BMW E70 X5 4.8i - 'Countryside Edition'
Discussion
I never planned on buying an X5 and certainly not the potentially problematic N62 V8 petrol version. Unfortunately, I've become one of those people...the paranoid parent who feels the need for a huge car to ferry a child around owing to fears of accidents and road safety. 
I liked the idea of a Range Rover L322 (in the right spec/colour it can look v classy) but I was put off by reliability horror stories...not to mention the fact that I'm a BMW fan boy. Attention focused on the E53 X5, especially in 3.0 litre M54 engine flavour. This was however dismissed as being too old. My wife had been spoilt by the luxury and features of our E63 630i, so an E53 would be considered a step backwards, both in terms of design and features.
Consequently, my search shifted to the E70 X5.
- I ideally wanted the 3.0 litre petrol (N52 engine), had experience of it in my E91, E85 and E63. Decent/reliable engine.
- I wasn't interested in diesels.
- No drug dealer black or Essex white.
- Preferred SE spec as I wanted a more comfortable ride, smaller wheels and no bodykit.
In essence, I was after the BMW version of a Range Rover.
Searching Autotrader for a good 3.0 was fruitless. Firstly, there aren't many around and secondly those that were available had very miserly spec. Who specs a £40k+ BMW X5 and omits heated seats? Also seemingly a lot of dubious LPG conversions.
To be honest, my searching was fairly sporadic (crazy busy with work - Covid etc). My wife was dailying the E91 330i (which was the original baby car) and I was using either the Shedtastic E46 330Ci or 630i.
Then on a whim, I did an Autotrader search for petrol X5s and I spotted a very nicely specced 2007 X5 in a very unusual green colour. Looked really good but it had the N62 4.8 litre petrol V8. I was aware this engine was potentially problematic. It was the reason I’d gone for the 630i rather than the 650i. Valve stem seals are known to be a ‘when’ not ‘if’, plus it’s known to be a bit leaky.
The example did however look fantastic with metallic green over cream leather and specced with pretty much every extra including rear DVD player. Current owner since 2009. Reportedly only used as a winter car and FBMWSH, only on 63k miles. Had to be worth a look. This was October/November 2020 and at the time travel was only allowed for essential reasons. Buying a car is an essential reason.
The car was very well looked after and totally original. Interior was minty mint and had factory rubber mats to protect the carpets. Big folder of BMW history/invoices. All the keys (including an usual fob which neither I or the owner knew its function). It was sitting on 18 inch alloys with (BMW star marked) winter RFTs but would also come with its 20 inch staggered alloys with (BMW star marked) summer RFTs. The owner was a great and honest guy, he’d always had BMWs and recently taken delivery of a new 340i XDrive Touring, in a very rare (individual) green (seen below), hence the decision to sell the X5.
Despite my reservations over the engine, the spec was so fantastic, colour combo unusual (and lovely), plus it was so original and well looked after...I couldn't say no. A deal was done and we arranged a date for me to collect.
Photos from the advert:
As mentioned, one of the things that swung it, was the specification. Very few E70 X5s out there with this extensive spec:
- Deep Green metallic
- Comfort seats with perforated Nevada leather, heated, ventilated and active functions.
- HUD
- Panoramic Roof
- Heated steering wheel
- Adaptive Drive (active anti-roll bars and electronic damper control)
- 4 Zone climate.
- Rear heated seats
- Rear DVD system
- Comfort Access
- Rear camera
- Pro Nav with freeview TV
- Pro HiFi
- Xenons - adaptive and high beam assist
- 7 seats
Thoughts?
We've had it now for ~ 10 months now so got a fair idea of what it's like to live with.
It's a nice car. It definitely feels a real step up from an E91 for example. My wife was a bit wary at first as it's a big car, especially long. Supermarket parking in non 'parent and child' spaces is interesting.
Photo by my wife of the first time she took the X5 to its natural habitat of Waitrose. (she almost got it all in the space
)
I'm a rural GP, so when we had the snow the X5 was great for getting me to work with its XDrive and winter tyre combo.
