2011 BMW X5 xDrive50i

[JOY JOY]

Purchased my pre-loved X5 February 14, 2018 - it had 52,090 miles and was in immaculate (visual) condition, I'm a girl and that mattered. Now? Not so much.
Here is the timeline/money line of my 'relationship' with SWAGGY B (yes, I named her):

* 2/14/18 - purchase Swaggy for $15k cash

* 3/2/18 - (2 ish weeks later for those playing along) This horrifying smell starts in the cabin. So bad that it makes my eyes burn. I am running through oil like no other, but see no apparent signs of an oil leak. I seek out and find a BMW mechanic and take her in.
REPLACED LEAKING VALVE COVER GASKET, GASKETS AND ORINGS
REPLACED WATER PUMP (TOLD IT WAS CAUSE OF LEAKING ANTIFREEZE)
FOUND A BOLT IN THE TIRE - REPLACED ALL 4 TIRES
OIL CHANGE
HAD BATTERY CHARGED
COST - $4040.72

* 5/25/2018 - Got in my car after work - started then every light and warning imaginable pops up and the car shuts itself down. Have Swag towed to my dear friends at the mechanic shop.
REPLACED ALTERNATOR
REPLACED COOLING SYSTEM BYPASS HOSE
REPLACED SENSOR IN ONE TIRE
OIL CHANGE
COST - $2,033.71

* 6/28/18 - Got in my car to drive home on a sweltering hot day - AC blowing hot air, and not with any force. Back to the shop.
REMOVE AND REPLACE A/C COMPRESSOR, EXPANSION VALVE AND RECEIVER DRYER
CHARGE A/C SYSTEM
COST - $1994.28

So, over the course of the next 6 1/2 months I am feeling like she is finally whole. Expensive, but whole. At about mid-December the add oil warning comes on. I do. a week later, same thing. Didn't drive her through the holidays and on the day I called to make an appointment......I got in, started her and she was shaking and the ENGINE MALFUNCTION -OPERATING AT REDUCED POWER popped up. I shut her off and went inside. Came out an hour later so I could text my BFF's at the shop and send a picture of the warning and it was gone. Never happened again until this past Saturday. Mid road trip she starts shaking when I accelerate and the same warning comes up. I take her straight to the shop and leave her. Yesterday they called and said it was an ignition coil but that I should replace all 8 ($670.00 and ready by lunch). Lunch came and went with no word - at 4 I called and was told coils were replaced problem is STILL THERE. This morning I get the following text from them: "So, L***** says we need to open the engine, one cylinder isn't firing. We need time to really dig and find out whats going on and unfortunately he said this may turn into a big deal."

I am at a loss. Is this just MY CAR or is there a major, catastrophic problem with this model and year? Any help or advice is welcome.

Joy

[9vapors]

If you poke around on here, you'll see people have a lot of issues which have even led to engine replacement on the N63. Not trying to scare you, but the oil issues it has are a battle. Some folks have managed to skirt the issues by installing catch cans etc, but it's not finite. Sophisticated redneck would be someone to ask...

[Sophisticated Redneck]

Hi Joy, first me thinks you need a new shop. They are taking advantage or you and their prices. Coils are 40 bucks a piece and you can do all 8 in less then an hour, the coils themslves don't even take a tool to remove, pop them out with your fingers. Ask your shop what could they used. I went through the reduced power crap even after I replaced all the coils...turns out there are a TON of shit coils out there, especially Bosch made in Slovenia.. Once I switched to Eldors from Autohouseaz, no more issues. Your mechanic should be smart enough to swap the coils around and see if the problem follows. If not, fire their asses. If the coils & wiring are ruled out then possible injector issue. I would jump on BMWs website and look up your warranty info. If it hasn't been done yet, you could get the CCP which will take care of all of this for free from BMW. And as 9vapors mentioned, if it's oil fouling the spark plugs issue then your turbo oil return lines are clogged and you need them replaced or cleaned. When the get blocked, oil will pour right into the intake from the turbo. You should notice a ton of smoke out th back too.like James bond smoke screen levels.... Oh and THROW AWAY YOUR ENGINE COVER. All of your issues are temperature related. Your coolant hoses would still be fine if it didn't get baked nonstop from that stupid ass engine cover helping to hold in the heat. That thing is amazing money maker for BMW....

[omgboost]

Isn't this why a car that's 9 years old with 50k miles is worth less than a fraction of what it was when new?

I'm pretty sure 9 year old Toyota Highlanders with 50k miles would cost more than the BMW.

[Sophisticated Redneck]

Originally Posted by omgboost

Isn't this why a car that's 9 years old with 50k miles is worth less than a fraction of what it was when new?

I'm pretty sure 9 year old Toyota Highlanders with 50k miles would cost more than the BMW.

Yep! It's why 50i's are so cheap, I got mine for 12K and it was only 6 years old, has every possible option and near perfect shape. Original price was nearly 90K....I knew about the issues with the the N63 engine but the power and the way it drives was too addicting...a friggen SUV that can beat new mustang 5.0 and Camaros in street races (traction is everything kids) cruise for hours at 100+MPH and haul all your friends and crap around was too hard to pass up...but it comes at a price....be ready to work on it or have one hell of a mechanic and a warranty....

