Discussion
Dear fellow members
Allow me to start by saying that I am a BMW fan having previously owned two cars already (330 petrol coupe and a 116i petrol hatchback). Having sold these two cars I now find myself looking at purchasing a second hand BMW. My wife wants a 4x4, or a high up car as I have been told in the past! We are about to have our first child so good internal space is very important and high spec inside including sat nav etc. Having researched the market there was only the BMW X3 and X5 (the X1 being just too small). The X3 I think was also just too small and also disappointingly bland and basic inside. Therefore this leaves me the X5!
I want to get the E70 model as the e53 I think is looking somewhat dated inside now including the sat nav. Also most e53 models don't have Bluetooth as standard which is a must have as we live in London. My budget is around the £14k mark. Given we would be driving under 10k miles a year (I would say between 6-8k) I find myself leaning towards the 3.0 diesel for running costs. This car will mainly be driven around London with the odd journeys to the countryside and Scotland! Despite my last two cars being petrol, they were not two tonne vehicles and also there seem to be virtually no petrol 3.0 engines on the market in my price range (I check Autotrader daily). The petrol 4.8 engine would make me bankrupt I think! This is why I am looking at the diesel engine. Can I ask what it is like to run/insure/drive etc - has it got poke and it is noisy?
I would like a 2008 reg (due to the lower tax band) with ideally under 70,000 miles on clock and with 1 owner from new. Before I take the plunge with my hard earned cash is there anything important I am missing? Or if you have any opinions on my decision please let me know. Your thoughts would be really appreciated.
Thank you so much for your help.
Henry
Allow me to start by saying that I am a BMW fan having previously owned two cars already (330 petrol coupe and a 116i petrol hatchback). Having sold these two cars I now find myself looking at purchasing a second hand BMW. My wife wants a 4x4, or a high up car as I have been told in the past! We are about to have our first child so good internal space is very important and high spec inside including sat nav etc. Having researched the market there was only the BMW X3 and X5 (the X1 being just too small). The X3 I think was also just too small and also disappointingly bland and basic inside. Therefore this leaves me the X5!
I want to get the E70 model as the e53 I think is looking somewhat dated inside now including the sat nav. Also most e53 models don't have Bluetooth as standard which is a must have as we live in London. My budget is around the £14k mark. Given we would be driving under 10k miles a year (I would say between 6-8k) I find myself leaning towards the 3.0 diesel for running costs. This car will mainly be driven around London with the odd journeys to the countryside and Scotland! Despite my last two cars being petrol, they were not two tonne vehicles and also there seem to be virtually no petrol 3.0 engines on the market in my price range (I check Autotrader daily). The petrol 4.8 engine would make me bankrupt I think! This is why I am looking at the diesel engine. Can I ask what it is like to run/insure/drive etc - has it got poke and it is noisy?
I would like a 2008 reg (due to the lower tax band) with ideally under 70,000 miles on clock and with 1 owner from new. Before I take the plunge with my hard earned cash is there anything important I am missing? Or if you have any opinions on my decision please let me know. Your thoughts would be really appreciated.
Thank you so much for your help.
Henry
Because in London police are everywhere and so are cyclists etc. If you are caught on your phone whilst driving = game over!
Tampon said:
?????
Why does living in London with the rest of us, mean your car has to have Bluetooth because of your locale?
Also you don;t seem to be doing the miles to warrant a diesel, at around 8k you are going to save about £800 quid a year. You sound like the perfect punter for a petrol to be honest.
Why does living in London with the rest of us, mean your car has to have Bluetooth because of your locale?
Also you don;t seem to be doing the miles to warrant a diesel, at around 8k you are going to save about £800 quid a year. You sound like the perfect punter for a petrol to be honest.
For now we don't plan on having a live in butler/nanny in the car although I might do later on, time will tell. There are no decent X1 (good spec and low mileage) I can find on Autotrader. X3 the interior to me looks too plasticy and basic. The difference in interiors between the X3 and X5 is massive! So is the price yes.
We are not panicking with the birth of our child but buying a slightly bigger car now so we don't need to upscale when we have our second child. Why buy an X3 and then have to sell it 2-3 years later as we need a larger car?! It doesn't make sense.
I don't understand what you mean by'a bit council'.
You live in London but think you need a really big SUV?
You're having your first child but think the X1 and X3 is too small? Are you planning on providing the child a security detachment, nanny and butler to travel with you all the time as well?
