XSeries-forum

hello all, looked at an x5 today, it has a few issues, i had agreed a very favourable px on my 330ci but i arrived un-announced for a test drive and i think i caught the dealer out, the car had no speedo unit in it and the vendor said it was at the garage being fixed ( alarm bells) however he duly hopped in his car and went and fetched the as yet un fixed dash, plugged it in and off we go, its a 4.4 sport 2001, initial thoughts were the steering felt a little heavy but then the car is heavy and the tyres looked a little low, next up the battery light flashed on and straight off again, it did this once more during my test. the only other mechanical fault was a slight rubbing sound whilst going round a mini roundabout, these small things were not overly worrying BUT there is no service history! am i right in thinking that BMW should have some history for the vehicle? and if so will they divulge it to me before i purchase?
normally i would just walk away from this but he offered me more than i paid for my car which i've had for a year, and he didnt try to hide any of the above, car will also need front tyres soon and the satnav unit says "out of contract contact bmw dealer" your thoughts please.
buntz

Dash being fixed.... But then was OK when picked up!!!

My view.  Walk away.  There are plenty more out there.

Flashing light most prob alternator on its way out, and rubbing probably suspension bushes worn hence need for tyres.

Choice as always is yours, but I wouldn't...

thanks for reply, im researching it all now, alternator looks favourite, dash was still iffy and going back for a new ribbon, i'm certain he was genuine about that bit. bushes i'll look into but the tyres were worn evenly, it's bound to have something wrong as it's been px'd at a back street dealer, but im weighing it all up, i'm firmly at the lower end of x5 ownership due to budget,
buntz

Pixel repair isn't hard to do.
Did you note the mileage??

The big issues these have are the gearboxes....
That is prob one of the things you would need to know history..
Some are OK for many a mile, whilst some go relatively early in life!

Alternator could be just a regulator replacement, or a complete unit.
I believe the v8 ones are water cooled?? Someone may be able to clarify that .

[quote="buntz"]
thanks for reply, im researching it all now, alternator looks favourite, dash was still iffy and going back for a new ribbon, i'm certain he was genuine about that bit. bushes i'll look into but the tyres were worn evenly, it's bound to have something wrong as it's been px'd at a back street dealer, but im weighing it all up, i'm firmly at the lower end of x5 ownership due to budget,
buntz
[/quote]
Hi and welcome, a lot of older X5,s are run on a very low budget, this means when things go wrong, or it needs a few quid spending on it owners off load them. Along comes the next victim, he cops for a few months of big bills because he's always wanted an X5. Then after a while he off loads it.
I'd be very carefull about buying a 14 year old X5.

Having said that if you are good with you hands, and take heed of the advice and help on here then most things are possible.....

cheers for the response, gearbox history is what im after, do you think BMW will impart any info they might have on their system? it currently has a private plate so might not be easy to track down?
alternator could be £300!! ouch but i am fine with the spanners and mostly enjoy fixing stuff. i think there are many others around and perhaps this one is not for me, maybe he'll shift on price enough to make it worthwhile.
on a positive note, those v8s sound good eh?
buntz

BMW will only know what was done at a main Dealer and that is based on the VIN rather than the reg.

BMW will most likely have done nothing with the box.  They class them as 'Sealed for Life' and din't service them, just replace if broken.  A rebuild is going to be at least £1,500 and possibly more.

Alternator on the V8 is water cooled if memory serves, and very expensive.

I would be VERY suspicious of any car that the dash was out of.  The dealer may have sounded genuine, but he may just be a good storyteller.

Unfortunately BMW being a luxury brand means parts and repairs can attract luxury prices.  Running these on a budget will break you bank even faster than those of us who have newer models.  Sounds like you are doing all the right things, and the buyer's guide on here will give you pointers.  Plus ask any questions you need answered to the collective brains on here.

There are plenty of X5s around, even for those at the lower end as you describe.  You might be better just walking away from this one.  It sounds well used, and may be well past its 'use by' date.

On the other hand, if you're up for a challenge then it could be an interesting project car 

Richard