4.8 iS Misery

[Chompers]

Guys sorry to here about yours issues. Its never nice to have issues soon after buying a car and even more so when you are spending the sort money these 4.8iS cost. However from what I can see these vehicles have all been purchased as used examples so calling them 'Friday' cars is a bit childish. Most X5 4.8iS were registered to dealers or BMW GB and then sold on as via the AUC system. Any issues in the veichles from new would have been ironed out well and truly before the first year.

That being said I have long been of the opinion that the quality of AUC workshop check has been sliding down hill for some years now. Mainly driven by dealers trying to maximise ever smaller profit margins, the cost of putting an 4.8iS through the workshop just for an Insp I has a cost of say £350ish at internal prices add to this a couple of tyres and they are quickly up to the £1000 mark before any rectification starts. I would also add that vehicle appraisals or also poorly done by both salesmen and buyers. A lot of the issues in your vehicles were clearly present at the point of purchase by the dealer (Is this why the previous owners sold the cars in the first place?)

Clearly buying a 4.8iS is a big deal its a very special car and the closest thing the an 'M' version and in my opinion should be purchase as if buying an 'M' vehicle additional checks should be done to confirm all is well both at time of striking the deal and at handover. All electrical components that can be checked should be. You should also see the workshop invoice for the AUC and if possible get a copy of this, very helpful should issues arise later on. All to often buyers of BMW's have already made up there mind to buy a car before seeing it in the flesh often purchased over the phone and in some cases only seeing the car for the first time when the dealer delivers it to there door. Sadly many people have lost the art of buying a car, not just the dealing part but the inspection part, to me the most important part. Whats the history of the car, did you see the V5/previous MOT's, look at BMW's internal system to check the vehicle workshop history and so on. Buyers just seem to rely to heavily on the AUC name expecting this to mean that there new purchase is in 100% top condition. Most are but sadly some do slip through leaving you the buyer with headache after headache. Also as pointed out above is when things do go wrong the dealers shear inability to sort things first time round is shocking all this adds to the melting pot of disappointment and loss of faith with the car.

I would urge anybody buying an AUC car to check all the history out, check the car out and be 100% happy that what you are buying is the real thing don't just take the dealers say so that all is well.

Finally to the guys above - you have bought fantastic cars but make sure you get all the issues sorted out under the AUC warranty. Hopefully you will get the car to a position that is as it should have been when you purchased it. I would also say that both Ricko and Nat should contact BMW GB listing out all you issues that have arisen since purchase, I would be wanting a least a 1 year extension to the warranty given FOC from the dealer who supplied your individual cars.

[CondorX5]

Very sensible response Chompers I think one of the problems with forums, if one can see it as that, is that you generally hear much more about the troublesome cars than those that are not - so a particular model ends up being branded unfairly as having "issues" when in fact, only the unlucky few who have gone to the trouble or writing about their frustration and disappointment, may have suffered those failures.

As you say, the 4.8 is a very special beastie. It will never be cheap to run or maintain and if cost is an overriding factor, it is not the X to go for in the first place. Unfortunately, BMW AUC checks are not as good as they should be and inevitably, some things will slip through- it's a complete nuisance, but at least the warranty is a good one and I intend to use mine to the fullest extent - I am already making a note of some minor things which need to be attended to in a month or so, once I have "settled" in with my new-to-me 4.8 a bit more.

I think positive threads are also a good idea, as I said in my previous post - just like our HOW TO section is a great, positive contribution. Let's celebrate the really good points about our Xes - the outpost has done this with a "sticky" for the 4.8 and there are some terrific pics and info there (even if 4.4 and 4.6 owners have tried to hijack the thread a bit!!)

I live in hope that my 4.8 won't be beset by the same issues as these two unfortunate guys have been, but regardless of the issues, I intend keeping the car in the long term and trust that most issues can be sorted via warranty in the first year or extended warranty in the second. Sometimes things like the notorious parking sensors just go on the blink as do sat navs, bluetooth modules and so on - electronics of this nature can be a pain and pack up with no warning, or continue working seamlessly for years on end. No way of knowing which variety you have in your car!!!! The only REAL way of avoiding things like this going wrong and causing frustration is not to have a complex electronic-gadget filled car in the first place, which would rule out BMW pretty much altogether as a marque of choice!!!!

Here's to happy driving, guys and gals

[Ricko]

Well I'll second that Condor X5........

[mogsyman]

Really sorry to hear of the problems you guys seem to be having.

As some will know, I had a 4.8 for a year, put 35,000 miles on it and sold it for far more than I thought I would. I had a couple of very minor niggles, the worst was just a constantly crappy gearbox, which I was told was just the way they are.