Performance It's not slow. With 350bhp and 350lbft torque it lacks the punch of the new tubocharged super SUVs, but it can surprise people. With a naturally aspirated V8, it also sounds fantastic when giving it some grief.
The ride is a bit on the firm side, I suspect in part because of the RFTs. Debating what to do about those. Spec sheet suggests it has the Sports Suspension option. The Adaptive Drive is fantastic. With it activated, the roll in corners really is minimised and it feels more like the E91 than than a big, heavy, tall tank.
Fuel economy? Er...hmmm...my wife usually uses it for nursery trips, shopping excursions or meeting up with friends. Longer trips include seeing her sister or my parents (both about an hour and a half away). On a motorway run at 65mph, I've seen 26mpg. In town I can only assume low/mid teens. Fuel tank is big to the extent that if you less it run less than 1/4 full, £99 won't fill it to capacity. Super unleaded is used exclusively.
Features? Peppa Pig...sounds fantastic with the Pro Hifi option!
Bills, bork and bother? I'll cover those in another instalment...this isn't a cheap car to run but no one has starved...yet.
Other spending? I bought some nice mats from https://www.carmats4u.com/ for the summer months. Will change back to the rubber ones come Autumn/Winter.
Overall, my wife is really enjoying it. She likes the luxury, the comfort and the safety. The boot is huge so it's great for a buggy (+ baby paraphernalia) and dog. She also loves the colour!
Am I convinced by the whole 'fast SUV' thing? If we didn't have a kid (or if we lived in a city), I don't think we'd bother. It's definitely easier to get a toddler in and out and of course it's very practical, but tbf it's a huge car. Parking can be annoying. For our own circumstances, the 3 Series Touring size is probably about right. We live in the countryside, so some ground clearance is welcome and it has proven itself when we had the snow. [paranoid parent]Plus, can't ignore the safety aspect with a child[/paranoid parent].
I REALLY like the colour combo, it is very unusual for an X5 and I don't think I've seen another one in this combination. It certainly stands out among the sea of black on black Disco Sports at nursery. As mentioned in the thread title - X5 Countryside Edition.
It's now on the 20 inch alloys with the summer tyres. Washed it a couple of weeks ago, came up looking pretty decent IMO.
Thanks for reading. I'll do a post about the bills/running costs at some point.
I liked the idea of a Range Rover L322 (in the right spec/colour it can look v classy) but I was put off by reliability horror stories...not to mention the fact that I'm a BMW fan boy. Attention focused on the E53 X5, especially in 3.0 litre M54 engine flavour. This was however dismissed as being too old. My wife had been spoilt by the luxury and features of our E63 630i, so an E53 would be considered a step backwards, both in terms of design and features.
Consequently, my search shifted to the E70 X5.
- I ideally wanted the 3.0 litre petrol (N52 engine), had experience of it in my E91, E85 and E63. Decent/reliable engine.
- I wasn't interested in diesels.
- No drug dealer black or Essex white.
- Preferred SE spec as I wanted a more comfortable ride, smaller wheels and no bodykit.
In essence, I was after the BMW version of a Range Rover.
Searching Autotrader for a good 3.0 was fruitless. Firstly, there aren't many around and secondly those that were available had very miserly spec. Who specs a £40k+ BMW X5 and omits heated seats? Also seemingly a lot of dubious LPG conversions.
To be honest, my searching was fairly sporadic (crazy busy with work - Covid etc). My wife was dailying the E91 330i (which was the original baby car) and I was using either the Shedtastic E46 330Ci or 630i.
Then on a whim, I did an Autotrader search for petrol X5s and I spotted a very nicely specced 2007 X5 in a very unusual green colour. Looked really good but it had the N62 4.8 litre petrol V8. I was aware this engine was potentially problematic. It was the reason I’d gone for the 630i rather than the 650i. Valve stem seals are known to be a ‘when’ not ‘if’, plus it’s known to be a bit leaky.
