2004 3.0i steering wheel

[blackigor]

This is my first post so first i would like to say hi to everyone.

Im looking to buy an x5 3.0 petrol from 2004.
After 5 months I found one in my local area (aberdeen)

Everything sound perfect. 3.0 petrol, manual gearbox, really low mileage (62k), 2004 facelift model.
Mot done week ago with no advisories. 2 previous owners.
Sounds like a dream to me.
But theres one thing that really bothers me.

It has features from sport version: leather seats, 19" alloys, leather seats, graphite trim etc. But the thing that makes everything weird is the steering wheel. Its not the 3 spoke one from sport version, its not even the 3 spoke one from se.
Its the 4 spoke with buttons on the sides of the middle part.
Is that normal? Have some of them been fitted with this steering wheel? Ive done hpi check and it shows nothing. Seller doesnt know why this steering wheel is fitted but he agreed to take the car to bmw garage for any signs of previous accidents.

Is that something that i should really be concerned about or Im just overthinking it as it sounds too good to be true?

Thanks for all help

[X5Sport]

Welcome and good luck with the ongoing search.

Sorry, can't help with the steering wheel, but there are a number of choices and someone could have chosen not to have the sport wheel.

If you can get the last 7 characters of the VIN then it is possible to identify exactly which version it is, and what options were fitted at build.

Richard

[Sanj]

Hi and

Think you mean you have the 4-spoke SE trim wheel. That could have been chosen at factory as Richard says. But they are so easy to change so someone could have done this sometime back. Problem is, you'll have to change the airbag too if you want to go back to a 3-spoke Sport version.

Could be that the airbags were deployed on the original Sport wheel and then this came up as a cheap replacement... Good to have the checks done with BMW. See if there are signs of accident damage with a bodyshop perhaps.

[blackigor]

Thanks for the answers guys.

Its a bit weird as all shows its a sport version. Like sport seats. Leather. Graphite interior. Alloys. But then the steering wheel really bothers me. But maybe someone really decided he wanted the 4 spoke ine from se. Unless there was an accident and it hasnt been reported to the insurance, and the steering wheel has been replaced with cheaper one. Made an appointment at bmw garage. Hopefuly they will tell me whats going on

[Sanj]

Has it got anthracite headlining, colour coded door handles, gloss shadowline trim around the windows?

[blackigor]

Yes it does.

[Sanj]

Sport then with an SE wheel for what ever reason.

You gonna change it? If so - consider a heated one.  ;D

[petert]

[quote="Sanj"]
Sport then with an SE wheel for what ever reason.

You gonna change it? If so - consider a heated one.  ;D
[/quote]

+1 on that from me!
Peter T

[JohnnyRob]

Could it be the heated steering wheel upgrade....?  Does it have the heating button on the bottom right as below? -

[Raj]

Does sound like the wheel has been changed as opposed to specced. Could be airbag deployment but the. That would suggest a fair impact to deploy that. Or possibly a cheap replacement if the original was scratched/worn/damaged?

[blackigor]

Thanks for all your answers guys !

Well, the real deal is different from what I expected (and probably everyone else as well)

I managed to speak with the first owner of the car (it happened to be father of the girl I was buying it from)

The Car is a 3.0i SE but with most of the features from Sport version.

It has anthracite interior, sport seats (electric and heated with lumbar adj.) body coloured door handles, 19" wheels, bluetooth pack, cd changer, amplifier, and as per photo above - the heated steering wheel.

Guy said to me that because he lives on a farm - didnt want the sport suspension, but wanted everything else from sport trim. hahaha Im guessing that did cost him well more that just getting 3.0i with sport trim.

Anyway - I bought the car. Very happy with it - especially the price. For such a low mileage - £5000 - I think its a good deal (for me )
Full year MOT and the service only been done week ago (all green service lights). Got full service history and surprisingly not a one screw or other bit is missing. Even the bmw torch and untouched first aid kit are still where they should be. Drives lovely, pulls like a train - and OMG - so quiet and comfy

Now I have few questions to the X5 owners - hope its ok to post them here without starting a new thread.

Power steering. Cant complain about it during driving - but what about parking etc. I understand its a heavy car with BIG wheels but can it be so hard to turn the wheel? Not like hard hard, but definitely harder than in cars Ive driven so far. My wife has a brand new nissan juke, and i can turn the wheel on a car park with one finger. My X5 requires one hand and some force to do the same job. (no problems during driving, junctions or roundabouts)

Second thing. I ve done about 200 miles since I bought it and 3 times I had this "BEEP". Just single BEEP and nothing else, no lights, no warnigns. What that might be?

and the last but not least. Been told by the garage that the left tyre has some outside extensive wear. It's not so severe that it doesnt qualifies for mot advisory, but he just wanted me to know that I probably should take the car for wheel alignment. Now - BUT NOT ALL THE TIME, JUST EVERY NOW AND THEN - I feel that car slightly pulls to the left during driving and breaking, but not all the time, just every now and then - like that mysterious "BEEP". Is it something that wheel alignment will sort out or Am I looking into something more problematic?


Thanks a lot for any help.

[Imy]

Thats strange. I didnt think you could have anthracite headlining unless it was a sport.

Anyways:

Yes the steering is heavy. Also took me some getting used to.

Beep sound could be a number of things but have you noticed outside temp? when it drops below 3.5 or 2.5 (cant remember which) it gives a warning that you need your jacket!

[blackigor]

aaaaah, one mystery solved then at the moment it shows 2 deg in Aberdeen

[X5Sport]

Sounds like a good deal, and yes the 'bing' is most likely the low temp warning.  It comes on at 3deg and you should see a warning text in the check control window at the bottom of the instruments.

A word of advice, never unpack the First Aid kit!  It's vacuum sealed and once open is a cast iron SOB to get back in it's container.... >:(.  BMW even gave me a new container because the lid would not stay shut and eventually gave up and issued me a new kit.

Enjoy the car.....

Richard

[Sanj]

Glad all sorted!

Beep could also be the hourly bong, can't remember what the official name for it was (memo or something). Could be set to on in the menu settings...

Keeping the wheel then?