But it never missed a beat, made childrens ears bleed from 10m and I loved driving it.

You'll all know when it's time to move on.......when the cost of ownership outweighs the fun

[Nat]

Hi

I hear what everyone is saying. I did buy my 4.8 iS unseen as i live in Kent and it was in Scotland.
It is the first and last car I will ever buy unseen. That said bodywisw/condition it was exactly as described .
I am very very picky/fussy with my cars and if Ihad to fault it anywhere , the only real complaint I would have id that one of the whels has obviously been touched up at some point badly. Its not bent or scuffed , but wasnt done in the best way. Look its a second hand car and some wear and tear has to be expected.
Unfortunately much as I beat myself up over having bought it unseen , I wouldnt have been able to detect any of the faults it developed or already had. Most of us do not have access to hidden car history/records . Even when I have known friendly people at dealerships they dont seem to be able to tell you much. I have owned many BMW's and all but the last 2 were purchased privately. Which were the worst cars ? .....yep you got it , the last 2 . Of course both have had the benefit of the AUC warranty, but there have been things that were not covered .
I have had a particularly bad experience this time round and as for contacting BMW UK with regards to my problems and getting another years warranty for free or any form of compensation/good will, I think you have more chance of having dinner with Winston Churchill ( and he is dead ) . All i can say is i have been there, seen that, done that and have the T-Shirt. They are utterly dissinterested. Given that I was sold a car with existing faults ( and it was documented ) BMW UK never even phoned me back. They just do not care.
Lastly as for the 4.8 being an overly complicated car,and that there will always be some issues doesnt really wash with me . I dont think its any more complicated than a 7 series ( and ive had an E32 and an E38 ) and the comparison is made that its the nearest to an XM...............well its definetely no more complicated than an E39 M5 , and Ive run one of those for the last 7 years with no real issues. It is strange , how all the cars are built in the same factory, be the same robots and the same people and some seem to be forever going wrong and some can do 200 K without missing a beat.
I will persevere with my 4.8 iS , and I have to agree with the remarks that AUC isnt perhaps what it used to be. For sure I have nothing nice to say about main dealers ( its catch 22 whilst the car is under warranty ) and BMW UK has zero skills/ability in the field of customer service.
I am sure there are people from BMW beit UK or AG or anywhere else that are like us big car fans and must therefore be members of this and other forums. Yet levels of service /ability /customer service only ever seem to go one way ................down.
Hopefully my car will stop being a stroppy teenager and grow up and start to behave.

Regards to all and as always thanks for taking the time and trouble to post/debate/advise

Nat.

[lezmtaylor]

well I've got a 2002 4.4, has now got 70K on the clock, and is still going very well with no issues.
I for one will be keeping her for a good few years yet.
Lez

[AW8]

I can think of cases where folk have had probematic cars of in vehicles with each engine size.

Putting this thread into context, here we have just two 4.8is owners reporting issues - most issues discussed are not unique to the 4,8is & indeed have been experienced by owners of other engined E53's.

That said - it's always good to here of folk who are happy with their cars

[Nat]

Update,

Car returned thursday night. Car broken again sunday morning ( suspension failure again )

Back it goes on thursday. This is getting tedious.


Regards

Nat.

[CondorX5]

A lot of owners have had extended warranties or services etc given as goodwill gestures after incidents like you have had - seems strange that you can't get any answers - seems like you should be putting it in writing to BMW UK as well as to the Dealer Principal at your local dealers who seem unable to fix anything - surely there is absolutely no way they can defend a "repair" lasting less than 24 hours. No good just dismissing BMW UK - email perhaps not the best only method of communicating - letter, delivered via fax and recorded delivery far better. The car sounds unfit for purpose although you've had it longer than 6 months now - perhaps a copy of the correspondence to Trading Standards; also send off correspondence to BBCs Watchdog program. I've not ever heard of quite such a fiasco with any other car of any make, ever - it does seem as if the selling dealer and BMW UK should be made to take reasonable action and supply a working vehicle of a decent standard with all the trouble you've had - you are not meant to be inconvenienced due to their ineptitude; it does take some determination though, and the time to put it all down in writing to the right people, to get the results you want. As AW8 and others have indicated though, not all X5's, 4.8 or otherwise, suffer from the same catastrophic failure as yours, its such bad luck but you should demand and get better service both from BMW UK and the dealer .
Good Luck.

[Nat]

Hi,

Just had a call from the dealer. Air pump compressor replaced and a sensor.

Hopefully thats the end of the misery.

All that remains is that they sort out the scuff on the back bumper they did last time it was in their care.

Regards

Nat.