[Sophisticated Redneck]

Oh and forgot the obvious...have the spark plugs been changed??? I assume your mechanic changed those first but just double checking..don't let them charge you 20 bucks a peice for them either!

[JOY JOY]

YES!!!! It smokes so bad out of the exhaust that I feel guilty going through the bank drive through without handing out a gas mask beforehand! I have no idea where else to take it - I live in a resort town (Lake of the Ozarks) and there is but one shop who specializes in European cars. I will have to research to find a place in a bigger city close by.

Sophisticated Redneck what is the CCP??

[UglyBuzzard]

Get out while you can. Cut your losses. 5.0 is a disaster.

[jiggz]

Originally Posted by JOY JOY

YES!!!! It smokes so bad out of the exhaust that I feel guilty going through the bank drive through without handing out a gas mask beforehand! I have no idea where else to take it - I live in a resort town (Lake of the Ozarks) and there is but one shop who specializes in European cars. I will have to research to find a place in a bigger city close by.

Sophisticated Redneck what is the CCP??

CCP is BMW's name for basically a large recall on the N63 motor in your 50i. CCP = customer care campaign, all sorts of internal engine parts could potentially be replaced following a BMW tech checking it over. There's no expiration on it, but you need to get it to a BMW dealer to have the service done. There's also a number of other recalls on these vehicles - front driveshaft, airbags, one the secondary water pumps I believe.

It's possible your X5 had that work done by the prior owner, but you'd have to bring it to a dealer and have them pull up the VIN to see what's been done. Unless you can get someone over the phone to provide the info.

Good luck sorting this all out.

[JOY JOY]

I sincerely appreciate all of your advice and assistance! I am on it - will let you know the outcome!

[eDubz]

Joy - you mentioned that you live near the Ozarks. Where did you buy the truck?

I bought my '12 X5M and my wife's '13 X3 MSport from Autobahn Motors in Springfield, MO. Jeff, the owner, might be able to offer some advice.

[TwinSnailz]

Im sorry but you need a new BFF. Almost $700 for coils?

I need to open a shop specializing in N63, s63, T63, z63 etc. I would make a killing.

[dennik]

As mentioned previously, contact your local BMW dealer, ask if Customer care package (vacuum pump, injectors, crank case vent pipes, timing chains are covered) was done on your car, then ask for any recalls (on x5 n63 auxiliary water pump, front drive shaft, front air bags are covered), and refer to Bang Class Settlement that is currently covering a lot of oil consumption related parts ( valve stem seals, valve cover gaskets, some people got turbos covered, others got rear main and front seals done, free battery replacement). Also ask if any parts have extended warranty ( usually recall items, but for some production years have FRM and high pressure fuel pumps covered till 120kmiles). So check for that and your indy is overpriced!

[JOY JOY]

Originally Posted by eDubz

Joy - you mentioned that you live near the Ozarks. Where did you buy the truck?

I bought my '12 X5M and my wife's '13 X3 MSport from Autobahn Motors in Springfield, MO. Jeff, the owner, might be able to offer some advice.

I know the place! My daughter goes to MSU. I bought my X5 at Mayse Automotive in Aurora.

[Naz24]

Originally Posted by Sophisticated Redneck

Hi Joy, first me thinks you need a new shop. They are taking advantage or you and their prices. Coils are 40 bucks a piece and you can do all 8 in less then an hour, the coils themslves don't even take a tool to remove, pop them out with your fingers. Ask your shop what could they used. I went through the reduced power crap even after I replaced all the coils...turns out there are a TON of shit coils out there, especially Bosch made in Slovenia.. Once I switched to Eldors from Autohouseaz, no more issues. Your mechanic should be smart enough to swap the coils around and see if the problem follows. If not, fire their asses. If the coils & wiring are ruled out then possible injector issue. I would jump on BMWs website and look up your warranty info. If it hasn't been done yet, you could get the CCP which will take care of all of this for free from BMW. And as 9vapors mentioned, if it's oil fouling the spark plugs issue then your turbo oil return lines are clogged and you need them replaced or cleaned. When the get blocked, oil will pour right into the intake from the turbo. You should notice a ton of smoke out th back too.like James bond smoke screen levels.... Oh and THROW AWAY YOUR ENGINE COVER. All of your issues are temperature related. Your coolant hoses would still be fine if it didn't get baked nonstop from that stupid ass engine cover helping to hold in the heat. That thing is amazing money maker for BMW....

Is this advice that should be taken on S63's as well?

[Sophisticated Redneck]

Originally Posted by Naz24

Is this advice that should be taken on S63's as well?

I don't think it's quite as important on the S63 as it is the n63, because of the way the air filters are designed and integrated in with the engine cover on n63 there is zero airflow but I would still highly recommend it. This traps all the heat from the catalytic converters and exhaust manifolds right in the valley of the engine were several critical lines run such as the oil return lines from the turbo chargers and coolant lines run Temperatures exceed the burning point of oil, causing the oil return lines to get clogged and all the rubber hoses pcv tubes to dry out prematurely. I still can't decide if BMW just really dropped the ball on this from stupidity or if they're diabolically evil and did this on purpose so that we all have buy all the parts that it wears out....don't need a pretty cover on my engine....What I do need is an engine that hauls ass without parts wearing out prematurely