When you have your first then you do panic that you are going to need loads of stuff and that you need to protect the child as much as possible etc etc. But here is the thing - the little darlings only take over if you want them to. Pushchair, changing bag and you're done.
The X5 is a big beast of a car and a bit council.
If your wife really must have a "high up" car then could I suggest a VW Tiguan? It is classy, compact but with loads of space for a small one and it's junk and you can buy a 2013 model for well under £10K of you want or a newer model for not a great deal more.
It is better designed than a X5 and due to its smaller size is better designed for London streets. Fuel economy isn't bad either on the 2ltr (which is all you need)
This one looks good - auto as well which is a must in the city:
This one even has parking sensors so you don't have to crash it when parking
Congrats on the baby - don't panic. They survive almost anything.
[/quote]
We are not panicking with the birth of our child but buying a slightly bigger car now so we don't need to upscale when we have our second child. Why buy an X3 and then have to sell it 2-3 years later as we need a larger car?! It doesn't make sense.
I don't understand what you mean by'a bit council'.
You live in London but think you need a really big SUV?
You're having your first child but think the X1 and X3 is too small? Are you planning on providing the child a security detachment, nanny and butler to travel with you all the time as well?
When you have your first then you do panic that you are going to need loads of stuff and that you need to protect the child as much as possible etc etc. But here is the thing - the little darlings only take over if you want them to. Pushchair, changing bag and you're done.
The X5 is a big beast of a car and a bit council.
If your wife really must have a "high up" car then could I suggest a VW Tiguan? It is classy, compact but with loads of space for a small one and it's junk and you can buy a 2013 model for well under £10K of you want or a newer model for not a great deal more.
It is better designed than a X5 and due to its smaller size is better designed for London streets. Fuel economy isn't bad either on the 2ltr (which is all you need)
This one looks good - auto as well which is a must in the city:
This one even has parking sensors so you don't have to crash it when parking
Congrats on the baby - don't panic. They survive almost anything.
[/quote]
Funnily enough I do want an X5, hence why I posted this on the forum!
redddraggon said:
Just admit that you simply want an X5. No one needs an X5 to move a couple of a kids around. I know plenty of families that manage with normal super mini hatchbacks, some I know manage without a car at all (especially in London where there's public transport).
Loving all the comments. Thank you. Some much more helpful than others but I guess that can be only be expected with an online forum on German 4x4's in London. There are some people who clearly hate them like I hate mini's.
Opinions are hugely divided and the reaction is like asking should I vote Cameron or Milliband.
BMW X5 = Cameron
Opinions are hugely divided and the reaction is like asking should I vote Cameron or Milliband.
BMW X5 = Cameron
Thank you so much - your comments were really helpful!
somynameiswhat said:
In its class (luxury SUV) it's actually smaller than most of them - the RRS/FFRR, Q7, GL Class, Discovery 3 and XC90. It's just as long as my E39 and is only a bit wider(I think).
They are great cars, extremely well built which definitely shows when you step inside. It feels solid from the push button ignition to the engine. Spacious, not too big and they drive astonishingly well for its size, similar to a 5 series style ride quality. The engine is 240hp for the 3.0d and 285hp for the 3.0sd, 275hp for the 3.0si and 335hp for the 4.8i. Bear in mind that the diesels have DPF's which can be problematic at 100k miles, so the 3.0si may be a better bet. However, a run or two on the motorway should solve the DPF problem, so don't eliminate a diesel. After late 2007, tax goes down, but you have to check, it goes from £500 a year to £275 a year.
Nice options to look for on the X5, comfort seats can be nice. Heated seats are optioned on most cars, but you'd want to have the media package, which most got anyway. The M-sport body kit looks nice too and the car gets better suspension. Adaptive drive is something to consider, keeps the car almost flat when going through corners - the normal suspension is still very good anyway. For kids though, the panoramic sunroof looks good, heated rear seats or the rear TV. Other options include Heads Up display, keyless entry and an updated speaker system. Again, these are only some options that may have been ticked, it's important to check what the car has.
These are very well built cars, they are one of BMW's best selling cars. Don't listen to the crap people put on here, if you want it go for it. I personally have been looking too.
