X5 4.8is is this a lemon??

[lewis328]

http://www.hyndlandmotorco.com/used-cars/bmw-x5-4-...

Does anyone know this car? It seems rather good value. Obviously you would have to go and see it, but you would like to think the dealer is not selling it needing 4 x tyres, brakes done etc, what's the catch?

[cerb4.5lee]

That does look cracking value, I miss my old one for its feel good factor big time and it's engine was absolutely lovely...the auto gearbox lets the side down a little though.

[eliot]

Registration not coming up on mot/dvla , looks like a private plate - so can only assume it's been of the car a while already

[anonymous-user]

eliot said:

Registration not coming up on mot/dvla , looks like a private plate - so can only assume it's been of the car a while already

It's now back on CN54 AUA.....

[eliot]

bmw535i said:

It's now back on CN54 AUA.....

That's not coming up either?

edit: i guess there's no history against the old reg. Hmm, so private plate change easy way to conceal history from cursory online gov checks.

Edited by eliot on Wednesday 22 June 20:31

[anonymous-user]

eliot said:

bmw535i said:

It's now back on CN54 AUA.....

That's not coming up either?

Sorry! CN54 UAU!!

[eliot]

bmw535i said:

Sorry! CN54 UAU!!

Got it - not mot history due to plate change

Given the low mileage I suggest o/p does a proper hpi check with the vin number and logbook s/n

[anonymous-user]

eliot said:

bmw535i said:

It's now back on CN54 AUA.....

That's not coming up either?

edit: i guess there's no history against the old reg. Hmm, so private plate change easy way to conceal history from cursory online gov checks.

Edited by eliot on Wednesday 22 June 20:31

you're suspicious.

All the info is there, I put the wrong Reg on here!

[anonymous-user]

eliot said:

Got it - not mot history due to plate change

Given the low mileage I suggest o/p does a proper hpi check with the vin number and logbook s/n

There is MOT history

[lewis328]

It's a strange one, I am not actually thinking about buying it. I just came across it and remember trying to find a half decent 4.4 about a year ago and prices were a lot higher than sub 4K . Looks nice however, I assume it sounds tasty too.

[anonymous-user]

Looks OK to me, MOT history doesn't have too many shockers.

It's from a dealer, what's the worst that can happen?

[lewis328]

My bad guys the x5 is CAT D!!!!

[eliot]

bmw535i said:

eliot said:

Got it - not mot history due to plate change

Given the low mileage I suggest o/p does a proper hpi check with the vin number and logbook s/n

There is MOT history

Yes you're right, I was using regisearch.co.uk which pulls both registration and mot history with one search and it came up blank, but yes the gov site does give mot history.

[to3m]

eliot said:

edit: i guess there's no history against the old reg. Hmm, so private plate change easy way to conceal history from cursory online gov checks.

Or in the opposite direction: when I first heard of the check-mot.service.gov.uk site, I looked my car up, and the records came up linked with my previous car! - since it had the same registration and the same make. So it appeared than in 2011 it went from 135,000 miles (old car's mileage) to 50,000 miles (new car's mileage). Which might appear suspicious to anybody not expecting that, to say the least

I checked again just now and the mileages match up with my newer car's MOT certificates. I don't know whether this is due to the system being improved over time (it is a new service after all), or length of time I've had it (recently ticked past 5 years since number plate change), or something else.

[parabolica]

Having just come from a 2006 6 series with the V8 with nearly 100k miles, it had started smoking under acceleration and it is not a cheap job to fix (I was quoted the value of that X5 to fix mine!); could be the same here.

[anonymous-user]

parabolica said:

Having just come from a 2006 6 series with the V8 with nearly 100k miles, it had started smoking under acceleration and it is not a cheap job to fix (I was quoted the value of that X5 to fix mine!); could be the same here.

Valve stem seals?

[parabolica]

Yup. Although I never found out for sure as the car got through its MOT and I traded it in against a newer 640i straight away.

[eliot]

Yep - valve stem seals show up as smoking after idling for a few minutes. I've just replaced them on my 750 for a fraction of a dealer cost - but it's time consuming work and requires a special tool.

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
And step by step details here:
http://www.mez.co.uk/page128.html

Edited by eliot on Thursday 23 June 14:40