[AustinMsport]

Hey guys, wanted to get your input. I'm at 113K now with an X5D I just picked up two months ago. My life situation has changed a little bit and I'm going to have to start driving 11 hours round trip up to D.C. and back once a month starting this summer and I'm kinda worried about the X5D being reliable.

I don't want to get stranded. Possibly thinking of leasing (or renting) a cheap car like a Jetta or whatever just for this purpose or unloading the X5D even though I just purchased it. Thoughts? Would you roll a X5D w/113K miles 11 hours up I-95 once a month?

I'm familiar with the problem areas on these vehicles. It has a few oil leaks in the typical locations and typical red boost hose leak. I took off the IM and EGR and surprisingly not a lot of carbon build up. I was expecting much worse. I also replaced Tstat. A few days after purchase I had a #4 fuel injector code and limp mode. I cleared codes like 4 times and thankfully it went away and hasn't come back yet. I also have a SCR code now.

[mefferso]

Did you replace the harmonic balancer when you did the tstat? If not, get that done b/c it will certainly leave you stranded.

[robnitro]

Check your plastic partitions... They crack and leak water messing up injector 5 or 6. If you want to test the injectors unplug them and check with a good ohm meter each pin to ground. A bad one would be less than 300k to ground....

Also, might as well remove the foam that covers the injectors and intake because that adds to the issue of corroding injectors.

[floydarogers]

Originally Posted by AustinMsport

Hey guys, wanted to get your input. I'm at 113K now with an X5D I just picked up two months ago. My life situation has changed a little bit and I'm going to have to start driving 11 hours round trip up to D.C. and back once a month starting this summer and I'm kinda worried about the X5D being reliable.

I don't want to get stranded. Possibly thinking of leasing (or renting) a cheap car like a Jetta or whatever just for this purpose or unloading the X5D even though I just purchased it. Thoughts? Would you roll a X5D w/113K miles 11 hours up I-95 once a month?

... I also have a SCR code now.

I just did a 590 mile trip (two days) in my 335d with 127K miles. I drove from Salt Lake City (actually, somewhere in CO) back to Seattle - around 1200 miles - with my SES on with a SCR problem a couple years ago.

The engine and tranny and car are reliable; the emissions system not so much. But the SCR/DEF system isn't critical to performance.

[AlpineX]

Originally Posted by floydarogers

But the SCR/DEF system isn't critical to performance.

It is though critical to getting home if intact and ignored.

The X5d LOVES the highway. 113k is a bit on the high side for mileage if there is deferred maintenance... though suggests that the PO may have had it on the highway a lot.

Get it up to speed maintenance wise before racking up more mileage.

[AlpineX]

Originally Posted by AustinMsport

Would you roll a X5D w/113K miles 11 hours up I-95 once a month?

In or near its current state? No.

[fsd350]

Mine has 150k bone stock. My wife was commuting 120 miles per day. I would drive it across country no question. Just ignore the DEF MIL's and drive. Forums are always a little dramatic.

[335dsleeper]

Mileage doesn’t really mean much anymore. I can find plenty of low mile X5’s that have been beat on, poorly maintained and spent their life performing stop and go in the city. Conversely there are high mile vehicles that are highway driven and maintained that will literally run for ever. Using mileage only is a horrible way to determine a vehicles realiability.

I did a 8hr Road trip yesterday with my X5. I towed a 1995 525i out to the western VA, averaged 20.2mpg and did 70mph through the mountains. My x5 has over 216k miles and is a fantastic vehicle! This is our family hauler and we are constantly on the go, have never had an issue or been left stranded.

Replace common failure items and perform regular and preventative maintenance and you’ll be fine, same as any other vehicle.

[Persian Whisperjet]

My 335d is the most reliable car I have ever owned ,including two Honda Civics. OK there was also a Citroen DS-21 in there too. Shudder.

[AlpineX]

Originally Posted by 335dsleeper

Mileage doesn’t really mean much anymore. I can find plenty of low mile X5’s that have been beat on, poorly maintained and spent their life performing stop and go in the city. Conversely there are high mile vehicles that are highway driven and maintained that will literally run for ever. Using mileage only is a horrible way to determine a vehicles realiability.

I did a 8hr Road trip yesterday with my X5. I towed a 1995 525i out to the western VA, averaged 20.2mpg and did 70mph through the mountains. My x5 has over 216k miles and is a fantastic vehicle! This is our family hauler and we are constantly on the go, have never had an issue or been left stranded.

Replace common failure items and perform regular and preventative maintenance and you’ll be fine, same as any other vehicle.

I agree on mileage being misleading, and I feel badly for people who make buying decisions based solely or mostly on the intersection of mileage and price. Its an easy argument that low mileage on x5d can easily be as problematic or more problematic than high mileage.
I was cross referencing the mileage/new ownership/existing issues as my main criterion that it would not be wise to just hop in and start driving across the country. Not a risk profile I'm interested in.

If you have history of the car mechanically and are fully or mostly aware where it stands in that regard, you're going to be fine. Sounds like you have a couple months to get it in order.

335dsleeper is obviously highly capable of keeping these M57 cars going, that helps him get to 216k. Plus I think might be missing some hardware which can help.

From 96k to 106k I've replaced: Thermostat, harmonic balancer, belts, partial vacuum lines, pressure converters, throttle valve, Ex pressure sensor, partitions, tires, charge pipe seal, turbo oil feed line, all filters and some fluids... still have a laundry list of things before summer road trip which is only 600 or 700 miles each way.
This is a car that was running well when I got it, with no active codes, single owner dealer serviced.

[Thecastle]

There are a lot of factors in determining if an older used vehicle will be reliable. But age is just as hard on cars as milage can be and lack of maintenance. I've owned two E70 X5's and looked at a ton of them.

Some general observations, if they are parked out side in a hot climate, their interiors will be in bad shape and often the plastic components in the engine bay will be extremely brittle and will crumble by just touching them.

I find as the X5's age BMW has problems with seals going bad (maintenance), lots of oil leaks in the drivetrain. I also find that most of the X5s suspension is shot around 100K, especially the front lower control arm bushings. Look for oil staining the control arms.

If you do a coolant flush there is a really good chance it will break you heater control valve, which is cheap and easy to replace.

Common X5 problem areas not related to the engine
1) parking brake controller failure
2) Sunroof closing failure (from vent postion)
3) Power rear hatch struts failing.
4) Suspension wears quickly especially front end bushings
5) Interior plastics bubble
6) Engine Partition craps out (there are 4 pieces)
7) Alternators (I seem to replace them every 40K on an E70)
8) Thermostats (gasoline and diesel)
9) Heater Control valve
10) Front diff seal (leaks differential fluid)
11) Mechatronics sleeve in transmission can leak (diesels seem to have a better seal)
12) Vacuum Lines
13) PCV system and lines (become crispy and break when you touch them)
14) power steering pumps get noisy

None of this stuff is highly expensive, and other than the alternators little of it will leave you stranded.