They are great cars, extremely well built which definitely shows when you step inside. It feels solid from the push button ignition to the engine. Spacious, not too big and they drive astonishingly well for its size, similar to a 5 series style ride quality. The engine is 240hp for the 3.0d and 285hp for the 3.0sd, 275hp for the 3.0si and 335hp for the 4.8i. Bear in mind that the diesels have DPF's which can be problematic at 100k miles, so the 3.0si may be a better bet. However, a run or two on the motorway should solve the DPF problem, so don't eliminate a diesel. After late 2007, tax goes down, but you have to check, it goes from £500 a year to £275 a year.
Nice options to look for on the X5, comfort seats can be nice. Heated seats are optioned on most cars, but you'd want to have the media package, which most got anyway. The M-sport body kit looks nice too and the car gets better suspension. Adaptive drive is something to consider, keeps the car almost flat when going through corners - the normal suspension is still very good anyway. For kids though, the panoramic sunroof looks good, heated rear seats or the rear TV. Other options include Heads Up display, keyless entry and an updated speaker system. Again, these are only some options that may have been ticked, it's important to check what the car has.
These are very well built cars, they are one of BMW's best selling cars. Don't listen to the crap people put on here, if you want it go for it. I personally have been looking too.
[GruntyGrunt - you are a PRAT. I don't drive whilst on the phone. ]
head. Especially in a 2 ton tank. If you realise must use Facebook and Grinder whilst in the car, then pull over first. Otherwise it's downright dangerous to be looking at your phone while driving, regardless of where you are.
ugene425 said:
Because in London police are everywhere and so are cyclists etc. If you are caught on your phone whilst driving = game over!
@ugene425 - How about NOT using your bloody phone at all while driving, you complete dTampon said:
?????
Why does living in London with the rest of us, mean your car has to have Bluetooth because of your locale?
Also you don;t seem to be doing the miles to warrant a diesel, at around 8k you are going to save about £800 quid a year. You sound like the perfect punter for a petrol to be honest.
Why does living in London with the rest of us, mean your car has to have Bluetooth because of your locale?
Also you don;t seem to be doing the miles to warrant a diesel, at around 8k you are going to save about £800 quid a year. You sound like the perfect punter for a petrol to be honest.
head. Especially in a 2 ton tank. If you realise must use Facebook and Grinder whilst in the car, then pull over first. Otherwise it's downright dangerous to be looking at your phone while driving, regardless of where you are.[Thank you. There are some real wkers who post the most rude and helpful comments on here like Gruntygrunt. With a name like that he really must be a fat retard!]
kers who post the most rude and helpful comments on here like Gruntygrunt. With a name like that he really must be a fat retard!]theboss said:
Couple of things OP -
1) try and ignore all the bell-ends here
2) you say you don't like the X3 but are you comparing late E83 or early F25 models? The latter is significantly better than the former and also a step up size-wise. My wife loved her X3 for its easier size but hated the E70 I replaced it with despite it being a really nicely specced and much 'better' all round car. She still reminds me of this regularly.
3) For the sort of mileage you're doing I wouldn't rule out the E70 4.8i - they are quite rare but take a bigger depreciation hit, are usually massively specced and lower mileage cars. Yes tax and fuelling will cost proportionately more but I should think they are also less likely to throw a potential big bill than the diesels.
4) Look for a well specced SE or - if you really prefer the look of the M-Sport look for the "M Sport suspension deleted" option on the spec list, which offers a more compliant ride.
5) Surround view - my E70 was bought pre-registered and came with it by chance, I'd have dismissed it as a gimmick but its actually brilliant.
+1 for the F25, and 14k will see you into early cars. Its huge inside and would be loads of room for a family, 2 kids and tons of junk in the boot. We are lucky to have one through my gf's work and the 2.0d is a bit under powered but certainly take a look at them. They are very good cars. 1) try and ignore all the bell-ends here
2) you say you don't like the X3 but are you comparing late E83 or early F25 models? The latter is significantly better than the former and also a step up size-wise. My wife loved her X3 for its easier size but hated the E70 I replaced it with despite it being a really nicely specced and much 'better' all round car. She still reminds me of this regularly.
3) For the sort of mileage you're doing I wouldn't rule out the E70 4.8i - they are quite rare but take a bigger depreciation hit, are usually massively specced and lower mileage cars. Yes tax and fuelling will cost proportionately more but I should think they are also less likely to throw a potential big bill than the diesels.