The example did however look fantastic with metallic green over cream leather and specced with pretty much every extra including rear DVD player. Current owner since 2009. Reportedly only used as a winter car and FBMWSH, only on 63k miles. Had to be worth a look. This was October/November 2020 and at the time travel was only allowed for essential reasons. Buying a car is an essential reason.
The car was very well looked after and totally original. Interior was minty mint and had factory rubber mats to protect the carpets. Big folder of BMW history/invoices. All the keys (including an usual fob which neither I or the owner knew its function). It was sitting on 18 inch alloys with (BMW star marked) winter RFTs but would also come with its 20 inch staggered alloys with (BMW star marked) summer RFTs. The owner was a great and honest guy, he’d always had BMWs and recently taken delivery of a new 340i XDrive Touring, in a very rare (individual) green (seen below), hence the decision to sell the X5.
Despite my reservations over the engine, the spec was so fantastic, colour combo unusual (and lovely), plus it was so original and well looked after...I couldn't say no. A deal was done and we arranged a date for me to collect.
Photos from the advert:
As mentioned, one of the things that swung it, was the specification. Very few E70 X5s out there with this extensive spec:
- Deep Green metallic
- Comfort seats with perforated Nevada leather, heated, ventilated and active functions.
- HUD
- Panoramic Roof
- Heated steering wheel
- Adaptive Drive (active anti-roll bars and electronic damper control)
- 4 Zone climate.
- Rear heated seats
- Rear DVD system
- Comfort Access
- Rear camera
- Pro Nav with freeview TV
- Pro HiFi
- Xenons - adaptive and high beam assist
- 7 seats
Thoughts?
We've had it now for ~ 10 months now so got a fair idea of what it's like to live with.
It's a nice car. It definitely feels a real step up from an E91 for example. My wife was a bit wary at first as it's a big car, especially long. Supermarket parking in non 'parent and child' spaces is interesting.
Photo by my wife of the first time she took the X5 to its natural habitat of Waitrose. (she almost got it all in the space
)I'm a rural GP, so when we had the snow the X5 was great for getting me to work with its XDrive and winter tyre combo.
Performance It's not slow. With 350bhp and 350lbft torque it lacks the punch of the new tubocharged super SUVs, but it can surprise people. With a naturally aspirated V8, it also sounds fantastic when giving it some grief.
The ride is a bit on the firm side, I suspect in part because of the RFTs. Debating what to do about those. Spec sheet suggests it has the Sports Suspension option. The Adaptive Drive is fantastic. With it activated, the roll in corners really is minimised and it feels more like the E91 than than a big, heavy, tall tank.
Fuel economy? Er...hmmm...my wife usually uses it for nursery trips, shopping excursions or meeting up with friends. Longer trips include seeing her sister or my parents (both about an hour and a half away). On a motorway run at 65mph, I've seen 26mpg. In town I can only assume low/mid teens. Fuel tank is big to the extent that if you less it run less than 1/4 full, £99 won't fill it to capacity. Super unleaded is used exclusively.
Features? Peppa Pig...sounds fantastic with the Pro Hifi option!
Bills, bork and bother? I'll cover those in another instalment...this isn't a cheap car to run but no one has starved...yet.
Other spending? I bought some nice mats from https://www.carmats4u.com/ for the summer months. Will change back to the rubber ones come Autumn/Winter.
Overall, my wife is really enjoying it. She likes the luxury, the comfort and the safety. The boot is huge so it's great for a buggy (+ baby paraphernalia) and dog. She also loves the colour!
Am I convinced by the whole 'fast SUV' thing? If we didn't have a kid (or if we lived in a city), I don't think we'd bother. It's definitely easier to get a toddler in and out and of course it's very practical, but tbf it's a huge car. Parking can be annoying. For our own circumstances, the 3 Series Touring size is probably about right. We live in the countryside, so some ground clearance is welcome and it has proven itself when we had the snow. [paranoid parent]Plus, can't ignore the safety aspect with a child[/paranoid parent].
I REALLY like the colour combo, it is very unusual for an X5 and I don't think I've seen another one in this combination. It certainly stands out among the sea of black on black Disco Sports at nursery. As mentioned in the thread title - X5 Countryside Edition.
