I love my car too much to let it go.

[Zulu95]

The X5 is a dream to drive but a quick check on any of the X boards will show they have a host of problems big and small. We have had an X5 for 7 years and do not do high mileage but I did have to take it back under CPO 12 times in 11 months. They tend to eat transmissions and transfer boxes. They had an oil separator system that eats engines in cold weather if it is not maintained (babied!). The cooling systems have weak water pumps that fail often. One of my visits at 39K was for a replacement pump due to a leak. If I had not caught it most likely it would have failed whilst driving and taken out the fan, fan clutch, radiator and possibly the head and/or engine. The front end is very delicate and expensive to repair. Electronic modules burn out and usually require a dealer with the GT1 to replace/code. There are lots of smaller annoyances such as window regulators, Final Stage Resistors in the heater blower circuit, "light out" messages caused by the cheap light fixtures used, wipers that stop because a nut has fallen off the linkage etc. etc.
A dream to drive but a nightmare to own unless you lease every 2 years and hand the developing problems in for someone else to sort out.

 

[Doctor Subie]

good to know about the X5. I'm was thinking about one for my wife since we have a baby on the way, and she drives a stick shift A4 (impractical). I absolutely love the new X5 w/ M appearance package, but on 2nd thought, nearly $70k for a 'grocery Costco getter' would be too much. I'm also toying with the idea of a Ford Focus (even the new Explorers look very good, 'range rover-ish'), Land Rover LR4 (though again cost and reliability concerns)...