Thoughts on BMW X5 50

[BISCUT]

It's a boatload of money for sure....but this engine really has me intrigued. What's the thoughts on this engine long term like 200k? Being a BMW with all the bells and whistles I'm sure the true fear should be the electronics of the vehicle but as most car guys it's the engine/trans that gets the focus.

I always wanted a diesel

 

[Chris142]

The engine may be OK. The rest of the car will be its demise.

 

[MCompact]

Originally Posted by Chris142
The engine may be OK. The rest of the car will be its demise.


Tell me about it; the two owner X3 I sold to a friend has only made it to 220k miles.

 

[Audios]

If its the N63, run. Google N63 client care package and the issues theyre still having after the fix. The diesels can have very expensive problems, I turned down a repair and sent him to the dealer for possible goodwill on a 2012 x5d. They covered a $4500 initial repair as a one time gesture due to the issues starting the the injection, and carbon buildup. Its possible he will need a fuel tank repalcement due to metal shards, and then clear or replace the fuel lines and low side pump and filter.

 

[MCompact]

I stick with I4 and I6 BMWs- although I'd be hard pressed to turn down an E39 M5...

 

[14Accent]

200k? You're dreaming.

I have a customer with a '12 X5 diesel, and it's a pile. She takes great care of it and it's still junk. It's only got 85k on it, and she's actively trying to get rid of the thing.

 

[edyvw]

Originally Posted by 14Accent
200k? You're dreaming.

I have a customer with a '12 X5 diesel, and it's a pile. She takes great care of it and it's still junk. It's only got 85k on it, and she's actively trying to get rid of the thing.

M57 engine sin X5 are probably some of the best engines ever made. I had two. One in 525 E61 that made around 325k and still was able to do 145mph (this car was in Europe). Another was US based X5 35d. Engine is not an issue (it is among soccer moms who think it is a fridge). It is SCR system that is first generation and plagues all vehicles equipped with that system (VW/Audi, MB, GM, Ford, etc. ). There is no BMW unique SCR system except that BMW did not want to cheat like Audi in Q7, so BMW installed two tanks in order to properly eliminates NoX, which add bit more complexity due to pump between two tanks. Audi for example went with one tank,s maller, so they could fit Bang&Olufsen hardware and since that tank was not enough for full 10k between fill up, they decided to cheat.

 

[edyvw]

Originally Posted by BISCUT
It's a boatload of money for sure....but this engine really has me intrigued. What's the thoughts on this engine long term like 200k? Being a BMW with all the bells and whistles I'm sure the true fear should be the electronics of the vehicle but as most car guys it's the engine/trans that gets the focus.

I always wanted a diesel

Do not go with E70 5.0i period! F15 with N63TU is much better from reliability stand point (not dynamic stand point).

 

[edyvw]

Originally Posted by Chris142
The engine may be OK. The rest of the car will be its demise.

My X5 35d hold much better than my Land Cruiser, so do pleas explain us. I am all ears.
It is ten light years in build quality over ANYTHING Toyota will ever make or made.
I am not going even to mention atrocities as JEEP or Ford.

 

[CBR.worm]

BMW has a bad reputation with V8 engines at least as far back as 2010. They are awesome to drive, but unlike the I6 engines, the long-term reliability has not been good. Not just a single failure, multitudes of failure points. It's hard to tell if the current iteration would last forever, but previous years data indicates that it would not be a good gamble.

I personally know of at least 4 people who had their V8 engines replaced with less than 30K on them in the last 6 years. I know of one person who made it to 80K, leaving a trail of oil smoke behind him. These were all 7 series except for one X6 x50i

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

Any car will last as long as the owner is willing to maintain it. As a BMW fanboy for over 20 years I can only say to avoid this V8 because of the extensive plumbing around the twin turbos, tight engine bay (engine must be removed to conduct front end work on the timing chain), and general maintenance costs. A BMW technician once told me that the V8's keep the service dept busy.

 

[Audios]

Originally Posted by edyvw
Originally Posted by 14Accent
200k? You're dreaming.

I have a customer with a '12 X5 diesel, and it's a pile. She takes great care of it and it's still junk. It's only got 85k on it, and she's actively trying to get rid of the thing.

M57 engine sin X5 are probably some of the best engines ever made. I had two. One in 525 E61 that made around 325k and still was able to do 145mph (this car was in Europe). Another was US based X5 35d. Engine is not an issue (it is among soccer moms who think it is a fridge). It is SCR system that is first generation and plagues all vehicles equipped with that system (VW/Audi, MB, GM, Ford, etc. ). There is no BMW unique SCR system except that BMW did not want to cheat like Audi in Q7, so BMW installed two tanks in order to properly eliminates NoX, which add bit more complexity due to pump between two tanks. Audi for example went with one tank,s maller, so they could fit Bang&Olufsen hardware and since that tank was not enough for full 10k between fill up, they decided to cheat.