It's now on the 20 inch alloys with the summer tyres. Washed it a couple of weeks ago, came up looking pretty decent IMO.
Thanks for reading. I'll do a post about the bills/running costs at some point.
That is lovely, you can tell straight away it’s unmolested and therefore not one of those knackered X5’s you see cruising around the local council estate.
But I have always like the bigger 20" wheels - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-E53-X5-4-6is-V8-Spo...
But I have always like the bigger 20" wheels - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-E53-X5-4-6is-V8-Spo...
Get on and enjoy it and forget about all those issues you listed. If you frequent sites like this all the v8 engines do that, every vanos car has issues every Porsche of a certain time scores it’s bores and blows it’s IMS and all Jaguar diesels dump fuel in the oil blah blah. In reality it’s a small percentage of all of them. At that age it’s more important how well it’s been looked after. If we believed everything we read on car forums to be an issue with every car we would never buy one.
edit.... just realised who the OP is it will be a chocolate teapot George
edit.... just realised who the OP is
it will be a chocolate teapot George Edited by craigjm on Sunday 29th August 16:02
Thanks for all the positive feedback
)
). It used to be very expensive to sort but it seems now specialists can now do it for ~ £800-£1000 which isn't a huge amount of money relatively speaking given that it's likely to be a one off event. I think also when relatively minor things go wrong (i.e. gaskets that cost a fiver causing an oil leak) the associated labour to fix = £££.
My impression is that the N62(TU)B48 is a less prone to these issues than the regular N62B44 like in the 645Ci.
Stedman said:
I really like that. Nice write up - much better than your handwriting etc 
No arguments. craigjm said:
Get on and enjoy it and forget about all those issues you listed. If you frequent sites like this all the v8 engines do that, every vanos car has issues every Porsche of a certain time scores it’s bores and blows it’s IMS and all Jaguar diesels dump fuel in the oil blah blah. In reality it’s a small percentage of all of them. At that age it’s more important how well it’s been looked after. If we believed everything we read on car forums to be an issue with every car we would never buy one.
edit.... just realised who the OP is it will be a chocolate teapot George
Git (I wondered why you were being so optimistic...edit.... just realised who the OP is
it will be a chocolate teapot George )cerb4.5lee said:
That is such a lovely spec, and I'm a really big fan of the engine having had a E53 X5 4.8iS myself. I love the noise this engine makes for sure. 
I think it's definitely more muted than in the E53, still sounds decent when giving it some grief. Also cold starts aren't exactly quiet!Court_S said:
I agree about the E70; it’s peak X5 for me.
Thanks. The styling is just right. Modern enough that it doesn't look out of place next to brand new BMWs but lacking that overstyled aggression the most recent models have.bolidemichael said:
I'm pleased that you've done a thread and also would love to know what you paid for it.
PM sent. 4.8 petrols seem to be priced much higher than equivalent age diesels. They also seem to (for the most part) have better spec and lower mileage.alec.e said:
The 4.8 is actually a strong engine really- thought not flawless, I don't understand the dislike for it.
Too much bad press over the valve stem seals I suppose especially on US forums/YouTube channels (hello Hoovie et al ). It used to be very expensive to sort but it seems now specialists can now do it for ~ £800-£1000 which isn't a huge amount of money relatively speaking given that it's likely to be a one off event. I think also when relatively minor things go wrong (i.e. gaskets that cost a fiver causing an oil leak) the associated labour to fix = £££.My impression is that the N62(TU)B48 is a less prone to these issues than the regular N62B44 like in the 645Ci.
Jeenyus161 said:
There's something lovely about a dark green BMW, they just seem to suit it brilliantly- good buy
Thanks. When I saw it on Autotrader, it really jumped out as the majority are black, white or grey. There's a (Monaco?) blue E70 X5 locally that looks great too. ExcitableBoy said:
Have we seen this car before? I'm almost certain another PHer owned this in the London area.
Not sure. The seller had owned it since 2009 and he wasn't the kind of chap to post on forums.Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff