2011 xDrive50i Owner Review

[Blacksage]

I figured I should post an update after asking for opinions on a N63 powered X5 I wanted to purchase in March of 2017. I bought the car and added about 30K miles in the last year and a half or so. A few out of state trips, and a daily commute of about 35 miles will do that.

Maybe I have good luck, but this car has been an absolute blast. It had about 50K miles when I purchased it and just rolled over 85K miles this week.

When I first purchased it I would get the engine malfunction light. Took it to the dealer and ended up replacing 2 coils which were covered under a warranty I picked up for about 3K. I think the price would have been $450 or so at the dealer. Also replaced the front brakes and rotors at the dealer for about $1K.

The CCP was performed before I purchased it. Besides the oil changes and keeping some backup oil to use between changes, no issues outside of the norm. Tires set me back about $700 or so per axle. I need to replace the thrust arm bushings, quoted about $750 for that.

Gas mileage even with my heavy highway commute is terrible, as expected. The computer is generous, I reset it every time I fill up and it reads 17 or 18 mpg, but the manual calculation from resetting the trip odometer comes to about 16.5 mpg. However, it did pull about 20MPG on a 400 mile roadtrip at an average of 75MPH.

I do not have any other issues. Life has changed a bit in the last year and a half. I am going to sell her soon. Trying to decide if I want to keep her and add an F10 M5, go conservative and replace it with a F15 50i or go all out with a 2015 or X5M. I would just hate to daily drive a M car and subject it to kid duty, but the red interior is calling my name!

I hope this helps others considering the car. I read a lot of horror stories before pulling the trigger on this N63 powered vehicle.

[X5 MAN]

I too bought a 2011 X5 50i, with M-Sport package., around early June with 105k miles on the clock. After taking it home on a 120mile trip it showed a CEL and a reduced engine power warning. Went to the BMW dealer and got fuel pump and some sensor replaced. Since then it has worked like a charm. Put 2000 miles on it and is a blast to drive. I am getting 16 city and 21 mpg on highway . Still I preemptively changed to new spark plugs, new battery, fresh brake and coolant fluids and changed engine oil. I hope I have a trouble free ownership . Touch wood

[boneca]

sounds like a good experience! I'm sure don't know u situation but if u like the car and it doesn't give any issues just keep it, as far as gas miles goes, u complaining about it but want to get in to X5M trust me not the best move based on gas milage...

I also impressed on how the car behaves in u climate zone

[Blacksage]

Originally Posted by boneca

sounds like a good experience! I'm sure don't know u situation but if u like the car and it doesn't give any issues just keep it, as far as gas miles goes, u complaining about it but want to get in to X5M trust me not the best move based on gas milage...

I also impressed on how the car behaves in u climate zone

LOL. I am not complaining, just trying to help potential buyers. Crazy thing is the 2011 is rated something like 14/20 and the current X5M is 14/19. I just want to get over 300 miles to the tank, having to stop and get gas more often than that is annoying. I can usually squeeze out 330-350 miles or so, so it gets the job done.

If I could go back, I would get the 2012+ I think it has paddle shifters and I regret not getting the M package.

I agree though, with little to no issues on the X5, I should keep it until it isn't worth it, which is why I am considering adding a M5 and driving it on the weekends and maybe to work one day a week or so.

[boneca]

Originally Posted by Blacksage

LOL. I am not complaining, just trying to help potential buyers. Crazy thing is the 2011 is rated something like 14/20 and the current X5M is 14/19. I just want to get over 300 miles to the tank, having to stop and get gas more often than that is annoying. I can usually squeeze out 330-350 miles or so, so it gets the job done.

If I could go back, I would get the 2012+ I think it has paddle shifters and I regret not getting the M package.

I agree though, with little to no issues on the X5, I should keep it until it isn't worth it, which is why I am considering adding a M5 and driving it on the weekends and maybe to work one day a week or so.

I hear u

I'm getting around 15mph on average on my 13 X5M (obviously I have a light foot ) and most of my driving is highway going back and forth to work every day about 75 miles, sometimes more based on a day, yes its my daily I'm at 93.5k miles, added about 60k in the 2.5 years I own it. Usually I get around 200 miles before I have to stop for gas, I don't typically let the tank drain and put gas when 1/3rd is left.
As fas as gas mileage goes, the best I ever got was on a trip to Canada last year and it was about 19, heading to PA this weekend for MPact and I want to see what it's gonna be this time around!

I have pretty much the same wish is to get either E60 M5 or F10 M5 for the summer and keep X5M for winter, that would be already possible if I wouldn't spend so much on mods

[jiggz]

Good to read about a positive 50i ownership experience, I know they're out there, but you only seem to hear the negative ones. These are great vehicles, at least mine has been. Some repairs along the way, but those are to be expected.