steering reservior.
Expansion tank fracture. New one fitted.
Rear suspension bushes start to "creak" when they fail. Both sides done at the back.

And I am sure there is stuff I have forgotten. The car drove me and my wife insane .
That was the car that broke my spirit.
Never again................worst car I ever had by a country mile.

By all means get a 4.8iS , but I would not pay up for one, only buy if its cheap and make sure you have very deep pockets as you will need them
It drinks fuel like Oliver Reed and if you are heavy footed will eat tyres and front disks.

Just my personal experience..........which wasn't a positive one.

Good luck.
[/quote]

Wow Nat you certainly changed your tune, funnily enough I was just reading your post when you sold the car and it was nothing but great reviews then! What made you change your tune?


[/quote]

You'd hardly put a list like that on an open forum around the time you were trying to sell the car would you  ::)

[gavp84]

[quote="Denis O"]
[quote="gavp84"]
[quote="Nat"]
Hi,

My honest advice is NO don't do it.

I had a 4.8iS that i ran for just over 3 years. In that time it had £25k worth of work. The list of issues was endless.
When it works its a great car, but the problem is that's not very often.


From memory ( as I sold it over 3 years ago )

Both front legs swapped as the air suspension bag punctures easily. N/S was replaced twice.
Pan roof .............don't even go there..££££££££
Valvetronic levers issue. Cars have a recall so make sure a potential purchase was done back in the day as its like a swiss watch in there.
Rear lights failed/water ingress. Well known issue
Gear box failed . New box fitted
Sat nav failure . New one fitted.
Nav screen failure. New one fitted.
Wheel bearing x2
Tyre pressure system.
Folding mirrors , wont stay folded. Microswitch failure but BMW just throw on a new mirror .X3 !!
Power steering reservior.
Expansion tank fracture. New one fitted.
Rear suspension bushes start to "creak" when they fail. Both sides done at the back.

And I am sure there is stuff I have forgotten. The car drove me and my wife insane .
That was the car that broke my spirit.
Never again................worst car I ever had by a country mile.

By all means get a 4.8iS , but I would not pay up for one, only buy if its cheap and make sure you have very deep pockets as you will need them
It drinks fuel like Oliver Reed and if you are heavy footed will eat tyres and front disks.

Just my personal experience..........which wasn't a positive one.

Good luck.
[/quote]

Wow Nat you certainly changed your tune, funnily enough I was just reading your post when you sold the car and it was nothing but great reviews then! What made you change your tune?


[/quote]

You'd hardly put a list like that on an open forum around the time you were trying to sell the car would you  ::)
[/quote]

That's very true..

Seems oh too many crooks out there these days when it comes to people selling their cars.

Who can you trust these days to actually be honest!

[graemeX5]

Hi

I would say that at Least the list shows any buyer it was very well maintained, most cars with that lot would have been neglected or skimped on but you sometimes need deep pockets for these cars. And someone got a bargain.

We all know cars go through spells where bits wear out.

My old 4.4 when I bought at a trade price I had £1500 spent on it to get it up to standard and then only serviced from then on no issues at the MoT in 4 years of ownership.

Although there were all the changes and mods to improve it, but they were my choice, and when it sold in 10 minutes and the trader who bought then kept it rather than sell it on, because of the condition.

Graeme

[CondorX5]

Some cars just seem to be Bad Luck cars, Nat had a really bad run of it with all the known weaknesses collapsing on his 4.8.  Not everyone has had that experience - my 4.8 served me well, we still own it, albeit it has ££££££ spent on it via the extended BMW warranty, it is over 130k miles now.  Some os the issues are general across the other models as well - his just seemed to have every known fault happen.  The electronics can be a minefield - I have had three replacement satnavs already, plus another one likely when it goes back again, but as its on warranty still I don't really care.

[gavp84]

Well I went  see another 4.6is this morning and after breaking if you accelerated it had a thud from the rear end. I couldn't work out what it was plus there was a noise from the front right side of the engine. Didn't know what they were so walked away. Was cheap though and had all the toys but didn't know what the pitfalls could be.

[Horizon]

These cars are getting a bit long in the tooth these days, 13/14 years old. Don't expect them to be trouble  free.
Most out there are now so cheap, people are passing them on instead of spending any money maintaining them.
I don't mean to sound negative,  But realistic. !

[gavp84]

[quote="Horizon"]
These cars are getting a bit long in the tooth these days, 13/14 years old. Don't expect them to be trouble  free.
Most out there are now so cheap, people are passing them on instead of spending any money maintaining them.
I don't mean to sound negative,  But realistic. !
[/quote]

Don't get me wrong I am by no means expecting a car not to have faults however these were things I haven't come across before so was unsure and walked away.

I'm in no rush so not prepared to just get the first one I see!

[Nat]

Hi,

Just to clarify.............the 4.8iS is a great car if you can get it to work all the time.

The issue was mine didn't and I just got fed up with it as did my wife ,  going to the dealer every week , no courtesy cars etc etc .
I sold it and the person who bought it was aware of all the issues / and the amount of work that had been done on it.
I had every receipt for every scrap of work done and it , all of it at BMW , so everything had a 2 year BMW warranty on it ( or the remainder of ) and it also had the BMW AUC warranty on it at the time of sale.
The buyer would have had the option of renewing it when it ran out and I have no idea if he did or not.


Me..................I would love to have a 4.8iS that works. However given my personal experience my honest opinion to anyone considering it has to be leave well alone unless you have very deep pockets.

Regards
Nat.

[gavp84]

So I done it, I have finally bought my first X5 and love it. have gone for the 4.6is.

Some pic's

[Nat]

Hi,

That looks really nice. I love the look of the E53.

Does it have a tow bar ? You'll need one to hook up the petrol tanker........... )

Drive it like you stole it...................great fun.

[gavp84]

Cheers Nat,

I bought it off a guy on here so hopefully well looked after example.

Defiantly going to need to get to know the local garage attendant! Although it does have a detachable tow bar!