Were starting to see bigtime issues with the HPFP creating metal particles that float through the fuel system and wreak havoc. I sent a few back to the dealers and luckily alot is covered, but this issue will kill the car without a warranty. I think someone on the threads was quoted like $14000 worst case with both pump,s all injectors fuel filters, tank and lines. The carbon buildup is a tough cleaning as well.

https://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=993754

 

[joekingcorvette]

Every time I buy a new or low mileage car or truck I think of how it will be at 200,000 miles. I get tired of them at about 100,000 miles or much less and someone else gets to benefit from my OCI maintenance. As far as a BMW I really don't know much about them.

 

[edyvw]

Originally Posted by Audios
Originally Posted by edyvw
Originally Posted by 14Accent
200k? You're dreaming.

I have a customer with a '12 X5 diesel, and it's a pile. She takes great care of it and it's still junk. It's only got 85k on it, and she's actively trying to get rid of the thing.

M57 engine sin X5 are probably some of the best engines ever made. I had two. One in 525 E61 that made around 325k and still was able to do 145mph (this car was in Europe). Another was US based X5 35d. Engine is not an issue (it is among soccer moms who think it is a fridge). It is SCR system that is first generation and plagues all vehicles equipped with that system (VW/Audi, MB, GM, Ford, etc. ). There is no BMW unique SCR system except that BMW did not want to cheat like Audi in Q7, so BMW installed two tanks in order to properly eliminates NoX, which add bit more complexity due to pump between two tanks. Audi for example went with one tank,s maller, so they could fit Bang&Olufsen hardware and since that tank was not enough for full 10k between fill up, they decided to cheat.


Were starting to see bigtime issues with the HPFP creating metal particles that float through the fuel system and wreak havoc. I sent a few back to the dealers and luckily alot is covered, but this issue will kill the car without a warranty. I think someone on the threads was quoted like $14000 worst case with both pump,s all injectors fuel filters, tank and lines. The carbon buildup is a tough cleaning as well.

https://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=993754

Not sure what issues N57 has. E70 I had was coming with M57.
I know that N57 had some issues with timing chain for one or two years. Not aware of people complaining about them in Europe that much, so could be something with American version in F10 and F15.

 

[Andrew1972]

Originally Posted by MCompact
Originally Posted by Chris142
The engine may be OK. The rest of the car will be its demise.


Tell me about it; the two owner X3 I sold to a friend has only made it to 220k miles.

The X3 is a different vehicle and have decent reliability. Ithe X5 I have known two owners who had BMW buy it back in arbitration with under 40k. X5 has some rough years but maybe it's sorted currently. Nice SUV!

 

[edyvw]

Originally Posted by madRiver
Originally Posted by MCompact
Originally Posted by Chris142
The engine may be OK. The rest of the car will be its demise.


Tell me about it; the two owner X3 I sold to a friend has only made it to 220k miles.

The X3 is a different vehicle and have decent reliability. Ithe X5 I have known two owners who had BMW buy it back in arbitration with under 40k. X5 has some rough years but maybe it's sorted currently. Nice SUV!

X5 is built like a tank (unlike ANY Toyota). X5 had issues (any BMW) with N62 and N63 engines.

 

[BISCUT]

Thanks for all the replies. I pine for the I6 in the 3 series. You guys gave me a lot to look into.

 

[Eisen77]

Originally Posted by BISCUT
It's a boatload of money for sure....but this engine really has me intrigued. What's the thoughts on this engine long term like 200k? Being a BMW with all the bells and whistles I'm sure the true fear should be the electronics of the vehicle but as most car guys it's the engine/trans that gets the focus.

I always wanted a diesel


It all depends on model year, E70 had n63 which is a engine full of issues. f15 had n63tu - that's a revised ("tu" stands for technical update) engine that has a lot of parts re-engineered. G05 (newest generation of x5) has n63tu2 - very similar to n63tu. Basically starting from f15 generation (that starts from 2014 and up) engines are much more reliable than infamous n63. That been said it's still not at the inline 6 level of reliability and I wouldn't have high hopes of reaching 200k miles without issues. Transmission is reliable - it's ZF 8 speed one and it's one of the trouble free ones. No issues there.

In my next replies I'm going to reply to some comments made in this thread that are clearly unprofessional, uneducated guesses or even lies.

 

[Eisen77]

Originally Posted by Chris142
The engine may be OK. The rest of the car will be its demise.

Not true. For x5 it's actually engine that is the main cause of troubles.

 

[Eisen77]

Originally Posted by MCompact
Originally Posted by Chris142
The engine may be OK. The rest of the car will be its demise.


Tell me about it; the two owner X3 I sold to a friend has only made it to 220k miles.

First of all x3 has no V8 engine that OP asked about. Secondly 220k miles for V8 engine (should it achieve that) is not "only" by any means. This is not Toyota Camry reliability we are talking here.