4) Look for a well specced SE or - if you really prefer the look of the M-Sport look for the "M Sport suspension deleted" option on the spec list, which offers a more compliant ride.
5) Surround view - my E70 was bought pre-registered and came with it by chance, I'd have dismissed it as a gimmick but its actually brilliant.
P1ato said:
It's a great family car for long trips. I've had mine 6 years (although done only 25K miles) and it's needed nothing.
But around London I either cycle or drive a MINI..
hi there, what x5 model do you have? I am test driving one over the bank holiday weekend along with a VW TouraregBut around London I either cycle or drive a MINI..
mat205125 said:
Can’t beat that. I’m only up to 145k on mine, having added the last 60k of those miles over the last 4 years (2007 3.0d)
Bought it with nearly new rubber, and only just had to shell out for the second of two sets I’ve bought in that time ...... try finding an ML, Range Rover, Disco, or Q7 owner who’s got close to that.
This is very positive reading! I am looking at buying either a 2008 3.0SD (twin turbo diesel) or 2009 35 D, with approx for my budget (£15k max), 60-75,000 miles. It just depends what I spot on Autotrader which tickes the boxes with FSH, few owners etcBought it with nearly new rubber, and only just had to shell out for the second of two sets I’ve bought in that time ...... try finding an ML, Range Rover, Disco, or Q7 owner who’s got close to that.
somynameiswhat said:
In its class (luxury SUV) it's actually smaller than most of them - the RRS/FFRR, Q7, GL Class, Discovery 3 and XC90. It's just as long as my E39 and is only a bit wider(I think).
They are great cars, extremely well built which definitely shows when you step inside. It feels solid from the push button ignition to the engine. Spacious, not too big and they drive astonishingly well for its size, similar to a 5 series style ride quality. The engine is 240hp for the 3.0d and 285hp for the 3.0sd, 275hp for the 3.0si and 335hp for the 4.8i. Bear in mind that the diesels have DPF's which can be problematic at 100k miles, so the 3.0si may be a better bet. However, a run or two on the motorway should solve the DPF problem, so don't eliminate a diesel. After late 2007, tax goes down, but you have to check, it goes from £500 a year to £275 a year.
Nice options to look for on the X5, comfort seats can be nice. Heated seats are optioned on most cars, but you'd want to have the media package, which most got anyway. The M-sport body kit looks nice too and the car gets better suspension. Adaptive drive is something to consider, keeps the car almost flat when going through corners - the normal suspension is still very good anyway. For kids though, the panoramic sunroof looks good, heated rear seats or the rear TV. Other options include Heads Up display, keyless entry and an updated speaker system. Again, these are only some options that may have been ticked, it's important to check what the car has.
These are very well built cars, they are one of BMW's best selling cars. Don't listen to the crap people put on here, if you want it go for it. I personally have been looking too.
really really help post above, thank you. I am nearing to pulling the trigger in getting a 2nd gen X5 now! Looking up to £15k max, but I am very fussy when it comes down to spec, alloy style, colour of leather, owners and must have FSH etc. I have bought cars before and done a lot of research so I hope that will stand me in good stead when I take the plunge this year! In fact my family and I are off to test drive one on Monday They are great cars, extremely well built which definitely shows when you step inside. It feels solid from the push button ignition to the engine. Spacious, not too big and they drive astonishingly well for its size, similar to a 5 series style ride quality. The engine is 240hp for the 3.0d and 285hp for the 3.0sd, 275hp for the 3.0si and 335hp for the 4.8i. Bear in mind that the diesels have DPF's which can be problematic at 100k miles, so the 3.0si may be a better bet. However, a run or two on the motorway should solve the DPF problem, so don't eliminate a diesel. After late 2007, tax goes down, but you have to check, it goes from £500 a year to £275 a year.
Nice options to look for on the X5, comfort seats can be nice. Heated seats are optioned on most cars, but you'd want to have the media package, which most got anyway. The M-sport body kit looks nice too and the car gets better suspension. Adaptive drive is something to consider, keeps the car almost flat when going through corners - the normal suspension is still very good anyway. For kids though, the panoramic sunroof looks good, heated rear seats or the rear TV. Other options include Heads Up display, keyless entry and an updated speaker system. Again, these are only some options that may have been ticked, it's important to check what the car has.
These are very well built cars, they are one of BMW's best selling cars. Don't listen to the crap people put on here, if you want it go for it. I personally have been looking too.
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