X5 Purchasing advice needed

[ahsm]

Hello

I never thought I would find myself looking for an X5 to buy but here I am.

I've owned BMW almost all of my life, here is my list:

2000 BMW 528I
2005 BMW 330I ZHP
2003 BMW 540I M SPORT (WITH LSD)
2006 BMW 330I
2006 BMW 330I (CURRENT)

Now that I have a kid and we need a more practical family car I started looking at X5's, F15's are out of my price range so I am looking at E70.

I am specifically looking for an M Sport package, the regular ones I find are just way too boring visually for me.

Ideally I would like to find a 2013 X5 M Sport package but even when searching within the whole country (Canada) there are only a handful of them, I went to check out 3 that are local and they were all abused. One of them had oil leaking out of the OFHG all over the belt and tensioner, the tensioner looked like it would explode any second and when I scanned it I got fault codes for almost everything and this is after the dealer said "yaeh buddy come check it out it's super mint".

I had a 2013 Lexus GS350 for a few months that was fully loaded and I realized I've never used most of the features apart from playing with them when I just got the car so I am not too heavy on features and options (lane departure warning, heads up display, night vision camera, etc).

I wanted to ask what you guy think of this:

https://www.autotrader.ca/a/bmw/x5/g...%203G5&sprx=-1

https://www.mdecoder.com/decode/l749589

It seems like it's pretty basic and doesn't have must features, I don't think it even has a back up camera, which is fine because I usually use my eyes anyways and if the PDC is there that's more than enough for me.

I really like that colour combination though.

There is also another one:

https://www.autotrader.ca/a/bmw/x5/k...%203G5&sprx=-1

https://www.mdecoder.com/decode/l752233

This one seems to be better optioned and at least has some service records on CarFax: https://vhr.carfax.ca/main?id=nx5AHJ...JNYatY#Img_acc

Any thoughts or help or opinions would be greatly appreciated.

As an X5 owner are there any features or options that those two linked cars are missing that would be a deal breaker for you?

Thanks

EDIT: Are there any major differences between 2012 and 2013? I know that 2013 came with paddle shifters, although this being a family car I doubt I would use those that much. Any differences in reliability between prod date mid 2011 and 2012?

[Thecastle]

paddle shifters were based on engine/options and not year, my 2008 and 2011 both had paddle shifters. Only useful in the mountains/towing.

I think the F15 generation is more reliable than the E70s.

Don't buy an E70 V8, n62 or N63 both have lots of expensive problems, but aren't bad engines if you can wrench them, or an extended warranty.

I recommend multi-contour seats and adaptive drive. The adaptive drive really makes the lifted wagon handle a lot better, by significantly reducing body roll. Also do not get the base audio, its not that good.

I've had 2x E70s an 2008 4.8i, and a 2011 X5M. I wouldn't own an E70 without an extended warranty.

There were no major differences between 2012/2013.

Get the 35D or 35i for lower cost of ownership.

[X5 MAN]

Buy one with a reliable service history.

[rbryantaz]

Originally Posted by Thecastle

paddle shifters were based on engine/options and not year, my 2008 and 2011 both had paddle shifters. Only useful in the mountains/towing.

I think the F15 generation is more reliable than the E70s.

Don't buy an E70 V8, n62 or N63 both have lots of expensive problems, but aren't bad engines if you can wrench them, or an extended warranty.

I recommend multi-contour seats and adaptive drive. The adaptive drive really makes the lifted wagon handle a lot better, by significantly reducing body roll. Also do not get the base audio, its not that good.

I've had 2x E70s an 2008 4.8i, and a 2011 X5M. I wouldn't own an E70 without an extended warranty.

There were no major differences between 2012/2013.

Get the 35D or 35i for lower cost of ownership.

Adaptive drive is also expensive to fix, the shocks and struts are only available from BMW and are over $800 each IIRC... The power steering pump, lines, swaybar, etc are also all much more complex with adaptive drive....

I wouldn't exactly say that the 35D is lower cost of ownership. Sure it uses less fuel but prices are down at the moment. Maint is likely higher on the 35D than the 35i. Two friends at work have 35d's and both have pretty regular high maint bills from the stealership.

I have the 4.8i and if you can find one that had the valve stems replaced at the dealer and also fix the coolant transfer pipe it isn't a bad engine. Things like the valve cover are a pain but it is a good engine after that.

-Rich

[JDAURIA]

Both vehicles listed above are actually fairly basic in my opinion minus the MSports Package. No heated steering wheel, ventilated seats, rear heated seats, rear climate, leather dash, (Unsure about heads up display without further research into vin decoder), not a huge fan of either wheel setup either. If you are into 3rd row or rear entertainment options, neither had those either.

Don't rush the process and in my opinion again - maintenance details/records over everything. There are a ton of these out there. Honestly, I wouldn't pigeon hole yourself into MSports only.

[ahsm]

Originally Posted by Thecastle

paddle shifters were based on engine/options and not year, my 2008 and 2011 both had paddle shifters. Only useful in the mountains/towing.

I think the F15 generation is more reliable than the E70s.

Don't buy an E70 V8, n62 or N63 both have lots of expensive problems, but aren't bad engines if you can wrench them, or an extended warranty.

I recommend multi-contour seats and adaptive drive. The adaptive drive really makes the lifted wagon handle a lot better, by significantly reducing body roll. Also do not get the base audio, its not that good.

I've had 2x E70s an 2008 4.8i, and a 2011 X5M. I wouldn't own an E70 without an extended warranty.

There were no major differences between 2012/2013.

Get the 35D or 35i for lower cost of ownership.

Thanks for your reply. I'm thinking maybe I should hold out a bit and save more money and get an F15, now that I've started looking deeper they are not THAT much more expensive.

I've learned my lesson with BMW V8's when I had the 540i (m62tu) - no thanks, I6 or nothing.

Multicontour seats are the ones that a million buttons, right?

Not really a music guy, the most I'll have is some radio playing in the background at low volumes.

Originally Posted by JDNY516

Both vehicles listed above are actually fairly basic in my opinion minus the MSports Package. No heated steering wheel, ventilated seats, rear heated seats, rear climate, leather dash, (Unsure about heads up display without further research into vin decoder), not a huge fan of either wheel setup either. If you are into 3rd row or rear entertainment options, neither had those either.

Don't rush the process and in my opinion again - maintenance details/records over everything. There are a ton of these out there. Honestly, I wouldn't pigeon hole yourself into MSports only.

I'm starting to realize that finding the perfect M Sport might be harder than I thought so I will explore non M Sport as well.

I actually went to check out both yesterday, the black one was hit front passenger side so I just got back in my car and drove away. The white one was ok but had a rough interior and and other things that bothered me.

Will keep looking.