E53 X5 Face Lift?

[BlueNGT]

Am I correct in thinking the face-lift for the E53 took place in 2004 (04/54 plate) ?

If so what were the most obvious upgrades on the 3.0d Sport?

Also does the X5 have adjustable suspension? I have seen this ad http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1679994.htm for a 4.8is that suggests it has adjustable suspension...the ride height looks really nice on this car.

Thanks in advance

[G-P]

BlueNGT said:

Am I correct in thinking the face-lift for the E53 took place in 2004 (04/54 plate) ?

If so what were the most obvious upgrades on the 3.0d Sport?

Also does the X5 have adjustable suspension? I have seen this ad http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1679994.htm for a 4.8is that suggests it has adjustable suspension...the ride height looks really nice on this car.

Thanks in advance

Yes the face-lift on the E53 took place in 2004 on 04/54.

The engine was upgraded by about 20 bhp and the front lights where changed and the kidney grills where larger.

There is no ajustable suspension on the 3.0d.

[BlueNGT]

So only the 4.6/4.8is has the adjustable suspension?

[Speed addicted]

It also went from 5 to 6 gears (with a more reliable gearbox). I think the wheels are bigger too, 19s instead of 18s.

[BlueNGT]

So a face-lift car is the one to get?

i believe these can be remapped to around 250bhp/500lbs ft too.

[Ranger 6]

This is a facelift - look for the way the indicators curve up and are squared off



This is the early one - look how the indicators curve all the way round the end

[BlueNGT]

Thanks - the grille looks larger too.

If the Gearbox is better then it is worth paying a bit extra for the facelift car as I understand these are the weak spot of the X5!?

Is it worth buying from the Dealer network to get the Warranty etc?

[Fox-]

G-P said:

Yes the face-lift on the E53 took place in 2004 on 04/54.

It was earlier than that - 53 plate I beleive.

[splitpin]

Fox- said:

G-P said:

Yes the face-lift on the E53 took place in 2004 on 04/54.

It was earlier than that - 53 plate I beleive.

That's right - the first ones were registered in the UK early December-ish 03, so 53 plate - only a few - they started arriving in numbers at the dealers in late-ish February 04, so most Customers waited for the new 04 plate 1st March 2004.

BTW OP, can't see the point messing about with the ECU (3.0D Sport is by far the best model - as quick as the 3.0 petrol and about 60% better on fuel) for a vehicle that is a sporty big old 4WD (totally competent at everything except going seriously off-road), but not a sportscar, it goes just fine with the 218bhp and 500Nm that BMW gave it at the factory. All UK Spec facelift models have self-levelling rear suspension - not adjustable, 'automatic' - another thing that works just fine and doesn't need messing about with/wasting money on.

[Ranger 6]

splitpin said:

....can't see the point messing about with the ECU...... ....it goes just fine with the 218bhp and 500Nm that BMW gave it at the factory.

Have you ever experienced the difference a good remap can make?

[splitpin]

Ranger 6 said:

splitpin said:

....can't see the point messing about with the ECU...... ....it goes just fine with the 218bhp and 500Nm that BMW gave it at the factory.

Have you ever experienced the difference a good remap can make?

Yep I have, but in this instance, I'd need convincing that it'd be worthwhile; plenty strong pick up, near enough 30mpg overall over 50K miles,
near enough 40mpg at a steady 75mph on a good long motorway/dual carriageway run, barely ticking over at that speed easily capable of hitting 100mph on the autobahn towing a BJ RS3 with a race car inside.

So now convince me

[Ranger 6]

OK

splitpin said:

It'd be worthwhile for the stronger pick up, probably bettering 30mpg overall, easily and effortlessly capable of hitting 100mph+ on the autobahn, making light of towing a BJ RS3 with a race car inside....

etc, etc, etc....

[M-J-B]

I owned a facelift 3.0D sport from new for a year and then swapped it for an ex BMW Management 4.8iS. At the time I had a 996 C2 Cab and an X5 and I thought I would have one car that was noisy, fast and do both jobs......... I was wrong. Sure the noise was there, but the experience was always 'lacking'.

I clocked up 30,000 in the 3.0 and it had a 'Tunit' box attached which is the poor mans map. The difference it made to the car was very noticeable, I would suggest DMS or similar would prvide a better map and I the difference it makes is worthwhile. The car averaged late 20's and was used for everything including one overnight trip back from Monaco to SE UK in one hit, 900 miles with only a break whilst waiting for the Chunnel, not a back pain in sight and the car was a dream.

I clocked up 33,000 miles in the year I owned the 4.8iS and sold it just before prices fell due to new TAX laws. From memory, it was 2 two years old, had 36,000 miles on it and I sold it privately for £36000. It was on a 55 plate so again, a facelift.

The adjustable suspension is only that when stationary or for very low speeds, once you get above 20mph or so, it defaults to the middle setting. I guess the lower setting was to help people get in the car, the higher to use it off road. Throughout ownership I had no problems although I understand the pano roof can be troublesome for some. The 4.8 guzzles fuel at an alarming rate and the gearbox was not good. It was a bit of a clunker and I was told they are all like that. Change from 4th to 5th was particularly bad. I averaged 18mpg, but bear in mind I was doing a lot of motorway mileage. I would regularly get 260 miles out of a 90L tank driving around town, or near 200 if I was being a hooligan. The best I got was 550 miles on a drive to Brussels and back in one hit at 65mph. Never really used them in snow, but with those big tyres I guess they'd be pretty st.

Two points, if it were my money, I would find a better newer 3.0d M Sport. Look for a 3.0D Le Mans Edition, as it's every bit as fast as the 4.8 and more frugal. Almost identical from the outside, same interior, only missing the adjustable suspension and V8 and whilst that sound alone is wonderful, the cars perform almost identically. I did have 155mph shown on the way down to Le Mans the year I bought the car, at the same time as the speedo needle was going clockwise, the fuel gauge was going anti-clockwise!.

I would also have a good look around X5drivers.co.uk as the site is a wealth of information and there are some very knowledgeable people posting on their. (Kevin - AKA AW8, what he doesn't know about these cars you can write on the back of a postage stamp).

Here's a few pics of mine showing the good points ;









More here

I still think they are great cars and good luck with your search!

[splitpin]

Ranger 6 said:

OK

splitpin said:

It'd be worthwhile for the stronger pick up, probably bettering 30mpg overall, easily and effortlessly capable of hitting 100mph+ on the autobahn, making light of towing a BJ RS3 with a race car inside....

etc, etc, etc....

Putting words in my 'mouth' eh?

Not convinced, but let's agree this > Now costs £110 plus to fill it's empty tank, so when a tank equals a decent re-map, I'll do it. Crikey, the way fuel prices are going (), better get it booked in for next weekend!

BTW, keep up the good work relative to the rallying; unsung (and unpaid) guys 'n gals like you are a vital and much appreciated asset to all forms of motorsport. Take a well-deserved

[splitpin]

M-J-B said:

I still think they are great cars and good luck with your search!

+1 (Great post, can't beat long term actual owner reporting)

[Ranger 6]

splitpin said:

BTW, keep up the good work relative to the rallying; unsung (and unpaid) guys 'n gals like you are a vital and much appreciated asset to all forms of motorsport. Take a well-deserved

Thank you a toast for the recognition

Seriously, on the remap front - how about the price of two tanks? (OK well, two tanks and an expensive round....?)

Talk to Simon at www.e-maps.co.uk - phrases such as 'they should've built them like this' come from his customers. Look at www.bmwland.co.uk for more....